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Yep, I too found that one pen was enough. Still do the puzzle every week though. Vismut

I see Alan Connor has linked to this thread in his crossword roundup in the Guardian today which can be found here…
https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/crossword-blog/2022/may/16/crossword-roundup-puzzles-dementia-and-brain-fog

“… the peerless Enigmatic Variations… can’t think why the paper would consider losing this series, which passed the 1,500 mark last year…
…CLIMBDOWN. Fingers crossed.”

In common with getbacktome and peejayemm I too have a fountain pen from 10 years ago. I no longer submit, thus reducing the pool.

It’s ironic that when the i newspaper separated from the Independent after the latter closed their print edition, the Inquisitor crossword was heavily promoted to the extent that it was seen as a selling point!! How different for the EV.

A good piece by Phi …
http://phionline.net.nz/

… and Fifteensquared have opened a thread which might be worth commenting on (I posted a link there back to this one) https://www.fifteensquared.net/2022/05/20/enigmatic-variations-the-future/

I have emailed the puzzles editor too, pleading for a reprieve.

But sadly I have little hope.


fred

The Telegraph is very vocal about they perceive to be 'dumbing down' but axing EV goes against that stance. I've emailed the puzzles editor to suggest that it be moved to another of the group's publications.

I quite agree AP. As well as emailing, I have taken up the suggestion made by Piccadilly and written a letter in full-on “Colonel Mustard” mode. It was rather fun - “contribution to the rising tide of barbarism”, “extraordinary that such a suggestion should emanate from the Telegraph”, “further denigrating the value of intellectual heft in daily life”, etc. Will probably have no effect but it helped to vent some spleen!

My pal has received an update from the EV Editor.

"It is with happiness that I am informing you that the Enigmatic Variations series will continue in the print edition only.

The printable versions via the Puzzles website will be discontinued in due course. If you would like a puzzle considered for the series, please send me your submissions.

Regards

Steve Bartlett
EV Editor"

.....but what's difficult about providing a PDF on the website? A two-year-old could do it. Anybody got one handy?