Wordplay in each of fifteen clues yields an extra letter that is not entered in the grid. In clue order, these letters give the start of a quotation from a poem (in ODQ and associated with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING) and the initials of its source. The third line of this quotation suggests how twelve answers are to be thematically treated before entry. Lengths in brackets refer to grid entries while word counts refer to original answers. Chambers Dictionary (2016) and ODQ7 are recommended; 21 is in Collins.
Enigmatic Variations
Enigmatic Variations No. 1553 Exclamations by Maranga
Exclamations from a compiler new to myself. Straight clues and a perimeter to fill in and a fifth example to highlight in the grid. A reasonably gentle puzzle, meaning my blog is not … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1552: Instruction by Piccadilly
Hi all. A relative pussycat of an EV with a theme right up my alley! The preamble reads: Some clues are really two clues run together. Their combined answers must be treated … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1551: Opinion by Chalicea
After five weeks of the recent ‘Elementary’ themed EV series, we are back to normal…or whatever constitutes ‘normal’ in an EV! My OPINION on seeing it was a Chalicea this week was that it should be at the ‘gentler’ end of the EV spectrum, and would probably be educational and/or entertaining in some measure…
Enigmatic Variations No.1550 – Elementary Solutions by A Few
“Each quadrant represents one of five ELEMENTARY SOLUTIONS; solvers must determine which quadrant each set belongs to. Clues are in normal order within each group. All entries except one at every stage are real words or names. Initial answers may not fit the space allocated. Solvers must highlight four examples of the fifth solution, each spanning two quadrants (16 cells). Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
Enigmatic Variations No. 1549 Elementary IV: A dramatic instruction by KCIT
The fourth in a series – misprints in definitions and eight answers with a common theme. So the misprints spelled out: REPEATS IMPLY HEIGHT – FLOOD THE GRID The common them of two … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1548: Growing Concern by Brock
Hell-oh all. I never thought that come the end of the world* we would be sitting around doing puzzles about it. Life is strange. A sobering but important month in the EV series … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1547: Elementary II: Rising Costs by Hedge-Sparrow
My esteemed fellow-blogger Mister Sting pondered last week as to whether ‘EV 1546 Elementary I…‘ might be the start of a series – and this would seem to be borne out by the appearance of ‘Elementary II’ this week…
Enigmatic Variations No.1546 – Elementary I: Staying Alive by X-Type
“In the final grid, solvers must highlight a continuous sequence of eight symbols, all of which occur in the single unclued down entry. Five symbols consist of two letters, which must share the same cell. Of the three unclued across entries: two name examples of the third unclued entry, which we must reduce to continue STAYING ALIVE. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
Enigmatic Variations No. 1545 Subject, Verb, Object by Gaston
A strange preamble this week – subject, verb, objects to be found with the clued verbs being replaced by the objects and five unclued entries to be filled with the subjects. Sounds a … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1544: The Bounty by The Ace of Hearts
Hi everyone. I had an Ace (of Hearts) weekend, as I noticed that this setter had also provided the Listener puzzle of the day before and so did that too for comparison. Bountiful … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1543: Hard Bargain by Opsimath
Opsimath is threatening to drive a HARD BARGAIN with EV solvers this week…
Enigmatic Variations No.1542 – Battle by Stick Insect
“In each clue, half of one word must be removed before solving, always leaving a real word. The initial letters of the removed halves, in clue order, spell the beginning of a line referring to a BATTLE whose author fills the unclued entries, initially blank. One unclued entry must then be modified in accordance with the end of the line and the result shaded an appropriate colour. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended; 4 down is in Collins Dictionary.”
Enigmatic Variations No. 1541 Difference by Ifor
A puzzle from Ifor with clashes between the wordplay and the defined grid entry. The difference between the clashing letters leading to the population of the bottom row. Some tricky definitions in the … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1540: Going Postal by Piccadilly
Hello, and happy Jubbly weekend! Thanks to Piccadilly, who has given us a fun reminder of where to go with the EV when done – which certainly beats the Telegraph telling the EV … Read more >>