Ev 1068: Bargain By Nutmeg

[jim360]

Of course, typically I didn't pay attention to the "use a pencil" instruction, but then I won't submit anyway so no big deal.

A pleasant puzzle, with one or two ambiguities in the extra letters for down clues that needed the full message to sort out, e.g 37d. Many thanks to Nutmeg.

[dr b]

I thought the grid fill was straightforward enough, but I feel like I'm missing something regarding the endgame. Is the action one takes when following the concealed message thematic in some way? Is the final grid thematic in some way? Not clear to me.

[Twit-Who]

Some cracking clues - loved 26a but it's definitely an oldie's clue. Aren't you too young for it jim360?

I have the BARGAIN and obeyed the concealed message but think I must be missing something else as I don't quite get why we have that instruction. As I don't really like my answer to 34a I might just have something wrong and so I'll keep looking for a while.

Thanks Nutmeg

[Twit-Who]

Just seen your post, dr b. Glad you feel the same way.

[jim360]

Yes, far too young. I got it based on the second definition and spent ages looking to see if that word meant "glum" too. Until I found the link by typing "[26a] glum"...

I'd have thought a theme like that might be too obscure as a clue. Apparently Tony Stark = Iron Man was too obscure when I tried to use that to clue "Iron Man" in EV 1058... so something that most people younger than approx. 50 will never have heard of being accepted is a bit surprising, to me at least.

[DocHH]

Hello everyone,
An easy grid population, and the concealed instruction rather leapt out of the grid. As for its relevance to the title, I am at a loss to understand. I will confess to being old enough to have no problem with 26a! Jim360, from time to time Radio 4 Extra might prove useful.

[jim360]

I do listen to I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again, but not much else on Radio 4 Extra. Clearly will need to pay more attention.

[Garaman]

Not too taxing but lovely clues. I suppose the endgame is thematic in that we end up with one of one type and one of another as per the phrase!

[Christiana]

Well, finished all the component parts and obeyed the instruction, though needed the message to work out the cryptic parts of a couple of them, and still struggling to understand the wordplay in 7d. Perhaps the morning will illuminate it.

[Christiana]

Oh, and alas I, too, am old enough to have no trouble with 26a.

[Garaman]

For me in 7d, it is the first (‘S) that makes the wordplay a bit hard to fathom. (Is it fair?) Try reading the clue without it as a backward container clue.

[Garaman]

I feel a bit guilty because I didn't notice until hours after solving that we are left with real words after following the instruction which I can't imagine was easy to do!

[Christiana]

Thanks Garaman - that helped. You wouldn't think that removing that first 's' would make all the difference, but it did.
Yes, I, too, didn't immediately notice the 'real words'.

[dr b]

I did notice the real words after a while, but did not connect that fact to the hidden instruction. I guess the fact that we're left with, effectively, two puzzles when all is said and done is consistent with the theme.