A puzzle by ‘Gila’ this week. Will it prove to be a monster? If it does, at least they’re ‘normally not fatal to adult humans’, which is a relief.
Mister Sting
Enigmatic Variations No.1127 – Nightmare by Eclogue
‘ordeal, horror, torment, torture, trial, calamity, agony, anguish, awful experience’.
That’s how Chambers describes a nightmare. Oh goody…
Enigmatic Variations No.1123 – Untitled by Samuel
The title doesn’t give a lot to go on, but I think we all recognise the setter.
Enigmatic Variations No.1119 – Pacemaker by Ifor
‘PACEMAKER’ has two very different connotations. There’s the one trailblazing for the fit, and there’s the one that gives help to the less healthy. Will either of those meanings describe this puzzle?
Enigmatic Variations No.1115 – Hurry Up by Moordon
HURRY UP, says (new?) solver Moordon. Hang about, I haven’t even started! Will this rush prove rash?
Enigmatic Variations No.1111 – December 2184 by Samuel
I think it’s safe to say that none of us will be around in December 2184 to verify any sequences that may or may not be continued. So we’d better hope that we can work out what Samuel has in mind some other way.
Enigmatic Variations No.1107 – Strategy by Nutmeg
Nutmeg’s not giving too much away here. The title, STRATEGY, is in some way inappropriate or at least has to be made ‘more appropriate’. Someone or something ‘has a problem’, and the grid has to be ‘altered’ is some unspecified way. Let’s hope we can get more from the clues.
Enigmatic Variations No.1103 – Snapshot by Nod
Oh dear, a Playfair code-square. And the preamble says that there’s a four-word code phrase, which is going to greatly complicate things. An inauspicious start, so how are things going to work out?
Enigmatic Variations No.1099 – School Team by Kruger
There’s only a short preamble this time. There are, we are told, ten answers which are to be modified. The remark about the lengths of grid entries implies that these may involve the addition or removal or letters. But the pressing question is, as always, which letters?
Enigmatic Variations No.1095 – And finally… by Artix
A monster preamble this week. Also, so far as I am aware, a new setter for the EVs. Having so recently dodged a rather tough Ivor puzzle, I’m a little nervous about this unknown quantity. Who will have the last laugh?
Enigmatic Variations No.1091 – Name Game by Jacques
Ah, a game from Jacques to pass the time on a Sunday. Well, I’m game. What its name? ‘Name Game’. A shame my fame came… ah, phooey. I’ve never been any good at writing these intros.
Enigmatic Variations No.1087 – Ambiguities by Piccadilly
I am reliably informed that the word ‘ambiguity’ comes from the Latin ambi-, eaning both ways, and agere, meaning to drive. Will this puzzle take the easy road or will it drive the solver crazy?
Enigmatic Variations No.1083 – Identification by Kruger
O me miserum! Mea culpa and de gustibus non est disputandum! Late again! My apologies to Kruger and to all 15^2 readers. I hereby pledge that if another blog is late then I will donate £20 to some good cause or other. But for now, on with the blog!
Enigmatic Variations No.1079 – Roles by Samphiry
A monster preamble this time – and all the excitement associated with a grid of many colours.
What we learn is that the puzzle’s subject plays 4 roles and is known by a particular pseudonym to Enigmatic Variations solvers. These roles and pseudonym are given respectively by corrections to lights and extra letters from subsidiary indications. Further background to the roles is given by 2 normal clues per role. Phew!
Enigmatic Variations No.1075 – Blame the Setter by Chalicea
I got through this one quite quickly, aided by a liberal use of solving aids once I’d worked out how the clue worked (always useful for anagrams of words that are new to … Read more >>