Author: branch

Saturday, 16 February 2019 – Times Cryptic No 27276. Up in the air. I solved this puzzle on an iPad on an intercity air flight. It was all done by the time I landed, bar … Read more “Saturday, 16 February 2019 – Times Cryptic No 27276. Up in the air.”

This seemed fairly straightforward for a Saturday. I finished comfortably over lunch. There was a good helping of clever wordplay, and lots of gravy. I liked 12, 17 and 27ac, and 16, 19 and 24 … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27270 – Saturday, 09 February 2019. Good for the digestion.”

I wish I could say I “was brilliant” as per 9ac, but this one outlasted lunchtime for me, so a little harder than some I’d say. For discussion purposes, the clue of the day will … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27264 – Saturday, 02 February 2019. Let the punishment fit the clue.”

As I wrote this a week ago on Australia Day, the sunburnt country continued to set high temperature records. Lucky today’s puzzle wasn’t a scorcher too. I finished all but 25ac in regular time, but … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27258 – Saturday, 26 January 2019. A sunburnt country.”

This blog appears on an Australian public holiday to mark the arrival of British settlers in Sydney Cove. A good or a bad thing depending which side of history you were on. Arguably not the … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27252 – Saturday, 19 January 2019. Happy Australia day”

There were some delights here. I loved 10ac and 24dn, but the standout for me was 15dn – the clue of the year so far for me! (That’s a small sample, it’s true.) I spent … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27246 – Saturday, 12 January 2019. The agony and the ecstasy.”

A middle of the road Saturday challenge, I thought. I did it in bits and pieces, and don’t have an aggregate time to report. My LOI was 19dn, where I had a blind spot thinking … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27240 – Saturday, 05 January 2019. The civility of servants.”

With New Year falling between the puzzle and this, its blog, I wish everyone all the best for 2019. One of my plans for the coming year is to do the Times Crossword on paper … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27234 – Saturday, 29 December 2018. Happy belated New Year.”

An easy run-up to Christmas, I think. I was done before lunch, rather than over the meal, for once. I hope you all had pleasant festivities. Strangely, by the time I was three-quarters of the … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27228 – Saturday, 22 December 2018. All tees dotted and eyes crossed.”

Those who like obscurities may have been disappointed – nothing here was new even to me (although the male ferret was lost in the distant reaches of memory). On the other hand, there were lots … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27222 – Saturday, 15 December 2018. A Dickens of a time.”