I didn’t have much difficulty with this one, although the pun was even more excruciating than usual. There are a few obscure literals that you have to check in Chambers, but this is scarcely a novelty in Mephisto.
Month: May 2023
Sunday Times Cryptic No 5057 by David McLean — Whoa… what was in that one?!
I found this rather discombobulating. Did finish in one go, but it took a while. Several answers seemed quite obvious, but the parsing was not.
Times Cryptic Jumbo 1610 – 22 April 2023. Not 17 or 51
Hello all. This felt a bit different to the average beast, with a few unusual devices in the mix. When writing it up I did also notice lots of cryptic definitions and double definitions (five of each at a quick count but I haven’t double-checked). I finished in under an hour but was concentrating pretty well throughout. Good fun – thanks setter!
Times Cryptic No 28590 – Saturday, 29 April 2023. In Xanadu …
It was hard to isolate some of the definitions; perhaps they were visions in a dream? (Thinking here of the Coleridge poem suggested by 1ac).
Times 28595 – how do the violets smell?
A right royal romp!
Times Quick Cryptic No 2389 by Izetti
Today we are treated, once again, to a Friday Quick Crypric from Izetti. Being fortunate enough to know all the required general knowledge, I managed to sail through this in very nearly a clean sweep. Thank-you Izetti. How did you all get on?
Fortnightly Weekend Quick Cryptic. This time it is Sawbill’s turn to provide the extra weekend entertainment. You can find the crossword (and news of a London get together in June) here.
Times 28594 – the leader of the Archies?
Time taken: 13:39, but with a very silly typo in 1 down. I don’t think this was as difficult as I made it out to be, many clues took me a number of readings before … Read more “Times 28594 – the leader of the Archies?”
Times Quick Cryptic No 2388 by Mara
Slower than the last couple of days for a somewhat tricky QC.
Times 28593 – something fishy?
Another really enjoyable Wednesday puzzle, taking me about 20 minutes to solve and parse.
Times Quick Cryptic No 2387 by Hurley
It all began rather sedately with just three inked in on the first pass of the across clues, however a bumper crop of gentle down clues turned the tide…