Solving time: 9 minutes. When blogging there seemed to be an excess of anagrams or partials but on counting them there were only 9, which out of 24 clues is surely not above average. I … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1260 by Mara”
Month: January 2019
Mephisto 3043 – Don Manley
This puzzle had an extended closing date because of the festive season, and since Jim was quicker on the draw than me, it is going to end up slightly out of order on the site. … Read more “Mephisto 3043 – Don Manley”
Mephisto 3044 – Tim Moorey. Not a creature was stirring….
Happy New Year to all. Unless you’re very experienced you are unlikely to solve a Mephisto without using Chambers. The idea is that you use the precise wordplay to derive an answer that you then … Read more “Mephisto 3044 – Tim Moorey. Not a creature was stirring….”
Sunday Times 4830 by Dean Mayer – Christmas Jumbo
As is traditional at this time of year, the last Sunday Times puzzle to appear before Christmas is a jumbo, and as is also somewhat traditional at this time of year, it’s a bit of … Read more “Sunday Times 4830 by Dean Mayer – Christmas Jumbo”
Sunday Times 4831, 30 December 2018, by David McLean — A Saucerful of Resects
A gentle offering, with evenly paved surfaces slick enough to trip you up as to the cryptic parsing. I have a two or three quibbles, but no major complaint—nothing nearly so troublesome as my problems … Read more “Sunday Times 4831, 30 December 2018, by David McLean — A Saucerful of Resects”
Times Cryptic No 27234 – Saturday, 29 December 2018. Happy belated New Year.
With New Year falling between the puzzle and this, its blog, I wish everyone all the best for 2019. One of my plans for the coming year is to do the Times Crossword on paper … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27234 – Saturday, 29 December 2018. Happy belated New Year.”
Jumbo 1358
Happy New Year to all my readers! I am not sure whether it was Christmas overindulgence or not being on the setter’s wavelength but this one took me longer than it should have done. I … Read more “Jumbo 1358”
Times Cryptic Jumbo No 1357 – 22nd December
I found this a very enjoyable Jumbo with lots of entertaining clues and clever surfaces; rather better than 28A and not a 22D. For once, there were no words I didn’t know, although there is … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo No 1357 – 22nd December”
Times Quick Cryptic No 1259 by Izetti
A typically testing but fair puzzle from Izetti today with admirable surfaces to the clues. A good mix of clue types, we have no less than 3 cryptic definitions and a couple of “rubbish” clues. (No I … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1259 by Izetti”
Times 27,239: Cutting A Dash
I would describe this crossword as being fairly simply clued, but not in a bad way – there are some belters in the mix today, top of the heap in my opinion being 14ac for … Read more “Times 27,239: Cutting A Dash”