Solving Time: 65 minutes Unless I’m mistaken or more than usually obtuse, this was an absolute stinker. If it weren’t for some strategically placed anagrams, I’d still be solving, or rather not solving. That said, … Read more “Times 24677 – Is Monday the new Mephisto?”
Month: October 2010
Mephisto 2616 by Paul McKenna
A standard puzzle of average difficulty that was a pleasure to solve in 50 minutes. I have no queries or talking points. My Whitaker’s from winning M2615 arrived yesterday and gave me a trip down … Read more “Mephisto 2616 by Paul McKenna”
ST 4403 (Sun 17 Oct) – Pipe dream
Solving time: 4:02 Not bad but it should probably have been faster after I spotted the most difficult word (MEERSCHAUM) quickly. I don’t think anything really held me up apart from 13ac, but I was … Read more “ST 4403 (Sun 17 Oct) – Pipe dream”
Times Jumbo 892
I solved this puzzle in a pub in Cheltenham the day before the championship, as a bit of limbering up (not that it did any good), enjoying a pint or two of 6X and the … Read more “Times Jumbo 892”
Times Saturday 24670 (16th Oct)
Solving time 20:18. I was held up for a while in the NW corner, as I’d put DEMONSTRATION in for 10D without reading it properly. Apart from that, there were several words which you could … Read more “Times Saturday 24670 (16th Oct)”
TLS 850 (1 October 2010)
Solving time: 30:00 (16 right; 16 wrong/unsolved) I was feeling tired and made extraordinarily heavy weather of this puzzle, missing the obvious UNCERTAIN (I read That Uncertain Feeling years ago), which would almost certainly have … Read more “TLS 850 (1 October 2010)”
TIMES 24675 – A STING IN THE TAIL
Time taken to solve: I’d like to claim 20 minutes which would be excellent for me but in truth I have to add another 20 or thereabouts for solving 25ac and satisfying myself that it … Read more “TIMES 24675 – A STING IN THE TAIL”
Times 24674 – going nowhere fast!
Solving time : 15 minutes, though I was a little distracted by the end of Game 5 of the American League Championship series (that’d be the baseballing, a cricket variant I’ve grown to like since … Read more “Times 24674 – going nowhere fast!”
Times 24,673 – A Cheltenham Special
This crossword was just my style: about average difficulty overall, but with some tricky clues that needed thought and some tip-top surfaces to many clues. After 20 minutes, I had two clues left (20ac, 25dn) … Read more “Times 24,673 – A Cheltenham Special”
Times 24,672 Meet Edinburgh’s Old Barlinnie
Solving time 25 minutes An interesting puzzle covering a whole variety of topics from a Virgil poem to a US President. I suspect the old Edinburgh prison will cause some confusion with many solving from … Read more “Times 24,672 Meet Edinburgh’s Old Barlinnie”