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I believe it's a numerical puzzle this week, so my normal spiel probably doesn't apply.

Hints for the clues should be ... helpful without being too much like an actual answer.

The Theme - only gentle nudges towards the theme should be given. As a non-numerical person, I really have no idea what would constitute a 'gentle nudge', but I expect seasoned solvers (seasoned numerical solvers) will know more. As ever, the theme itself should not be revealed under any circumstances.

Good lord, this is the most intimidating preamble I can remember in some time. I suppose that was due after the last few, which felt relatively approachable to me. I don't even know where to begin here.

Numbers, carte blanche, non integers. What's not to like? Happy days.

Thought I was nearly done after an enjoyable hour and a bit, only to be brought up very abruptly. If what I've done so far is right i'm actually about a tenth of the way through and the preamble is very poorly worded.

ChrisRemo, the preamble seems clear enough for what it is describing. There are two columns for across and two columns for down. If the first clue is 1a, then H+A-W = 1 and SO^Y would be the entry.

That said, the first clue may not be 1, and I generally dislike greatly the blank grid puzzles, so I may be sitting this one out.

Found my error, thankfully. Had thought this was going to get super complex but having found my error I think it's going to be ok and the preamble is fine

MPR,

Apologise—I didn’t mean to imply the preamble was unclear. I understand what it is describing (I think I do anyway!) and that is what makes it intimidating to me.

My apologies for misinterpreting your post. I haven't started the puzzle yet, so I don't know how difficult it will end up being.

Fairly straightforward, mpfs, once you've worked out how to start. That took me an hour or so, after which it was actually more fun that I'd expected. A nice puzzle.

Very straightforward, but with lots of tedious calculation work. The perils of a numerical with a large grid, I suppose.