EV 958

[DocHH]

Hello EV N&C Wine Clubbers,
This took me longer than normal. How the 7 cells from 14 clashing answers were to be treated hit me with a glimmer rather than a blinding flash. How elegant that the possible solutions to the undefined clue, gave both the words, one defining how the clashes were entered and the other what it featured! Time for a preprandial!

[dr b]

Hi Doc,

There was so much going on thematically it was hard to keep track of it all. I kept forgetting there were misprints. Oh well, done in time for basketball. NCAA bids are announced today; no Georgia Tech this year, I'm afraid. In fact they just fired their coach.

[AndrewG-S]

About 3/4 done, have most of the thematics - just don't have all the misprints yet. Most tricky one for a while. dr b, sorry to hear Georgia can't play - hope she is feeling better soon.

[slaney]

A very enjoyable solve I thought.
When the author work and theme dawned on me, things speeded up.
I have an overwhelming urge to get out a highlighter and add a bit of colour and structure to the grid!

[AndrewG-S]

All sorted now. Took me a while to track down those last few misprints. Enjoyable puzzle

[ringer]

Happy Pi Day to you all!!!!
Have got the theme and made good progress but now struggling to populate the bottom left corner. Would love to stay at home to persevere, but eager young students are waiting to be educated. Ah well!

[haggis58]

DocHH
You are very quick of the mark. Unfortunately I'm struggling with clashes - any help please? I am assuming the undefined clue is 27d *. But I cannot see the other word to which you refer.

[DocHH]

Hello Haggis58
First try solving 27d with the alternative letter for thousand, then look in Chambers that should give you an idea about the clashes.

[kayakamina]

It took me a while to make inroads into this week's puzzle but it was satisfying to get there in the end.

I wonder if it is just me or was this at The Listener level?

Thanks Dysart.

[ringer]

Hi All
Back from the chalk face and have made excellent progress - infact I've completed it except for understanding the word play for 28A. Can anyone explain this please? Loved the puzzle - very cleverly thought out.

[dr b]

ringer, elder is SIRE, with the the end of stipulE becoming a hint of Indigo --> SIRI

[EagleCountry]

This bottom lefthand corner is a pain! I think I must have 45A wrong, because, although it matches at the end, 35D and 40D are impossible words. Any hints would be gratefully received. I have the clue that gives the general theme, but have got bogged down with possible variations of this. Hel-l-p, please!

[AndrewG-S]

I thought this was a Listener level puzzle too. In fact it took me much longer than this week's Listener.

[kayakamina]

Hi eagle

35d Mopy + a drop of port
40d Cuts

27d will take you to the theme

[ringer]

Thanks DrB. I hadn't contemplated a substitution.
Just rounded off my dinner with a nice apple pie to celebrate Pi Day. Kids at work think I'm a huge geek, especially when I wore my pi t-shirt, necklace and earrings!

[x_word_fan]

Re 33a - there is a case for both S and Z for the last letter - any thoughts?

[EagleCountry]

Thank you kayakamina. Yes, I had 45A wrong, and I now have an equally unknown (to me) answer. The trouble is, at the age of 13/14, I had to choose between Latin and German, and Chemistry and I can't remember what! In hindsight, I was wrong to choose German and whatever, but the teachers didn't tell me that these subjects would be really useful for completing crosswords!
27D was one of the first answers I got - an excellent clue.
My first thought about the author was blood curdling and batty, but have to rethink the misprints.
I agree that this was harder than this week's Listener.
I will return when the effects of red wine have worn off.

[copelander]

I really enjoyed this, after remembering all the different threads that had to be accommodated. Certainlly on a par with aListener and more convoluted than this week's Listener.

[dr b]

Oh, and Happy Pi Day to you Ringer (and everyone else)

http://www.savagechickens.com/2008/03/pi.html

[haggis58]

Still not quite there. Keep having another stab. Think I know what to do with clashes accorging to 27d. Have only got five out of 10 misprints so cannot see author and title. Help please with 4a, 18a, 45a and 36d. Never tried the Listener - think it will be too difficult for me!

[kayakamina]

Hi haggis

4a Knowing/fashionable + Power + cunning
36d Pee not pet

The other two clues need to be treated thematically