Author: Chris

Very short on time today as travelling so my usually succinct blog may seem even thinner than usual. Do chat amongst yourselves! Definitions are underlined. Across 1 Card put back inside uppermost part of boot … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1961 by Mara”

I didn’t get the long anagram at 1ac until towards the end so worked round the grid finishing up in the NW. Last 3 were 1ac, 2dn and LOI 10ac which had a, to me, … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1956 by Wurm”

Interesting – as I finished, I thought I could have done better than just missing my ten minute target. Having now completed the blog, I find that this was probably a good biffing puzzle – … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1951 by Joker”

I wonder how many others will be caught out by 3dn. I’d very much enjoyed this solve and I was getting right uo to my 10 minute target when I rather rashly plumped for an … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1946 by Joker”

Right up to the wire of 10 minutes – the long anagram at 5dn being the cause of the late tension – and satisfaction. Four double definitions seems quite a lot but the only one … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1941 by Mara”

At just over 12 minutes, this took nearly twice as long as yesterday’s. I struggled mostly in the NW. After solving this QC I carried on chewing away at a paper version of last Friday’s … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1936 by Tracy”

The peace and quiet in which I started this puzzle was very soon shattered by Radio 4 being played loudly enough elsewhere that I could nearly, but not quite, make out what was being said. … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1931 by Hurley”

8 minutes for this fun puzzle. I didn’t get 1ac at first and ended up working clockwise from NE round to SW. Nothing too hard in my opinion, entertaining cluing – a good QC which … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1926 by Oink”

Reasonably smooth sailing but some sticky spots around the grid which had to be ground out – LOI was 9ac and I came home in a very satisfying 5 seconds under 10 minutes. 7ac seemed … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1921 by Trelawney”

With apologies to those uninterested in football, I’ve found it impossible not to draw references from Sunday’s game. I found this something of a test – not in the same league as the Italian football … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1916 by Joker”