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 8375 by Bannsider (Saturday Prize Puzzle 17 August 2013)

Sat August 24, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

The rota has given me a second Bannsider Saturday Prize puzzle in a row and, while not quite as intractable as Indy 8345, it was another tough mental workout…as one might expect. No particular themes … Read more >>

Categories Independent 14 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1080: ATOL by Owzat

Sat August 10, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

In ‘ATOL’, the preamble tells us that a ‘specific’ 10D of nine letters is formed by the addition of seven letters to answers to seven clues which are not ‘fully clued’. Each addition … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 2 Comments

Independent 8345 by Bannsider (Saturday Prize Puzzle 13 July 2013)

Tue July 23, 2013 at 9:12 amSat July 20, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Phew! What a scorcher…and I don’t mean the actual summer heatwave we are enjoying (enduring?) here in the UK, I mean the tough mental workout this week, from a man at the top … Read more >>

Categories Independent 14 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1076: Equivalence by Samuel

Sat July 13, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

All the hallmarks of a classic EV in the preamble: misprints in the definitions of fourteen clues leading to a ‘suggestion’ as to how to enter eight answers ‘thematically’ – with three other … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 2 Comments

Independent 8315 by Monk (Saturday Prize Puzzle 8 June 2013)

Sat June 15, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

An enjoyable prize puzzle from Monk – with an interesting twist, or two… Apologies but a manic week and two blogs to complete tonight mean this will have to be quick. I started … Read more >>

Categories Independent 14 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1072: Companions by Wiglaf

Sat December 7, 2013 at 11:15 pmSat June 15, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

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 … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 2 Comments

Independent 8309 by Punk (Saturday Prize Puzzle 1 June 2013)

Sat June 8, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

A bonus blog for me – covering for Bert & Joyce, who are no doubt on some well-earned R&R… An interesting and enjoyable challenge from Punk this week. No obvious theme or Nina … Read more >>

Categories Independent 8 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1068: Bargain by Nutmeg

Sat May 18, 2013 at 8:07 amSat May 18, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

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, … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 2 Comments

Independent 8285 by Rorschach (Saturday Prize Puzzle 4 May 2013)

Sat May 11, 2013 at 3:21 pmSat May 11, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

I think I have solved all the clues correctly, but I can’t quite explain the parsing/wordplay in all cases. And although I could detect an underlying theme-ette, there were a couple of ‘almost-nina’s … Read more >>

Categories Independent 18 Comments

Guardian Genius 118 by Araucaria

Sun May 5, 2013 at 12:57 pmSun May 5, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Guardian. Genius. Araucaria. What more to say?!…   (I have to admit my heart skipped a beat when I saw my turn on the Genius rota was an Araucaria. After 20+ years of solving the … Read more >>

Categories Guardian Genius 10 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1064: Upper Half by Shark

Sat April 20, 2013 at 9:42 pmSat April 20, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

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 … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 4 Comments

Independent 8225 by Nimrod (Saturday Prize Puzzle 30 March 2013)

Sat April 6, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

An interesting mixture from Nimrod here – a plethora of long answers – six 15-letter entries – and a smidge-ette of a theme which, unless I missed something, didn’t seem to develop into anything … As it … Read more >>

Categories Independent 10 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1060: Change of Title by Oxymoron

Sat March 23, 2013 at 8:27 amSat March 23, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

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 … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 2 Comments

Independent 8225 by Bannsider (Saturday Prize Puzzle 23 February 2013)

Sat March 2, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

The usual high-quality clueing from Bannsider, with a varied mix of the old and the new – and no particular theme or nina (that I could see). The old/classic? References to Levi, Hosea, Eucharist, … Read more >>

Categories Independent 4 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No. 1056: Winter Festival by Kcit

Sat February 23, 2013 at 8:47 amSat February 23, 2013 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

My first thoughts on seeing this puzzle were a) not another ‘split clue and decide where to put the answers’, like my last blog, EV1052, and b) that the split grid device was … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations
Older posts
Newer posts
← Previous Page1 … Page32 Page33 Page34 … 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

March 2026
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Feb    

Archives

Meta

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