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Thanks again, Prospero. As ever, I was the author of my own misfortune. I misconstrued 23 across and had a scripture which didn’t require thematic treatment.

I think this is an exceptionally clever crossword - kudos to maskerade. Though I wouldn't want to be submitting it, with all those symbols ...

I think it's interesting that 22d could also begin with a keyboard sign, in addition to the obelus mentioned earlier by Prospero:-)

Hi everyone

I had a few chores to do this morning including washing, shopping and gardening, so didn't start until about 3.00pm.

I just opened the forum to see if it could throw any light on what constituted a symbol. I have identified the clues that need to be shortened and worked out a couple where I solved the clue, but feel all at sea with the sheer numbers of symbols I have to find. For example, I have solved 18ac where I have to reduce the 12 letter answer to nine letters including the symbol, but can't see which four or five letters I need to replace with 1 or 2. And I can't see a symbol in 58ac at all, where I need to reduce the answer from 7 letters to 4 (oops just seen what I have to take out - must find my dictionary with Greek letters) . What is the symbol in 63ac to reduce answer from 9 to 5. At least the sybols can't be crossers, can they?

Back to the drawing board.

roof - as indicated in the rubric, in two cases symbols are crossers. In 63 the symbol is the first "letter". In 18 you take out letters 2-5 and replace with a symbol.

Hello Roof. I'm afraid I no longer even attempt these Maskarade specials ! I agree with an earlier poster, @Eagle, that I prefer an old fashioned hard cryptic crossword, without the extra, no doubt clever, touches.

I think this is a brilliant and exciting puzzle, I haven't made a lot of progress yet because it's been a busy day, but I am determined to finish it over the next few days despite having family and friends visiting. And none of them crossword solvers.

I solved 1 across in about 10 seconds and thought it was going to be a doddle. As if....
Good to know that crossers can be symbols. Should be helpful

I'm back having done many of the non special ones. I have got two special ones where the symbol is a crosser for both - 40d and 53ac. I am struggling with solving the special ones as having some letters is not that helpful, but I still have some non specials to do. I did crack 18ac when I realised that I'd identified the wrong part of the answer as the symbol. I thought I'd done half, but I think it is more like a third. I shall watch the scandi noir at 9.00pm and return after that.

Meanwhile can I have some hints for a couple. What about 17d and 39d. I've got the odd letter, but they don't help when I know there are lots of letters missing.

17d - second word is an anagram (new) of some + "six". 39d straightforward double def - pitch invaders/poor painters

17d think genre of horror film. The first 5 letters are a keyboard symbol. 39d doesn't include a symbol - it's a straightforward clue.