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Whilst the theme seems fairly obvious there is as you say a fair amount of cold solving - but its the last one for 3 weeks so best make the most of it
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Question Author
Didn't realise that. Still, I think this one's going to last a while anyway.
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Yes, Zabadak, I have the same situation and a bigger print out for Grid A!
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Question Author
The bigger grid definitely helps! Towards the end, I found it was possible to do some backwards solving on some of the more reluctant clues, making the last few rather less of a cold solve. I'm half inclined (if I can do the paperwork) to enter the tiny version. I suspect checking these is going to be something of a nightmare in Green Lane! Something to do in the run up to Christmas, I suppose.
Other than knowing what the answer is (though there are variant spellings) I still don't get 14 down. Does the clue parse well enough for others?
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I have got to the stage of 2 completed grids and about to start on the final instructions. Re 14D, I felt that it was severely strained.
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Am travelling at similar speed, it seems : Grid B finished first, Grid A more of a grind ... and am being distracted by the cricket, but perhaps not for that much longer...
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Grid A completed but bewildered by 14d. I see only one entry with two possible spellings, but the wordplay eludes. Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree!
I'm saving grid B for this evening. Mrs bobbycollins will be at her office meal so a rare Saturday evening with a bottle of wine and the crossword is in prospect. Simple pleasures.
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bobbycollins, you seem to be at the right tree - as to whether you are barking or not, I couldn't possibly comment :-)
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Think I'll be barking by the end. Having finished B, I know where this is going, so anticipate a lot of coldish solving in completing A ... and where on earth did I put that new stanley knife blade? Easier than building a wren though! - and plenty of time to crack it as we won't be able to get out of here for a few days yet. Meanwhile there's a fair bit more track clearing to do to make sure we can get to and from the woodshed, so can't hang around. Merry Christmas everyone.
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I seem to have followed the same path as most - Grid B straightforward, Grid A not so much. A-14d seems OK to me - only one of the variant spellings works with the wordplay. It all works out nicely in the end.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.
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Thanks for the confirmation - still to see the wordplay.
Barking? Definitely.....just about to get ready for the trek to Fleetwood to watch Town v Newport, think of me:
"a youth (well), who bore, 'mid snow and ice, a banner with the strange device, Excelsior!" Game on - we have great ground covers at Highbury Avenue.
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Totally snowed in and can't get the Times today. I doubt any newspapers were delivered to this area. Merry Christmas to all.
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Have now twigged where this is going to (or, better, coming from) ... would defy most people to achieve satisfactory outcome with the original sized grid ! Still a bit of work to finish it off but that can now be done at leisure .... Joyeux Noël from Geneva !
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nice to have a festive offering.but i am sure that one contributor will almost certainly be saying"bah.....humbug" happy xmas all.
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Happy Christmas everyone, I am at a similar stage but now I know I have 3 weeks going to shovel some snow instead.
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After spending hours checking and re-checking 4114 please can someone explain why the third scalene triangle is primitive when it has sides 505 and 305?
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Take care bobbycollins - remember where that one goes ... "A traveler, by the faithful hound, half-buried in the snow was found, still grasping in his hand of ice the banner with the strange device".
Onwards and upwards, good luck!
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dalex - apparently it can be primitive provided all three sides do not share a common factor, something which I could not find explained clearly anywhere
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Solved Grid B and the instruction quite quickly and it's pretty obvious where this one's going but Grid A is tough when you don't know which letters are "clashers". Rows 3 and 9 are particularly tough. A good thing we've got 3 weeks.
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Yes, raced (for me) through grid B and struggling with grid A using a larger printout of the grid. I had wondered whether there would be one next week, but I hadn't thought that the week after would not have one either! Are you sure?
Anyway, Happy Christmas to all
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