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Shenanigans

I have been doing The Listener crossword on and off (mainly off) since I was about 16. I am now slightly older, and finally have a lot of time on my hands to devote to this beauty and others like it. In its honour, I created the Crossword Database, which you can get to from the Fifteensquared Links page. I try and complete The Listener, Inquisitor and Enigmatic Variations every week, with about a 90% success rate (which translates into a 0.1% prize rate). I treat all these puzzles like treasure hunts where, well not to put too fine a point on it, anything goes in trying to get to the elusive pot of gold … except of course asking someone else. I have no qualms about using Bradford's or Chambers Crossword Dictionaries or about Googling whatever seems appropriate. On the non-crosswording front I play golf and tinker with computery stuff. I grew up with William Hartnell's Doctor Who and Monty Python, but feel at home in the 21st century with Matt Smith's Doctor, Little Britain and the League of Gentlemen.

Enigmatic Variations No. 1161: Extremes by Chalicea

Sun March 1, 2015 at 8:30 amSat February 28, 2015 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

For the second month in succession, I’m blogging a puzzle with no extra/hidden letters/words or misprints. There were just a couple of unclued entries to find, and they would indicate which twenty-six letters … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 3 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1157: Observation by Nudnix

Sat January 31, 2015 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

This week, a setter who was new to EV, although there have been a couple of recent Magpie puzzles from Nudnix. The preamble seemed almost innocuous… no missing/extra letters, misprints, spoonerisms or other … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 2 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1153: The Square and Compass by Ranunculus

Sat January 3, 2015 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

First of all, apologies for not alerting fellow EV solvers to the early entry date for this puzzle. Although I saw that mc had put up a placeholder last week, I didn’t think … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 3 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1149: Common Usage by Raffles

Tue January 9, 2018 at 5:59 pmSat December 6, 2014 at 4:00 am by Shenanigans

Raffles is a new setter to me, although I see he has had a couple of Magpie puzzles. Here every across clue needs treatment; most need partial treatment, three need treatment in their … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 5 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1145: Rank Outsiders by Ifor

Tue January 9, 2018 at 5:59 pmSat November 8, 2014 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

An interesting clueing device this week, with one word in the definition being an anagram of the true word plus an extra letter. The message given by the extra letters (read thematically) would … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 2 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1141: Teaser by Jaguar

Tue January 9, 2018 at 5:59 pmSat October 11, 2014 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

Hmmm! I’m not sure I’ve seen this before… clues in alphabetical order of their answers but with clashes! Ten to be precise. I decided to do a quick scan of the clues to … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 3 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1137: Endeavour by Shark

Tue January 9, 2018 at 5:59 pmSat September 13, 2014 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

A tricky setter this week in the shape of Shark, with a couple of Listeners and a few EVs and Inquisitors under his belt. Here we had some extra words in clues which … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 6 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1133: Peripheral Consequences by Jaques

Sat August 16, 2014 at 9:55 amSat August 16, 2014 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

A smaller than average grid and a longer than average preamble greeted us this week. In fact, close reading of the preamble told us that the grid had a perimeter which needed filling … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 1 Comment

Enigmatic Variations No. 1129: Bang! by Kcit

Sat July 19, 2014 at 8:00 am by Shenanigans

A slightly different clueing technique this week. There were several clues comprising two definitions to words which differed by one letter and wordplay to the common letters. A block of cells would provide … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 2 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1125: TRRNRUN × VT by Kea

Tue January 9, 2018 at 5:59 pmSat June 21, 2014 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

It’s always wise to treat Kea puzzles with respect and trepidation. This one seemed to be a combination of a normal EV with a bit of mathematics thrown in as well. It will … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 6 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1121: Excessively Affable by Kruger

Sat May 24, 2014 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

One of my favourite setters this week, not to mention one of the most prolific here at EV. This week, we had a misprint in half the clues, with the incorrect letters spelling … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 2 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1118: t20, the Setter’s View

Tue January 9, 2018 at 5:58 pmSat May 3, 2014 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

[I am posting this blog on behalf of Oyler, the setter of t20.] Wedlock + Witrush = Duckworth-Lewis When Chris was appointed editor of EV, I, along with many others, emailed him offering … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 19 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1117: Metre Cube by Oxymoron

Sat April 26, 2014 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

A pretty straightforward puzzle from Oxymoron this week? Well, I wasn’t banking on it! Clashes in the grid (my nemesis) were to be resolved not by addition, but by subtraction, eg a clash … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations

Enigmatic Variations No. 1113: Anonymous by Gaston

Tue January 9, 2018 at 5:58 pmSat March 29, 2014 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

A relatively rare beast this week… a new EV setter, in the guise of Gaston. Obviously I had no idea whether to expect a toughie or an easy puzzle. I’m going to assume … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 4 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1109: Seaside Capers by Piccadilly

Thu March 13, 2014 at 8:10 amSat March 1, 2014 at 1:00 am by Shenanigans

The construction of this crossword was reminiscent of a puzzle a few months ago. Across entries in the two top and bottom rows, and down entries in the four left and right columns … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 1 Comment
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