This was all enjoyable, but I got stuck on three (!) clues … 20ac, 6dn and 19dn. None of those were impossible but I found them hard to see. Oh well. Thanks to the setter … Read more “Times Cryptic No 28056 – Saturday, 14 August 2021. Wine, cigarettes, song … no women!”
Month: August 2021
Times Cryptic Jumbo 1511 – the doctor will see you now
Hello again Jumbo fans. I can’t say how long this offering took me as I solved it across a number of sessions under various solving conditions. It was tricky though, with a fair few bits … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1511 – the doctor will see you now”
Quick Cryptic 1944 by Pedro
Grateful for a straightforward one as I am feeling ever-so-slightly fragile this morning. Interesting solve, with any tricky wordplay generally compensated by biffability, e.g. 7dn which I didn’t parse until afterwards, and some nice anagrams. … Read more “Quick Cryptic 1944 by Pedro”
Times 28,061: Gone In 60*5 Seconds
This took under 5 minutes: I’m going to put my foot down and say that’s too gentle for a Friday! I like Esperanto and I like tigons but my favourite clue was probably just 24dn … Read more “Times 28,061: Gone In 60*5 Seconds”
Times Quick Cryptic No 1943 by Orpheus
One of my fastest solves for a while at just inside 8 minute, so I expect to see some fast times from the Greyhounds and Whippets. I noticed a large number of the letter S … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1943 by Orpheus”
Times 28060 – in which we may be doubting Thomas
Time taken: 10:37, which is right around my average time, but as of right now I’m the only one with a completed puzzle, so I don’t really know a difficulty level. I found the anagrams … Read more “Times 28060 – in which we may be doubting Thomas”
Times Quick Cryptic 1942 by Oink
Introduction 7:02, with some dithering about 9 Across to take me over the seven-minute mark. I had intended a surprise for everyone: the plan was to live-stream not only the solving of the puzzle but … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1942 by Oink”
Times 28059 – am I losing the plot?
I enjoyed this one, taking around 20 minutes with a few BIFFs, before settling down to explain and blog it. And I’m stumped. The answer to 6d is clear enough, but my failure to explain … Read more “Times 28059 – am I losing the plot?”
Times Cryptic 28058
Solving time: 44 minutes. Not so easy for me today. As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]. … Read more “Times Cryptic 28058”
Times Quick Cryptic 1941 by Mara
Right up to the wire of 10 minutes – the long anagram at 5dn being the cause of the late tension – and satisfaction. Four double definitions seems quite a lot but the only one … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1941 by Mara”