Apart from 20ac, this was a typical Saturday exercise, I thought at the time. On reviewing the stats, that may have been an optimistic assessment! Average time is well over normal, so perhaps others got … Read more “Times Cryptic No 26838. Saturday, 23 September 2017. Ladies’ day.”
Month: September 2017
Jumbo 1285
This was on the easier side for a Jumbo, I think, with some interesting vocab but no major conundrums. I didn’t know the colour at 6D but the checking letters steered the anagram in the … Read more “Jumbo 1285”
Times 26,843: Caged Fury
A very fun and frolicsome puzzle this, bursting with guff, galumph, Lilliputian megaflops and an underwear-based clue that surely narrows down the identity of the setter to an elite group of usual smutspects. My time … Read more “Times 26,843: Caged Fury”
Times Quick Cryptic No 929 by Izetti – I don’t
A slightly quirky and not entirely straightforward teaser from Izetti today, taking me nearly 3 minutes over my average time. A few unknowns or only vaguely remembered words for me in IDO, DRILL, OSAGE and … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 929 by Izetti – I don’t”
Times Quick Cryptic No 928 by Hurley
If 100 is average difficulty (à la snitch), I’d put this at 100. The four long clues at the borders rather dictated the march of things: the north is an ungainly anagram; the east is … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 928 by Hurley”
Times Cryptic No 26842 28/09/17 Steppe inside, luv
A very fast left half ground crashingly to a crawl in the right half to push my time up to 28.26, with the last few in the bottom right corner creating most mayhem. But there … Read more “Times Cryptic No 26842 28/09/17 Steppe inside, luv”
Times 26841 – fifteen square fun with no F
I really enjoyed this one, it has wit, a bit of general knowledge, some fine wordplay and a 14 letter anagram to make your eyes water. I thought it was going to be a pangram, … Read more “Times 26841 – fifteen square fun with no F”
Quick Cryptic 927 by Howzat
Not as difficult as yesterday’s, but I think this is just on the trickier side of things. I can’t blame any unusual vocabulary or general knowledge required (of which there is little), so I’m left … Read more “Quick Cryptic 927 by Howzat”
Times Cryptic 26840
Most of my recent 15×15 solves have taken me well beyond my 30 minute target and this one at 50 minutes is yet another example. I found the top easier than the lower half where … Read more “Times Cryptic 26840”
Times Quick Cryptic 926 by Felix
Well, this was fun – but not in a ‘zoom though a QC in less than ten minutes’ sort of way. There are all sorts of really clever clues which are worth appreciating – some … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 926 by Felix”