Never knowingly undersolved
Samson’s offering this week. Six clues with no definition, which the need replacing, wordplay with additional letters spelling out initials, a seventh member and a thematic adjustment. And a final grid with only … Read more >>
I’ve come to treat an Ifor puzzle with some trepidation. His last EV was No. 1188, Portmanteau, with its phrases for helping the aspiring solver: spilling the beans, giving the game away, and … Read more >>
The EV clock has ticked over to 12:00 – midday/noon, or midnight? Will this be significant? We celebrate another century of EVs with … yet another jigsaw (gaaahh!). Chambers defines ‘RULE OF THUMB’ as … Read more >>
I do believe I’ve done it again! I’m sorry this is late. I had ‘EVs’ written on my hand all day Friday to remind me to finish this off.
The preamble informs us of two characters – A and B – each with a belief. Seven answers are modified in line with A’s belief, but B seems to have the upper hand, as A’s name is ultimately replaced by B’s. Extra letters spelling out B’s belief should help us on our way.
26 misprints in the definition spelling out 3 evvents and 25ac to deduce followed by a rearrangement of one answer to get a fourth event. Sounds like fun. It took a whle to … Read more >>
The second Oxymoron puzzle of the year, following on from King Lear’s “The wheel has come full circle.” This week we have to draw lines through a work and its creator’s first and … Read more >>
Some light(?) entertainment from Nutmeg in EPIDEMIC…although some ‘thinking outside the box’ may be required! The preamble states: “In EPIDEMIC, four unclued entries are of a kind and must be entered thematically, one … Read more >>
Thanks to Gaufrid for stepping in!
I have switched phones and had apparently turned off email updates, alarms, and notifications (although not the messages every five minutes suggesting I buy extras)!
Appropriately, the phone I’m (mis)using is the new Bond phone. There’s obviously the possibility of a Bond reference in the title, especially when there’s a Bond film coming out soon (actually, it’s out now), but is it actually Bond-related?
A large circle – a large circle, small circle 27 misprints and a change of 4 characters in the final grid – Sounds interesting. Also sounds like it is published specifically on this … Read more >>
I stand to be corrected, but I think this is Kcit’s 50th Enigmatic Variations crossword, the first being no. 29, Layettes back in 1993. That’s some feat, especially since, under his other pseudonym, … Read more >>
So, it is the weekend at the start of one of the biggest sporting events on the planet (Rugby World Cup 2015, if you hadn’t noticed) and it looks like we have a sporting … Read more >>
Prior to this puzzle, there have been a couple of weeks where the EVs had misspellings in the clues’ definitions, which I tend to find rather hard. I’m therefore heartened to see in the preamble that this one has extra letters in the wordplay. There’s some highlighting too, which can sometimes give the puzzled puzzler an extra hint.
Misprints in the definitions of all clues – 5 clashes – 2 messages a square to find a rectangle to find – five images to determine then a sixth and its description – … Read more >>
Raffles is a relatively new setter with his first EV last November, no. 1149 Common Usage with its Nancy Mitford theme. His first Listener was a few weeks ago — no. 4356 Mashonaland, … Read more >>
In PORTMANTEAU, Ifor suggests that ‘some’ solvers might be inclined to ask for help from others – who might respond in a way suggested by ‘three phrases with similar meanings’, which in turn had … Read more >>