Enigmatic Variations – Page 31

Enigmatic Variations No. 1324: Media Culpa by Wickball

Fri June 8, 2018 at 7:41 pmSat April 14, 2018 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

I was half expecting an April Fools’ Day theme today. (If you’re reading this blog some way in the future, this puzzle was published on 1st April.) I wasn’t 100% sure that it … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1323: Capital Letters by Stick Insect

Sat April 7, 2018 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Stick Insect seems to have averaged one or two EVs a year since 2013-or so, and I think I have attempted/solved most of them, but this is the first of his I have … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No.1322 – Aide-mémoire by Gaston

Sat March 31, 2018 at 12:01 am by Mister Sting

“Despite being a 13, Gaston works at the 21 (both clued by wordplay only). All other across clues are normal, though four thematic pairs of suitably positioned entries are unclued. Wordplay in all but the final down clue leads to the answer and an additional letter not to be entered into the grid; in clue order these spell out an AIDE-MÉMOIRE to help Gaston remember the correct sequence of unclued entries. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”

Enigmatic Variations 1321 Common by Vismut

Sun March 25, 2018 at 6:36 pmSat March 24, 2018 at 12:40 am by twencelas

It’s spring and the snow drops from the sky, rather than growing up from the earth. A puzzle from Vismut – a new compiler for me. 4 additional words in across answers which … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1320: Keith by Opsimath

Sat March 17, 2018 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

A delightfully short preamble this week: In KEITH, solvers must complete the unclued row (13, four words), and then highlight the symmetrically placed six-letter surnames of four people most closely associated with the … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1319: Vive la Différence by Harribobs

Thu March 15, 2018 at 4:45 pmSat March 10, 2018 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Oh dear…this makes three of the last four EVs that I have failed to complete… Am I losing my touch? Should I be handing in my pencil and heading for the rocking chair, with a … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No.1318 – Six Authors in Search of a Character by Ifor

Sat March 3, 2018 at 12:01 am by Mister Sting

“The perimeter contains the surnames of SIX AUTHORS, reading clockwise from top left and referred to as 1 to 6 in that order in the six blocks. Solvers IN SEARCH OF A CHARACTER (or pair of characters) to be written in the vacant cell in each block will find them appearing in no particular order in the six shaded cells. Each BLOCK RECIPE DIFFERS, as the unchecked perimeter letters spell out. All clues contain an extra letter, to be removed before solving and always leaving a real word; when read in clue order these will assist. Numbers in brackets give cells available; the Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”

Enigmatic Variations 1317 Losers by March

Sat February 24, 2018 at 10:46 amSat February 24, 2018 at 12:01 am by twencelas

Eleven unclued answers, but all the clues are normal then four cells to highlight (the missing item that could n’t be kept). A short preamble indeed but is it also a short solve? … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1316: Necessary Exposure by Oxymoron

Sat February 17, 2018 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

A fairly short preamble this week, and no special clue types. An easy week for me… NOT! In NECESSARY EXPOSURE, 15 answers are entered normally; all other answers must be partially treated before … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1315: Get Ready by Samuel

Sat February 10, 2018 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Our esteemed EV editor has clearly decided that jigsaws are for life, not just for Christmas! At least on alternate weeks, as this is the second Samuel jigsaw I have blogged in a … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No.1314 – Moonlighting by Chalicea

Thu February 8, 2018 at 2:43 pmSat February 3, 2018 at 12:01 am by Mister Sting

’11dn, when MOONLIGHTING, is appropriately positioned in relation to the 15ac between 44 and 10, and carried the other unclued entries. Solvers must highlight its creator (seven cells); Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.’

Enigmatic Variations 1313 Uncommon Happiness by Kcit

Sat January 27, 2018 at 9:41 am by twencelas

A double carte blanche with 2 missing clues and merged clues. At least the clues in are normal order, albeit without the word lengths. If that was not enough, a four word phrase … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1312: Ranting by Shark

Sat January 20, 2018 at 5:39 amSat January 20, 2018 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

A fairly simple preamble greeted us this week: In RANTING, eight answers must be altered thematically on entry; clues to these answers consist of a definition for the answer, and wordplay leading to … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1311: Given Up by Samuel

Sat January 13, 2018 at 12:25 pmSat January 13, 2018 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Ah…the Christmas period – turkey, presents, carols, family, arguments, board games, arguments…and, of course, jigsaws! Followed, or accompanied, by more arguments… OK, this jigsaw came out on 31 December, so slightly post-Christmas, but what is … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No.1310 – More Crackers by Charismatix

Sun January 7, 2018 at 2:17 pmSat January 6, 2018 at 2:19 pm by Mister Sting

“Nine clues consist of jokes that might be found in CRACKERS; the grid entry in each case is the punchline. In 40 clues, the wordplay leads to the answer plus an additional letter not to be entered in the grid; in clue order these give another joke, the punchline to which (13 letters) must be highlighted. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”