Author: Guy du Sable

Happy Leap Year! I’m glad last month had an extra day, as I needed some time to catch up… What struck me about this puzzle was that among the generally quite straightforward and succinct definitions … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No 4891, 23 II 2020, by David McLean — It’s apposite day!”

Well, it never fails. My biographical note has been posted with this blog now for only a matter of some weeks, and it will soon be out of date, and in a most distressing way. … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4889, 9 II 2020, by Dean Mayer — Do I have to spell it out?”

A very enjoyable, solid effort, in which the definitions (except those for CDs and &lits) are consistently epitomes of succinctness. The Arab bazaar may be a new word to someone out there, but the Americans … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No 4887, 26 I 2020, by Robert Price — Quoit the puzzle!”

Hey, I had a McLean puzzle last go-round! Well, Biddlecombe has explained what happened there… This was great fun, despite the absence of any really unusual vocabulary, nothing previously unknown to work out strictly via … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4885, 12 I 2020, by David McLean — Needling Boris”

As I had never blogged a Jumbo before, I was glad to find, once I got started, that this was all fairly straightforward, and a real holiday gift rather than a chore. We have every … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4883, 29 XII 2019, by David McLean — Oh, just see what a glorious fill”

Rather than quote Jesus Christ in reference to my FOI, 13, I prefer to evoke the Rolling Stones, especially since the track in question is one of the few where a lead vocal is sung … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No 4881, 15 XII 2019, by Robert Price — Let’s drink to the hard-working people…”

A fine puzzle, and what a neat grid, with two little knots of four letters cross-referenced both ways! That may have made this one of Dean’s easier ones, though it’s hard for me to say, … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No 4879, 1 XII 2019, by Dean Mayer — Whelp,…”

A good assortment of varied clues here, from hidden word to &lit, but only one involving reversal, which seems slightly unusual. Probably a pretty easy outing for most of the regulars. I do (ragnasam)* like … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No 4877, 17 XI 2019, by David McLean — Zing!”

I heartily enjoyed my time with this, which time I, as always, can’t put any number on. I forget what was on my SmartTV last Saturday as I leisurely strolled through the clues, but you … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No 4875, 3 XI 2019, by Robert Price — Trilling info from a whistle-blower!”

As my FOI was IN ONE’S RIGHT MIND, and my third, after AIDA, was the other 15-letter answer, DELIRIUM TREMENS, I was off to a flying start. Now, I really like long answers, but especially … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No 4873, 20 X 2019, by Dean Mayer — Make mine a double”