Yes, to a certain extent this grid is just one of those MCS exercises in maximising the silly-letter quotient of each answer (worth fewer than 10 points in a game of Scrabble? You can just … Read more “Monthly Club Special 20,239: Nuke The Scrabble Tile Factory From Orbit, It’s The Only Way To Be Sure”
Month: August 2020
Times 27757 – Mother and Father of all. Biff. Fests.
My current reading is Deus nobis haec otia fecit a book written many years. Online am I reading it that means bookmarkingitisvery difficult. So I am always reading the same bits twice the same bits … Read more “Times 27757 – Mother and Father of all. Biff. Fests.”
Times Quick Cryptic 1690 by Orpheus
Solving time: 10 minutes. I completed all but two intersecting answers in 6 minutes, but needed another 4 to crack them. I was pleased to get back to achieving my target after missing it for … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1690 by Orpheus”
Mephisto 3130 – India, not Africa!
When I generated the blog skeleton and pasted it into Live Journal, I had a moment of panic – I don’t remember any of these answers! Is this the right puzzle? Yes, it is, and … Read more “Mephisto 3130 – India, not Africa!”
Times Cryptic Jumbo 1454: Douze Points
I thought this was a superb jumbo, with all sorts of interesting words well, in some cases brilliantly clued. 7 to 9 down is a run of three of my very favourites, but 8dn wins … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1454: Douze Points”
Sunday Times Cryptic No 4917 by Robert Price — divine language, classic novel
…leading horses nick vehicle… Some firm and full “lift and separate” (and even squeeze back together) clues here. I learned a Scottish word I’m not likely to forget, as well as what “SS” in nautical … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No 4917 by Robert Price — divine language, classic novel”
Times Cryptic No 27750 – Saturday, 22 August 2020. Wot’s that you zed?
This puzzle was more challenging than recent Saturdays, all thanks to clever clues, not obscurities. I didn’t note the exact order, but 10ac, 4dn, 7dn and 23ac all went in quickly. When three quarters were … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27750 – Saturday, 22 August 2020. Wot’s that you zed?”
Times Quick Cryptic No 1689 by Izetti
It’s a while since I got to blog an Izetti. In the past it has always been a pleasure and today is no exception. Lovely smooth surfaces, crystal clear wordlay and nothing 10A. I managed … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1689 by Izetti”
Times 27,755: Two Jags Before The Mast
Cor blimey, there was some hard stuff in here and no mistake. If you hadn’t heard of the American historian or the colonial-era slang for “hired” or the wartime hidey-hole, you, like me, might just … Read more “Times 27,755: Two Jags Before The Mast”
Times Quick Cryptic No 1688 by Monty
A second outing for Monty today, his first being a fortnight ago to the day. Looking back over the previous comments, it was a puzzle that divided opinion, with some fairly tough clues, a dash … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1688 by Monty”