After 2 weeks away in Prague and Vienna I needed a straightforward puzzle to get me back in the swing and this one was just the job. It’s middle of the road I guess for … Read more “Mephisto 2802 by Don Manley”
Month: May 2014
Sunday Times 4589 by Jeff Pearce
This is my first Sunday Times blog standing in for Dave, and as I have had a week to prepare it I have experimented with including clues which I hope will be helpful to those … Read more “Sunday Times 4589 by Jeff Pearce”
Times Jumbo Crossword 1090 – Saturday 3rd May
Solving time: 48 mins. My first leap from the quickie to the (literally) big league. This was a fairly enjoyable stroll with nothing too troubling. Thanks to our setter. Across 1 STAFF NURSE – Hospital … Read more “Times Jumbo Crossword 1090 – Saturday 3rd May”
Saturday Times 25783 (10th May)
Solving time a gentle 12:50, solved from the paper for a change in a pub garden in Chester between rainstorms last Saturday. I was hoping for something a bit trickier which would have required a … Read more “Saturday Times 25783 (10th May)”
Quick Cryptic No.50 by Felix
This took me 10 minutes on my Android tablet (the Times pop-up keyboard works in Firefox for Android, I have discovered, but not in the default browser). Several of the clues were not instant write-ins … Read more “Quick Cryptic No.50 by Felix”
Times Cryptic 25788 – Complete this well-known phrase or saying…
I got off to a pretty good start but ran out of steam about half way through and had problems getting going again particularly in the SW quarter. I completed the grid eventually in 53 … Read more “Times Cryptic 25788 – Complete this well-known phrase or saying…”
Times Quick Cryptic No 49 by Izetti
We are nearly at the half century of puzzles in the series; it’ll soon be time for the Times Book of Quick Cryptics, no doubt. And of course, today’s will be in there. The Don … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 49 by Izetti”
25787: An exercise that dampened expectations of a quick finish
I thought I was on for a fast time and another Thursday easy, but while the perimeter clues went in smoothly enough, the internal ones, particularly the four longest ones, proved highly resistant. Add two … Read more “25787: An exercise that dampened expectations of a quick finish”
Quick Cryptic No. 48 – by JOKER. No time for tablets.
Stepping into the breach for one of our regular team, I took my Android tablet to bed hoping to make an early start. However the Times coding doesn’t like my Android browser and mis-produced some … Read more “Quick Cryptic No. 48 – by JOKER. No time for tablets.”
Times Crossword 30176 – What a difference a decade makes..
Solving Time: After the debacle with the 1961 effort last month, it was a relief to move into the 1970s today and a crossword much more to my taste. I rattled through it all in … Read more “Times Crossword 30176 – What a difference a decade makes..”