I found this puzzle quite challenging, partly due to a gap in my cultural references, which will be revealed – although I suspect many people who don’t have this gap may have got to the thematic entries, at least, straight from the title? Six thematic answers (undefined) need to be found, 20 extra letters identified to describe a related  ’object’, which is then to be highlighted/shaded in the grid…

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My house is, indeed, empty as I write these few lines, as is my stomach. My diary is empty, as exams very recents came to an end. Apparently, most empty of all is my head, since I can’t think of any more appropriate introduction to this enjoyable puzzle.

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Relatively straight forward in the preamble department – extra letters from the wordplay spell out a quotation and this will enable the solver to complete the un-clued perimeter cells. Sounds straight forward enough.

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Little did I realise when I wrote my last fifteensquared blog that I would be blogging another Rustic puzzle this month as well … for all the wrong reasons.

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Some sad news to report first – which I don’t think has been mentioned on this site yet - is that the preamble to EV1069, published on Sun 5 May informs us that James Leonard, aka EV setter Rustic, the EV editor for more than 20 years, had died the previous week on 28 May, at the age of 72. I’m sure all EV fans, and indeed all 15×15 contributors and visitors, will be saddened to hear this. There is an obituary in the telegraph here, and the announcement above EV1069 states: “If you have ever solved an Enigmatic Variations puzzle, then you have enjoyed the work of James Leonard. So we are very sad to say that James Leonard, the editor of the EV for more than 20 years, died last Sunday, aged 72. He will be greatly missed. James launched the EV in The Sunday Telegraph on October 11 1992 and had edited it ever since, as well as contributing EVs which he compiled under his alias of Rustic. He was held in enormous respect and affection by his team of compilers, some of whom say they learned almost everything they know about barred crosswords from James.”

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Firstly, my apologies for having this blog up so late. I have finals starting soon and I misjudged my workload. I’m sorry for making you all wait.

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So how taxing is taxing? That is my first question – Misprints in the definitions of all but 2 clues, once corrected they will reveal a French proverb and ten thematic adjustments to boot. The final step is to encircle the clue number(s) that are normal.

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Having escaped from the jaws of Playfair codes with yesterday’s Listener (Oh, No! Not Another Playfair), courtesy of Mordred, here I am well and truly in at the deep end! Time to see if I can sort out one of these pesky blighters.

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OK – I know when I’m beaten – I surrender! I’ll come out quietly with my hands up. A seemingly simple preamble, a reasonably quick grid fill, and then two-plus weeks staring at it trying to wheedle out the thematic denouément…with no moment of inspiration…yet. I am sure someone will put me out of my misery in the comments…please!

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‘Reform’? Surely not a puzzle about everyone’s favourite right-wing purveyors of guff? (Actually, hold that thought…) In any case, I sometimes get rather stuck with trickier missing letter clues, so I wonder if this one is going to behave. (Actually, I don’t. Obviously, I’ve already solved the puzzle at this point. But let’s not damage the fourth wall any more.)

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So two groups to identify – Four unclued and 6 clued without definition and a link between teh two groups to be highlighted. Sounds musical to me. The corrected misprints to 23 clues providing useful information.

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For the second month running, I have a crossword that hasn’t got any extra/missing letters/words or misprints. Instead, just eleven words in the perimeter and central row to identify, and something to write under the grid.

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An intriguing preamble: As ‘instructed’ by the grid, solvers must make a choice in the case of eleven clashes; and a further ten clues omit a letter in the subsidiary indications – these letters, in normal reading order, ‘setting the scene’…

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‘Down Under’? Is it – finally – a ‘Neighbours’ themed EV? Will the clues include phrases such as ‘a bit of a barbie’ and ‘Ramsay Street’?

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A new setter, I believe, certainly not one I have come across before – Should be interesting then. Twencelas’ third principle “Variety is the spice of the solver”. Do I, perhaps,  detect a scientific mind behind this puzzle?

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