Listener 4516 - A Defter Premier By Arden

[midgler]

Not like me to be done on Friday, still less posting first (if indeed I have). I found this very straightforward, but rather tedious, with lots of the same operation, occasionally speeded up with a spreadsheet. I thought the hidden feature would prove challenging, but it didn't.

[kdgs2]

You just beat me to it - well done!

[Alekhine]

I usually enjoy numericals, but this was a chore. The common feature was immediately obvious and the route around the grid felt almost forced ... so no lateral thinking or inspiration required.

I put this in the category of MFFTSTFTS.

[TheBear69]

Yawn...

[perseverer]

...... but you do have to admire the grid construction.

[midgler]

I'm finding Alekhine's acronym rather harder than the puzzle. Can someone enlighten me?

[dannyk13]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Alekhine

[midgler]

Thanks. But acronym (see above), not pseudonym...

[dannyk13]

Sorry, I don't have the paper.

[Hagen]

Going by Alekhine's comment, I'm guessing the acronym is something like Made For Fairly Tedious Slog To Find The Solution?

[Alekhine]

MFFTSTFTS (4,3,3,3,6,4,3,3,6)

[jim360]

Nope, still no further forward in solving that one :P

[Keepatit]

More fun for the setter than for the solver?

[jim360]

By Jove, I think he's got it :O

[Alekhine]

Beautifully done, Keepatit.

I doff my cap in your general direction.

[Keepatit]

You’re too kind, Alekhine. You broke my heart when you beat my hero Jose Raul 91 years ago, but I have almost forgiven you

[Alekhine]

No hero is perfect, Keepatit. Maybe the Lone Ranger at a pinch.

Capablanca was a worthy adversary … if a little 'predictable'?

Now, Fischer … there was a player.

[Philoctetes]

This was incredibly tough - the decision whether to wilt under the sheer slog or persevere to continue my run of entries (not all correct, i hasten to add). Very clever construction, but nothing of the logical sequence that makes a good numerical.

[jim360]

I put it to you that you died before Fischer broke on to the scene, so you shouldn't know a thing about him!

Ha! You're not really Alekhine are you? :P

[Alekhine]

I'm dead?

This is an outrage.

Why wasn't I informed?

[sunny-dave]

Something of a grind ... but neat enough I suppose

Thanks Arden - at least it was 'doable' with nothing more than a calculator and patience - which is a rara avis in numericals these days.