I'll post my previous two 4 x 4 passwords some time. (I could never get a 5 x 5 one that worked).

Meanwhile (in Gotham city):

1. He may want an objective, however confused.
2. Merry’s gal, not Pip’s, as one might expect.
3. ‘I am legend,’ she might say, whilst troubled.
4. She’s a girl with mixed targets.
5. Monster that is lost gains note for her.
6. The name has a mixed stem, you hear. In confusion, see him.
7. Two metals mingle for a master metallurgist.
8. A dwarf and his provisions? He’s confused.
9. Sounds like he hesitated for an instant, perhaps.

For #7: Lanthanum (La) and Europium (Eu) are both metals (they're both Lanthanides, even!), and mingle together to give Aule, noted (among other things) for creating the metal tilkal, used to forge the chain Angainor and bind Melkor.

hS

1. He may want an objective, however confused.
2. Merry’s gal, not Pip’s, as one might expect.
3. ‘I am legend,’ she might say, whilst troubled.
4. She’s a girl with mixed targets.
5. Monster that is lost gains note for her.
6. The name has a mixed stem, you hear. In confusion, see him.
AULE: Two metals mingle for a master metallurgist.
8. A dwarf and his provisions? He’s confused.
9. Sounds like he hesitated for an instant, perhaps.

I didn't know about La. I knew about Al (Aluminium, I hope) and looked up Europium ... but you have the correct end result and I have learned of two new (to me) metallic elements. :)

See how it goes for the moment. I may make one or two clues a little easier if people are still stumped, but I think I may have made my recent passwords a little too easy, rather than the reverse.

#9: a hesitant guess at Lindir, which sounds pretty close to 'linger' (ie, hesitate). I would take the 'perhaps' to indicate that it's not that close a fit.

And, for the lack of any better ideas, the obvious answer to #2: Estella?

FAKEEDIT: Oh, it's a classical literature reference, isn't it? I get it!

hS

1. He may want an objective, however confused.
ESTELLA: Merry’s gal, not Pip’s, as one might expect.
3. ‘I am legend,’ she might say, whilst troubled.
4. She’s a girl with mixed targets.
5. Monster that is lost gains note for her.
6. The name has a mixed stem, you hear. In confusion, see him.
AULE: Two metals mingle for a master metallurgist.
8. A dwarf and his provisions? He’s confused.
9. Sounds like he hesitated for an instant, perhaps.

Can you give the literary reason for assuming that Estella would be Pip's girl?

Oh, hang on ... your 'fake edit' suggests that you know that Pip, the hero of 'Great Expectations,' loves Estella, the adopted daughter of Miss Havisham. :)

The answer to number 9 is nowhere near as sophisticated as Lindir. ;) Well, actually ... I guess the person is possibly *more* sophisticated ... but the method of getting there isn't. Your take on 'perhaps' is accurate, though. :D

I have made some of the clues easier. Please have a look!
 

1. He may want an objective, however confused.
ESTELLA: Merry’s gal, not Pip’s, as one might expect.
3. ‘I am legend,’ this hobbitlass might say, whilst troubled.
4. She’s a powerful girl, but with mixed targets.
5. Monster that is lost gains note for her.
6. The name has a mixed stem, you hear. In confusion, see him.
AULE: Two metals mingle for a master metallurgist.
8. A dwarf and his provisions? Confuse a hobbit - especially an aristocratic one!
9. Sounds like he hesitated for an instant, perhaps.

I have made three of the unguessed clues (numbers 3, 4 and 8) much easier. I'll leave the remaining ones as they are for now, and see if you can get the password, and so the initial letters to help you solve the last ones.

Is #8 RORIMAC (Brandybuck)? ("Ori" + "cram"?)

Indeed it is!

