Author: branch

This had a nice spread of general knowledge, without ever getting totally over my head. Sports, poets, pharaohs, statistics – you pick it! I did it over lunch without timing it, but felt it was … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27216 – Saturday, 08 December 2018. Clues for all topics.”

There might have been a bit of a retro feel to this puzzle. Old scientists, old literature, old poets, old playwrights. I liked the fact that the several such that I didn’t know were gettable … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27210 – Saturday, 01 December 2018. Ah, the good old days!”

This was fun. I worked steadily up and across from the bottom right until I found myself gazing at 1ac, 1dn and 4dn. All done over lunch, as is normal now daylight saving has arrived … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27204 – Saturday, 24 November 2018. A good test here.”

I found lots to like in this rather challenging puzzle. 26ac caused me most grief, but my clue of the day was 16ac. I’ve always been a fan of Frank! Thanks to the setter for … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27198 – Saturday, 17 November 2018. He did it his way.”

On a hectic Saturday, I found this a struggle. I was slow to get the sailor, and slow to recognise the music. Pity, as there were many delightful definitions and wordplays. I hope others had … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27192 – Saturday, 10 November 2018. Off the wavelength.”

Well, that was a breeze. I was finished in about 30 minutes, which for me rates as a gentle canter. Perhaps they decided to give the rest of us a bit of a break, while … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27186 – Saturday, 03 November 2018. Better the devil you know.”

This was a very interesting mix of clues. There were some lovely definitions, like 1ac and 2ac for a start. There were also some clues that would only appeal to me if the puzzle was … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27180 – Saturday, 27 October 2018. Open book exam?”

This had some relatively obscure vocabulary, but happily the wordplay generally told us how to spell the answers. So, no complaints on that score here. Now that the clocks have changed, I normally do the … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27174 – Saturday, 20 October 2018. A whale of a puzzle.”

This puzzle had some very original wordplay, like 13ac and 1dn. 1dn was my clue of the day. It was all so smooth, I don’t have much else to say here. Thanks to the setter … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27168 – Saturday, 13 October 2018. Cue the cunning clues.”

This was a struggle. Particularly horrible were the clues with obscure answers which one couldn’t construct with certainty from the wordplay. Yes, I’m looking at you, Carne Ebbas Giant (sic) and Fianne Fáil (sic). Those … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27162 – Saturday, 06 October 2018. Parish pumps primed?”