Spec 1936

[zita-green]

Sorry. That sounded all wrong. Meant to say, is anyone else having difficulty like me?

[MLN:RUGBY]

No.
You've still got plenty of time to complete it.

[bathtub]

Zita, it's not an especially hard one, but a lot depends on how you're feeling. I can agonise for ages over a puzzle when I'm tired, then rattle clues off quite quickly when I'm feeling refreshed.

This month's Grauniad Genius was a case in point. I sweated over one corner for what felt like hours, then got up the next day and did the rest in 10 minutes.

It's also difficult to switch wavelengths between different compilers and levels of difficulty.

[Mampara]

Zita-green. Are you having problems with individual clues or with the theme
of this week's puzzle ?

If you quote one or two of the clues we'll see if we can assist.

Always remember that the title to the Spectator crosswords is important.

[robinruth]

Yes, Zita, I am having problems, I have completed the grid, except for some of the unclued lights, and believe I have the theme (which has a link with 'Wherefore' - if I am right, the link comes sixth of the ten). However, I can't relate 1ac to the theme or get the homophone and item for 19d (where I have ?udge)

[Mysterons]

You've come to the right place for a gentle push in the right direction (know what I mean, wink, wink ?)

[robinruth]

Thanks, Mysterons, a great Monty Python fan here! See you shortly (but not too fast, I hope), on another thread!

[Helveticus]

Like robinuth, I have nearly but not quite got it. I had only the first letter of 15A still to find, but this is now clear thanks to Mysterons ("Know what I mean? Say no more!"). However, I can't see how 15A ties in with the theme, nor can I quite fathom how *eight* unclued lights suggest homophones of *ten* of a set. 28D doesn't seem to belong to what I think could be the set of 10; if I am right, 38A comes first in the set, but it would not belong to the set if one were in, say, France.

[zita-green]

Thanks to Bathtub and Mampara for your encouraging comments. It's the theme I'm having trouble with. I can't see a linkbetween 40a, 38a and 15a, for example.

[robinruth]

Helveticus, yes indeed - your comment about living in France adapts that homophone thing, but, in fact, if you are Helvetic, it affects you in a different way (the bit connected with the title gets Zebra significance). But we do know that it is 'different' for us, and make that mental shift - just one more problem of not living in the home counties :)

[bathtub]

Assuming we're agreed on the set in question, I can see how all ten of them can be accounted for by eight unclued lights - 40a, I assume, does double duty for nos. 2+3 in the set (taken together) and no. 10.

What I'm less sure about are the homophones suggested by 15a and 28d. And I was claiming it wasn't that hard!

[Helveticus]

Thanks robinruth and bathtub! I think I was wrongly fixated on a set of ten (with echoes of an Anthony Burgess title), rather than ten of a set of N and that the set has more than ten elements. If so, then:
- The homophone suggested by 28D is now no problem.
- 10D suggests 2 different homophones.
The homophone suggested by 15A remains unclear to me. Maybe Mysterons could give me a bigger push in the right direction. I still have problems with the homophone for the tenth member of the set.

[Mysterons]

bathtub, I suspect you may have attributed 28's homophone to 40. 15's comes a little later in the set.

[zita-green]

Help. Have all but 28d. Know I'm missing something; a missing link, as it were. Can anyone give a clue without spoiling things for anyone else? Thanks.

[crucifernz]

See this other thread, though no-one can agree!

http://www.theanswerb...s/Question819876.html