A challenging workout from Monk, with a couple of nice touches…
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Enigmatic Variations No. 1275: Replacements by Artix
I have to admit I found REPLACEMENTS by Artix a pretty tough EV – so much so that I even considered calling for ‘replacements’, from amongst my fellow EV bloggers. But I persevered, accumulating answers … Read more >>
Guardian Genius 166 by Picaroon
The preamble to Genius 166 by Picaroon states that: “Two across solutions taken together indicate something missing from all the other 14 across clues, either as the definition or as part of their … Read more >>
Cyclops 596 – Unleash Prosecutor
My sub-title may be wishful thinking…the PO-TWEET-US may have led us into the TWW before the prosecutors get to him… Yep…100-or-so days on and Senhor Trump continues to dominate on all fronts, including … Read more >>
Independent 9512 by Wiglaf (Saturday Puzzle 8 April 2017)
I have blogged a couple of Wiglaf’s EV puzzles, but I think this is the first of his/her ‘straight’ cryptics I have had the pleasure of covering… And all fairly straightforward to begin … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1271: When One Becomes Two by Harribobs
I believe there was a book (and a film?) titled ‘The Men Who Stare At Goats’…and, for a while, I thought I was auditioning for the sequel – the solver who stares at … Read more >>
Cyclops 594 – Tumescent Extrovert
More Trump-related, or rather Trump/US-dominated, cruciverbalism from Cyclops…to paraphrase various slogans…’read my lips…four more years’ (minus 50-odd days)…heaven (or your own preferred theological destination) help us… A few nods to matters more local, … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1267: Half by Steve
As John Cleese once warbled in a Monty Python sketch: ‘Fiddle-de-dum, fiddle-di-dee, Eric the half-a-bee’… Steve seems to be challenging us to solve or find HALF a something in this EV…Eric the half-an-EV? … Read more >>
Independent 9482 by Serpent (Saturday Puzzle 4 March 2017)
I have had a few mental tussles with Serpent/Jack puzzles recently – regular and Genius/barred thematics – so approached this with some trepidation… …but it turned out to be a fairly straightforward solve, with … Read more >>
Cyclops 592 – Grievous (in)tolerance
A more UK-centric Cyclops this time round – the odd Trump/Clinton reference in the clues, but a host of old favourites in May, Boris, Gove, Nicola Sturgeon, the Speaker and the ‘shadow cabinet … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1263: The Creeping Man by Jaques
The preamble to THE CREEPING MAN states that:“One letter must be removed from each clue before solving; in clue order, these identify a group of people associated with THE CREEPING MAN. Having completed … Read more >>
Independent 9452 by Klingsor (Saturday Puzzle 28 January 2017)
A nice solid cryptic offering from Klingsor here – with some interesting surface readings and mis-directions… No obvious theme or nina that I could see. There seems to be a higher than ‘average’ number … Read more >>
Cyclops 590 – Savage Character
1A of this puzzle sums the last week or so up perfectly…’US era’s, er, done for – cheer up!‘ And then it goes on to give some mixed messages about the past, present and future … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1259: Address by Samuel
Location! Location! Location?…The title of ADDRESS, and three references to ‘locations’ in the preamble, suggest that there is some sort of geographical theme, or postcode lottery, going on…or are we being led up … Read more >>
Independent 9422 by Tees (Saturday Puzzle 24 December 2016)
Season’s greetings! Peace on earth and goodwill to all men? Sometimes seems an unlikely prospect, and Tees seems to have a gloomy message in today’s puzzle… …starting with 1A (THE MIDDLE EAST) and … Read more >>