Solving time 31:37, so very tough but entertaining. I found it very hard to get into last Saturday, with only four answers entered in the first eight minutes. All the clues have smooth surfaces, and … Read more “Saturday Times 24604 (July 31st)”
Month: August 2010
TLS 841 (16th July)
Solved in three or four sessions, only about half of it going without assistance. Definitely one of the harder ones, although 842 was even tougher. Across 1 CLERIHEW – “A verse”. A comic verse form … Read more “TLS 841 (16th July)”
Chambers crossword manual – now out of print
Sad news from Don Manley – his Chambers Crossword Manual is going out of print. He’s trying to get another publisher to take it on, but if you don’t have it, you might want to … Read more “Chambers crossword manual – now out of print”
Statistics
At last, LiveJournal have provided some statistics pages about blogs (more info for paid users than unpaid). Our average number of page views per month is around 40,000. This is roughly half the number for … Read more “Statistics”
Times Crossword 24609
A puzzle that seemed heavy with Scots, drunkenness and fish. I wasn’t able to time it properly due to various interruptions – a newly-arrived guest needing bedlinen, the way guests do, and the visiting cat … Read more “Times Crossword 24609”
Jumbo 881 – 24th July 2010
Solving time: Not recorded. It took several sessions over several days. Not because it was particularly difficult, rather that I’ve not picked up a crossword for a couple of weeks and I’m a little rusty. … Read more “Jumbo 881 – 24th July 2010”
Times 24608 – Galleon of Treasures
A very interesting puzzle today with some cheeky and innovative wordplay. Enjoyable and a huge delight to solve. ACROSS1 MASH M (MATE minus ATE, consumed) AS (when) H (hot)3 PUTSCHISTS Cha of PUT (throw) + … Read more “Times 24608 – Galleon of Treasures”
24607
Solving time: 7:03 A fairly easy puzzle (third in a row, so doubtless a cue for people telling us there’s been a management decision to water down the Times crossword), with some mild difficulties like … Read more “24607”
Jumbo 880
Solving time: maybe 25 minutes first time around Apologies for the delay with this one – I had a very busy week last week, followed by the discovery that just about every blog I might … Read more “Jumbo 880”
Times 24,606
Straightforward fare today, especially with two quickly spotted long down solutions; anything that might not be known either in the clueing or solution is, I think, sufficiently explained by wordplay (except, on reflection, perhaps the … Read more “Times 24,606”