Enigmatic Variations – Page 25

Enigmatic Variations No. 1388: The End by Stick Insect

Sat July 6, 2019 at 12:09 am by Kitty

Warm greetings to you all from a sunny London, where I have landed myself in comfortable air-conditioned lodgings for a long weekend. Purr! Stick Insect has relatively recently added blocked puzzles to his … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1387: Wonderful Ghoul by Kcit

Sat June 29, 2019 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

I thought this was a ‘blinking’ hard puzzle from Kcit (aka Phi)…educational and challenging…just how I like ’em… The preamble states that: “Wordplay in eleven clues varies from the entered answer by one … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No.1386 – Suitable Powder by Oxymoron

Sat June 22, 2019 at 12:01 am by Mister Sting

“In SUITABLE POWDER, two letters must be removed from the answers in each row and column and placed at either end of that row/column. All answers are affected and the leftmost/uppermost omitted letters are to be placed in the leftmost/uppermost cell of the column/row. Solvers must complete the grid and highlight a symmetrically disposed representation of the perimeter (6,4). Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”

Enigmatic Variations 1385 Winning Formula by proXimal

Sat June 15, 2019 at 12:05 am by twencelas

Across entries have a missing letter each time it occurs (indicated by wordplay) and 5 down clues need to be altered before entry to make new words. Well not quite – only the … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1384: Handover by Samuel

Sat June 8, 2019 at 12:03 am by Kitty

Hello everyone. Another fun puzzle from Samuel, which I found to be one of the gentler EVs that I’ve done, but with plenty of entertainment value. The preamble reads: In HANDOVER, all … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1383: One Down by Ifor

Sat June 1, 2019 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Some tricky (and educational) stuff from Ifor this week, which kept me going right to the submission deadline… The preamble states that: “16 clues contain a thematic item as an extra word. The … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No.1382 – Reconstructions by Hedge-sparrow

Sat May 25, 2019 at 7:31 pmSat May 25, 2019 at 12:01 am by Mister Sting

“In RECONSTRUCTIONS, the answers to seven clues must be reconstructed, in each case omitting one letter, to form thematic entries. When the grid has been filled, an eighth thematic reconstruction, formed from the omitted letters, must be entered so as to consume another entry (leaving crossing entries as real words). Solvers must highlight a hidden term (6) which completes all the thematic entries. Numbers in brackets refer to entry lengths.”

Enigmatic Variations 1381 To Avoid Offence by Kruger

Sat May 18, 2019 at 12:05 am by twencelas

A Sunday in May and a tussle with Kruger. 12 misprints to find to reveal the start of a quote. Then some clashes to resolve to find the originator. Then some other entries … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1380: Vacation by Harribobs

Sat May 11, 2019 at 9:00 pmSat May 11, 2019 at 1:25 pm by Kitty

Hi everyone. I’d never solved a Harribobs puzzle before, but had heard the name and was expecting great things. The preamble reads: Across clues, down clues, and answers all have references to … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1379: Scarcity by Cagey

Sat May 4, 2019 at 11:44 amSat May 4, 2019 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

This was a pretty tough workout from Cagey, who seems to be a new name (or amalgam?) on the block… The (rather long and complicated) preamble states that: “ In SCARCITY, the wordplay … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No.1378 – Weightwatchers’ Advice by The Ace of Hearts

Sat April 27, 2019 at 12:01 am by Mister Sting

“In WEIGHTWATCHERS’ ADVICE, two clues are normal, but their answers must be entered thematically. From the answer to every other clue a letter must be deleted wherever it appears before entry into the grid; definitions refer to the full unmutilated answer, and wordplay to the grid entry. In clue order, the omitted letters give a phrase followed by its definition. This definition should help solvers with the entry method of the two normal clues. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”

Enigmatic Variations 1377 by MynoT

Sat April 20, 2019 at 12:05 am by twencelas

Straight clues for a change and the end game is to find a number of thematic items, with the second part to find the part of an entry that is common to them … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1376: Rock Solid by Jaques

Sat April 13, 2019 at 3:13 pmSat April 13, 2019 at 11:52 am by Kitty

Hi everybody. I hope you are having a rocking Saturday! The preamble reads: Clues are given in alphabetic order of their answers. Most clues, whose answers must be entered where they will fit, … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1375: Ciao by Eclogue

Sat April 6, 2019 at 9:26 pmSat April 6, 2019 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Not so much ‘CIAO’ as nearly ‘Goodnight from me…’, Two Ronnies-style… …,after my recent DNF with EV1374 from Ranunculus, and several failures-to-finish recent IQs and Listeners…maybe my superpowers are on the wane… The … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No.1374 – Mea Culpa by Ranunculus

Tue April 2, 2019 at 4:57 pmTue April 2, 2019 at 2:03 pm by Mister Sting

“MEA CULPA: the results of my sins are suggested by modifications which must be made to three answers on entry into the grid; the lengths given are those of grid entries. Three other clues lack a shared definition; their solutions suggest my victims. My first name can be seen above; you must locate and highlight my nine-letter second name in the grid. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”