Author: branch

This was a relaxing solve for a Bank Holiday Saturday. I hope it left everyone ready to face the short week refreshed! The top half went in very smoothly, then the SW corner slowed me … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27360 – Saturday, 25 May 2019. Oh to be in England now that spring has sprung.”

I started quickly, picking the proverbial low-hanging fruit. Things changed about halfway through, and the rest was a struggle. The obscurity and artistry of many clues had me doubting answers even when I saw them. … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27354 – Saturday, 18 May 2019. Low hanging fruit, and high art?”

If you knew that Terence Rattigan wrote the play mentioned in the title, you probably found this whole crossword a walk in the park! Otherwise, you might have had to tax your mind a bit … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27348 – Saturday, 11 May 2019. A Walk in the Woods.”

Another typical Saturday, I’d say. No plants, no animals, just an obscure sauce. I’m deeply sceptical about the complaint at 9dn. It seems to follow the principle of, “give a dog a bad name”! Thanks … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27342 – Saturday, 04 May. A saucy little 17.”

This was medium difficulty, I thought. Once more I did it during odd moments and don’t have a time, but at least I did finish. My progress was basically clockwise: NW, NE, SE and SW. … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27336 – Saturday, 27 April 2019. Once more intro the breach.”

For some reason, I was never comfortable working on this crossword. (Sorry, setter. It wasn’t you, it was me, I’m sure.) On the first pass, I only got two answers, and for most clues I … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27330 – Saturday, 20 April. Don’t try this at home.”

Well, nothing easy about this one, although it is all solvable. Certainly there was no biffing for me – each clue required work to unravel. I only got two answers on my first pass, and … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27324 – Saturday, 13 April 2019. Heads down, tails up.”

All done on the morning of, so not outrageously hard. Still, harder than the week before. Fortunately, I had the luxury of doing it on paper, not on a phone, and so, again fortunately, don’t … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27318 – Saturday, 06 April. What’s a Grecian Urn?”

So April has arrived: Whan that Aprill with his shoures sooteThe droghte of March hath perced to the roote. and with it a major announcement from one of our distinguished bloggers. I read it on … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27312 – Saturday, 30 March 2019. Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote ….”

I solved this in quickstep tempo: slow, slow, quick, quick, slow. (Pause for vinyl1 to put on appropriate mood music.) I finished the SE corner after some time and then worked up and left until … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27306 – Saturday, 23 March 2019. In the mood.”