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I am pretty sure we're looking at the five word version of the quote - which will give the marker minimal work. I concede various interpretations are possible because there are variations of the quote and no obvious authoritative source - always a problem when you have to rely on the internet. But given what's in the grid (and what isn't, I suppose) I would say the obvious solution has to be the correct one.

I may well be proved wrong...

My interpretation mirrors the clue gimmick and if i was sending in my entry (not that I will) I would be carrying out the guidance by affecting or 'involving' only 10 cells.
I can see how the obvious interpretation works but I'm not happy with the fact that many more than 10 cells would be affected/involved.

I wouldn't want to influence anyone who submits an entry - I don't have anything at stake here, so it's easy for me to go with a hunch (but I think this is a badly worded preamble if the obvious interpretation is correct).

Yes, I see what you mean, Drxx. To my mind the quote necessitates the obvious interpretation, but I agree that no definition of "involving" accounts for the fact many more than ten cells are affected. I can't come up with a better word that could have been used instead in the preamble, but there must be one!

I think, ''involving ten cells'' is entirely redundant, loge - the quote is all we need and the treatment quite clear without it. The preamble creates a doubt where there really should be none - I'd have happily given the marker an easy time without it.

Agreed!

A word beginning with L would have avoided the issue but probably been too close to the source?

This is proving to be another tedious and frustrating grid stare for me - which I find is happening far too often. I assume the initials ?? refer to someone other than that in one of the clues?

Yes gitto, you are looking for another famous BP. Then look at the columns carefully to find two significant words.

Thanks unclued - methinks I now need a large tub off liquid paper

Apologies if this is the wrong thread, but I'm not sure about what to do with the 10 letters.
Difficult to say more and not give too much away, but the quotation I found includes "nothing but"....which suggests a rather radical action?