Solving time: 7:54 There’s some quite subtle wordplay in this puzzle – such as the four two-word phrases used in 9, 17, 28, 1D. Still recovering here from the fun of tackling Beethoven 9 in … Read more “Times 24433 – 4 x 2”
Month: January 2010
Times 24,432 Antithesis meets the last theorem
SolVing time: 20 minutes I enjoyed this puzzle but was never particularly stretched by it. I found the clue style interesting and was delighted to have no boring poets or authors but instead to be … Read more “Times 24,432 Antithesis meets the last theorem”
Mephisto 2575 – Mike Laws
Sorry that I’m a day or two late in getting this report up, I underestimated the amount of time I’d have left yesterday after flying back home from some shows in Chicago. I did most … Read more “Mephisto 2575 – Mike Laws”
Times 24431 – Send in your top 10!
Solving time: 45 minutes Music: No music today, watching golf on TV I thought this was going to be a really easy one as I whipped through the top and right side in a few … Read more “Times 24431 – Send in your top 10!”
ST 4362 (Sun 3 Jan) – Power corrupts
Solving time: 6:12 Not too bad overall but I have doubts over ‘of power’ in 4dn (YIELDING) and ‘documents’ in 5dn (TOTEMS). I think EMOLUMENT caused me the most trouble because of the dodgy use … Read more “ST 4362 (Sun 3 Jan) – Power corrupts”
Saturday Times 24424 (Jan 2nd)
Solving time 12:03 – fairly gentle first Saturday puzzle of the new year, without any obscure vocabulary and a couple of easy 14-letter answers to get off to a flying start. Across 1 FIASCO – … Read more “Saturday Times 24424 (Jan 2nd)”
Mephisto 2574 – Paul McKenna
Lost sight of my turn to blog this, and started it late last night but got stuck with much of the NE corner blank. Report later today after another look and cheating if necessary. Solving … Read more “Mephisto 2574 – Paul McKenna”
Times Crossword 24429
Solving time: somewhere around 16 minutes, interrupted by a coughing fit, for I’ve been struck (as happens most Januarys) with one of those nagging coughy snivelly sniffy things that seem to drag on for weeks … Read more “Times Crossword 24429”
Times Cryptic Crossword Book 14 – Puzzle Index
This is the first book of Times daily cryptic crosswords to include a significant number of puzzles we’ve blogged at Times for the Times. Crossword editor Richard Browne has kindly told me how the puzzles … Read more “Times Cryptic Crossword Book 14 – Puzzle Index”
Times 24428 – Fun In Acapulco
A very do-able puzzle for a Thursday, compared to the last few when I was scheduled to blog. There were, however, a few new words for which my Chambers became extremely useful. Challenging in parts … Read more “Times 24428 – Fun In Acapulco”