I found this hard for the reasons mentioned in the blog (for which please click – ‘read more’ below). I didn’t get a quadrant filled in and had several clues with partial answers before moving … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 2121 by Orpheus – crossed tails”
Month: April 2022
Times 28273 – Lake it or lump it
I managed to return to my island paradise a little earlier than expected, so this is going live somewhat earlier than I indicated in my holding post. This was a very stolid Monday offering with … Read more “Times 28273 – Lake it or lump it”
Times Quick Cryptic 2120 by Tracy – You’ll have had your tea?
Solving time: 9 minutes. I found this quite straightforward. I hope you did too. As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 2120 by Tracy – You’ll have had your tea?”
Mephisto 3216 – ….Soldier, Spy
Although some of the cryptics are a bit strange, the answers were mostly evident, and the vocabulary was pretty simple for Mephisto. If you biffed Festschrift, as I did, you should be right on the … Read more “Mephisto 3216 – ….Soldier, Spy”
Sunday Times Cryptic 5003, by David McLean — Reçu cinq sur cinq !
Wow, I was really on the wavelength for this one!—hence the French expression in my headline, which originated in the vocabulary for radio transmissions: « Employé…pour indiquer le niveau de compréhension des messages transmis, sur … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 5003, by David McLean — Reçu cinq sur cinq !”
Times Cryptic No 28266 – Saturday, 16 April 2022. Known unknowns?
This was a straightforward solve, with a few obscurities that we’ve seen before. The top right held my last few in, shortly after I cracked 8D. Thanks to the setter for a very enjoyable puzzle. … Read more “Times Cryptic No 28266 – Saturday, 16 April 2022. Known unknowns?”
Times Cryptic Jumbo 1549: (Butchers*) Hook
A very enjoyable jumbo indeed. I loved the TOR RENTAL and the superb reverse cryptic at 45d. Relatively fast progress except for staring at LOI 23d for an awful long time not being able to … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1549: (Butchers*) Hook”
Times Quick Cryptic 2119 by Felix
Today we are treated to a Quick Cryptic from Felix, with plenty of his characteristically entertaining definitions, wordplay and surfaces. As always with this setter, I was looking out for a theme, but what did … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 2119 by Felix”
Times 28,271: God Loves A 11ac
Not excessively hard but rather fun. I was much taken with 26a and its possible back-construction from the fact of the existence of something called the Zoot Suit Riots, and 22dn where “last bit of … Read more “Times 28,271: God Loves A 11ac”
Times Quick Cryptic No 2118 by Hurley
Towards the easier side of things today from Hurley, with a number of the clues pointing fairly unambiguously to the answer. A few seconds spent at the end on 9d and 17ac, but more because … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 2118 by Hurley”