NTSPP – 009 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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NTSPP – 009

Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 009

Spot the Links by Tilsit

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Welcome to the ninth in our series of weekly puzzles.

Ages ago, before the start of this series, Tilsit promised to write a puzzle for the blog.  Well, at long last here it is!

There is a theme, which is particularly appropriate for this weekend (I’ll say no more before I give the game away).  What I will say is that you must read the preamble before starting – if you don’t you may finish up scratching your head for quite a while.


The puzzle by Tilsit is available by clicking here:

NTSPP - 009

Feel free to leave comments about this puzzle.

15 comments on “NTSPP – 009

  1. Sorry to be so dense quite so early on but could someone clarify …….”20a, 4d, 7d, 19d, 21d, 23d and 24d are all 14 down;” for me. I have a horrid feeling I’m going to feel very silly very soon but I dont quite follow this. :???:

    1. Certainly

      The unclued answer to 14 down serves as a definition for all of the clues mentioned. That answer can be interpreted in two different ways, one of which relates to the first group of clues and the other to the second group of clues. None of the clues in those two groups have a definition (except for 3 down – which could help you to get started!).

      Once you get a foothold it should all become obvious.

      Incidentally, a word was accidentally omitted from the originally posted clue for 3 down, but that has now been corrected.

      1. Thanks Big D and also Prolixic – that does make it a little clearer …. here goes!

    2. Well – I’m glad you asked first!! Just printed it out & will sit in the garden and have a go – though at first glance it looks impossible! No doubt I’ll be back……….

  2. 14d is a collective noun of which 20a, etc are individual examples. By way of analogy, if the answer to 14d were to have been FRUIT, the answers to 20a, 4d, etc might have been APPLES, PEARS, etc.

    I have just put an interactive version on-line and will prepare a review this afternoon.

  3. Excellent puzzle and great fun to solve. BD kindly sent me the grid and clues to prepare the on-line version but wisely omitted to send the solution – it concentrates the mind wondefully trying to solve and get the puzzle on-line with the correct answers!

    Many thanks to Tilsit for the puzzle.

  4. Thanks for the excellent puzzle, Tilsit; although NOT my favourite subject, it still stretched my mind. Very appropriate timing, too. Got 3d first and then 14d. Liked 22a. Will be on 9a very early on Monday morning and then out of crossword land for a while. On email (but a paper subscriber) so will check into the blog from time to time to keep brain running!

  5. Got the theme quite early on as the first two I solved were 2d and 3d. Obviously 3d let me to put in the answer for 14d and worked from there. It took me ages to get the bottom left hand corner. Several new words relating to the theme but enjoyable.

    Got the answer to 6d but don’t understand it. Looking forward to Anax’s review so I can find out why – unless someone else can explain it.

    Thanks Tilsit for a lovely puzzle.

  6. okay okay so13d is obviously the one to get first from what I can gather and guess what? …. yep exactly that … havnt got 3d along with many others in fact have only managed 11 & 12a and 2d …..so I’m off to C.C. for a cuppa and in the nicest possible way I hope to find Claire there.

    1. Well, I had a very nice cuppa in the garden with my son but….. neither of us had much of a clue so yes – definitely in the CC corner!

  7. I am struggling. I have got 28a and (maybe) 18d (if “play” is the definition).
    I am not going to give up and look at the review yet!
    Thanks Tilsit!
    mark

    1. Got 3d now. Should have realised from the puzzle’s name! Don’t know much about this theme, but will persevere!

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