Rather than quote Jesus Christ in reference to my FOI, 13, I prefer to evoke the Rolling Stones, especially since the track in question is one of the few where a lead vocal is sung … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No 4881, 15 XII 2019, by Robert Price — Let’s drink to the hard-working people…”
Month: December 2019
Times Cryptic Crossword Book 23 – Puzzle Index
Here is an index mapping the puzzles in The Times Cryptic Crossword Book 23 to the corresponding blogs on TftT. The book contains puzzles from 2015, which were edited by Richard Rogan. The puzzles were … Read more “Times Cryptic Crossword Book 23 – Puzzle Index”
Times Cryptic No 27534 – Saturday, 14 December 2019. Piano forte!
I found this easy for a Saturday. FOI 6ac, LOI 26ac. Some answers I’ll need to check in the dictionary for this blog. The clever wordplay at 14ac made that my clue of the day. … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27534 – Saturday, 14 December 2019. Piano forte!”
Jumbo 1413
I enjoyed this one – not difficult but some well designed clues. I think my favourite is 20A for the clever construction of the solution from whole words. I also liked 40D. As my next … Read more “Jumbo 1413”
Times Quick Cryptic No 1509 by Mara
A nice QC from Mara, with plenty to delight us, but… Well I usually print out the crosswords and do them on paper before entering the answers online to create the outline of the blog … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1509 by Mara”
Times 27,539: Quoth The Ravens (and Parrot)
I have no accurate time on this one as my computer died not once but twice during my solving time, requiring lengthy recharge – very upsetting as I’d had the whole top half in inside … Read more “Times 27,539: Quoth The Ravens (and Parrot)”
Times Quick Cryptic No 1508 by Hurley
Nudging a bit past average difficulty from Hurley today, I found. I had all bar 19ac done around the 10 minute mark, and spent the next couple of minutes considering it and various Christmas related … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1508 by Hurley”
27538 Thursday, 19 December 2019 Il Grillo Parlante
With a variety of additional commitments, I’ve missed out on a lot of puzzles since the Champs, so approached this one without being in finely honed practice, but fortunately it didn’t matter too much, as … Read more “27538 Thursday, 19 December 2019 Il Grillo Parlante”
Times 27537 – have a piece of Christmas cake.
I thought this was the easiest Wednesday for a while, no doubt the SNITCH will show us if I’m right. No homophones, dodgy or otherwise, no anagrams of tricky foreign words, nothing obscure to scare … Read more “Times 27537 – have a piece of Christmas cake.”
Times Quick Cryptic 1507 by Trelawney
This might prove dispiriting for those on the K-scale – it’s going to be difficult to keep up, I think! Trelawney has typically been a welcome respite from obscurities and tortuous wordplay, and while no … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1507 by Trelawney”