Cyclops 648 – Sinister Adversary
Cyclops is as Cyclops does – some fun with surface readings, some usual targets, and maybe just a tad too much Trump(?)… Some ancient history at 21D – Archimedes’ supposed EUREKA ‘ejaculation’ in … Read more >>
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Independent 10,140 by Tyrus (Saturday Puzzle 13 April 2019)
A tough workout from Tyrus – on the first pass I only had 5 solved… …and not too many more after a couple more passes. I gradually wheedled my way into the puzzle … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1375: Ciao by Eclogue
Not so much ‘CIAO’ as nearly ‘Goodnight from me…’, Two Ronnies-style… …,after my recent DNF with EV1374 from Ranunculus, and several failures-to-finish recent IQs and Listeners…maybe my superpowers are on the wane… The … Read more >>
Cyclops 646 – Bad Will Tactic
A nice, solid Cyclops-ean puzzle – nothing too mind-boggling, with some smooth surface reads and interesting clueing along the way… in these not-quite-nearly-maybe Br-exit/Brit-in times, there is plenty to reflect the mood… BAD … Read more >>
Independent 10,110 by Serpent (Saturday Puzzle 9 March 2019)
Hmmm…the ssslippery Sssserpent on a Ssssaturday…there is usually a twisssst in the tail ssssomewhere…and that puzzle number looks suspiciously binary… I have been caught out many a time by Serpent and his various … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1371: Yesterday’s Papers by Ifor
It is an old cliché that ‘today’s newspaper is tomorrow’s fish’n’chip wrapper’, although in these days of elf’n’safety you are more likely to get a waxy paper container printed to look like a … Read more >>
Cyclops 644 – Bereft Proposal
I couldn’t scientifically or statistically tell you if this was a below/above average or completely typical Cyclops…but I know a man who could…(see below) In fact I have to admit I solved and … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1367: On The Dot by Chalicea
If ON THE DOT was by Harribobs, I would be expecting a fiendishly complicated join-the-dots endgame, in the shape of maybe an echidna, or Estonia…but this is by Chalicea, and she is usually a bit … Read more >>
Independent 10,080 by Nimrod (Saturday Puzzle 2 February 2019)
OK – it’s a Nimrod – and it has five 15-letter solutions, two 12s, two 11s and a couple of 10s…stiff upper lip and press on… Rather than attacking the 3s and 4s, … Read more >>
Cyclops 642 – Hard? Don’t Hold Your Breath
After the fun-and-games of the wonderful Xmas special, we are back to ‘normal’ Cyclops… …with lots of Brexit-ian parallels that can be drawn – politicians are CHEWING THE CUD this weekend, before more CHEAP … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1363: A Sought-after State by Hillbilly
I think this is a debut EV from Hillbilly – given that I can’t find any previous offerings on this site – so welcome, and what kind of ‘state’ are we seeking?… The … Read more >>
Independent 10,050 by Wire (Saturday Puzzle 29 December 2018)
Friends, Romans, Crossword-men (and women), lend me your beers…I come to praise Wire, not to bury him… I think this my first Wire solve/blog – and most enjoyable it was too. A veritable … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1359: Tug of War by Chalicea
The last Chalicea puzzle I solved was the wonderful WWI/Armistice tribute IQ 1568 (Such Delight), and now we have a TUG OF WAR…what has made Mme Chalicea so bellicose recently…?! The (brief) preamble … Read more >>
Cyclops 639 – Like (Brex)It, or Lump It…
…that seems to be the choice, at the start of this momentous week, and Cyclops has his finger pretty much on the pulse… …with LIKE IT OR LUMP IT seeming to sum up the … Read more >>
Independent 10,021 by Klingsor (Saturday Puzzle 24 November 2018)
I signed off my last Indy Saturday blog (Klingsor’s Munster-ous 9991) with ‘…see you in the 10,000s…’ and, lo and behold, here he is again on my next shift, five weeks later… …making … Read more >>