December 2023 – Times for The Times

Mephisto 3304 – Shift logical right – don’t fall into the bit bucket!

vinyl131st December 2023 at 1:02 AM31 December 2023Mephisto

This was a moderate Mephisto, and I mostly did pretty well with it, but I ended up struggling in the NE. It’s pretty easy to get stuck when you know how a clue must work, but can’t manage to get all the right pieces in the right place.

Sunday Times Jumbo Cryptic No 5091 by David McLean — all unwrapped

Guy du Sable31st December 2023 at 12:00 AM31 December 2023Weekend Cryptic

This fruitcake is chock-full of seasonal nuttiness, with a good number of clues that wouldn’t work nearly as well at any other time, which makes it generally quite easy. The few unusual words and more difficult parsings really stood out.

Times Cryptic Jumbo 1648 – 16 December 2023

JerryW30th December 2023 at 1:27 AM24 December 2023Jumbo Cryptic

Hello again. This Jumbo, – the first of a positive flurry of jumbos, an entire Christmas herd, and more to come – I thought was not too difficult, but with some fine clues, especially … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1648 – 16 December 2023”

Times Cryptic 28794 – Sat, 23 Dec 2023. Pre-Christmas cheer.

branch30th December 2023 at 12:00 AM27 December 2023Weekend Cryptic

Smooth sailing for the most part. I’m puzzled by one thing

Times 28799 – not sickness should detain me

william_j_s29th December 2023 at 2:03 AM28 December 2023Daily Cryptic

I’m glad for another on the gentler side for Friday, as I’m fighting a cold and not in the mood for thinking too hard. Lots of witty clues, but I really liked 17ac.