Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Thanks Tony, I'd never have got that in a million years - I was pretty certain of the replacement but even though I'd searched on the first three characters of the original answer I'd not made the link to the 9 letter word. That was an absolute stinker, I only spotted the theme thanks to my one and only lucky draw in a sweep many years ago!

You're welcome. Thanks to drxx, but I don't understand your help at all. I'm at my usual post-solve desert stage!

I think 1ac is actually in the same sense as the hidden one, irrespective of that as a hint think OT.

I was thinking OT, but I can't see the letters regarding an instruction. Unfortunately, if I'm right I can see 2 possible 8 letter replacements.

tonynannini - The instruction applied to the 'hidden word' is similar to what you've done to get the thematic entries, but operating in the opposite direction (as you would expect, because this time you're looking to get the initial answer - the 'thematic entry' is already in the grid).
Once you've got the 'instruction' it narrows down the options for the 'hidden word', because it shares a cell with the instruction (and you know how many cells are involved in total).

I hope this is a bit more helpful (sorry it's so long-winded!).

For me, one of the biggest obstacles is when a clue hints at an archaic, obsolete or Scottish (from Perth, say) version of a word. I find you have to guess the word and then look in Chambers for verification. Take "the old spring" from this crossword as an example. One you've figured out the correct four letter word, you can just scroll down the definitions in Chambers, and there it is "spring (obsolete"), but it would be so much easier if you could get the same information under "spring", and then just cross-reference it. Given the plethora of crossword books on the market, I'm amazed there isn't a dictionary or reference book that does this - or maybe there is and I haven't seen it?

I've been plodding through the grid and have most of it filled but glancing through the posts so far I think I must have some errors. Having got 35d, I think I've put the incorrect substitution at 11a. However what seems to be the correct one would make non-words of some of my other entries, is that correct?

Thanks drxx. I had been looking for a verb, but I suppose the phrase could be read as an instruction.
Now completed, but I have missed the stage concerning the ten extra words and the alternative title though.

Slightly off topic but looking at the grid there are a lot of bars in cols 2 and 12 yet Colleague could have clued two 4-letter words at what would have been 21dn and 23dn - can any setters on here suggest why this wasn't done? Just idle curiosity!

If you take the letters in each one in order progressively to the end and then back again you should see the alternative.