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twencelas

Age 58 - Been doing cryptic crosswords since the early 1980's, started with the Sunday Times and then enjoyed them on a daily basis when the independent was launched. Over several years managed to get the hang of all the original Indie setters. Started attempting the Indie magazine crossword in the early nineties - took me a while to complete one, though - the use of all the squares luring the solver into thinking that its easier than it really is. Continued through the nineties and into this century with the Indie and the odd foray into the murkier world of the Listener - with little success, other than the numerical ones. Spent the last year or so concentrating on the thematics - can now complete most Listeners (tend to limit myself to a starting day and a having slept on it day, if needed), the high 90%'s of the Inquisitor (still my favourite) and Enigmatic Variations. Still have a daily fix of the Indie or Guardian and am pleased to see more and more themes used in the daily puzzles. One day hope to author some puzzles myself, though must admit to being in awe of the precise clueing of the top compilers.

Enigmatic Variations 983 Lost and Found by Piccadilly

September 17, 2011 at 12:01 am by twencelas

All clues are normal this week! Surely not in an EV – Ah but all answers are modified, that’s more like it and there are some blank squares to boot, exhibiting horizontal symmetry … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 3 Comments

Independent 7752 by Nestor (Saturday prize puzzle 20th August 2011)

August 27, 2011 at 12:12 am by twencelas

A tricky one this week from Nestor, with a good use of different vocabulary to direct or mis-direct the solver. I found this quite a slog – an enjoyable 27 clues, picked off … Read more >>

Categories Independent 4 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No 979 Problem by Salamanca

August 20, 2011 at 12:01 am by twencelas

So some shaded squares this week to help define the problem and 6 clues to be entered in a non standard way to indicate the title. Other than that everything is straight forward. Is it … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 1 Comment

Independent 7722 by Tyrus (Saturday prize puzzle 16th July 2011)

July 23, 2011 at 12:05 am by twencelas

What has Tyrus in store for us? A very topical puzzle indeed considering the antics of the gutter press and those who inhabit the gutters that the general public seem to find so … Read more >>

Categories Independent 8 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No 975 58,91 by Syd Lexis

July 23, 2011 at 12:01 am by twencelas

Well what a preamble – redundant letters spell out a phrase concerning one of the puzzle’s numbers. Then it entered the world of Edward Lear, in my opinion – I’ll save decoding its … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations

Enigmatic Variations No 971 Track by Loda

June 25, 2011 at 12:01 am by twencelas

So clashes in across and downs this week will define a track with non-clashing clues containing a misprint which will guide you on your way. Also some thematic unclued entries to deduce. Sounds … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations

Independent 7692 by Monk (Saturday prize puzzle 11 6 11)

June 18, 2011 at 12:11 am by twencelas

What’s so special about the eleventh of June? Well it’s another Monk puzzle to blog. Some lovely clues again from Monk – 11ac, 28ac, 15ac, 7dn and 23dn are probably my top five, … Read more >>

Categories Independent 7 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No 967 Suit by MynoT

May 28, 2011 at 12:02 am by twencelas

Well all straight clues this week  – apart from 4 with missing directions (N,E,W,S) to allow the correct quadrant of the carte-blanche grid to be completed – which means no clue numbers and … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 1 Comment

Independent 7662 by Monk (Saturday prize puzzle 7th May 2011)

May 14, 2011 at 12:10 am by twencelas

Full marks to Monk this week – if you get my drift. Well 20 out of 20 anyway. Some highly original touches in the grid this week, which I’ve tried to summarise in … Read more >>

Categories Independent 8 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No 963 Broken Up by Piccadilly

April 30, 2011 at 12:01 am by twencelas

So no grid numbers this week – just a list of straight clues in alphabetical order of their grid entry, forming an alphabetical jigsaw. After the majority have been entered, the remaining grid … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations 3 Comments

Independent 7632 by Nestor (Saturday Prize Puzzle 2 April 2011)

April 9, 2011 at 12:10 am by twencelas

A pleasing puzzle from Nestor this week. Certainly, a little easier than the last couple of weeks. Some lovely clues 28 across was probably my favourite – quite surreal, though there were other … Read more >>

Categories Independent 1 Comment

Enigmatic Variations No 959 Hobson’s Choice by Jaques

April 2, 2011 at 12:01 am by twencelas

Well – what is the Hobson’s choice of the title to be this week to complete it or to complete it? A fairly standard preamble – additional letters in the subsidiary quotation lead … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations

Independent 7602 (Saturday Prize Puzzle by Monk 26-02-2011)

March 5, 2011 at 12:10 am by twencelas

A very pleasing puzzle from Monk, with some very inventive clues.  Also a lovely array of the different clueing techniques that can be used in constructing a cryptic crossword. I failed to find … Read more >>

Categories Independent 16 Comments

Enigmatic Variations No 955 Plot Development by Charybdis

March 5, 2011 at 12:01 am by twencelas

So a complicated preamble – the character referred to as X is to be found in the completed grid, his sweetheart is revealed from 9 asterisked cells, 4 unclued entries comprising 25 letters, … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations

Enigmatic Variations No 951 Half and Half by Rustic

February 5, 2011 at 12:01 am by twencelas

Half the clues are normal and half need alteration. Where a conflict arises, this must be resolved to produce a real word. Simplicity personified for an EV, or so it sounds.  Will half … Read more >>

Categories Enigmatic Variations
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