EV 957 Products by Samuel

[dr b]

What a fun puzzle. The final step of turning the interim product into the final product made me laugh. Lots of thematic material and some well concealed misprints - bravo and huzzah!

[DocHH]

Hello dr b,
Quite agree, looking forward to tuesday however! I suspect access to the final product is not so "restricted" in your part of the world! Although the misprints added to the fun, they weren't exactly essential to grid populaton!
Devadolly might let us know how her "minor op" went on thursday, hopefully it went well, and she is now fully recovered. I doubt however if it would affect her "wordsmithery" when trying to keep us in order. Not seen too much mention of the DC recently!

[devadolly]

Good Evening Doc's both. Thank you for the kind words HH, despite terror in the heart and the white knuckles, all went well. Not even an anaesthetic, just 10 injections that felt like bee stings. Now hurts like the very Devil around the injection sites and looks a bit lumpy altho' the bruises are fading fast thanks to the Arnica tablets. Pressure bandage came off today and am now encased in a fetching white TED stocking - have refused to wear two as it could only be construed as a major fashion faux pas, hopefully one smacks of medical! See own GP on Tuesday and Super-quack in 5 weeks.
Am enjoying this EV although am plodding, have identified 4 components that are already in store for this week but 1a is puzzling, am I on the right lines by making a trip to Olney (sorry Dr b, that will be lost on you)?
A question about last weeks EV - Is the letter in the central square the initial of the bathing expletive? and a clue please for 19a, I cannot get it!

[dr b]

Upon googling "Tuesday" and then "Olney" along with a key word, I can now understand Doc's and dd's references. I had no idea. So yes dd you are on the right track.

Glad to hear your minor op was truly minor!

Someone else will have to come along and help on EV956, as it's already been recycled.

[DocHH]

Devadolly,
Pleased to hear all went well last week. Surely elegant green fishing waders would sort out the fashion faux-pas! What on earth are TED stockings?
As for last week's EV the barred off letter completes vertically one word of the statement, and horizontally indicates what the setter would be if he had an (E)go problem! Is your request for a hint on 19a, for this or last week's EV? I have never understood why skin coloured plasters are so different to skin colour!
dr b, if it's any consolation I also had to search for Olney!

[kayakamina]

Yes great fun & I was lucky to know about Olney as one of the grandchildren was asking me about the origins of Tuesday and I'd already googled it.

DD if it's 19a from EV 956 then ES(POU)SES -embraces.

Glad everything went well for you.

[copelander]

A lovely conclusion, and enough to whet my appetite for next week. DD, Ithink TED stockings are best hidden under trousers....they're never a good fashion statement!

[AndrewG-S]

evening everyone, great fun puzzle. good to hear everything went well dd. one question should the thematic movement be applied to the whole word or just part? wasn't very clear from the preamble - just part seems to be a more satisfying end but doesn't fit so well with the instruction

[dr b]

Andrew, I don't submit the puzzle, so take this free advice for what it's worth, but the preamble suggests the entire intermediate product needs to be moved.

[AndrewG-S]

thanks, that is indeed what I think it says, just not so aesthetically pleasing

[Christiana]

Oh dear, must be an old grump as I thought some of the clues were very 'loose'. Also puzzled by last couple of posts as I had thought I had obeyed the 1a instruction and was simply switching one letter for the thematic movement. Will have another think!

[devadolly]

Good Afternoon all. HH TED stockings are like flight socks only longer, I think they are put on patients going into theatre for longer ops to minimise the risk of DVT or PE hence the bright white. Also used for vascular leg problems but I don't think the waders would be wuite snug enough a fit!
As you say copelander trousers are an essential item.
Thanks to all others for the help on last week's EV, Ginger Mog 'helped' me with 19a (which was so obvious when I got it) and I had assumed what was stated for the final bit, but can't say I think it sits too well with the statement.
Am now off to have another stab at 957 over a cup of strong black nectar.

[novalis]

Managed to get round to this earlier amid the building site which is currently around me. Found it most enjoyable. Very pleased that all went well Devadolly.
Received a £30 cheque early last week from the Spectator. Things have been so hectic recently that I didn't even know I'd won.

[Christiana]

Congratulations, Novalis, on your win. DD I sympathise over the 'stockings' having had experience of them in the past. Ghastly things!

[Christiana]

I've now had time to look again, without the original knee-jerk reaction - perhaps with more of a wrist-jerk this time? Either way, think you're right Dr.B but agree with AndrewG-S regarding the aesthetics.

[dr b]

But from an aesthetic perspective, what would you have if you took the actual "interim product" and performed the thematic movement on only one part of it? Nothing I'd like to consume. So in order to turn out a pleasing "final product", the entire interim product should be "moved"!

There, I think that's "completely obscure" yet "perfectly clear", so to speak.

Congrats on the Spec. win, novalis!

39 degrees and rainy today! What happened to our early Spring?

[Christiana]

Been blessed with sunshine today so was out in the garden for much of the time, weeding and grubbing about. Just transplanted some broad beans into individual pots - I have kept them in the bottom of the refrigerator for at least 8 years now and it looks as if all or almost all of them have germinated.
Yes, I know, other people keep lettuce there, but don't like to be too orthodox.

[AndrewG-S]

Broad beans along with beetroot are on my list of foods to be avoided at all costs. I could well imagine leaving them well alone for 8 years in the bottom of the fridge. On the other hand I am looking forward to the final product, but usually only manage a thematic movement more akin to the first letter.

[Christiana]

I felt the same, Andrew, until I grew some and tried them. They were a revelation. The trick seems to be to pick them very young - small and you need lots of them but no tough skins and a lovely taste. In Portugal they marinade them in something, no idea what, but the result is a taste quite different from the 'normal' one. Even the older beans seemed to taste good that way. For all that, I would still trade them for the final product, which I absolutely love.

[ringer]

Hello all
Good to hear all went well Devadolly, and congratulations Novalis.
Adding to this horticultural discussion, our "mini allotment" at the bottom of the garden appears to be covered in plastic tunnels, which my other half assures me are just the job for heating the ground. Judging by how the temperature keeps dipping here I think he is fighting a losing battle. Talking of battles, I face a major one tomorrow as I never succeed in the reflection (or is it a rotation?) that is suppose to take place. A translation is a more likely outcome. My daughter still insists that I persevere! On a personal note I prefer a slightly sweeter, golden additive to the ones mentioned.

[haggis58]

My brain is minced! Completed the grid fairly quickly on recognition of the theme. I have an incline as to what 1a is and what should be entered in 19a, but still struggling with what the original entry is for 19a that needs to be modified. Also cannot justify 7d although I know what the entry is. Any hints out there?