19:29. I thought this was quite tricky, but a really interesting puzzle with some excellent clues and a nice range of references. No literature to speak of, but nothing too obscure other than perhaps the … Read more “Sunday Times 4884 by Robert Price – galled rocks”
Month: January 2020
Mephisto 3097 – Don Manley
Greetings from North Carolina where we are currently under a tornado watch. It’s pretty horrible out but I still have power and internet for right now, so hopefully I can get this all written up. … Read more “Mephisto 3097 – Don Manley”
Times Cryptic No 27552 – Saturday, 04 January 2020. Through a smoke haze darkly.
Again, I found this puzzle hard to start and then relatively easy to finish. In other news, Australia is still here. We were planning a family trip to Canberra next week, but had to cancel … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27552 – Saturday, 04 January 2020. Through a smoke haze darkly.”
Times Cryptic Jumbo No 1417 – 28th December
You know how some dishes, like a good curry, become more tasty after keeping for a bit? Well that’s what I found with this Jumbo, solving on the day and then revisiting over a few … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo No 1417 – 28th December”
Quick Cryptic 1524 by Mara
So, a tricky 1ac, but straightforward thereafter, loads of anagrams and double definitions. Illustrates the point that two-word clues are ALWAYS double definitions. 7 minutes for me Across 1 In the City, unfortunately, half feel … Read more “Quick Cryptic 1524 by Mara”
Times 27,557: Sunshine SPQRman
The disappointment of a pink square for me as I somehow managed to submit PENINENT at 16dn, after 9 minutes. Woe am I! I probably deserved to come a cropper as I wasn’t entirely on … Read more “Times 27,557: Sunshine SPQRman”
Times Quick Cryptic No 1523 by Izetti
As expected, this is another lovely puzzle from the Don (Izetti) which pushed me to the upper end of my target range at about 14 minutes fully solved and parsed. My previous blog of an … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1523 by Izetti”
Times Boxing Day Cryptic Jumbo 1416 – every time it rains
This festive offering kept me occupied for a tad over the hour on boxing day. A lot of the definitions were very well-disguised (in truth I’m still not sure exactly where some of them are) … Read more “Times Boxing Day Cryptic Jumbo 1416 – every time it rains”
Times 27556 – double you fun
Solving time: 12:32, but with one stupid typo, I somehow had an extra U in 1 down. I had been pretty careful lately and this was my first typo in over a month so I’m … Read more “Times 27556 – double you fun”
Times 27555 – TCC Heat 1 – where you from, pet?
I see 47 of 81 solvers attempting this last December completed it correctly, while just 30 of 81 got all three in this heat correct. I tried it against the clock (not my usual habit) … Read more “Times 27555 – TCC Heat 1 – where you from, pet?”