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I'll send it to you andyjgt

Regarding the 'distinctive property' - does that relate to the entries, or the BCEF/G pairs (if there is a distinction...)?

Vedova

By the laws of algebra, in clue b the expression UR etc does not mean just U times R, it means U times the power of R represented by the R with its exponent attached.

I am feeling very confused about the puzzle as a whole and by a lot of the advice offered here, but at least I can remove one little source of trouble!

Kindred2 - the unclued entries are the BCEF / G pairs aren't they? Don't try to overthink the distinctive property.

Thanks, Rad. You are right...I extracted only a small part of the equation to illustrate my question.

To be clear, my question was not prompted by my lack of knowledge of algebra. Rather, by Miles' use of BCEF in the instructions...which, he points out, does not mean 4 digits multiplied together. I wanted to he sure I had interpreted the equations correctly. Apologies if anybody found this irritating.

Oh, smellyharry, that makes things harder, not easier! All sorts of mathematical properties can be tested (prime, square etc) but none of them gives anything. The digits aren't even in alphabetical order. How unoverthought do we have to be?

More unoverthought cockie

You'll definitely kick yourself when you see it.

I have and I did. A basic error in h held me up for far too long. Although I think this is the puzzle I have disliked more than any other in 50-odd years I have to admit that it was incredibly clever. Still, words is best.

So hard to unoverthink things!!! Maybe I'll dream up a solution as I sleep tonight :-)