Hi all. Some tough clues and a lovely thematic treatment culminating in a satisfying endgame.
Enigmatic Variations
Enigmatic Variations No. 1579 – Line of Duty by Eclogue
I’ve never watched the TV show of the same name, so if that is the theme I will need to Go-ogle to complete it!
Enigmatic Variations No.1578 – Two Words by Piccadilly
“The wordplay in some clues leads to the answer plus an extra letter, not to be entered in the grid. These letters in clue order spell TWO WORDS indicating pairs of words overlapping by two or more letters which form the unclued entries. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
Enigmatic Variations No. 1577 Reality Check by Opsimath
Ten answers need a reality check but otherwise normal clues from Opsimath. The ten that needed a reality check were all authors real names. 1ac Sapper becomes (H. C.) McNeile 23ac (Alexander) Kent … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No.1577 – Reality Check by Opsimath
“Ten answers must undergo a REALITY CHECK before entry in the grid. Numbers in brackets show entry lengths. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
Enigmatic Variations No. 1576: Not Related to Chris by Kruger
Hello all, and thanks to Kruger for the puzzle.
Enigmatic Variations No. 1575 – Follow The Instructions By Kcit
As I may have mentioned before, my natural instinct on seeing a ‘carte blanche’ used to be to avert my eyes and walk in the other direction to avoid it…but I have gradually persuaded myself that I must at least try them…and needs must when one falls on my blogging slot!
Enigmatic Variations No.1574 – Obscurity by Chalicea
“Four members of a group and the name of the man who devised the group must be highlighted (all in straight lines). The wordplay in 23 clues produces an extra letter in addition to those required by the answer. In clue order, these lead to a two-word thematic hint to guide solvers out of OBSCURITY.”
Enigmatic Variations No. 1573 Capital by Vismut
Across clues have an extra letter to spell out a name and a decoration. Seven down clues have a redundant word described by two words in a book title in the middle of … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1572: Find the Title by Gaston
Hi (or should that be high?) everybody.
Enigmatic Variations No. 1571 – Dotty Links by Wickball
This is the third Wickball EV I have blogged, and the previous two were pretty chewy!…What can DOTTY LINKS mean? A golf reference? Someone nicknamed Dotty?…
Enigmatic Variations No.1570 – Scratching the Surface by Cranberry
“Clues are listed in conventional order. All bars touching the perimeter (SCRATCHING THE SURFACE, say) are provided. Locations of further bars, displaying 180° symmetry, are to be deduced (but need not be entered). Ten clues contain single extra words. For each of these, one or two letters (not aways consecutive), as indicated by the extra word, must be removed from the defined answer before jumbling the remainder to make the thematic grid entry. All other clues lead to the answer plus one extra letter. In order, these spell out the theme. Enumerations refer to unmodified answers.”
Enigmatic Variations No. 1569 Coexistence by Skylark
All aboard the Skylark as Cap’n Pugwash used to say – three types of clue this week; normal, remove a letter and remove a word. Two messages to discover, an author to highlight … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1567: Condition by Eclogue
Eclogue has a CONDITION for us this week – let’s hope it isn’t too serious, what with all the waiting lists and nurses’ strikes…