Solving time: 58 minutes Music: Resphigi, Ancient Airs and Dances, Dorati/HPhil This puzzle should not have taken as long as it did. I put in most of it in twenty minutes, only to get most … Read more “Times 25826 – Off to an easy start….”
Month: June 2014
Times Crossword 25,819 – Times Crossword Championship, fourth qualifier
Solving Time: Once again I won’t say, but this was very easy and should not be taken as a guide to what will be offered on finals day. I have again been unable to extract … Read more “Times Crossword 25,819 – Times Crossword Championship, fourth qualifier”
Quick Cryptic 81 by Flamande
Here’s the link to today’s puzzle currently missing from the Times button: http://feeds.thetimes.co.uk/timescrossword/20140630/195/ This is Flamande’s 8th puzzle and after his (?) first three I had him down as one of the more demanding setters. … Read more “Quick Cryptic 81 by Flamande”
Jumbo 1096 – Saturday 14th June
Nice easy solve this one, did not know the ESPRIT in 54A, but the letters were there from the anagram. May well have struggled with 36D, had the same clue not come up recently, as … Read more “Jumbo 1096 – Saturday 14th June”
Sunday Times 4595 by Jeff Pearce
No real time for this: I spent 35 minutes on it, but I dozed off half way through, and then got fed up and cheated to get the last two or three obstinate answers. This … Read more “Sunday Times 4595 by Jeff Pearce”
Mephisto 2808 by Don Manley
A very easy puzzle that I raced through. Nothing to say really. Across 1 OSSELET – (so steel)*; 6 ATTIC – (L)attic(E); 10 THARBOROUGH – T(HARBOR)OUGH; mispronounced thirdborough=old under-constable; 11 LEOTARD – leo-P-ard becomes leo-T-ard; … Read more “Mephisto 2808 by Don Manley”
Quick Cryptic No. 80 by Joker
A fine, well balanced puzzle from Joker again, IMO easier than Wednesday’s blog although that might be down to a lack of hangover today. Nothing obscure and a few to make you smile when the … Read more “Quick Cryptic No. 80 by Joker”
Times 25824 – Bill Haley, won’t you please come home!
41 minutes for this delightful and lively puzzle. When I first saw the grid with no three- or four-letter words I was expecting a toughie but 1ac went in on first reading and most of … Read more “Times 25824 – Bill Haley, won’t you please come home!”
Club Monthly 20165 June 2014 – a biology lesson
Solving Time: a bit over an hour, a more or less average time for me, though I tend to do a fair bit of parsing and savouring on the way. Because it’s about a month … Read more “Club Monthly 20165 June 2014 – a biology lesson”
Times Quick Cryptic No 79 by Marty
Time taken: Middling (Longer by NHS!) Apologies for the delay. Poking and prodding (and tweaking) took longer than expected. Enjoyable stuff from our setter with some nice clues to tease the mind. Favourite clue is … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 79 by Marty”