Solving time 15:38, so about average difficulty but a very enjoyable puzzle with good surface readings thoughout and some cracking definitions, e.g. “number one fan” for EGOTIST, “one up in good time” for EARLY BIRD, … Read more “Saturday Times 25628 (9th Nov)”
Month: November 2013
Times 25633 – Slow Cha-Cha
A minute or two over the hour, so another tricky one for me which on reflection might have been solved more quickly if I had not insisted on working out the wordplay as I went … Read more “Times 25633 – Slow Cha-Cha”
25632
27.02, but then I did do a thorough post-solve check before submitting to make sure everything was in order. Still makes me 3 Andy Gilhams again, but this time I’m solving with a head full … Read more “25632”
Times 25631: Second Prelim, Puzzle 1
Solving time: 25:48 So not much harder than the first puzzle of the first prelim, that being the easiest so far in my book. Perhaps I got a (for me) decent time because I’d just … Read more “Times 25631: Second Prelim, Puzzle 1”
Times 25,630 – A Bit Tricky
This puzzle may I feel cause some problems. 2D is a particularly obscure term with a not particularly helpful cryptic. I was fortunate to be able to solve from the definition, having seen the term … Read more “Times 25,630 – A Bit Tricky”
Times 25629 – Meaty Monday
A very nice, if somewhat challenging, pangramatic puzzle with a distinctly retro feel. I tip my titfer to the setter. Across 1 LEVIATHAN – alive* + THAN[e]. 6 LARGE – spotlight is GLARE and we … Read more “Times 25629 – Meaty Monday”
Sunday Times 4562 (3 Nov 2013) by Jeff Pearce
Solving time: About 45 minutes. It took me quite a long time to unscramble the wordplay in 10a, a common problem according to the forum. The only reference that I didn’t know was to the … Read more “Sunday Times 4562 (3 Nov 2013) by Jeff Pearce”
Mephisto 2775 – Don Manley
I found this one quite a challenge, particularly the top half – I stared in the bottom right and worked my way up. I was a little hampered by the final two clues not printing … Read more “Mephisto 2775 – Don Manley”
Saturday Times 25622 (2nd Nov)
9:38, so one of the easiest Saturday puzzles for a while, but also very enjoyable. Good surfaces throughout, witty definitions, precise wordplay on a couple of the trickier words – what’s not to like! Well, … Read more “Saturday Times 25622 (2nd Nov)”
Times 25627 – Shooting fish in a barrel
Solving time: 32:47 I started this at about a quarter past midnight and there were already seven correct entries on the leaderboard by the time I finished, so I suspect we’ll be seeing some fast … Read more “Times 25627 – Shooting fish in a barrel”