1. He may want an objective, however confused.
ESTELLA: Merry’s gal, not Pip’s, as one might expect.
3. ‘I am legend,’ this hobbitlass might say, whilst troubled.
4. She’s a powerful girl, but with mixed targets.
5. Monster that is lost gains note for her.
6. The name has a mixed stem, you hear. In confusion, see him.
AULE: Two metals mingle for a master metallurgist.
RORIMAC: A dwarf and his provisions? Confuse a hobbit - especially an aristocratic one!
9. Sounds like he hesitated for an instant, perhaps.

9. ERLING - an anagram of linger? I was initially looking into things that had "er" for hesitation, but came across this hobbit.

Erling is a new one to me ... where did you find him?

Now ... the 'er' for hesitation is right, but the 'perhaps' is because it is similar to 'er' and could sound the same as it, but does not in this particular name.

(If it had been 'linger' I'd have put the same tense - hesitate - in the clue).

#9: IRMO? Er for a mo(ment)?

hS

That's the one!

1. He may want an objective, however confused.
ESTELLA: Merry’s gal, not Pip’s, as one might expect.
3. ‘I am legend,’ this hobbitlass might say, whilst troubled.
4. She’s a powerful girl, but with mixed targets.
5. Monster that is lost gains note for her.
6. The name has a mixed stem, you hear. In confusion, see him.
AULE: Two metals mingle for a master metallurgist.
RORIMAC: A dwarf and his provisions? Confuse a hobbit - especially an aristocratic one!
IRMO: Sounds like he hesitated for an instant, perhaps.

Dug him up, he's one of Sam's kin.

Now we're getting an interesting mix of Valar and hobbits. KEMENTARI for the password? Maybe it's another couples one again.

Right on both counts!
 

K: He may want an objective, however confused.
ESTELLA: Merry’s gal, not Pip’s, as one might expect.
M: ‘I am legend,’ this hobbitlass might say, whilst troubled.
E: She’s a powerful girl, but with mixed targets.
N: Monster that is lost gains note for her.
T: The name has a mixed stem, you hear. In confusion, see him.
AULE: Two metals mingle for a master metallurgist.
RORIMAC: A dwarf and his provisions? Confuse a hobbit - especially an aristocratic one!
IRMO: Sounds like he hesitated for an instant, perhaps.

[THEME: SPOUSES]

Rorimac was married to MENEGILDA Goold- whose given name is an anagram of "I am legend".

Indeed so!

K: He may want an objective, however confused.
ESTELLA: Merry’s gal, not Pip’s, as one might expect.
MENEGILDA: ‘I am legend,’ this hobbitlass might say, whilst troubled.
E: She’s a powerful girl, but with mixed targets.
N: Monster that is lost gains note for her.
T: The name has a mixed stem, you hear. In confusion, see him.
AULE: Two metals mingle for a master metallurgist.
RORIMAC: A dwarf and his provisions? Confuse a hobbit - especially an aristocratic one!
IRMO: Sounds like he hesitated for an instant, perhaps.

[THEME: SPOUSES]

And then, as noted, Estella wed Merry- whose "real" name is KALIMAC ("lack aim").

Quite.

KALIMAC: He may want an objective, however confused.
ESTELLA: Merry’s gal, not Pip’s, as one might expect.
MENEGILDA: ‘I am legend,’ this hobbitlass might say, whilst troubled.
E: She’s a powerful girl, but with mixed targets.
N: Monster that is lost gains note for her.
T: The name has a mixed stem, you hear. In confusion, see him.
AULE: Two metals mingle for a master metallurgist.
RORIMAC: A dwarf and his provisions? Confuse a hobbit - especially an aristocratic one!
IRMO: Sounds like he hesitated for an instant, perhaps.

[THEME: SPOUSES]

#4 must be ESTË to go with Irmo, but I can't get the cryptic part. And I think #5 could be NESSA ("Ness" as in "Loch Ness Monster" + "A"), though that would make the last one TULKAS, and again I can't make the clue work.

OK.

ESTE is correct. Can you find a synonym for targets?

TULKAS is correct. Can you find a synonym for stem?

NESSA is correct, but what is the nickname of the Loch Ness monster, and how might you lose 'that is?'

