About average difficulty today I think, although I found it trickier than yesterday’s and had to rely on a bit of biffing to arrive home at the 9 minute mark. A steady and satisfying solve, … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1988 by Orpheus”
Month: October 2021
28114 Thursday, 21 October 2021 Ballet tricky
Well, I struggled my way through this one, taking 33.39 with answers scattered all over the place, trying (and failing) to parse as I went so I could look you all in the face and … Read more “28114 Thursday, 21 October 2021 Ballet tricky”
Times Quick Cryptic 1987 by Joker
Lots of unusual vocabulary, but only one that left me competely reliant on wordplay and checkers (21ac). Perhaps not quite as pithy, original, or easy as yesterdays, but a fun and doable puzzle nontheless. I … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1987 by Joker”
Times 28113 – no more PDMs for me.
Well this puzzle is 13d with good things, I think; two types of wine, an antelope, a capital city I knew, and an egg cell which reminded me of my off piste adventure last week in … Read more “Times 28113 – no more PDMs for me.”
Times Cryptic 28112
I completed all but one answer within 30 minutes but after 36 minutes I gave up and used aids for the last one in. As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions … Read more “Times Cryptic 28112”
Times Quick Cryptic 1986 by Mara
Another week, another QC blog. Today’s appears a bit easier than last week’s. I had unnecessary hold ups when I got entangled in 11dn and with LOI 7dn and still came 15 seconds inside 10 … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1986 by Mara”
Times 28111 – You can bank on it!
Time: 18 minutesMusic: Sibelius, Symphony 5, Gibson/LSO Easy Monday continues for me, although I can never be sure when I am just on the wavelength. But starting from the first across clue, the answers … Read more “Times 28111 – You can bank on it!”
QC 1985 by Tracy
A highly enjoyable puzzle from Tracy. I think I got as far down as 9A before my FOI went in. As to my LOI and COD, in one of his restaurant review columns a couple … Read more “QC 1985 by Tracy”
Sunday Times 4976 by Dean Mayer – I love it when a plan comes together
10:36. What a great puzzle. Not particularly difficult, but a model of wit and elegance. How did you get on? Definitions are underlined, anagrams indicated like (TIHS)*, anagram indicators are in italics. Across 1 Where … Read more “Sunday Times 4976 by Dean Mayer – I love it when a plan comes together”
Mephisto 3189 – Paul McKenna
Greetings barred-grid fans. In creating a grid with a unit commonly used in chemistry, an alchemical term, a form of car racing ridiculously popular in the part of the USA in which I live, and … Read more “Mephisto 3189 – Paul McKenna”