Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 068
Map by Elgar / Enigmatist
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Welcome to the latest in our series of weekly puzzles.
This puzzle was distributed by Elgar at the S&B 8 meeting on 24th May 2011 and he has kindly given permission for it to be reproduced here.
The puzzle by Elgar is available by clicking here:
Feel free to leave comments about this puzzle.
It certainly helps to read the information at the top of the puzzle and to have been there. Many thanks to Enigmatist / Elgar / Nimrod / John Henderson for (a) organising the event and (b) the crossword. When my brain has recovered and sermon writing duties are done, I will turn my hand to a review!
The notes and announcement were helpful to this non-attender in getting the themed parts of this crossword. I managed all but 9 clues on paper over lunch – thanks as usual to Mr CS for allowing me to read clues out to him and then go Aha before he says anything. A return to the computer for a couple of helpful letters enabled me to finish the whole thing off in a reasonable time.
Thanks to Elgar for the usual challenge – not quite as “glinty” as I thought it might be
My favourite clue has to be the non-dictionary-recognised 19d.
When I read the special instructions I wasn’t at all sure that I’d be able to do this one, so I decided to ignore them initially and plunge in. I came back to them later when I’d got half the grid filled in and by this time they made more sense and I was able to complete it (except for 1a where I had to reveal a letter before I understood it).
Thanks to Elgar for the incredible skill in incorporating so many themed answers, especially the diagonal. I enjoyed 21a and 31a, but, like CrypticSue, my favourite was 19d.
Interesting that the answer to 16ac is also in the Guardian’s prize crossword in a completely different context.