EV 961, Whither Goest Thou? by Charybdis

[dr b]

Back on the toughie track this week, for me anyway. I spent quite a bit of time convincing myself on several of the wordplays - I knew what the extra letter had to be but couldn't see where it was coming from. So I have the instruction and 8 clashes, but don't see any sense to the "route" thus described, nor do I have a clue on the thematic phrase. And what's that X doing there? Perhaps the solution to the mystery lies in answering that question. I will ponder more later...

[bellabee]

no conflict between 29 and 35 devadolly - but yes, that was the work i had in mind - would rather clean out the shed than read it again.

[haggis58]

Devadolly

worried = ate (look up eat in Chambers)

[copelander]

What is the relevance of the central X ?. I can't believe that such a cleverly constructed crossword would get the date wrong and would have an unnecessary letter in the middle, but maybe I'm trying to read too much into it.

[dr b]

copelander, I think that if the X is driving you batty, then the setter has accomplished his/her goal.

[novalis]

Haven't been able to start this so far due to various commitments but judging by the posts so far I'm in for a "treat". Still to finish last week's which I keep revisiting when I've a spare moment. The first letter of 8 down ( River at bottom of valley here in Denmark ) is eluding me because I can't find any justification for either obviuos answer ( i.e. beginning D or V ) and despite an excellent hint from Dr. B. I can't see what needs highlighting despite having read various synopses of the plot. ( Something which I'm slowly but surely losing! )

[kayakamina]

Hi novalis

8d is one of the answers to be highlighted ( the other being 16a).
They are anagrams of a fictional character found in the title of the puzzle.
8d starts with D and is the name of a tiny place in Denmark.

[devadolly]

Despite all your excellent posts, I have ground to a halt. The NW corner is giving most grief particularly 15a as I cannot get the wrong answer to stop clouding the judgement. 29d & 35a (having been advised there are no conflicting letters here) are also annoying, I have the skiing manoeuvre as a strange word which fits both parts of the SI perfectly and I want the answer to 29d to remind one of rather odd tasting sweets from yesteryear (are they still around??). So where am I wrong?

[Shoni70]

Hi Devadolly,
15a could be a vessel for carrying blood. 29a is another name for a clip for a neckwear item and 35a is a skiing word for a zig-zag manouevre that I had never heard of before.
Although I have found all the clashes and I think the route ( do I start from 1.),
I have no idea what the thematic phrase is and how many letters it contains.
I also would like DrBB to try and explain to me the significance of the X in the centre please.

[bellabee]

29dn would sound like the sweet you refer to but for the 3rd letter [a clip is the def]

[copelander]

Yes, Dr b, I was "had"!

[dr b]

Shoni, I think that there are enough hints throughout the thread (regarding the across vs. down clashes) to clue you in to the number of letters in the phrase; once you have that the meaning of the X should be clear.

[Shoni70]

DrB, i must be incredibly thick since I have no idea what x means. As a Mathematician x usually means the unknown quantity, or marks the spot but these ideas do not lead me anywhere. I cannot see why the clashes across and down can give me the number of letters in the thematic phrase , although I have found anagrams of theletters which gives same phrases associated with last Friday. Surely this is not the thematic phrase and what has X to do with it. The title could possible be a quote from a certain book by jk, to which the answer is the name of a country.. There could also be a biblical reference to the title but this leads me nowhere. Sorry to pester you but I am desperate to complete this puzzle. Do I join the route back completely to cell1.?

[dr b]

If you look at the exchange between me and bellabee at 19:11 on Sunday, you will see that the clashes provide the same set of letters whether you take the letters from the down words or the across words (repeating one cell as bellabee notes). So you have 9 letters, which anagram to a phrase which, as noted above, would have been apt last Friday. Given that phrase, the utility (or not) of the X should be apparent (see copelander's response at 14:40 today).

[Shoni70]

Thank you for your response Dr B but i am still none the wiser. I have the phrase but this surely cannot be the thematic phrase wanted since I cannot see the theme at all. X is still a mystery and why join the route. I ca'nt see where it leads us or goes to .
If anybody else could enlighten me I shall be delighted.

[novalis]

Many thanks for that Kayakamina. Hope to be able to start on the current one tomorrow.

[dr b]

Shoni, you have been "had", like many of us, but perhaps just not realized it yet. If your thematic phrase is (5,4), and would have been apt last Friday, then it it surely the right one. You are looking for meaning in the grid which is not there, to which the setter is saying..... "thematic phrase!"

[AndrewG-S]

Been on hols and trying to do the last step two weeks late was not helpful.