KALIMAC: He may want an objective, however confused.
ESTELLA: Merry’s gal, not Pip’s, as one might expect.
MENEGILDA: ‘I am legend,’ this hobbitlass might say, whilst troubled.
ESTE: She’s a powerful girl, but with mixed targets.
NESSA: Monster that is lost gains note for her.
TULKAS: The name has a mixed stem, you hear. In confusion, see him.
AULE: Two metals mingle for a master metallurgist.
RORIMAC: A dwarf and his provisions? Confuse a hobbit - especially an aristocratic one!
IRMO: Sounds like he hesitated for an instant, perhaps.

[THEME: SPOUSES]

ESTE is an anagram of TEES (golf targets).

Stem is STALK. Mix it. Add 'u' and mix again for TULKAS.

Nessie minus 'ie' for 'that is,' plus A, gives NESSA.

Well done all. Over to Galadriel. :)

The last few masterpieces are hard to follow, so I won't even go there. This one should be quick. I have to warn you that the letters are not lined up, and I will highlight them as words are guessed correctly.



1. Feline noise on half-mouth in slimy swamp.
2. Hear they eat backwards, but they prefer drink.
3. Hangout after one cut off trampled tramper.
4. Children stop in the entrance suddenly, confused.

Not sure of all the elements, but is one Emyn Muil?

EDIT: No! MEWLIPS!

Indeed!

1. MEWLIP: Feline noise on half-mouth in slimy swamp.
2. Hear they eat backwards, but they prefer drink.
3. Hangout after one cut off trampled tramper.
4. Children stop in the entrance suddenly, confused.

Not sure about eating backwards, but ENTS drink rather than eat.

Can't argue with that. ;)

But ENTS isn't the answer?

"ENTS" is not the answer. As you said yourself, it doesn't account for the eating backwards part.

Not ENYD either? (Sounds like "dine" backwards).

By the way, that was a great- if challenging!- password, Pervinca!

Indeed so! Will edit password in a bit. The letter is Y.

EDIT: Here it is:

1. MEWLIP: Feline noise on half-mouth in slimy swamp.
2. ENYD: Hear they eat backwards, but they prefer drink.
3. Hangout after one cut off trampled tramper.
4. Children stop in the entrance suddenly, confused.

It's not MYTH, is it?

Indeed so. :)



1. MEWLIP: Feline noise on half-mouth in slimy swamp.
2. ENYD: Hear they eat backwards, but they prefer drink.
3. T: Hangout after one cut off trampled tramper.
4. H: Children stop in the entrance suddenly, confused.

Hangout ... a place for a hangout, perhaps? Am stuck on the last two clues.

I suppose one could hang out in/of a TALAN?

Sorry, Talan os nowhere near the right answer.

Keep in mind that the letters are not necessarily the first ones in a word, and that the theme is Myth. If you're still stuck I will add a couple hints.

#3: Your hangout could be your regular haunt, pointing to OLIPHAUNT, which is definitely a tramper. I can't parse 'one cut off trampled' into 'olip', though.

hS

That he is! "Trampled" is an anagram marker. Can you find the pieces now?


1. MEWLIP: Feline noise on half-mouth in slimy swamp.
2. ENYD: Hear they eat backwards, but they prefer drink.
3. OLIPHAUNT: Hangout after one cut off trampled tramper.
4. H: Children stop in the entrance suddenly, confused.

Ah ... I + lop.

Neat work, Nerwen! I would never have thought of haunt or oliphaunt.

That was Huey.

Well, neat work Huey then. :)

And neat work Nerwen for all the times I've forgotten to say so. :D

Does 4 have anything to do with HIN/HINI, the elvish word for children?

Entrance could be 'door' or maybe just 'in.'

But in just one sense of the word, confusion is lacking. ;)

And how to synonymise 'suddenly,' unless it's just that one of the elements ends or cuts off abruptly? I thought of 'now' as a sort of synonym, but can't work it in.