Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

I have a full grid and all the elements required for the endgame and I think I can see what's intended, but the 16 cell business eludes me. Anyone got any further?

Nope. Full grid, keyword, omitted List A words all whizzing round in my brain, but so far sans connections.

Invert eight thematic abbreviations.

... central letters of abbreviations remain unchanged.

Neat! Though one of them might offend some of the religious.

Helpful nudges. It turned out as I thought only not quite in the way i thought. Which one might be offensive?

the one from the bottom entry in column 8 ...1st 3 letters?

Yes. He doesn't belong in what, for many, is the official text.

I've got a full grid and have identified 8 thematic shorts that remain real words when inverted but they are not symmetrical, not even close, but I've checked the abbreviations on Wiki and they are all valid. For example, I have one at the top of column 11 but not another one that is opposite or in any way symmetrical - help!!

I enjoyed that but really must learn to read the preamble properly. I spent time looking for 16 words rather than cells. Brendan, you are right about the top of column 11. The change in the symmetrical word is also at the top. The pairs of words are symmetrically placed but there is not necessarily symmetry in the cells which need changing. I hope that makes sense.