Author: branch

Based on comments in last week’s blog, I clearly underestimated the difficulty of that puzzle. Undeterred, I’m going to call this week’s “easy for a Saturday”! I was finished in about 25 minutes. How did … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27156 – Saturday, 29 September 2018. Blowing in the wind.”

I rated this a middle of the road Saturday puzzle. Several clues referred to things I didn’t know, but not vital to finding the answer. My clue of the day was 11ac. I found it … Read more “Saturday, 22 September 2018 – Times Cryptic No 27150. Pack round, people.”

Well – where has this setter been hiding? This puzzle wasn’t easy, and had delightful originality. Unusual vocabulary, original wordplay, delicious definitions. I gathered it was going to be a challenge when my first pass … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27144 – Saturday, 15 September 2018. A crossword from another universe?”

Times Cryptic No 27138 – Saturday, 08 September 2018. Tennis, anyone? Once again I had a full weekend of meetings – don’t mention the tennis! – so I did this in bits and pieces, and … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27138 – Saturday, 08 September 2018. Tennis, anyone?”

I found this puzzle a workout! About a third of the clues were “regular weight” and went in in 10 minutes or so, then I spent another hour or more looking at clue after clue … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27132 – Saturday, 01 September 2018. Don’t talk of clues – show me!”

I did this in bits and piece during a busy Saturday so I don’t have a time to report. I thought it might have been a little harder than recent Saturdays, but it was a … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27126 – Saturday, 25 August 2018. Resistance is futile.”

A fun puzzle. Harder than the previous couple of weeks, taking me almost 42 minutes. There were a number of clues where I had knowledge gaps, but could put the answer in with a note … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27120 – Saturday, 18 August 2018. No smoking gun, just smoked haddock.”

Many will have encountered difficulties with the club site this weekend, so online times may be uncertain. I solved on paper in 33 minutes, so comparable to last week’s, although it felt if anything a … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27114 – Saturday, 11 August 2018. Please take a ticket and wait.”

Finished in 32 minutes, so I would rate it easier than average. Very nicely clued but all within my ken. My clue of the day was 25ac with the clever wordplay. Also, a call-out to … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27108 – Saturday, 04 August 2018. Hurricanes hardly happen!”

After the struggles of the preceding Thursday and Friday’s puzzles, this Saturday puzzle was a return to what we expect. It wasn’t easy, but had nothing to frighten the horses, or indeed to unseat the … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27102 – Saturday, 28 July 2018. Normal service will now resume.”