Never knowingly undersolved
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 >>
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…
“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.”
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 >>
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 >>
Opsimath is threatening to drive a HARD BARGAIN with EV solvers this week…
“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.”
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 >>
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 >>
Eclogue appeals to the Hercule Poirot/Inspector Clouseau within us, to determine a ‘stolen work’ and its creator – although happily the theft(s) led to eventual RECOVERY…
Enigmatic Variations I’ve been seeing rumours that The Telegraph has decided to discontinue the EV from end of July. I say rumours because I’ve had no official word from anyone. I’ve tried emailing … Read more >>
“Alternate down clues have an extra word, to be removed before solving, taken from a prayer which is always said before the start of an annual TOUR, which can have different high spots; their position in the clue indexes which letter to use from that word. In clue order, these letters have undergone some ups and downs and must be restored to the correct order to give the title of this prayer which indicates what runs around the perimeter of the grid in a clockwise direction and completes four unclued entries. Finally, one thematic destination must be changed to a general location. Unchecked letters of thematic entries give A DARK HILL HUMOUR SHOWS A BIT and all words before or after any changes are proper nouns or can be found in Chambers Dictionary (2016).”
It’s May and Kcit (aka Phi) provides the EV entertainment. A blank bottom row, an unclued middle row comprising 4 components and an unclued bottom row – making new words in the grid. … Read more >>
Hi all. We were treated to an EV puzzle of the highest order for a “low” day … The preamble reads: Answers are entered around the appropriate numbered square, clockwise or anticlockwise, … Read more >>
An Eng. Lit. test this week (not my strongest subject at skool), with Chalicea asking us to find two PAINFUL POEMS…probably not limericks then?…