Solving time : 24:54 on the club timer – I was so far from the setter’s wavelength that it was mocking me from the other side of the space-time continuum. After completing it, I think … Read more “25614 – maybe cancel that flight”
Month: October 2013
Times 25613: First Prelim, Puzzle 1
Solving time: 22:24 There’s no way in the world I could have finished this under 20 minutes. Hence my usual conclusion at this time of the year (when they start publishing the Championship puzzles on … Read more “Times 25613: First Prelim, Puzzle 1”
Times 25,612
23:37 on the club timer. Pretty tricky, this one, for me at any rate; I got off to a fast start with the easy ones, came almost to a standstill, then re-engaged brain and knocked … Read more “Times 25,612”
Times 25611- Welcome to the world of Master John Thursday
40 minutes, so slightly meatier than your average Monday. Since I’m reading Gargantua and Pantagruel at the moment, I was pleased to see Rabelais pop up. A couple of centuries later, across the Channel, he … Read more “Times 25611- Welcome to the world of Master John Thursday”
Times Jumbo 1057
27:48 on the Club timer, which is on the quick side for me with a puzzle of this size. Not too much in the way of obscurities, and no really tricksy wordplay. What was notable … Read more “Times Jumbo 1057”
Sunday Times 4559 (13 Oct 2013) by Jeff Pearce
Solving time: Just under 20 mins. I picked this up with only about 20 minutes left of my lunch hour, and was rather surprised to finish it in that time. A lot of answers I … Read more “Sunday Times 4559 (13 Oct 2013) by Jeff Pearce”
Mephisto 2772 by Don Manley
All in all on the easy side I thought Across 1 STAPLE – S(L-PAT reversed)E; line=L; Home Counties=SE (England); “main” is definition; 5 PROSIT – PRO-SIT; for=PRO; model=SIT; drinking toast; 10 KARAITE – KARA(I)TE; a … Read more “Mephisto 2772 by Don Manley”
Saturday Times 25604 (12th Oct) – one hungry setter?
Solved in 11:14 on the train on the way down to last week’s 3D Crossword Championships. Unfortunately the good form didn’t last and I made a right mess of the competition puzzle. Oh well, on … Read more “Saturday Times 25604 (12th Oct) – one hungry setter?”
Times 25609 – Reverse Gear
I thought this was going to be easy as I started strongly but I soon ran into problems and slowed to a crawl. I was parsing as I went but had to miss out a … Read more “Times 25609 – Reverse Gear”
25608 How many Northern towns can you think of?
This took me 26′ 46″, so rates about a 7 on my personal Mohs scale, though some of that may be bloggers nerves, A third or more of that time was spent in the Home … Read more “25608 How many Northern towns can you think of?”