EV 934

[DocHH]

Hello everyone,
When I saw the grid and clue listing, and then read the rubric, (no clue numbers, grid numbers, superfluous words in clues deduction of an unclued entry and to cap it all squares to be highlighted), I was a little apprehensive. Thought I'd have a butchers at it anyway, pleasantly surprised at an early solution! Certainly more enjoyable than last week's offering, which really was just a bit pedestrian.
Time for a Tempranillo!

[kayakamina]

Hi All

I thought the same, and with yesterday's jigsaw puzzle from Araucaria I wondered if I'd enjoy another one so soon.

I did.

Now time for something refreshing - cheers.

[novalis]

Hi DocHH!

Have finished this ( hope I haven't made a cobbler's of it ) but now need to complete last week's.

[novalis]

Hi Kayakamina!

Araucaria was an answer in yesterday's Telegraph Gk crossword and is the name of a horse which ran in Ireland yesterday. Because of the coincidence I backed it. It won but the odds of 4-5 weren't rewarding.

[kayakamina]

Hi novalis

I missed that as I don't do GK crosswords (not enough time). I enjoy a punt on the horses but not at those odds!

[DocHH]

Pardon me for being ignorant in matters of betting, but doesn't odds of 4-5 (5 to 4 against?) still mean a profit! My father's uncle was a professional gambler and lived in Lancaster Gate overlooking Hyde Park and ran a Bentley. I think he relied on low odds to maintain that lifestyle, but wagering large sums of money with low percentage reurns.
I just play the Stock Market, that's not gambling is it!?!

[turnerjmw]

Evening all, still a profit, indeed, DocHH. Actually 4-5 is 5 to 4 on, so if you stake five pounds on the nose you get nine back. Better a 4-5 winner than a 10-1 loser, at any rate.

A fun jiigsaw puzzle, as ever from the excellent Samuel.

[bellabee]

Could someone kindly tell me if they know how the final unclued answer links to the theme? There is only one word [as far as I can see] that can be entered and I can't find a link. The other seven are given in full in Chambers. Otherwise everything is nicely tied up and I enjoyed this one. Any little hints would be appreciated.

[novalis]

Hi Bellabee!

The thematic content ciomes from a certain area of London, hence the final unclued answer.

[midazolam]

very enjoyable, fun theme. Time for some plonk!

[bellabee]

Thanks Novalis. I will try to link the 23 highlighted cells to the final entry....somehow!

[AndrewG-S]

All done apart from the final 23 cells, very enjoyable so far. I wonder how dr b will get on with this one as the theme is a bit locally focussed...

[dr b]

I found it rather lemon squeezy, since you asked. Filling in the grid was helped by the single 9 letter answer, and then slotting in the 8s. Needed Google to help with the shading, however.

[AndrewG-S]

I am pleased to hear you were ok and did not have to resort to watching old Michael Caine films!

[AndrewG-S]

It has taken me ages to decide on the correct highlighting. The reason being that in the middle column there is an anagram (plus one extra letter) of an alternative description for the theme (think TV program). I have finally dismissed this as something that the setter probably tried to work in but could not quite get to work. Am I wrong?

[bellabee]

AndrewG-S I see what you mean, had I noticed it I too I would have been diverted from the obvious. As it was I spent much longer than you did on a wild goose chase. I had managed to obscure the clue, 'Resin's for a specia export' by scrawling the preceding clue's answer over it. Because the preamble seemed to separate the 'final unclued entry' from the 'ORIGIN' I thought the resin was the final one. I have googled that word on so many relevant sites that it has probably entered the language by now. It certainly offers some interesting possibilities!

[Physicsgirl]

Hello to all. Have been very busy with toddler+bump but am attempting this one for the first time in ages! Good progress so far, but my due date is today so not sure what the outcome will be. On the whole, would prefer mini PG to arrive than to complete EV.
Hope all of you are well and had a lovely summer

[dr b]

Hi PG, glad to hear you're doing well - good luck with your impending delivery.

Andrew, I was also wavering on the highlighting. After adding the extra letter, 14 cells jumped right out at me, leaving 9 to go; just the right number for the singular form of your TV program (wouldn't that be programme to you?). I finally decided that "illustrates" from the preamble meant a visual representation of the "origin." But, if I have it right, I'm somewhat unhappy that the "final unclued entry" is also part of the illustration. I'm not sure why that bothers me, but it does.

[AndrewG-S]

PG - hope all goes well, with luck perhaps you can finish EV and then get the new basin. I would then suggest framing the EV for the nursery wall
dr b - I had the same discomfort that the preamble and the final highlighting seemed a bit ambiguous, although the highlighting I went for did seem to "illustrate" the origin. I highlit in different colo(u)rs just for good measure. My spelling becomes more mid-Atlantic as each day passes as I have worked too long for organisations with a significant US presence

[slaney]

Hello Physicsgirl - good to see you on an EV thread again - I hope all goes well with the new arrival.

As everyone has said good fun, and not as difficult as it first seemed; I too diverted myself down the TV programme route.

[Jogler]

Enjoyed this one. The h-g did most of the cold solving whilst we were travelling to a family lunch. As we had all seats in the car filled to capacity, I think he did well, although what should have been a short journey turned into an ultra-marathon after the motorway was closed. At that point we wished we had included the brb and the notebook with dongle! We did initiate the rest of the passengers in the art of cryptic crosswords and it probably saved our sanity.... Finishing off this morning we have the same reservations as your comments above, but the result seems to tick all the preamble boxes.

Very best wishes, P-G, for the mini (hereinafter p-g!).