The Week 800

[JackAubrey]

Puzzled by the special instructions. "Four perimeter solutions too large for the space available must be entered partly with unclued 11 and clued 26. Their clues are to part of the full solutions, the whole of which could be defined as Extraordinary shape (11), Order (11) Empire forming (11), Nonsense (10). Clockwise I tentatively have [Impe]rialism, Balderd[ash], [Comm]andment, Grotes[quely]. I can't see the connection with 11 (I have Penetration) and 26 (I have Marx).

[ltaddy]

JackAubrey, I really do not understand why there has been no discussion about this crossword- it's horrible. Why did you go for penetration rather than punctuation, or anything else that might fit???

[JanieM]

I'm struggling with this too. I think the unclued answer is Punctuation which with Marx provides the theme. I have (Comma)ndment for Order, (Colon)isation for Empire Forming and Balder(dash) for Rubbish. I can't think of a punctuation mark that fits the Extraodinary shape clue though.

[Lie-in King]

My brain's mush at the moment, so not sure if I'm following this, but does this work? -

Interrobang (it's an extraordinary shape & an exclamation mark is known as a 'bang'...)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interrobang

Sorry if I've got the wrong end of the stick :-)

[JackAubrey]

"Punctuation" "Marx" of course! Why did I think only of "penetration"?? I might need a psychoanalyst to work that out! Thank you, that's got it clear. I think it has to be "Colonialism" - because the clued part is an anagram of "Ismail", similarly the last corner must include "Grotes" - an anagram of "storage" minus the a.

[Lie-in King]

Then -

Grotes-query (?)

[JanieM]

Yes, thanks, grotes(query) must be right and I agree it's colonialism rather than colonisation. Certainly a tough one this week.

[chiefyb]

Blimey. Good job I dropped by. I don't think I would ever have finished on my own ths time. Horrible is the word, especially with such a confusing explanation of the extra wrinkles.
Now I only need to 3 down - In which there's sex between 5 and 7 - which looks like Luton?

[JanieM]

Sadly, I think the answer to 3 down is probably Latin but Luton's a lot more amusing!

[chiefyb]

doh. i was hoping to get back in time to say I'd seen it but thanks. Had to guess sex is six in Latin. Guess it comes close in Luton too.