Solving time 16:53. Mostly straightforward but memorable for a couple of real gems – the gallows humour in 16ac raised a chuckle, but 28ac was just brilliant! Across 1 COSMIC DUST – CO’S (Commander’s) + … Read more “Saturday Times 24819 (April 9th)”
Month: April 2011
Times 24824
Solving time: 36:29, according to the club times, but I must have lost 10 minutes when my computer died when I was three-quarters done. So comfortably inside half an hour in real terms. That’s two … Read more “Times 24824”
Times 24823 – Keeping Mum Out Of The Picture?
I always enjoy my clues more when the definitions are not so straight-forward; so that I get a double dose of pleasure, making out the word-play as well as seeing behind the cryptic definition. So … Read more “Times 24823 – Keeping Mum Out Of The Picture?”
Times 24822 — Magic Pudding
Solving time: 17 minutes Most trouble in the top left today. So solved more or less backwards; mostly because, of the two long clues, 9dn was easy while 3dn took a while to spot. Also … Read more “Times 24822 — Magic Pudding”
Times 24816, 2nd Qualifier (6th April): One I prepared earlier
Solving time: see earlier post. Not a difficult puzzle I thought. So fast times will be posted. There are a couple of complete (and intersecting) giveaways involving a well-known Pom who helped the Frog aristos … Read more “Times 24816, 2nd Qualifier (6th April): One I prepared earlier”
Times 24,821
21:06 on the Club timer. Quite tricky, then, especially in the southern half; 24ac and 20dn were the last to fall, in quick succession. There was a certain amount of guessing / assumption going on, … Read more “Times 24,821”
Times 24820 – A fine mess
Solving Time: DNF Began with 5d, in Procrustean stride, then got the wind up. Slowed to a brisk plod and finally reached Morocco. Gave up in sight of the pole. I had come far enough. … Read more “Times 24820 – A fine mess”
Sunday Times 4427 (3 Apr 2011) – A scientist no one thought of
Solving time: Exactly 30 minutes. I thought of the final answer just as my son finished his swimming lesson. After Ernest Rutherford got a mention in the grid that pre-dated this one by two days, … Read more “Sunday Times 4427 (3 Apr 2011) – A scientist no one thought of”
Mephisto 2640 by Mike Laws
Another very enjoyable, standard puzzle of average difficulty. No particular talking points. I have a minor query at 17A EGRET whilst at 21A I discovered yet another way to mishit a golf ball – not … Read more “Mephisto 2640 by Mike Laws”
Times Jumbo 917 (March 26, 2011)
34:58 according to the Club timer, which suggests I didn’t find this especially easy, mainly because of a number of playfully cryptic definitions which needed teasing out. I think as a litmus test, if you … Read more “Times Jumbo 917 (March 26, 2011)”