Solving time : 24:51 – I was utterly stuck on the bottom left hand side and needed to take a break, answer some text messages and see if things came together. They did, but this … Read more “Times 25709 – a frosty special”
Month: February 2014
Times 25708: Pulling a few punches
Solving time: 38:44 About as hard a Wednesday puzzle as I’ve seen in a while. Trying to get the parsings for the blog slowed things down even more. There seem to be a fair few … Read more “Times 25708: Pulling a few punches”
Times 25,707
Started slowly, but as I went on I found myself swiftly gathering speed, possibly because this grid is very friendly, thanks to the long clues around each side (assuming you get them, of course…) Meanwhile, … Read more “Times 25,707”
Times 25706 – One from the Nursery Slopes
Definitely one for the first-time snowboarder rather than the triple-corking slopestyler. I was only taken over the 20-minute mark by having too much knowledge at 1dn. A first time for everything…21 minutes. Across 1 DIATRIBE … Read more “Times 25706 – One from the Nursery Slopes”
Times Jumbo 1075 (25 Jan 2014)
Solving time: About 1 hour 35 minutes – with one mistake. It seemed quite an easy one, although there were plenty of excellent clues here. I still don’t really understand 54a, but no doubt someone … Read more “Times Jumbo 1075 (25 Jan 2014)”
Sunday Times 4575 (2 Feb 2014) by Dean Mayer
Solving time: 64:25, albeit amidst distractions Another excellent puzzle from Dean. Plenty to titter about for the schoolboys amongst us in BUM, BALLS, PUSSY, and a few others as well, but they’re all used perfectly … Read more “Sunday Times 4575 (2 Feb 2014) by Dean Mayer”
Mephisto 2788 by Tim Moorey
Our run of rather easy puzzles does now appear to have been replaced by a run of middle of the road ones. This is a standard, enjoyable, offering that should assist new solvers to learn … Read more “Mephisto 2788 by Tim Moorey”
Saturday Times 25699 (1st Feb) – 11 12, and a Happy Retirement!
A rare Nina in the cryptic, i.e. GOODBYE RICHARD in 11 and 12 across, and I’m sure we all wish the outgoing editor Richard Browne all the best for a happy retirement, and the new … Read more “Saturday Times 25699 (1st Feb) – 11 12, and a Happy Retirement!”
Times 25704 – Not a stinker!
After so many erudite and entertaining blogs over recent days I’m afraid this one’s going to let the side down with a bang because I’ve very little to say about this puzzle. It’s a workmanlike … Read more “Times 25704 – Not a stinker!”
25703 They don’t come much easier
This one turned out to be a ten minute romp, which allowing for my clumsy and inattentive typing techniques is about as fast as I can go. A couple of words were not that familiar … Read more “25703 They don’t come much easier”