Buenos dias amigos. There was some tricky stuff in here, for which I needed aids. I smashed the hell out of my square bracket keys wiring up the clue explanations so there appear to have … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1391 – I think I’m Goan bananas”
Month: July 2019
Quick Cryptic 1404 by Joker
Not a difficult one, although NW corner took a moment or two to get going. Some real gems – love 1dn, love the use of ‘glance’ as definition in 2dn, and some interesting anagrams. 7 … Read more “Quick Cryptic 1404 by Joker”
Times 27,413: Word-Blindness
I thought this was a thoroughly superior crossword, with sublimely economical clues almost every one of which manages in a tiny space to do something fresh and witty. I enjoyed every moment of it up … Read more “Times 27,413: Word-Blindness”
Times 27412 – line please
Time taken: OK, I’ll admit, after everything else was in at 15:49, and probably four minutes earlier, I was left looking at 16 across. Nothing was coming to mind with regards the clue or the … Read more “Times 27412 – line please”
Times Quick Cryptic No 1403 by Mara
13 minutes for me, with a couple of hold-ups for parsing (23a and 3d), but a very nice puzzle from Mara. No themes or NINAs that I can spot, but maybe Mara had a thirst … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1403 by Mara”
Times Quick Cryptic No 1402 by Felix
Introduction This was a pretty tough one for me, on the order of 15 minutes. I had trouble with upper-left corner specifically, but I also think it was mainly because there were a lot of … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1402 by Felix”
Times Cryptic 27411. We’ll have Manhattan.
I did this on a Hudson Line train between Yonkers and Ossining which puts my time in the 17- 18 minute range. The river view hasn’t changed much since Hitchcock’s North By Northwest but I … Read more “Times Cryptic 27411. We’ll have Manhattan.”
Time’s Quick Cryptic 1401 by Izetti
Full of interest and a fine puzzle (well, yes, it’s an Izetti). I took 12 minutes and rather thought I could have done better. How did everyone else do?Sorry for the lateness of the blog, … Read more “Time’s Quick Cryptic 1401 by Izetti”
Times Cryptic 27410
This is my 400th 15×15 blog for Times for the Times, my first having been on 23rd November 2007. I’ve done a few Quickies too, but I’m still some way off my next milestone in that … Read more “Times Cryptic 27410”
Times 27409 – A Typical Friday Puzzle?
Yes, this was pretty straightforward – the type of puzzle to have our esteemed Friday blogger working hard to keep his emotions in check after completing the thing in a paltry four minutes or so. … Read more “Times 27409 – A Typical Friday Puzzle?”