Solving time : 18 minutes with an embarrassingly long 5 of them on 6 down alone. I really enjoyed this crossword – while not too difficult, there was some really nifty wordplay, and a lot … Read more “Times 24422: so much for this decade…”
Month: December 2009
Times 24421 – 30 December 2009
A puzzle of about average difficulty for me, solving time, 29 mins, top half very easy but lower half quite hard, esp SE corner. 4 across has to be right, I think, but I do … Read more “Times 24421 – 30 December 2009”
Times Jumbo 847
The usual Jumbo rubric: as the solution is available alongside (or indeed before) the blog, comment is confined only to references that might remain obscure to overseas / inexperienced solvers even with the answer visible, … Read more “Times Jumbo 847”
Times 24,420 Pall’s Balistic Missal in Salem
Solving time: 20 minutes There’s not much to say about this – it’s essentially very straightforward. The Editor clearly thinks we’re all hung over. I have one query at 20D where I can’t parse the … Read more “Times 24,420 Pall’s Balistic Missal in Salem”
Times 24419 – Reckless driver placed in isolation cell!
Solving time: 37 minutes Music: Brahms, Cello Sonatas, Starker/Sybok I felt kind of dull as I did this – couldn’t invoke the solver’s spark. After 22 minutes, I had only about a third done. Then … Read more “Times 24419 – Reckless driver placed in isolation cell!”
Saturday Times 24413 (19th Dec)
Well, nice to be sitting at home writing this up, as it’s my first Saturday off in December (and tomorrow will be only my second Sunday off. So what, you might say, but as my … Read more “Saturday Times 24413 (19th Dec)”
Times 24417 – Hamlet Finished Me
dd = double definitioncd = cryptic definitionrev = reversed or reversalins = insertioncha = charadeha = hidden answer*(fodder) = anagram I stared dazed for five full minutes until I saw the two biggie down clues … Read more “Times 24417 – Hamlet Finished Me”
24416
Solving time: 11:17, one mistake Quite a tricky puzzle, which I made a hash of through carelessness which could have been anticipated, at 20D. Answers written without full wordplay understood: 10, 11, 18, 2, 19, … Read more “24416”
24415
Sorry for delay – I’d forgotten to get a sub for today and the effect was cmpounded by a power cut here which has just ended. I’ll get a report up as soon as I … Read more “24415”
Times 24414 – Season’s Greetings from Augusta
Solving time: 105 mins As I write this I’m sitting high above Augusta on the Leeuwin ridge with a goodly part of South West Australia and the Southern Ocean stretched out before me. Wedge Tail … Read more “Times 24414 – Season’s Greetings from Augusta”