Solving time: 13 minutes. I struggled with 7 & 12ac for some reason, and so missed my target 10 minutes. As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 2110 by Hurley”
Month: April 2022
Mephisto 3214 – Now the AT&T, sorry about that, Mr Crosby!
Like most Don Manley puzzles, this was pretty straightforward, and I managed to solve it in one sitting. Most of the answers are not too obscure, and some of the cryptics are quite easy. Stahlhelmist … Read more “Mephisto 3214 – Now the AT&T, sorry about that, Mr Crosby!”
Sunday Times Cryptic 5001, by Dean Mayer — Nailed it!
Almost Easter. Guess that’s why. When I solved 17, some time before seeing what was behind the seemingly anodyne 19 that appropriately crosses it, I was flooded with my eternal revulsion at the atavistic notion … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 5001, by Dean Mayer — Nailed it!”
Times Cryptic No 28254 – Saturday, 4 April 2022. Impeccable performance.
Well done, setter! Clue after clue made me smile. My eye fell first on 20A, which set the tone! Things flowed enjoyably through the SW corner, then the rest of the bottom half. LOI was … Read more “Times Cryptic No 28254 – Saturday, 4 April 2022. Impeccable performance.”
Times Cryptic Jumbo 1547 – 25th March
This was a lovely entertaining Cryptic Jumbo. Just how they should be. A lot of fun with plenty of inventive cluing and witty definitions and wordplay, yet not too difficult, although I see my last … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1547 – 25th March”
Times Quick Cryptic No 2109 by Alfie
Oo! I’ve got an Alfie crossword to blog. As we all know by now (I hope) that should mean we have something alphabetical in the solution… and indeed we do. Click on the link below … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 2109 by Alfie”
Times 28,259: A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Crossword Forum
This didn’t take me particularly long but I had a whale of a time nonetheless, enjoying the high grade GK-ish vocab and coherent surfaces. The two reverse cryptics at 13dn and 20dn stole the show … Read more “Times 28,259: A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Crossword Forum”
Times Quick Cryptic No 2108 by Teazel
A bit on the trickier side of things today from Teazel, with a lot of effective misdirection (for me, 10ac) and a dash or two of the less-than-obvious. I only managed four of the acrosses … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 2108 by Teazel”
28258 Thursday, 7 April 2022 I’m reviewing the situation
Lots to like about this one, keeping me going for 22 minutes and some. The Irish port town might not be familiar to everyone, but at least we are spared the Irish version, which is … Read more “28258 Thursday, 7 April 2022 I’m reviewing the situation”
Times 28257 – what larks!
I think our setter was in a good mood when he put this together; I certainly enjoyed the wit and unusual nature of a few of the clues. A little GK was needed to fully … Read more “Times 28257 – what larks!”