Solving time 25 minutes A puzzle of average difficulty with some good constructions and interesting definitions. Only one real obscurity, the accompaniment to the goats and cuckoo clocks which would not be out of place … Read more “Times 24,708 featuring Julie Andrews’ Dress”
Month: November 2010
Times 24707 – Quiros was looking for one…..and so was I!
Solving time: 45 minutes Music: Schubert, Symphony #9, Boult/London Symphony Another game of two parts. I filled in all but the southwest in fifteen minutes, but the last six really gave me a lot of … Read more “Times 24707 – Quiros was looking for one…..and so was I!”
Mephisto 2621 – Tim Moorey
A fairly easy Mephisto, finished in about 40 minutes, using Chambers to complete 9D and the SW corner, but with a wrong answer at 24 and a bit of puzzlement at 22. Apologies for the … Read more “Mephisto 2621 – Tim Moorey”
ST 4408 (Sun 21 Nov) – Batman returns
Solving time: 6:46 I suspect this was a puzzle by the editor, and if that’s the case then it was probably an improvement. There was, of course, still the usual smattering of inaccurate definitions (e.g. … Read more “ST 4408 (Sun 21 Nov) – Batman returns”
Saturday Times 24700 (20th Nov)
Solving time 12:22, so a little bit harder for me than the previous week’s, although comments last week suggested some found it easier. No real hold-ups, although the alternative spelling at 20dn gave me pause … Read more “Saturday Times 24700 (20th Nov)”
TLS 854 (5 November) – Mor Mis!
Solving time: 30 minutes (2 wrong). Les Misérables is one of those books I’ve always meant to read but never got round to, so although I’ve heard of Jean Valjean I simply didn’t connect him … Read more “TLS 854 (5 November) – Mor Mis!”
Club Monthly 20122 – November 2010
Back to normal difficulty this month, after a slightly easier one in October. I found this hard.. solved in three or four sessions extending to perhaps 2 hours in all, and three cups of coffee.. … Read more “Club Monthly 20122 – November 2010”
24705 – Bringing you sunshine
Solving time: one left (7d) after an hour, so turned to aids for it. It’s not a word I’m familiar with, and I think the wordplay was sufficiently tricky to prevent me from getting it … Read more “24705 – Bringing you sunshine”
Times 24704 – As Fluid As Whisky
As I solved and blogged this in London amidst one of the coldest spells for this time of year, I had a wee dram of Scotland’s delicacy, Ardbeg, a 17 year-old single malt from Islay, … Read more “Times 24704 – As Fluid As Whisky”
24703 – don’t miss this one
Solving time: 7:31 This was a fairly straightforward puzzle – possibly my quickest Times cryptic since doing them online as my normal routine. Still room for improvement, as I typed 15D incorrectly (or “iignorantly” if … Read more “24703 – don’t miss this one”