Solving time: 8 minutes. I found this one straightforward with only one word (22ac), or rather its required meaning, unknown to me. Edit: I missed that it’s a pangram, so thanks to zenpublisher for pointing … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1680 by Trelawney”
Month: August 2020
Mephisto 3128 – Do you remember July 24, 1983?
This one was pretty easy for the most part, although teasing out the last few was a little tricky. Every crazy-seeming word derived from the cryptics turned out to be in Chambers, and I made … Read more “Mephisto 3128 – Do you remember July 24, 1983?”
Sunday Times Cryptic No 4915 by David McLean — IRANIAN NUKES ASIDE…
You know I will TAKE ISSUE with any ILL-CONSIDERED political comments that I see or hallucinate. Worked on paper, and my copy is all marked up—but I like to doodle. The only unknown was the … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No 4915 by David McLean — IRANIAN NUKES ASIDE…”
Times Cryptic No 27738 – Saturday, 8 August 2020. Have a banana!
This felt relatively straightforward, tho with a few unknowns, which could all be overcome. Much use of first or last letters of words, or both. I liked 3dn because it seemed so obvious the clue … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27738 – Saturday, 8 August 2020. Have a banana!”
Times Cryptic Jumbo No 1452 – 1st August
Let me see now. What do I remember about soving this nearly 2 weeks ago? Notes on my paper copy say I was all but done in 40 minutes but then took nearly another 10 … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo No 1452 – 1st August”
Times Quick Cryptic No 1679 by Wurm
A nice middle-of-the-road Quick Cryptic to end the week from Wurm today which I finished in just under my target time of 5 minutes. Nothing too obscure, I think, but a couple of tricky cryptic … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1679 by Wurm”
Times 27,743: Love Is All Around
I totally forgot this was a Friday and submitted in 5 minutes something before realising my error. Oh well, no harm done! I did find a lot of the clues very, as they say, biffable … Read more “Times 27,743: Love Is All Around”
Times Quick Cryptic No 1678 by Monty
I think we have the added interest of a new setter today, and a very enjoyable puzzle it was too: a broad range of difficulty with an elephant trap or two for the unwary biffer … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1678 by Monty”
27742 Thursday, 13 August 2020 A beast by any other number
No too taxing, completed by your blogger du jour in a smidge under 21 minutes. Almost all of the vocab would be accessible to people doing the Times 50 years ago, and I applaud the … Read more “27742 Thursday, 13 August 2020 A beast by any other number”
Times 27741 – Is it a bird? Is it the TLS? It’s certainly different.
It took me far too long to untangle all this, I needed Wiki afterwards to check a couple, and it had a feeling that I was wrestling with a TLS puzzle by mistake at times. … Read more “Times 27741 – Is it a bird? Is it the TLS? It’s certainly different.”