Listener 4140 "Jumping to Conclusion" by Sabre

[Zabadak]

Not even close yet: I have almost all the "outside" clues and most of the ones that start on the outside, but tracking them through the knight moves is pretty desperate at the moment. I'm toying with the idea of spreadsheeting it (or just using a bigger version of the grid) and putting each letter in whatever squares the moves get to until I find some matches. Trouble is, I'm finding the "inside" clues the most adamantine. Anyone out there reporting success just yet?

[Mysterons]

Depends which two you have Iain

[IainGrace]

Thanks,Mysterons. At least that suggests there may be a trap.

[Eril]

Blimey. Finally in the post. Seeing Sabre was the perpetrator of this I knew it would be hard, but still not really sure where it all fell apart. Had pretty reliable answers to all but one clue, but couldn't see how to decide where things should go. Started a list of possible letters in each cell - too unwieldy; listed the letters that had to share the centre - didn't help; tried pencilling in a couple of words with few possible routes and unusual letters to see if that constrained things sufficiently - not really; spotted a possible pair of 6-letter words, but the title hinted they were red herrings, and they would make one solution impossible to fit - unless it was wrong, or maybe another was wrong. So I wrote a computer program that attempted to fit the words in - and it gave up too... At this point I could hear the evil laughter of a certain setter, and cracked - I checked here to see if anyone had made any headway, only to find clearly incorrect pronouncements (you know who you are!) and feared this was going to be a knight's move too far. I added colour to the program (it didn't help but it looked nicer). Then people started saying they had solved it - at first it seemed certain that they were fooling themselves, but it gave me hope. Then more joined the joyous throng (is three a throng?) and I decided they couldn't all have access to a VAX31, so I again attempted a hand fill - and slowly it came together (with much use of assumptions). Hat off to Sabre for a fiendish puzzle, but plaudits to all contributors here because you are the people who gave me the hope that pulled me through! Without you I would certainly have given up, but knowing that it was possible was enough - and it is a vital point that no hints are given, else I wouldn't be bothering to visit.

[perseverer]

......and I will add a word of thanks to Eril. I was in the same situation as him (apart from the writing a program bit - I wouldn't begin to know how) but after reading his post last (k)night decided to give it one more go. The delight when one thematic word suddenly jumped out to me! A quick guess at the other and it all fitted together - except for one answer - ah! my really clever answer to one clue was wrong, the correct answer much more obvous. Now when I look back at previous attempts I see that one of them actually had my first thematic word, but never mind - the satisfaction at being able to stick the envelope in the post-box.

[IainGrace]

To strike a different note after these posts - well done to everyone who has solved this. We have given up the unequal struggle. This week's looks like a congenial antidote to our fruitless battle with Sabre.

[the_heisman]

i agree - stuck on 5 clues for a few days now. Sadly this joins the fiendish tectonic one as another failure. Well done The Few.