What an unusual title! Ping pong, the machine that goes ‘ping’, Pingu…
No idea.
Enigmatic Variations
Enigmatic Variations 1142 Opening Shot by Chalicea
So the perimter contains the opening shot of a pamphleteer though it has been changed from the Oxford dictinary of quotations. This leads to the removal of words from 15 solutions indicating the … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1141: Teaser by Jaguar
Hmmm! I’m not sure I’ve seen this before… clues in alphabetical order of their answers but with clashes! Ten to be precise. I decided to do a quick scan of the clues to … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1140: 118 by MynoT
In the week leading up to the Scottish referendum, I took inspiration from the story of Robert the Bruce in his cave with the spider…’if at first you can’t solve the EV, stare at … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No.1139 – Remake by Stick Insect
Remakes and original productions? Personally, I’m hoping it’s about ‘Robocop’, although I accept that may be unlikely. This being the EVs, it might just as well be about the creation of the world…
Enigmatic Variations 1138 Solvable, Surely by Ian and Steve
Two new compilers, or 2 old ones with different names? A long preamble certainly but straight clues apart from 10 answers that must be replaced – somehow – so is it solvable? It … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1137: Endeavour by Shark
A tricky setter this week in the shape of Shark, with a couple of Listeners and a few EVs and Inquisitors under his belt. Here we had some extra words in clues which … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1136: Journey by Jaguar
Jaguar is offering to take us on a JOURNEY…who knows where we will end up. As it happens, I was away on a family holiday in the South-West that week, and ‘are we … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No.1135 – The Seminal Moment by Gaston
Many EVs have marked moments of one kind or another. Will this be an historical occasion, a moment in a process, or something else entirely. (Excellent! I’ve written an introduction that doesn’t mention semen.)
Enigmatic Variations 1134 Darkness by Oxymoron
A treat for me this week Oxymoron – a favourite compiler of mine for many a year. Always a challenge but always fair. 28 clues need 2 or 3 letters to be removed … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1133: Peripheral Consequences by Jaques
A smaller than average grid and a longer than average preamble greeted us this week. In fact, close reading of the preamble told us that the grid had a perimeter which needed filling … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1132: Another Game by Artix
A blank grid with no bars or numbers – and one of the longest preambles for a while…is Artix going to be playing games with our heads? That preamble in full: The two … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No.1131 – The Journey South by Gila
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.
Enigmatic Variations 1130 What’s the catch? by Picadilly
What’s the catch? well this week in crosswording terms there are 20 answers to be entered with empty cells. Otherwise straight clues and certainly at the easier end of the EV spectrum with … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1129: Bang! by Kcit
A slightly different clueing technique this week. There were several clues comprising two definitions to words which differed by one letter and wordplay to the common letters. A block of cells would provide … Read more >>