Happy to be doing a guest blog on an off night. Just came from rehearsal for my barbershop quartet, so my mind was a bit distracted, but nevertheless I finished in 11’40” while simultaneously discussing … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1186 by Joker”
Month: September 2018
Times Cryptic 27152
Solving time: 35 minutes. Mostly straightforward. There was one clue that presented some problems in the parsing but the explanation suddenly revealed itself to me whilst I was writing the blog. Another clue is one … Read more “Times Cryptic 27152”
QC 1185 by Teazel
This was medium difficulty for me, about 10 minutes, although I cannot be exact as I have just been all over the place the past couple of weeks with too much going on and not … Read more “QC 1185 by Teazel”
Times 27151 – A dragonfly flew by, perhaps….
Time: 63 minutesMusic: Magic Lady, Mandy Morton and the Spriguns Yes, a bit of a shock for a Monday puzzle. This should not really have been as difficult as I made it, but the general … Read more “Times 27151 – A dragonfly flew by, perhaps….”
Mephisto 309 – Tim Moorey
Sorry about the late blog, I had a call time moved yesterday and that took away the time I had reserved for this. Im hoping I can get it up in time so that it … Read more “Mephisto 309 – Tim Moorey”
Sunday Times 4816 by David McLean – breaking news
DNF. I whizzed through most of this, then got completely stuck on two clues: 12ac and 2dn. I eventually figured out 12ac but couldn’t get anywhere near 2dn. It was only thanks to a hint … Read more “Sunday Times 4816 by David McLean – breaking news”
Times Cryptic No 27144 – Saturday, 15 September 2018. A crossword from another universe?
Well – where has this setter been hiding? This puzzle wasn’t easy, and had delightful originality. Unusual vocabulary, original wordplay, delicious definitions. I gathered it was going to be a challenge when my first pass … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27144 – Saturday, 15 September 2018. A crossword from another universe?”
Times Cryptic Jumbo No 1342 – 8th September
Hello all. I found this an entertaining and somewhat educational Jumbo, with some lovely wordplay and an eclectic mix of general knowledge – some of which was beyond my ken, but the wordplay was generously … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo No 1342 – 8th September”
Times 27,149: Dog Soldiers
A not *too* challenging Friday puzzle to round off what has felt like a fairly gentle week, but the sort of gridfill that I very much appreciate: a whirlwind tour of general knowledge taking in … Read more “Times 27,149: Dog Soldiers”
Quick Cryptic 1184 by Mara
I rather liked this, though it took me ages to get going. Fairly straightforward in the end, but I suspect it may take a few casualties. The reason I think it might be a bit … Read more “Quick Cryptic 1184 by Mara”