Author: Guy du Sable

The last time I blogged, there was a bit of discussion about Cryptic Definitions, in which both the setter and the editor joined in. I just sat back with some popcorn (so to speak). An … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4951, by David McLean — CD-aRAMa”

As with the last puzzle I blogged, I spotted an easy long one first, 14. But 17, the answer with which it is 23, eluded me for a while, though it now seems pretty obvious. … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4949 by Dean Mayer — coir practice”

I flashed on the answer to 13 on first glance, so decided to take the time then to work out the long anagram in 16, which made it possible to finish everything below that pretty … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4947 by Robert Price — Yo-’o-’o, and a bottle of rum ♫”

I (obviously) don’t know anything about the UK version of Monopoly, but was confident enough of what was going on in 1A that I only now (Friday night) got around to checking it. On the … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4945 by David McLean — Pass Go, collect £143.68?”

and I am sure I could’ve cracked the fifteen-letter 5 first of all, if Saturday Night Live had not just come on and if the first thing I saw when glancing at the newly printed … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4943, by Dean Mayer — No major hurdles…”

Nothing much very convoluted here, but all quite engaging for the smoothness of the surfaces and the uncontrived craftiness of the wordplay. Not saying I ripped thru this in 5, but I got the first … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4941, by Robert Price — circling the square”

As I’m sure was had by all 23ing the codes here! Some of you 23 solvers may have even made 23ing good time. Mine was more of a 6’s pace, but I was savoring the … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4939, by David McLean — A 23ing good time!”

This time I’m writing this up almost a week after the working. The character of my marks indicates that I filled it in pretty quickly—when there’s a tough one, I like, for some reason, to … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4937, by Dean Mayer — Crumbs of comfort”

This wonderful puzzle seemed like the largest helping of seasonal cheer I had anywhere at one time this year (besides when I gave another spin to Bob Dylan’s Christmas in the Heart). If an answer … Read more “Sunday Times Christmas Cryptic 4935, by Robert Price — What, no figgy pudding?”

What    a      tonic        for          my            nerves… I indicate (man as rag)* like this, and italicize anagrinds in the clues. ACROSS  1 Country girl on booze university … (8) PORTUGAL — PORT, “booze” with GAL, “girl” + U(niversity) attached  5 … lectured for … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No 4933 by David McLean — Take it easy on the curves…”