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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 986: Mix-up by Ploy

October 8, 2011 at 10:09 amOctober 8, 2011 at 1:00 am by Shenanigans

In this week’s puzzle, 16 clues needed to have a word in the definition unmixed after the removal of one letter, these removed letters giving a range of ingredients. I can’t believe this … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations

Enigmatic Variations 982: Follow the Instructions by Kcit

September 10, 2011 at 1:00 am by Shenanigans

Kcit’s last EV, Wind, was only six weeks ago and a bit of a tester. Here we had misprints which would lead to a two-word message which would show how to interpret the … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations

Enigmatic Variations 978: Record by Loda

August 13, 2011 at 1:00 am by Shenanigans

A fairly small grid this week, 11 × 11, and consequently fewer clues than normal as well. Across answers were to be entered with a letter missing, subsidiary indications being to the entered … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations

Enigmatic Variations 974: Repent Sinning by Ifor

July 16, 2011 at 1:00 am by Shenanigans

Ifor is a relatively new setter whose recent puzzles I have enjoyed. His latest Listener (4137: Frightened Catherine), was fairly tricky, and his last EV (956: Ego Problem) was quite amusing! There were … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 4 Comments

Enigmatic Variations 970: Suitably Abbreviated by Chalicea

June 18, 2011 at 1:00 am by Shenanigans

Having just finished spending far too long tearing my hair out on Sabre’s latest Listener, it was a pleasant relief to tackle Chalicea’s first EV puzzle. Correct letters of misprints spelt out a … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 3 Comments

Enigmatic Variations 966: Uncomplimentary Remark by Rustic

May 27, 2011 at 8:01 amMay 21, 2011 at 1:00 am by Shenanigans

A fairly straightforward offering from Rustic this week: solve the clues, move a letter to the perimeter and reveal a quotation and the person it describes. Each clue was two clues side by … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations

Enigmatic Variations 962: Depicting the South by Kruger

April 25, 2011 at 6:20 pmApril 22, 2011 at 8:00 am by Shenanigans

A fairly straightforward puzzle this week, certainly one of Kruger’s easier ones … perhaps to help us meet the one day earlier deadline. What’s more, no extra letters, words or misprints to worry … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations

Enigmatic Variations 958: Seven by Dysart

March 26, 2011 at 1:00 am by Shenanigans

I thought that this was a tough puzzle from Dysart. The preamble seemed to have so much going on that I needed a bit of a lie down after reading it. That, together … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 1 Comment

Enigmatic Variations 954: As Per Brewer by Kruger

February 26, 2011 at 6:35 amFebruary 26, 2011 at 1:00 am by Shenanigans

I think Kruger has set some tough puzzles in the past, but this week’s was comparatively easy. The wordplay in every clue had an extra letter not entered in the grid, and these … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 2 Comments

Enigmatic Variations 950: Resident Jokers by Owzat

January 29, 2011 at 1:00 am by Shenanigans

Typical!! One of my (two) New Year resolutions is to adopt the practice of giving the full clues in my EV blogs. And what happens? I get landed with a puzzle that has … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations

Enigmatic Variations 946: Message by Rustic

January 7, 2011 at 5:04 pmJanuary 7, 2011 at 1:00 am by Shenanigans

A basic 13×13 grid here with a couple of nicks in the outer edge. Clues are given in symmetrical pairs, and every clue has one of its letters moved to the perimeter. A … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 5 Comments

Enigmatic Variations 942: Block Capitals by Nutmeg

December 4, 2010 at 1:00 am by Shenanigans

In my last blog, I suggested that very easy puzzles should have an ‘easy’ rating to attract solvers who would normally give the EV puzzle a wide berth. I think it worth adding … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 1 Comment

Enigmatic Variations 938: Worse than Swine Flu by Syd Lexis

November 6, 2010 at 5:51 amNovember 6, 2010 at 1:00 am by Shenanigans

The first line of a verse and a 6-letter word are to be identified and highlighted here with the help of four unclued entries. There has been the occasional discussion at the Crossword … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 4 Comments

Enigmatic Variations 934: Origin by Samuel

October 9, 2010 at 6:54 amOctober 9, 2010 at 6:00 am by Shenanigans

I normally leave the occasional rant to my other blogging duties at Listen With Others, but I’m feeling a bit mischievous as I write this. What I want to know is why do … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 5 Comments

Enigmatic Variations 930: Kindred by Syd Lexis

September 25, 2010 at 8:28 amSeptember 11, 2010 at 6:00 am by Shenanigans

Hurrah! There are no extra letters or clashes to contend with in this puzzle, so thanks to Syd for that. It makes writing the blog so much easier. Instead there are three ‘Cluster’ … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 3 Comments
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