Plane sextics with a type $\bold E_8$ singular point

We construct explicit geometric models for and compute the fundamental groups of all plane sextics with simple singularities only and with at least one type $\bold E_8$ singular point. In particular, we discover four new sextics with nonabelian fundamental groups; two of them are irreducible. The groups of the two irreducible sextics found are finite. The principal tool used is the reduction to trigonal curves and Grothendieck's {\it dessins d'enfants}

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