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I have to say, this Yank is pathetically dependent on the online Chambers dictionary (and most importantly, its various search functions) to conquer the grid each week. Are any of you relying solely on an actual (hard copy) Chambers? If so, please take a well-deserved bow! Mind blown!

Hello, bathmatters. I can't think that to many folk rely solely on the hard copy of the BRB. The themes are often way too arcane. Having said that, they were in the old pre-internet days. I have a collection of historic Listener puzzle books and some are virtually impossible to solve - with or without modern day aids.

It is my belief that the earlier Listener puzzles catered for a small number of elite solvers and we rarely see that level of difficulty these days, maybe three or four a year?

I’m trying to get my head around how this one works. The 3x5 block example given has 2 blank squares. Do the ‘eights’ to be entered follow the same format with 2 blank squares? Any enlightenment would be greatly appreciated.

That’s right numbskull, so the end configuration looks like a figure 8.

Thanks Candledave, but I’m still confused. I assumed one of the ‘eights’ would go in the the NE corner which would mean a blank square where 5a and 3d cross.

Hi Numbskull,

The squares aren't actually blank, they just don't contain letters related to the intersecting "eights".

You're right about the 5a/3d cross - that's the letter not related to those eights. You have one starting at 3d the going east for 2 letters (inc. 3d) then down 3 then across 3 then down 3. The corresponding eight starts in the top right square and goes down 3 then across 3 (the same as in the previous one) then down 3 then across 2.

Thank you Brendan, that should get me going.

Sorry Numbskull, small correction ...

Starting at 3 down is going west not east at the start - left to right for the first 2 letters.

Sorry Numbskull I didn’t explain it very well but hopefully Brendan has helped you get cracking.

Thank you Candledave and Brendan