Introduction Hey all. On vacation here, on an unfamiliar laptop, so forgive the terseness and messiness. At the very least, have a look at the answers in the four corners of the grid. Solutions Across … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1522 by Noel”
Month: January 2020
Times Cryptic 27554
Solving time: 54 minutes with major delays towards the end in the NE segment, but most of it had been completed within my half-hour target. As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and … Read more “Times Cryptic 27554”
Times Quick Cryptic 1521 by Teazel
A swiftie today – I clocked in just less than 7 minutes so that must make a K a very small number indeed. All very accessible and easily clued – but that is simply my … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1521 by Teazel”
Times 27553 – It’s That Bird Again!
Pretty much where I left off in 2019, puzzle difficulty wise, with this pleasant offering doing nothing to disturb any swallow-like creatures who might be constructing their nests in soft cliff material and digging in … Read more “Times 27553 – It’s That Bird Again!”
Times Quick Cryptic 1520 by Hurley
Solving time: 8 minutes. Nothing to frighten the horses here, I think, but we shall see how others fared. As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1520 by Hurley”
Mephisto 3096 – Paul McKenna
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 verify in the dictionary. 3D … Read more “Mephisto 3096 – Paul McKenna”
Sunday Times Cryptic 4883, 29 XII 2019, by David McLean — Oh, just see what a glorious fill
As I had never blogged a Jumbo before, I was glad to find, once I got started, that this was all fairly straightforward, and a real holiday gift rather than a chore. We have every … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4883, 29 XII 2019, by David McLean — Oh, just see what a glorious fill”
Times Cryptic No 27546 – Saturday 28 December 2019. Fire, fire everywhere.
Millions of hectares (over ten million acres) ablaze. Over a thousand homes destroyed. People dead. Tens of thousands evacuated. Smoke giving our cities have the worst air quality in the world. And climate denialist politicians … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27546 – Saturday 28 December 2019. Fire, fire everywhere.”
Times Cryptic Jumbo 1415 – 21st December 2019
Jumbo New Year’s greetings to you all. I hope you enjoyed the festive period whether or not you spent it in festive fashion (I did and didn’t, respectively) and look forward to meeting the challenges … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1415 – 21st December 2019”
Times Quick Cryptic No 1519 by Tracy
A bit of a slow start with 10A being my FOI, but, apart from an initial miscue at 1D, I got through this without further mishap in just over 5 minutes. A little tricky in … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1519 by Tracy”