Time: Just over three hours. It seemed like quite a tough one. I loved the ‘lift and separate’ at 12d – a really excellent clue. My COD. Apologies for the late posting, by the way, … Read more “Times Jumbo 920 (16 Apr 2011)”
Month: April 2011
Saturday Times 24831 (April 23rd)
Solving time 16:50. A bit of a curate’s egg of a puzzle – brilliant in places but spoilt by a few loose ones and fillers. I hope someone can help me out with 18D, as … Read more “Saturday Times 24831 (April 23rd)”
Sloggers & Betters 8!
At least, I think it will be the 9th I’ve been informed by Gaufrid over at Fifteensquared that this will actually be the 8th time we’ve got together over a few ales and a meal … Read more “Sloggers & Betters 8!”
Club Monthly 20127 – April 2011
Solving Time: Once again, longer than it should have been – perhaps two hours altogether in odd sessions here and there. I prefer not to use any solving aids beyond a dictionary and hence sat … Read more “Club Monthly 20127 – April 2011”
Times 24836 – Here’s to the happy couple!
Within about 30 seconds of starting this I realised that it was themed, and my heart sank. I often find the clues in themed grids tend to be a little more strained and subsequently harder … Read more “Times 24836 – Here’s to the happy couple!”
Times 24835 – Ex-swimmer Preserved
One delightful feature of some clues is the indirect definition and today’s puzzle has a few that got me laughing out loud, especially in 5 Across and 13 Down. Very entertaining puzzle indeed ACROSS1 HA’P’ORTH Ins … Read more “Times 24835 – Ex-swimmer Preserved”
Times 24834: L’eau ebb?
Solving time: 16 minutes. Went through this pretty quickly while hanging around in a waiting room. The only real problems were in the SE corner where I almost failed the Turing Test and nearly became … Read more “Times 24834: L’eau ebb?”
Times 24,833 – it’s not brain surgery
24:11 on the Club timer, confirming my feeling that this was the toughest puzzle I’ve had on a blogging day for some time. Lots of good surfaces made it a pleasing challenge, though more than … Read more “Times 24,833 – it’s not brain surgery”
Times 24832 – You don’t have to say you love me…
Solving Time: 28 minutes A methodical solve after a slow start. Only two false steps along the way, which were non-fatal errors. Otherwise nothing to scare the horses here. Across 1 WRAPPED UP, double definition. … Read more “Times 24832 – You don’t have to say you love me…”
Mephisto 2642 by Paul McKenna
Another in a growing line of good quality puzzles of average difficulty. If one could devise a level of difficulty index its standard deviation over recent weeks would be very small. There are no queries, … Read more “Mephisto 2642 by Paul McKenna”