ev 762

[crofter]

I'm getting there ~ slowly but surely!

Is 28a DEKKOED or DECKOED?

Clue is: Looked all right to return in river (7)

The italics shows the mutilated clue leading to the pattern DE(?)KOE(D) = OK <<< inside DEE

[kayakamina]

Hi crofter. Is this one of those puzzles which either has a superfluous word in the clue or you have to remove or add letters ?
I can follow your thinking with OK and the river but whichever way you run Dee it has only one D!

Is there anything in the notes or preamble to the puzzle which could help?

Cheers K

[cruciverbali]

Dekkoed

Cruciverbalist

[Aquagility]

Hi, crofter. This one is way beyond me, but for what it's worth Chambers prefers dekko to decko for to look. And the word derives from Hindi dokho

[Aquagility]

Sorry, crucivbalist, you were not there when I started typing!

[crofter]

kayakamine You're right in your assumption about removing letters, however they are removed according to a double Knight's tour (using the grid as a chess board)!

When writing DE(K)KOE(D) the letters (K) and (D) are eliminated in the tours, hence the full clue for DEKKOED and the partial clue for DEKOE!

cruciverbalist Many thanks ~ I'd like to come back to you on this one after the posting date!

[cruciverbali]

No problem !

The 'missing' K in 'dekkoed' is actually most significant in respect of the puzzle's overall theme.

C

[crofter]

cruciverbalist I was about to ask if the two quotes were in English, when I spotted KNYGHT in the centre of the grid and the rest began to unravel (literally) like a ball of string!

Thanks for the generous hints on EV. Since starting only ten weeks ago, I have submitted seven grids! :o)

[cruciverbali]

You are most welcome - these are very satisfying puzzles to complete, and your initial stats are impressive - well done !

Cruciverbalist