I can’t say I loved this particular Friday puzzle, but a lot of that was due to not one but two 15-letter “cryptic definition” across clues. This Marmitey clue type can be excellent if it … Read more “Times 28,163: I Am Rubbra, You Are Glue”
Month: December 2021
Times Quick Cryptic No 2029 by Mara
Today I got my second Mara Quick Crossword in a row to blog. It’s another good one, and I enjoyed savouring the clues as I compiled the blog. We are treated to a rare reverse … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 2029 by Mara”
Times Quick Cryptic No 2028 by Hurley
Two minutes at the end spent staring at 13d took me to 11 minutes, and there were a few trickier bits along the way after what initially seemed like a gentle enough puzzle. I had … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 2028 by Hurley”
28162 Thursday, 16 December 2021 I, the returning officer…
Goes down in my book as A Bit Tricky, my time of 27.40 more inflated by the need to parse properly as I went along than by any particularly opaque wordplay or abstruse definitions. I … Read more “28162 Thursday, 16 December 2021 I, the returning officer…”
Times 28161 – by George, is it Monday?
After a run of tricky Wednesdays, this gave some respite, with rather a lot of Quick Cryptic standard clues, I thought. Only one anagram, which is unusual, and no hidden word. It didn’t take me … Read more “Times 28161 – by George, is it Monday?”
Times Quick Cryptic 2027 by Oink
Off to a flying start, but slowed down on the right hand side a bit. My last two in were 23ac and 21dn. The answers and clues all feel pretty fresh and fun, which is … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 2027 by Oink”
Times Quick Cryptic 2026 by Teazel
Good to be back with you. I’ve been jabbed, boosted, passported, Lateral Flowed until I’m blue in the nose, PCR’d and even Located on a Passenger Form. These were more wearing than the actual travel … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 2026 by Teazel”
Times Cryptic 28160
Solving time: 34 minutes. This was mostly straightforward with a few trickier bits that were easy enough to work around. As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} … Read more “Times Cryptic 28160”
Times 28159 – Time for Breakfast?
Time: 43 minutesMusic: Strauss, Don Quixote, Karajan/BPO I rather stumbled through this one, either biffing from the literal or working exclusively from the cryptic. Either way, it was slow going. I am not too sure … Read more “Times 28159 – Time for Breakfast?”
QC 2025 by Orpheus
I felt this was a pretty standard Monday puzzle with a lot of the types of clue that I find most straightforward. I think there were three anagrams, four double definitions and two hidden words. … Read more “QC 2025 by Orpheus”