EV 901 - Time For Action

[Mampara]

I have followed the weekly thread about the Enigmatic Variations crossword
and thought I would give it a go today.

Although it has taken me all morning, I have completed it, and wonder how it rates in terms
of difficulty from the norm.?

Could any of the regular solvers give me a view please?

[DocHH]

Hello Copelander,
The Title does guide, but I think "Time" is a little misleading. Initially I got into my head that we would need to substitute T for A! Oh well, such is the Enigma of our sunday challenge.
We had a few flurries of the white stuff here today, fortunately it hasn't settled, and hopefully it won't and even do that for another 30 years! The last lot was the worst for 30 years here, upto 4" of snow which remained on the beach for days!
How's the weather in NI.

[copelander]

A lovely day here in NI, bright, blue skies, but cold as befits February, could freeze tonight,so not yet time to get into the garden....better weather for looking at holiday brochures, and far too cold for the unheated DC. (so keep going Devadolly!)

[Christiana]

Good evening Later than ever at starting EV but now happily filling answers in. Somewhat surprised by the shortness of the preamble (only two lines) but presume the reference to 'length of grid entries' will become clearer when I have more in (Unless the on-line version has missed something out!) I hope so as I certainly don't fancy an unheated DC.

[devadolly]

Excuse me! DC is never unheated..............especially as I am heading right in there as I just cannot get to grips with the supposed changes. Almost all of grid filled in apart from those silly little words. Am just going to file the latest epistle and then off to make some marmalade, St Clements and Orange & Ginger today.

[ringer]

Hi Everyone, and a warm welcome to our newcomers.
I did enjoy this week's offering, even though it didn't immediately fall into place and I struggled with some of the word plays. In case you are wondering, DC is our Dunce;s Corner, where we can retire to if EV gets us down. It's very comfy there and refreshments are plentiful, thanks to regular contributors such as Devadolly. I'm still very busy (hence my absence from the N&C) and have now joined a local orchestra. Off to Les Mis in Manchester tomorrow. Deva dolly, I hope your marmalade session went well. Perhaps I should bring some crumpets to toast by the fire in DC!

[copelander]

Devadolly and Ringer, Don't even think about heading off to DC before rereading DocHH's great, but subtle, hints in his various postings.

[Mysterons]

As none of the clues have just 2 words, I presume the section of the preamble in parentheses should read "one of whose answers has 2 words" ?

[AndrewG-S]

Yes, you are right one of the answers has two words (although these are not entered in the grid)

[DocHH]

Well said AndrewG-S, I quite agree the cryptic wordplay is quite specific. I hope Ringer and Devadolly perstist with the quest and stay out of DC! I don't believe the boiler has been inspected this year and the energy supplier has turned off the supply, so it'll be cold and uninviting!!

[devadolly]

No, the boiler is on and I had solar panels installed for background heat last year. Please do bring some crumpets Ringer, they would be most welcome. Not looked at it again as have been in M/c all day and am supposed to be doing some work 'writing up' and not chatting! Have read Doc's earlier posts and am none the wiser, just don't seem to be able to think round corners at the moment so DC is the only place for me!

[AndrewG-S]

Picking up on DocHH's helpful web links the following machine is great while travelling to avoid carrying around large books: Franklin CSB 1470 Bradford's Crossword Solver. It is on Amazon for about £29

[novalis]

Hi everybody!

After the demise of my old computer ( failed motherboard ), purchasing and setting up a new one and getting a quiz ready for tomorrow I finally got back to important things like EV today. I realised from Doc HH's initial post what the theme was ( many thanks for that otherwise I would have met my 32 down as far as this particular puzzle was concerned ) and managed to complete it.

Apologies Mampara, when I used the library computer on Monday I should have said "Welcome".

[DocHH]

Hello Novalis, pleased to hear you are reconnected to the ethereal world. Let's hope that EV doesn't confound your new "motherboard"! Such a shame that Eurostar no longer goes to Brussels from 32d as I now have to go from St Pancras, or Ebbsfleet! Where ever that is, rather than a more accessible Ashford.
Hopefully normal service will resume on sunday!

[devadolly]

Just hopw can 32d be a battle or even a place in the nether regions of the Garden? I give up, am off to DC to have a nervous breakdown!

[turnerjmw]

devadolly, it's not the name of a battle as such, but if you look at novalis' post just two up, and think where he would have met his 32 down, and ponder the title, you might see what fits the four spaces

[Christiana]

Come back Devadolly. I had the same 'battle' with it myself. Think in terms of numbers rather than letters.