Listen With Others

If you and I were given a mission to construct a numerical crossword with the following constraints

• Must be between 8 and 15 cells wide and deep
• Bars must exhibit rotational symmetry
• Answers must be 6 +/- 2 long with a low proportion of bars
• every letter of the alphabet to equate to a number 1-26
• expressions must be mathematically valid
• … using all 26 letters … and only +-x/^!
• … and they must make interesting words
• … and the clue numbers themselves must be encoded
• … and they too must make or contribute to words
• Must be solvable …
• … but not too difficult … or too easy
• … with no significant redundancy

I think we would be protesting “this is mission impossible” and maybe even muttering about “cruel and unusual” punishments. Yet Piccadilly has done just this! I’m in awe of Carte Blanche. Thanks Piccadilly for another enjoyable solve from your pen, and please may we have a setter’s blog.