Ev 1675

[pomona]

It's alphabetical jigsaw, so no crossers to help until some answers filled in....there will be a spare letter in the wordplay..

6. Dare to laugh guarding small marked space. (6) extra wordplay letter is T

previous answer starts AP.., following answer AS

24. Confines learner oddly oncerequest rejected in court (7, 2 words) extra is A

2 either side are LE  and LO

28. Ends of games that might be cause of disappointment in playground (7) extra letter is L

either side NE and OR

24. Confines learner

[Neveracrossword]

I haven't started this, but 24 could be Locks Up, with the A from Ask. request, being dropped.

[pomona]

Yes , that works , thank you

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Pomona. I had a proper look and it seems fine - L, learner, O C from 'once', ks from 'ask' , request and Up, in court.

[ProfessorMaisie]

6 - AREOLA (in the clue + 'T').

28 - NO S(L)IDES disappoint in the playground...

[pomona]

Thank you ProfM...should have seen areola, never heard of noside..

Can you tell me where the 9 letter answer goes please?

[pomona]

...possibly in central column reversed?

[ProfessorMaisie]

Yes, but not reversed.

[pomona]

Grid filled but don't understand how to do the shading....from the message...

[pomona]

is it just 12 symmetrical answers?

[ProfessorMaisie]

The first 6 are clue answers in straight lines and the last 6 are 'bent' 5 letter words that can be read either L-R or R-L (the whole thing looks like the obvious item that hasn't made an appearance until now, pomona}.

[ProfessorMaisie]

...and, yes - a perfectly symmetrical end result.

[Loki2034]

Can't for the life of me see the 6 bent words.I fear I will have to start again, though everything seemed to fall into place very nicely. I can imagine what the final diagram must look like. Can anyone give me a hint for one of the words before I start all over again.

[ProfessorMaisie]

TREES in an inverted V shape at the bottom of the grid crossing the 'E' of FERN - you're creating the shape of an ice crystal.

[Loki2034]

Thanks so much Prof. All sorted.