Listen With Others

Aargh!  Words becoming Non-words becoming New Words?  This seemed to work for some of the initial entries – but not all.  What have I missed?

The ‘Ship of Theseus‘ appears to be the proper name for what we once described locally as ‘My Grandfather’s Axe paradox’.  In the latter case, it’s argued that, even if its head has been changed three times and its handle twice, say, then it is still My Grandfather’s Axe.

According to Auntie Google, a much more famous recent example of this was “Trigger’s Broom“, from the TV show ‘Only Fools And Horses’.  I must have watched it but don’t recall it.  Perhaps I’ll go search Youtube after this!

I really struggled with solving this.  The initial grid seemed to fill unambiguously and fairly quickly. Then SKIP OF THE SEAS across the middle appears to change initially to SHIP OF THE SEAS, which aligns entirely with the Title, ‘Ocean-Going Vessel’.  So the first answer to receive its second change is 2d.  Still ok so far.

From then on, I make the sequence: 2d, 22a, 11d, 8a, 21d, 19a, 5d, 17a, 18d, 25a, 23d, 12a, 13d, 1a, 3d, 16a, 14d, 24a, 10d, 9a, 15d, 7a, 20d, 4a, 6d (which changes the second character in 13a, so forming SHIP OF THESEUS).  However, not all of these seem to be non-words after their first of two changes – what am I missing?  Perhaps Across words don’t have to go via non-words but only the Down ones do – that might work??

Having just re-re-re-re-read the Preamble, I think I can justify that, though the initial crossing down entry has to be a non-word, then after that each entry only has to be a real word after both changes.  This makes my final grid look like:

I wonder if I have got that right?

I loved so many aspects of this puzzle, and have such respect for Pointer’s creations that, when it comes to my word / non-word confusion, I suspect I am missing something!

-Encota-