Solving time: 63 minutes Music: Purcell, Dido and Aeneas, Leppard/Troyanos/Palmer/Stillwell I managed to do most of this in about 20 minutes before getting alarmingly stuck. After nearly an hour, I still had two I couldn’t … Read more “Times 24910 H: it’s easy! No, it’s hard!”
Month: July 2011
Sunday Times 4442 (17 Jul 2011)
Solving time: 49:45 Not as tough as last week, but still probably harder than usual. I found the NE corner the trickiest, with the unknown TALLITH, the unfamiliar COLUMBINE, and I still struggle to adjust … Read more “Sunday Times 4442 (17 Jul 2011)”
Mephisto 2655 – Paul McKenna
Well I managed most of these on a plane without a dictionary so I’m thinking this is on the slightly easier end of the Mephisto spectrum. There was just a little bit of dictionary-trawling to … Read more “Mephisto 2655 – Paul McKenna”
Saturday Times 24903 (16th July)
Solving time 12:29. Starts off with a geography lesson, then we get a whole load of double and/or punning definitions in the middle. Quite enjoyable – BULLDOZER brought a smile – but a bit on … Read more “Saturday Times 24903 (16th July)”
Jumbo 933
Nothing to write home about on this one – a very steady solve. If I have omitted any explanations that you need, please let me know, although my response may be slightly delayed by holidays … Read more “Jumbo 933”
Times 24908 – Late again!
Solving time: None recorded, the website got all confused on me and I had to submit several times before it accepted. I reckon just short of an hour but with two wrong. You have my … Read more “Times 24908 – Late again!”
Times 24907 – Huffing & Puffing
I suppose there is a Crossword God somewhere who evens out things to preserve some semblance of justice in the world. Two days ago, I blogged the Guardian and that puzzle was so easy. Today, … Read more “Times 24907 – Huffing & Puffing”
Times 24906 … There once was a fellow from Dorset
Solving time: 72 minutes. Much gen. knowledge required today, most of which I failed on the first pass. But once the awful 12dn clicked, so did the rest. Lots of question-marks in the clues … … Read more “Times 24906 … There once was a fellow from Dorset”
Times 24905
Solving time: None recorded, but probably about 45 minutes all told. Apologies for the late blog. I volunteered to cover this one last week, but no one came back to me, so I assumed my … Read more “Times 24905”
Times 24904 – It’s all about Aus?
Solving Time: 35 minutes or so Had trouble starting and finishing, but made good progress in between. Mainly held up at the 1d/11ac intersection; as the old saying goes: “Never begin at the beginning, or … Read more “Times 24904 – It’s all about Aus?”