Enigmatic Variations

Enigmatic Variations 1421 Keep Trying by Kruger

Mon February 24, 2020 at 4:17 pmSat February 22, 2020 at 12:01 pm by twencelas

Keep Trying – interesting title. Several clues with misprints which will explain how to modify some of the answers. I’m sure it will all make sense in the end. And now to state … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1420: Trisector by Eclogue

Sun February 16, 2020 at 9:57 amSat February 15, 2020 at 12:07 am by Kitty

Hello all. Thanks to Eclogue, the STREET, or perhaps TESTER, of this puzzle. The preamble reads: In the completed grid for TRISECTOR, solvers must highlight a writer and the associated thematic pseudonym, … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1419: A Letter by Piccadilly

Sat February 8, 2020 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Pick A LETTER, any letter, says Piccadilly – there’s 26 of them to choose from! The (fairly complex) preamble states that: “For each clue, A LETTER must be omitted from the answer wherever … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No.1418 – Accident of Birth by Chalicea

Sat February 1, 2020 at 12:01 am by Mister Sting

“Extra letters produced by the wordplay of every clue, when read in clue order, give a version of a misattributed quotation about an ACCIDENT OF BIRTH and the person to whom it is frequently misattributed. Solvers must resolve ten clashes in the grid by selecting what he is. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”

Enigmatic Variations 1417 Time for Action by X-Type

Fri January 24, 2020 at 8:09 pm by twencelas

4 unclued entries to determine and a thematic alteration to be applied to a clue in each across row leaving a real word. The downs are all normal Quite a gentle workout, though … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1416: January Reductions by Vismut

Sat January 18, 2020 at 11:28 amSat January 18, 2020 at 12:49 am by Kitty

Hi everyone. Well, this was a very different experience to the last Vismut puzzle I solved. Based on that I had been expecting a bit of a struggle, but this one yielded readily … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1415: Peace at Cagey’s

Sat January 11, 2020 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

‘Twas the season of goodwill when this was published, between Christmas and New Year, when all Cagey craved was a little PEACE and quiet… The preamble states that: ‘A certain group has left … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No.1414 – Final Resting Place by Shark

Sat January 4, 2020 at 1:16 amSat January 4, 2020 at 12:01 am by Mister Sting

“Several answers are shorter than the available grid length and therefore must be entered with blank cells. In 16 clues, the wordplay leads to the answer with one (and in one case, two) letters short. These suggest what must fill the unclued down entries, forming new words and signifying the FINAL RESTING PLACE. A symmetrical thematic string must be discovered (see 37, unclued) and naturally must move within the completed grid. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”

Enigmatic Variations 1413 Not on the Level by Kcit

Sat December 28, 2019 at 8:42 pmFri December 27, 2019 at 9:28 pm by twencelas

Alphabetically ordered across clues, normal downs apart from one and then an unknown twist, which affects one of the downs and some of the acrosses. The down that needed amendment is 4dn – … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1412: Line of Flight by Hedge-sparrow

Sat December 21, 2019 at 12:03 am by Kitty

Hello! As this is my last blog before a certain festival (and of the year), I would like to wish you all the very best for the season and for the year ahead. … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1411: All Aboard by Gaston

Sat December 14, 2019 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

It seems that Gaston has lost a few pieces of his jigsaw in ALL ABOARD – maybe down the back of the sofa, or the dog ate them?… (There does seem to have … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No.1410 – G&T by Xanthippe

Sat December 7, 2019 at 4:33 pmSat December 7, 2019 at 12:01 am by Mister Sting

“In G&T, clues are given in two groups headed by the two numbered wordplay-only clues. Within each group, the clues are given in the normal order and either the clue (starred), or answer, requires thematic treatment, always involving a single letter. All answers and entries are real words, numbers in brackets refer to entry lengths. Solvers must highlight 11 letters in the completed grid and write two thematic words (10, 8) under the grid. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”