Inquisitor 1265

[naomirod]

Is this crossword symmetrical?

[boreas]

Thanks Gregsdad. Very nearly there now.

[boreas]

The survivor is a japanese word split into 2 parts in one of the rows.

[Begemot]

Thank you Boreas. I can sleep now.

[Indy-trier]

Hi Boreas
I have OLEATE for your " cabbage" answer but am not totally happy with it. I used COLE for the cabbage minus C for calorie, but I thought calorie was usually CAL when abbreviated!
Having come late to this puzzle I have loads of across answers but am struggling with the the Down ones. I'm sure I've pencilled things in the wrong places and confused myself! Any tips greatly appreciated.

[boreas]

Hi Indy-trier.

I got to oleate the same way.
As for the down clues, one thing to be aware of is that some of the clues need to have either an A dropped into them, or an A removed before they make sense.
Happy to be more specific if you like.

[Indy-trier]

Thanks Boreas. As I worked out the theme and survivor etc before tackling the down clues I was trying to drop the letter A into my answers but I hadn't thought of removing it. Will try again. I certainly can't sort out the first down answers and keep to the alphabetical order bit as they are! Do I remove an A from the start of some of these?

[boreas]

The As need to be dropped into the clues, not the answers.

[boreas]

Ooops! Sorry, there are couple of answers that need the A to be dropped in.
The first 3 down answers are ANALOG, ASTOOP, BURGH

[naomirod]

Any hint as to the survivor?

[boreas]

The survivors are a japanese word split in two parts in one of the rows.
when you remove the 'shape' you will see it

[naomirod]

Ta for that- never heard of that one!

[boreas]

To be honest, neither had I. But I knew the Japanese revered the survivors as a special group so I just googled the subject.
I have a teenage great nephew (a godson) who is is half-japanese and lives not far from Nagasaki- the other target.