I don’t know yet whether I woke up thicker than yesterday, or this was hard. I certainly struggled to get going, littering bits of the grid with a few of the easier solutions, instead of … Read more “Times 26505 – After Elizabeth, indeed.”
Month: August 2016
Quick Cryptic Number 647 by Mara
A nice confidence-boosting crossword today, helped along by several anagrams and a string of double definitions. If you’re a complete beginner and have one or two unsolved clues, I strongly advise you go back to … Read more “Quick Cryptic Number 647 by Mara”
Quick Crytpic 646 by Flamande
A quicker solve of the long anagram at 1ac would have helped considerably. As it was I took 16 minutes being misdirected by the many clever clues and some padding to others. So, whilst fun, … Read more “Quick Crytpic 646 by Flamande”
Times Cryptic 26504
Once again on a blogging day I wasn’t really on form and needed 90 minutes to complete this one. 1ac and 2dn eluded me until the last minute and being such long answers this really … Read more “Times Cryptic 26504”
Times 26503 – Get rid of some cherubs, say?
Solving time: 90 minutes Music: John Coltrane, A Love Supreme, Ballads Maybe I have been spending too much time on Mephisto, maybe I was not on the wavelength, but after five minutes I knew I … Read more “Times 26503 – Get rid of some cherubs, say?”
Quick Cryptic 645 by Orpheus
A crossword that I found slightly easier than average, which is not unwelcome for a Monday morning. For those with no interest in gardening, 9D may come as an unpleasant sting in the tail – … Read more “Quick Cryptic 645 by Orpheus”
Sunday Times 4708 – bleeurgh
I normally write this blog during the week, and set the timer so that it will be posted at 1am on Sunday. For one reason or another I have not had time this week, so … Read more “Sunday Times 4708 – bleeurgh”
Mephisto 2921 -Paul McKenna
Struggled a little with this one, though I think a lot of it was confidently putting in NEARNESS at 18 down. My printout still has a few question marks on it, hopefully those will be … Read more “Mephisto 2921 -Paul McKenna”
Saturday Times 26496 (20th August)
Solving time 16:10 for this top-class puzzle which was full of wit and invention. I’m thinking of the wordplay to clues like 14ac especially, but also 17ac, 4dn and 16dn. The praise is not all … Read more “Saturday Times 26496 (20th August)”
TLS 1137 by Praxiteles – The Uxbridge Companion to Music
Competition! I have one wrong but haven’t been able to pin it down. First one to spot the mistake gets a signed copy of William Byrd’s The Thieving Magpie. Edit: I’ve now identified my mistake … Read more “TLS 1137 by Praxiteles – The Uxbridge Companion to Music”