Solving time 12:18, so pretty easy for a Saturday. No obscure vocabulary, and nothing too tricky in the wordplay either. However, the surface readings were smooth and some of the cryptic parts were brilliantly inventive … Read more “Saturday Times 24484 (March 13th) – boxing clever?”
Month: March 2010
TLS Puzzle No. 822 (and a unresolved clue from No. 806)
Solving time: 30:00 with only 17 clues solved correctly (13 unsolved, 2 wrong) (or 16 solved correctly and 3 wrong if my guess for 15D – that the expected answer is ESMERELDA rather than ESMERALDA … Read more “TLS Puzzle No. 822 (and a unresolved clue from No. 806)”
Times 24489 – All present and correct
It’s the double act again, as our star has been locked out of her dressing room, from the inside. What is going on in there? Mctext says: Pretty straightforward puzzle which I did in 12 … Read more “Times 24489 – All present and correct”
Jumbo 861 – 6th Mar 2010 – Nothing to write home about
Solving time: Two sessions totalling about 1 hour 50 minutes, albeit with numerous interruptions. Nothing particularly stood out in this puzzle, and I found it a steady solve. I probably could have done it faster, … Read more “Jumbo 861 – 6th Mar 2010 – Nothing to write home about”
Times 24488 – A Real Smoothie
What a fun puzzle to blog. This compiler has a very creative approach to the definitions. Some are very original and most of them are woven so smoothly and unobtrusively into the surface reading. Very … Read more “Times 24488 – A Real Smoothie”
Times 24487
Solving time: 6:45 A pretty easy puzzle, partly for the reason mentioned by linxit yesterday – this puzzle has 6 multi-word answers compared to yesterday’s 1. I think there are also a few more easy … Read more “Times 24487”
Times 24,486
24:47 here, so definitely on the tough side, unless it was just a case of me not being on the right wavelength for this setter. However, if it was hard, it was certainly hard but … Read more “Times 24,486”
Times 24485 – A feverish few minutes
Solving time: 65 minutes A day of wine and roses, well plants, but you get the idea. Some easy and familiar gets, tempered by some not so. I eventually got stuck for a good 20 … Read more “Times 24485 – A feverish few minutes”
ST 4371 (Sun 7 Mar) – Tung tied
Solving time: 4:06 This puzzle would have been improved if the setter/editor had consulted the periodic table (for WOLFRAM at 15dn). The definition of ODIN at 11ac is also extremely dubious. This blog would have … Read more “ST 4371 (Sun 7 Mar) – Tung tied”
Mephisto 2584 by Mike Laws
An easier puzzle than of late mainly distinguished by its inclusion of two rather obscure UK locations. I knew of Herne Bay because my aunt once took me there when I was about 10. I … Read more “Mephisto 2584 by Mike Laws”