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....................that is if the blocks are 4,5,5,7,3

gitto, it sounds like you’re on the verge of the PDM .. keep staring .. or perhaps grab a nearby “youngster” and get them to stare??

As an embarrassing aside, I was watching Family Fortunes when I finally put the last pieces of the jigsaw in place ..

I'll try to answer your question, gitto but candledave is right - it's possibly not the best way to proceed, because there's something strange about the top right quadrant (I'm still not 100% sure how one of the answers has been 'stretched' - does it involve a clash and if so, exactly where, or is there another blank cell involved?).

Then there are the new 'clashes' that arise in the endgame, so I've finished up with extra 'clashes' in row 3, and new ones in row 4, row 5, row 6 and row 7 but then the question arises as to when ''erasing the rest'' should occur (when clashes are resolved) so these might not even count as 'clashes'.

I think it's best to go with what you have and see what's needed later, you're certainly close with the numbers you've given (looking at an earlier version I think I have 6 in row 3, 2 in row 5 and 3 in row 7 - that is pre the endgame - but it's a bit of a mess).

Yes, a trillion thanks to Loge for suggesting the different colour idea [achieved by highlighting in this solvers's case, rather than rewriting the whole thing out for a third time].

Not so much a PDM as an Oh God, no, moment - but it certainly jumps out using that technique one you've done it.

I now understand the post from way, way, back about a ring with an inscription, and was delighted not to be revisiting Frodo again so soon.

Oh, and kudos [I guess] for the title.

Thanks, in a very painful way indeed, to Enigmatist and editors.

...one more thing, gitto - don't get too attached to those highlighted cells - it might help to think inside the box for a change (but just a little bit each time).

drxx, re your remaining question over clashes etc., in the initial grid-fill I just entered multiple occurrences of the relevant letters, e.g. 4 in column 13, resulting in 3 clashes and one in an unchecked cell ..

lordbadger - I think my problem was wanting to enter a clash between the jaws of the relevant ''larger-than-life'' character but that would be outside of clash range, if you know what I mean (and there's a different kind of oddity a few columns further on... I think...).

I've taken a half-hearted look for the synonyms, I think I've found two of them, 10 and 5 - the five letter one being from down under? Are they all in straight lines - any diagonals?

Only one is in a straight line (the only possible one) so you could be looking in the wrong places, planks.

Thanks drxx, maybe I'll look again later