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Here is my third attempt at another themed cryptic crossword and with it a prize.

Simply download the grid from here.

When you've done (or done as much as you can) then PM me your answers. A winner will be randomly picked from all fully completed entries or failing this, the most correct answers will be taken to be the winner. Send in your answers before 11pm on Sunday 27th March 2011 and then the answers will be posted up after that.

And as usual, criticise any clues (or all clues) that are either not very cryptic, break rules of crypticity or are genuinely shit. On the other hand, if you like a clue then also feel free to praise me like you should.

Update: A painstaking update must be made. One of the clues does not in fact fit the theme. But I can just say that this was meant and it sort of adds another puzzle element to the grid since I could have asked you which clue does not fit with the theme making you first of all work out the theme and then find the Odd One Out. But anyway, don't let this minor upset spoil your enjoyment.

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And the results: Seriously thank you to the following people who did submit their solutions:

1st - Matt Bayfield - 30/30 and solved the connection (submitted Monday 21st March 2011)
2nd - Chris Hare - 30/30 and solved the connection (submitted Sunday 27th March 2011)
3rd - Innis Carson - 30/30 but did not solve the connection
4th - Corby & Co - 29/30 but did not solve the connection (Incorrect answer: 2D: RAVEL)
Unknown- Morricock - 29(?)/30 - did the crossword on their anniversary and needed a bit of guidance. Last I heard they were stumped by 6D.

So yeah, thanks to you guys for taking the time out of your busy weeks to have a pop at it. Means that it was worth my time that people did it. I also love the thought that the Corbys worked on it together which is endearing and the fact that I stumped Innis with the connection. Special shoutout to Eoin Monaghan who always gets the grid emailed to him but never submits his answers.

I feel Chris Hare deserves some kind of consolation prize for also completing it in full albeit later than Matt.

Lastly, if anybody is interested then you can download the solution from here with the answer to the Connection too (I'm sure Innis is on the edge of his seat).

Matt Bayfield marches on with a 100% record leaving Innis behind, will he maintain this in the 4th installment (which will be whenever I can think of something equally original and tricky).

Ciao.

Cheers Ryan. Always enjoy these. Although clue 27 says its (7) but it should be (4).

Mark James wrote:Cheers Ryan. Always enjoy these. Although clue 27 says its (7) but it should be (4).

Thanks for that Mark, I thought I'd checked it thoroughly but clearly not! Edited version is now up.

Good stuff. I think I've got them all except 5 down. The link is eluding me, though. If it's what I think it is, then proving it is going to take ages. If it isn't, then there's also a massive coincidence.... or an intentional red herring. Are you that cunning?

Chris Hare wrote:Good stuff. I think I've got them all except 5 down. The link is eluding me, though. If it's what I think it is, then proving it is going to take ages. If it isn't, then there's also a massive coincidence.... or an intentional red herring. Are you that cunning?

Ha thanks, the link is very tough although not completely harsh in my opinion as certain clues would lead you to a link. In answer to your question, I'm not that cunning and you only have to state the link, not prove it!

Update: A painstaking update must be made. One of the clues does not in fact fit the theme. But I can just say that this was meant and it sort of adds another puzzle element to the grid since I could have asked you which clue does not fit with the theme making you first of all work out the theme and then find the Odd One Out. But anyway, don't let this minor upset spoil your enjoyment.

BUMP

Anyone managed the connection yet? I've got all the clues now (I think) but still have no idea.

Innis Carson wrote:Anyone managed the connection yet? I've got all the clues now (I think) but still have no idea.

Tomorrow will reveal all!!!!

Results and solution to the grid has now been updated.

Ah, very clever! Well done to Matt and Chris for getting it, and to Ryan for another great puzzle.

I should mention I had a go at this, but couldn't get 6 of them, and looking at the answers am now glad I didn't spend too long trying to figure them out. Cool connection though, wish I'd finished it so I'd've spent some time looking at it (not that I imagine it would have come to me).

Michael Wallace wrote:I should mention I had a go at this, but couldn't get 6 of them, and looking at the answers am now glad I didn't spend too long trying to figure them out. Cool connection though, wish I'd finished it so I'd've spent some time looking at it (not that I imagine it would have come to me).

Ah cool, which numbers? And were they just shit clues?

