EV 1027 Checkmate by Shark

[Twit-Who]

An enjoyable puzzle but really once you have the grid fill and letters the highlighting is hardly a challenge. Would have been so much more fun without the across misprint letters.

[DocHH]

Hello Twit-Who,
A tad more difficult grid fill this week. I had no idea about the 4 characters, but a search using the correct letters from the several across clues and the last word of the definition pointed me in right direction. Another glitch in clue length indication at 24d!

[Twit-Who]

Ah - I hadn't noticed the glitch at 24d and although not problem this week it can often make a big difference - editing has been poor recently.

I didn't know the four characters either but too, too easy to find with the across clue extra letters.

[dr b]

I'm not sure how one could have identified the 4 characters without the hint provided by the across misprints - the lateral leap required would be of Olympian proportions otherwise. All in all a tough but fair puzzle. As always for me, identifying all the across misprints was hardest and I backfilled some after completing the grid.

[slaney]

Agree with dr b - without the help of the misprints I'd still be looking at the grid.
A fine and clever crossword from Shark.

[novalis]

An enjoyable, well constructed puzzle. Helped that I have studied the theme in the dim and distant past.

[Twit-Who]

Surely the 7 letter theme word we deduce from the down clues' extra letters would be sufficient? The answer is one of the first things that result in an internet search using this word.

[x_word_fan]

Yes - I agree with all the above but can someone please explain 34 across - I see the first 2 letters as the expression and the definition but not the wordplay for the last 4 letters. Thanks.

[slaney]

Hi x_word_fan - following "expression of surprise" the usual abbreviation for it then three letter word for "stops".

[x_word_fan]

Thanks for that - much appreciated.

[Christiana]

Hi all - feeling rather dull-witted at the moment as have completed the puzzle, recognised the theme (like Novalis remembered from the dim and distant past) and identified the four characters and further object, I find myself unable to understand the reference to "appropriately represented according to their character". I've found them, three straightforward and one less so, but googling hasn't helped to understand the appropriate representation. I'm likewise stumped regarding the highlighting of the 'housing' - in my BRB this is a single word, not two words. I've found this or these word/s but I'm not good at visual representation so the reference to 6a is not meaning much. Or perhaps there is a subtle play on words?

Basically it's ready to send off, but some of the 'why's' aren't answered. Responses might give too much away so will email Slaney, but wondered if there were any comments on the 'two words/one word" question

[doorbell]

an indefinite article, Christiana

[Christiana]

Thanks doorbell, Slaney said something similar. Perhaps I was being too pedantic as, to be strictly accurate, it should have been a plural. The indefinite article certainly helped my visualisation, though.

[devadolly]

Good evening All as the good PC from yesteryear used to say! Trundling along way behind everyone else as am swamped in fruit. Dodging the showers is no fun and Himself is more than difficult at the moment - we have 50 acres of prime grass waiting for the Red Giant to shine for more than 3 minutes at a time so we can get the mowers out.....he's definately not a Happy Bunny! Added to which we are receiving anonymous hate mail because as farmers we are cruel to animals because we rear them for the table. Obviously, can't do right fopr wrong, but heigh ho.............
Have had a good look at the EV this afternoon (pouring down so couldn't do anything else) and have managed to fill most of the grid with the exception of a few in the SE corner, however......................haven't a clue about the theme etc. and am totally useless at tracking down missing letters etc. and none of the posts are making sense to my sluggish and beaten brain......will plod on.......plod.......plo.....pl....p.........*

[Christiana]

Good evening Devadolly. My fruit is piling up, too, but your problem sounds more extreme and I don't get hate mail either - how awful for you both. The weather in Lincolnshire is much as yours and I'm feeling pretty fed up dodging the rain to do constant weeding - anyone out there with an answer to horsetail? - moving, and fruit picking. It's not gardening as I know it.

At least the rain gives me a chance to look at the EV. I always get in trouble with missing letters, but did manage to winkle out enough of the down letters to make a connection with the title of the puzzle - something of an intuitive leap. Keep going - I'm sure you'll get there. Not so sure about the 50 acres though - never known a summer like it.

[Christiana]

Whoops - meant mowing not moving. Though moving to a flat without garden is beginning to seem an attractive option!

[cruciverbali]

If you enjoyed this one and you missed the superb 'Playtime' by Charybdis it's still available here on page 52:

http://www.alumni.cam.../File/CAM57/Cam57.pdf

[Christiana]

Thanks for the link, cruciverbali - will have a go at it, time and fruit permitting.

[devadolly]

Hello Christina, have solved the red-currant problem......left them for the birds! Did manage to have a breakthrough in the brain mist and have now only hgot a couple to finish, will have a closer look at what Is being left out of the acrosses later, can't believe the theme is so obvious from the title.....is it?

[Christiana]

I wouldn't say obvious, but I had come across it before so was able to make the leap. The across clues will definitely help, providing a one-word name. Google will do the rest.

[novalis]

Hi Devadolly!

It's definitely not a case of "Jeux sans frontieres".