Blimey. Finally in the post. Seeing Sabre was the perpetrator of this I knew it would be hard, but still not really sure where it all fell apart. Had pretty reliable answers to all but one clue, but couldn't see how to decide where things should go. Started a list of possible letters in each cell - too unwieldy; listed the letters that had to share the centre - didn't help; tried pencilling in a couple of words with few possible routes and unusual letters to see if that constrained things sufficiently - not really; spotted a possible pair of 6-letter words, but the title hinted they were red herrings, and they would make one solution impossible to fit - unless it was wrong, or maybe another was wrong. So I wrote a computer program that attempted to fit the words in - and it gave up too... At this point I could hear the evil laughter of a certain setter, and cracked - I checked here to see if anyone had made any headway, only to find clearly incorrect pronouncements (you know who you are!) and feared this was going to be a knight's move too far. I added colour to the program (it didn't help but it looked nicer). Then people started saying they had solved it - at first it seemed certain that they were fooling themselves, but it gave me hope. Then more joined the joyous throng (is three a throng?) and I decided they couldn't all have access to a VAX31, so I again attempted a hand fill - and slowly it came together (with much use of assumptions). Hat off to Sabre for a fiendish puzzle, but plaudits to all contributors here because you are the people who gave me the hope that pulled me through! Without you I would certainly have given up, but knowing that it was possible was enough - and it is a vital point that no hints are given, else I wouldn't be bothering to visit.