Skip to content

Buy Me a Coffee

Fifteensquared

Never knowingly undersolved

  • Home
  • Info
    • Setters
    • Bloggers
    • FAQ
    • Links
    • About Fifteensquared
  • Blogs
    • Enigmatic Variations
    • FT
      • FT Daily Cryptic
      • FT Jumbo
      • FT Sunday
    • Guardian
      • Guardian Genius
      • Guardian Quiptic
      • Quick Cryptic
    • Independent
    • Inquisitor
    • Listener
    • MyCrossword Featured Puzzle
    • Observer
      • Everyman
      • Azed
      • Gemelo
    • Private Eye/Cyclops
    • Spectator
  • Share your thoughts
    • Site Feedback
    • General Discussion
  • Policies
    • Site Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookies
  • Newbie Corner

mc_rapper67

Independent 8554 by Tees (Saturday Prize Puzzle 15 March 2014)

Sat March 22, 2014 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Several linked/cross-referenced clues here, which often suggests a theme may be present; and also several references to ‘cardinals’ in the clues – is there going to be some sort of Monty Python/Spanish Inquisition theme? … Read more >>

Categories Independent 11 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1112: Title, Please by Syd Lexis

Sat March 22, 2014 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

A sad moment – this is (presumably) the last EV from Syd Lexis (Alan Donovan), whose recent passing was announced the week before in Nimrod’s Inquisitor 1322 editorial, and to whom tributes have been … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 11 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1108: Dreams by Rasputin

Sat February 22, 2014 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

In ‘DREAMS’ solvers need to turn one man’s dreams ‘into reality’ by single word removals from various clues, and by erasing 51 cells from the completed grid – so pencils and/or correcting fluid at the … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 2 Comments

Independent 8524 by Jambazi (Saturday Prize Puzzle 8 February 2014)

Sat February 15, 2014 at 8:18 pmSat February 15, 2014 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

‘Jambazi’ is ‘Tramp’s Indy pseudonym, but on closer inspection of this puzzle, could he also be ‘Cyclops’ in disguise?… On my initial solve, this seemed a fairly straightforward puzzle – suitably difficult for a Saturday … Read more >>

Categories Independent 11 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1104: Nice by Ferret

Sat January 25, 2014 at 8:48 amSat January 25, 2014 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

The preamble tells us that twelve answers need to be substituted with a ‘thematically associated’ word before entry. And the one unclued entry can be ‘similarly’ associated with a word which must be … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 5 Comments

Independent 8494 by Nimrod (Saturday Prize Puzzle 4 January 2014)

Sat January 11, 2014 at 8:05 amSat January 11, 2014 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

After the veritable smorgasbord of fancy themed and Nina’d centenary/Christmassy puzzles across all sources over the past few weeks, Nimrod brings us back down to basics with a good, honest hard-working cryptic prize puzzle…a … Read more >>

Categories Independent 8 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1100: Compère by Oxymoron

Sat December 21, 2013 at 12:36 amSat December 21, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

The EV series clocks up another hundred on the mileometer and, due to the rotation of the four current bloggers, I am the lucky one to mark the occasion (as I was with EV1000 … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations

Independent 8465 by Monk (Saturday Prize Puzzle 30 November 2013)

Sat December 7, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

A tough (but fair) mental workout from Monk this week. This needed a few return sessions to get to completion – in fact I think my first scan through only offered up the … Read more >>

Categories Independent 6 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1096: Demand by Samuel

Sat November 30, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

The preamble to DEMAND tells us that ‘the hunt is on’ for the unclued 14D. In 34 clues an extra letter in the wordplay will give us a ‘group’ met on the way, … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 4 Comments

Guardian Genius 124 by Picaroon

Sun November 3, 2013 at 8:45 pmSun November 3, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

The preamble, or ‘Special Instructions’, as the Genius calls them, tell us to resolve one clash in each across solution, working out which of the clashing pair ‘best fits’ the grid. These corrected … Read more >>

Categories Guardian Genius 13 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1092: Burnt Offering by Mynot

Sat November 2, 2013 at 9:36 amSat November 2, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Hmmm…a ‘burnt offering’…not quite the 5th of November, so unlikely to be Guy Fawkes…the (reasonably brief) preamble tells us that in ‘most’ clues the wordplay will lead to an extra letter, which will … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 2 Comments

Independent 8435 by Anax (Saturday Prize Puzzle 26 October 2013)

Sun November 3, 2013 at 9:43 pmSat November 2, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Remember, remember, the 26th of October…unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it up to the Northern S&B get-together last weekend…but will Anax have remembered?… Not just any old S&B get-together, but a celebration … Read more >>

Categories Independent 17 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1088: Aarrgghh by Samuel

Sat October 5, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Well, belay there ye landlubbers – Cap’n Samuel has a piratical offering in celebration of ‘International Speak Like A Pirate Day‘ (an event which, I have to admit, had passed me by until I set … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 3 Comments

Independent 8405 by Morph (Saturday Prize Puzzle 21 September 2013)

Sat September 28, 2013 at 9:10 amSat September 28, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

A nicely accessible (at least for a prize puzzle?) offering from Morph, with some hidden fun and games which nearly eluded me… …as did the parsing of 22A…oh, and part of 12A. Maybe … Read more >>

Categories Independent 4 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1084: Means by Chalicea

Sat September 7, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

What does it all ‘mean’? Do I have the ‘means’ to solve this puzzle? The preamble is fairly clear to start with – 1A and 41A are thematic, with 41A being a description of … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 7 Comments
Older posts
Newer posts
← Previous Page1 … Page31 Page32 Page33 … Page37 Next →

Announcements

None at present

Today’s Cryptics

Daily
Financial Times
Guardian
Independent
Sunday
Azed
Everyman
Gemelo

Recent Posts

  • Inquisitor 1952: Definition by Chalicea
  • Guardian 29,968 / Maskarade
  • Independent 12,317 by Penelope
  • Financial Times 18,332 by GURNEY
  • Guardian Cryptic crossword No 29,967 by Vulcan
  • Financial Times 18,331 by SLORMGORM
  • Spectator 2,743: 3/4 by Doc
  • Independent 12,316/Jeemz
  • Financial Times 18,330 by Julius
  • Financial Times Sunday 138 – News by Neo
  • Guardian Quiptic 1,375/Budmo
  • Independent on Sunday 1,883 by Filbert
  • Gemelo No. 28 – Plain
  • Everyman 4144
  • Independent 12,315 by Math
  • Guardian Quick Cryptic 104 by Brassica
  • Private Eye (Cyclops / 826) Union Flag Lover
  • Guardian Saturday Prize Crossword 29,960 by Fed (21 March 2026)
  • Listener 4910 Knock, Knock by Karla
  • Guardian Cryptic crossword No 29,965 by Omnibus
  • Financial Times 18,329 by SOLOMON
  • Independent 12314 / Phi
  • Independent 12,313 by Bluejacket
  • Guardian 29,964: Pangakupu
  • Financial Times 18,328 by JASON

Categories

Site Search

Calendar

April 2026
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930  
« Mar    

Archives

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
© 2026 Fifteensquared • Built with GeneratePress