Listener 4162 Carte Blanche with a Twist by Mash

[starwalker]

Judging from the dearth of postings, others are also finding this less than a walkover - pretty much as foretold.
I'm still working on paragraph one of the preamble and an odd assortment of answers. Friday Night Club maybe, but probably next Friday.

[contendo]

Yes Sunny-dave, I've got 1A & 1D & done some tentative grid-filling and I've cold-solved another two, but still a long way to go. Is anyone else out there in the slow lane or have I got it all to myself?

[dead-eye]

I'm on the hard shoulder with BlackHugh.

[Walterloo]

Well done to all those that are persevering with this one. I've decided I can't go on anymore! As far as I'm concerned, after having filled the 30x10 grid, then the 15x10 grid and found the 11-letter highlighting I've done enough. I feel satisfied enough with that, to be honest. I enjoyed it and it remains one of the best I've attempted, but the clash can just stay unresolved. The little blighter . . .

[BlackHugh]

Some progress this afternoon - I have, finally, the 15x10 grid and the ideal form, but, sadly, not yet any clash. I'm in agreement with previous posters, the construction of the puzzle is utterly astounding.

[BlackHugh]

Hmm - just spotted that my ideal form does not satisfy the requirements of the pre-amble. Have to put the thinking cap back on.

[JackDeCrow]

Your last two posts are closely related BlackHugh - you're closer than you think!

[Mesnilpat]

I surrender, I have the 10x15 grid - two versions, with a choice of two clashes. The hidden message and ideal form are a complete mystery though. I'm on the point of admitting defeat.

[BlackHugh]

Jack - I suspected as much. I've done 8ac a bit too much this evening for the care needed for a reconsideration. I'll renew the battle at dawn!

[logophile]

Mesnilpat - I'd have thought the correct choice of clash is determined by the column number, but I'm confused as to how folks can have the 11 letters without knowing the clash/digit. I'm in the opposite camp, with a clash in the correct column but no obvious phrase to highlight. Does this mean there is more than one way to generate the clash in the correct column ?

[Mysterons]

'Reading partly from right to left' could be a bit misleading logophile - try doing the opposite !

[logophile]

Thanks for the advice Mysterons, but as so often happens I spotted the 11 a couple of minutes after posting - it's an oft recommended technique for seeing the light ! I had also fallen into the trap of incorrectly guessing the wrong string to look for, which always tends to make the task harder.

[borealis]

Wow.

I am really, really hoping for a setter's blog in a couple of weeks to explain how this was put together. Hope you are listening, Mash, and thank you, very much indeed, for one of the really top-flight puzzles. Glad to see some here agree.

Anyone still struggling, keep going, whether you submit or not - each successive realisation is worth it!

[TheBear69]

I'm still struggling to find that clash; other than the variations due to symmetry I'd be astounded if there was some other way to fit all the answers into the 10x15 grid. I have a theory as to how the clash is supposed to occur but no matter which arrangement I choose I am not having a breakthrough. Knowing which column the clash is supposed to occur in is not helping either...Sigh

[Mysterons]

You might find it helpful to check the letter frequencies in the grid TheBear - there are four or five that are over-represented and three that are significantly lacking - they fall into two groups with different properties.

[Lewap]

Please could someone give me a pointer ([email protected])? I have a completed 10*30 grid and 2 versions of a 10*15. However on both versions, the down answers dropping off the bottom do not reappear at the top of the same column. Should the smaller grid follow the same rules as the initial grid in this regard. Please use my email to avoid spoilers!
Cheers
Lewap

[Mesnilpat]

I have the same clash but in two different columns depending on the version of the grid i generate. Sigh.... I simply cannot see the next stage. Possibly a flaw in my reasoning so far. I will take a break and see if a bit of R&R helps. Good luck all - what a fab puzzle though!

[Mysterons]

Your situation mirrors mine a few days ago Mesnilpat - that's the beauty of this puzzle - the two versions are necessary to construct the real-life 'ideal form', though in this case we only need to submit the one with the clash in the appropriately numbered column.

[contendo]

I'm still here in the crawler lane with 18 clues solved and bits of the grid filled. I don't see how you can draw a diagonal through an "infinite" grid, nor indeed how it can have mirror symmetry.

[contendo]

Hurray! I've completed the 10x30 grid. Give me another week and I might manage phase 2.

[JackDeCrow]

Mesnilplat - did you say you do have a clash? Note in the preamble it says that it should appear in it's "own" column.