Solving time : 20 minutes There’s not much to say about this puzzle. It’s very straightforward with no particularly unusual words, obscurities or clever devices. Across 1 WESTWARD,HO! – two meanings 1=novel by Charles Kingsley … Read more “Times 24,289 A Sabbat for Bigfoot”
Author: dorsetjimbo
Mephisto 2548 (28th June 2009)
A relatively easy puzzle with a good number of clues that are no harder than appear every day in the ordinary cryptic. This is particularly true of the initial down clues where I solved the … Read more “Mephisto 2548 (28th June 2009)”
Times 24,265 by Saturday’s Child
Solving time : 25 minutes I have a lot to do today (off on holiday tomorrow) so got up early only to find the Times website couldn’t be accessed. Rushed off to local newsagent to … Read more “Times 24,265 by Saturday’s Child”
Times 24,253 Salvage Frogman in Camouflage
Solving time : 25 minutes A standard Times cryptic with a levening of slang, cricket, religion, obscure poet and so on. There are no less than five long anagrams. Across 1 CARESS – CARES-S; pet=canoodle … Read more “Times 24,253 Salvage Frogman in Camouflage”
Mephisto 2545 Mike Laws
A puzzle that was as easy as the previous week’s had been difficult. It came the day after a very tough Saturday Prize Crossword that took me longer to complete! One point of interest is … Read more “Mephisto 2545 Mike Laws”
Mephisto 2544 Paul McKenna
I thought this a difficult puzzle with nearly every clue requiring some access to Chambers. Indeed, most of the starter clues are simple constructions that lead to answers that have to be verified by dictionary … Read more “Mephisto 2544 Paul McKenna”
Times 24241 A Humdrum Affair
Solving time : 12 minutes As easy and boring a puzzle as you’re likely to find in the Times. Three slight obscurities: the Catholic Court; the US fish; and the left over food. One small … Read more “Times 24241 A Humdrum Affair”
Times 24229 the chicken returned and became a double-crosser!
Solving time : 25 minutes Nothing terribly difficult here but one or two obscurities such as TORII and PERSEPOLIS with a trip down memory lane in the form of GENEVIEVE that overseas solvers may struggle … Read more “Times 24229 the chicken returned and became a double-crosser!”
Mephisto 2541 Paul McKenna
After last week’s puzzle that hardly required one to consult Chambers this one is rather harder and needed a reference for most of the clues. This is not my favourite grid because of all those … Read more “Mephisto 2541 Paul McKenna”
Mephisto 2540 Tim Moorey
This is a very easy puzzle that can be 90% solved without recourse to Chambers (C). Across 1 OFFS – OFF-S; OFF=officer; S=special; ices; 4 DITTY,BAG – DITTY-B-AG; B=book; AG=silver; salt=sailor; a sailor’s kit bag; … Read more “Mephisto 2540 Tim Moorey”