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Ryan: Words fail me! Or 2 down did at least. Never happy with my answer of RAVEL even though it knocked the G off GRAVEL but that was at the beginning of the word not the end! Also NEPETAS was the last clue we got because I couldn't see the necessity of putting "Yes, plants" at the end of the clue. I also realised that most of the words were anagrams but, really annoyingly, failed to see the connection and should have done. Having said that, for a bloke who said he couldn't understand cryptic clues a year or so ago I think the crossword was sheer genius. Congratulations and thanks for the considerable amount of time you put into this just for us, a Herculean task (see what I did there?)

Good stuff Ryan. You can move us up the list, we solved all 30 but didn't realise there was any relevance in telling you.

Frustratingly, "they're all anagrams" was our answer waaaay before I spoke to you on the phone on Saturday. Even more frustratingly, before we decided it wasn't the answer we'd even said stuff like "is NONA a word?" ... "the only anagram of SUEZ is ZEUS, the only anagram of MALI is LIMA so it can't be that" etc. etc. Stupid really, we were too concerned with them being apterous-valid words.

Matt Morrison wrote:Good stuff Ryan. You can move us up the list, we solved all 30 but didn't realise there was any relevance in telling you.

Well done guys! Although you did need suckling so I'm not moving you up.

Matt Morrison wrote:the only anagram of MALI is LIMA

Ryan Taylor wrote:Ah cool, which numbers? And were they just shit clues?

3 across - didn't know the word
12 across - again, don't know the word (and was, like Chris, distracted by the 'yes, plants! at the end, so didn't pursue the anagram too hard)
2 down - just got convinced it was going to be an anagram of DEBRI
5 down - just too hard for me with only the one intersecting letter
13 down - never good at soundalikes
14 down - didn't know the word

So yeah, mostly my ignorance, and others managed it so it's clearly not just unfair (although having so few intersections does make things a lot harder).

I have to say Ryan, that I don't understand crosswords, and I haven't downloaded this one, but after reading this thread I have decided that you are a truly exceptional human being and I wish that, by the grace of the Lord, I could be more like you.

Michael Wallace wrote:3 across - didn't know the word

When I came to making it I knew of the word but didn't know what it meant. It was a relief to find out it had an interesting enough definition rather than just being a plant!

Michael Wallace wrote:12 across - again, don't know the word (and was, like Chris, distracted by the 'yes, plants! at the end, so didn't pursue the anagram too hard)

Yeah, bit of a shit clue that one. Sorry!

Michael Wallace wrote:5 down - just too hard for me with only the one intersecting letter

I think pretty much everyone was stumped by this one and yes the one intersection was to blame. Trouble with me doing a connection where only a definite amount of answers can be used is that the grid suffers.

Michael Wallace wrote:14 down - didn't know the word

Yeah me neither but when I was looking down the list of deities and saw MINERVA I typed that into lexplorer and BINGO! it came back with an anagram. Incidentally this was my favourite clue I think.

Michael Wallace wrote:So yeah, mostly my ignorance, and others managed it so it's clearly not just unfair (although having so few intersections does make things a lot harder).

Yep, I might try and find some connection where I can put the words into a standard 15x15 grid with rotational symmetry but thinking about what I have lined up next then that won't be anytime soon!

Jon O'Neill wrote:I have to say Ryan, that I don't understand crosswords, and I haven't downloaded this one, but after reading this thread I have decided that you are a truly exceptional human being and I wish that, by the grace of the Lord, I could be more like you.

That's funny because I always think the same about you. Maybe we should bodyswap for the day like in 'Freaky Friday'. I don't know if you would be able to cope with my strenuous daily routine though and I'm not sure I could cope with Lizzie.

Great stuff again Ryan. Wonderful link. I missed seven answers, 1, 2, 3, 9, 14, 20 and 23. (Still don't get the clue for 23).

Mark James wrote:Great stuff again Ryan. Wonderful link. I missed seven answers, 1, 2, 3, 9, 14, 20 and 23. (Still don't get the clue for 23).

In that one "flower" doesn't mean a plant with petals but rather something that flows. So the name of a river in New Zealand is ROSS and this is also what can be "on Wye" since there is a place called Ross-on-Wye. Basically just a geography one that I wanted to put in. Bit like the one where I use "Ryan" for "R". Even though it's wrong to use it for "R" it's just to personalise it really. Understand now or have I just told you what you already now and you just hate the clue?

Aw, genius link again Ryan, would never have got that, even if I had got the rest of the clues! Thanks for putting the effort into these, they are really good, despite my relative incompetence.