The POTPOURRI in question in EV1243 is, the preamble tells us, made up of seven ingredients (a further one is ‘controversially omitted’).
Enigmatic Variations
Enigmatic Variations 1242 Name of the Game by Chalicea
Extra letters in the wordplay spell out an instruction relating to a game – find its venue, fill in the participants and the Name of the Game. Could this be football related? – … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1241: Wrecked and Salvaged by Kruger
This was Kruger’s third EV of the year (and if you want more of this fine setter, he had his third Inquisitor of the year last Saturday). Here we had some extra wordplay … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 1240: Mass Transit by Ifor
Ifor offers us some MASS TRANSIT this week – we could be ‘going underground’, with the Jam; we could be ‘on the buses’ with Reg Varney; or we could be on the EV … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No.1239 – What’s at Stake? by Kcit
Half of the clues have an extra letter coming from the wordplay, and the other half have an extra letter in the clue itself. The former ‘spell out an interpretation to be placed on the grid. The latter ‘spell out what must be highlighted in the completed grid, and why five of the 17 cells involved must be distinguished from the other 12.’ The completed grid will also have ‘a thematic comment that identifies the distinguishing feature’.
How very curious.
Enigmatic Variations 1238 Reckonin’ by Eclogue
A puzzle by Eclogue this week – four cells containing clashes, the wordplay in each clue having an extra letter and the first line of a verse to find. If that’s not enough … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1237: Side by Oxymoron
Oxymoron puzzles vary in difficulty from ‘not too tricky’ to ‘fiendish’, and I wondered what degree of difficulty the gods had given me this week. But before I go any further, apologies for … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 1236: Record Holders by Nutmeg
With the Olympics starting at approximately the same time as this puzzle’s submission date, is Nutmeg going to give us some sporting records to decipher…will this be a marathon or a sprint?…or perhaps … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No.1235 – Response by Giovanni
Omitted letters from across clues – unusually along with ‘what has happened to them’ – spell out ‘an extract from a quotation’. The puzzle’s title is from the symbolised RESPONSE that is to be highlighted in the completed grid.
Enigmatic Variations 1234 Portrait by Gila
Puzzle 1234 – whilst not a round number a nice one. This brings a puzzle from Gila with a portrait to be found. Additional words in clues interspersed with extra letters in wordplay … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1233: Part by Shark
This week I have to grapple with Shark. He can be one tough setter, predominantly creating D-grade puzzles for Magpie. (FYI D-grades are very tough, but just short of E-grades which are impossible!) … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 1232: Something Isn’t There by Samuel
On first inspection of SOMETHING ISN’T THERE, I had a touch of the Rumsfelds – there are ‘known unknowns’, and there might well be some ‘unknown unknowns’… Will Samuel be using his weapons of … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No.1231 – Awake! Why? by MynoT
This is my second ‘enter where they will fit’ puzzle in a row. I normally enjoy these, but this one has an additional element on top of the cold solving – ten answers must be ‘thematically treated’.
Enigmatic Variations 1230 Win, Lose or Draw by Maranga
A perimeter to be filled in with a maxim and its author – this depicts people who win or lose? And must be obeyed before entering all answers. A bit of a chicken … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1229: Rising Doubt by Chalicea
A smaller than average grid for me this week — just 11×11 and 22 cells to be highlighted. Each across clue contained an extra thematic word, the first letters of which give an … Read more >>