Ev 1201`

[devadolly]

Good Evening N & Cer's
I am hoping you can give me some very heavy hints on this very devious offering by Mr Ifor. I am totally discombobulated by it all, have managed a possible one of the across clues and a massive 5 of the downs......however, the (possible) redundant letters seem to have no relevance and I am swimming in very sticky mud here, so the rescue of my sanity and the Ginger Mog would be much appreciated.

Best....DD

[hankir]

I was lucky enough to get the first 4 pairs of extra letters, giving me a name. When googled with the title, it gives you the theme.
Based on that it is easy to figure out the other extra letters.

I have a handful of answers.
I am completely flummoxed how to enter the down items.
1D gave me some idea about what may have to be removed. But it did not work for 17D.

Back to staring at the clues.

[Nedne]

Hello Hankir and Devadolly,

Look very closely at how the theme word is made up and then apply it to the down answers (which should show some similarity in the letters when comparing the words).

[hankir]

Thanks, Nedne.
I applied it to 1D. But was stopped by 17D.
The first letter of 17D appears in the grid as the 4th letter.
Plus the theme word appears in a large part in middle of 17D.
I am confused.

[hankir]

Nedne:

I have the 10 letter answer to 22D.
I take the first two letters off. Then enter the next 4. I then have two squares and 4 letters left.
I don't know which 2 should stay and which 2 should go.

[Nedne]

Hi Hankir,

The first letter of 17D appears as the first letter in the grid.

[Nedne]

Hi Hankir,

22D. Of your last four letters the first two go in the grid, the last two don't.
Look at what has been discarded and look at the theme word (and break it down into components)

[hankir]

Thanks Nedne.
Appreciate your help a lot.

I solved 16A. So you are right about the first letter.

But 27A starts with the same letter as 17D.
But that letter appears only once in 17D.

have to go out for dinner.
Will come back and think about it some more.

[Nedne]

Hi Hankir,

Have another look at 27A - it starts with the 7th letter of 17D (try turning your answer to 27A "over")

[hankir]

Thanks Nedne.
I had never heard of that pod and so both forward and backward would be unfamiliar.
But it makes sense now.

[devadolly]

Good evening! Thank you for the hints, I will study them at length though I am nowhere near arriving at a name or a theme, I am finding it very difficult to sort out either set of clues. Must try harder!

[fancydan]

Hello all,
I missed my copy of the paper on Sunday.
Could anyone send me a blank grid to philipdavidkeating@btinternet .com.

Many thanks
FD

[roslyn251254]

tried to email you a copy but hotmail is refusing your email address??

[roslyn251254]

tried again and I think it's worked this time!

[devadolly]

Am very despondent as everyone seems to have cracked this crossword and I am floundering around with a blindfold on. Just cannot seem to get a handle on this despite the hints. I request yet another very heavy hint as to the theme and author for a VERY thick person!

[EV_Solver]

It sounds to me, DevaDolly, that you would like your Friends to be more helpful.