A gentle offering, with evenly paved surfaces slick enough to trip you up as to the cryptic parsing. I have a two or three quibbles, but no major complaint—nothing nearly so troublesome as my problems … Read more “Sunday Times 4831, 30 December 2018, by David McLean — A Saucerful of Resects”
Author: Guy du Sable
Sunday Times Cryptic No. 4829, by Jeff Pearce — Fag ged about it
I suddenly remembered this morning that I had to do this by tonight, and I’ve lost my copy so had to work it again, and I had no notes. But this wasn’t a hard one. … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No. 4829, by Jeff Pearce — Fag ged about it”
Sunday Times Cryptic No. 4827, by Dean Mayer — Boxing Day?
I didn’t notice while working it last week, but this puzzle has a large number (13!) of enclosure clues. As usual, I went through this in no great haste, taking time to stop and savor … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No. 4827, by Dean Mayer — Boxing Day?”
Sunday Times Cryptic 4825, by David McLean — Four-letter word! (But is it art?)
As I set this to publish, I’m just back from the Metropolitan Museum here in New York City, where I spent some time with the sensational Eugène Delacroix. Which seems appropriate, as this puzzle reacquainted … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4825, by David McLean — Four-letter word! (But is it art?)”
Sunday Times Cryptic 4823, by Jeff Pearce — It’s easy… too easy(?)*
* My desultory research indicates that the first citation of “It’s quiet… too quiet” may be a line in the film Drums Along the Mohawk (1939). This was a moderately entertaining and not very difficult … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4823, by Jeff Pearce — It’s easy… too easy(?)*”
Sunday Times Cryptic 4821, by Dean Mayer — Any eyebrows raised?
I enjoyed this a lot. FOI was DESPOIL, then FAIR-AND-SQUARE, and then, from only the Q and the definition, I got SESQUIPEDALIAN, and was well on my way. The only frustrating LOGJAM occurred with my … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4821, by Dean Mayer — Any eyebrows raised?”
Sunday Times Cryptic 4819, by David McLean — Comma chameleon
It was pleasant looking back over this puzzle, which I recall as a(n) 13ing outing, after a week. In the first edition of this blog, I thought that the one clue where I detected a … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4819, by David McLean — Comma chameleon”
Sunday Times Cryptic 4817, by Jeff Pearce — Like a result in the night
Pretty easy, this one. I filled in most of the acrosses, in order, in record time, and most of the rest came fairly quickly. Four anagrams, and three in a row! I even biffed a … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4817, by Jeff Pearce — Like a result in the night”
Sunday Times Cryptic No. 4815, by Dean Mayer — Yon lone nagaram…!
And it isn’t even the entire clue. My goodness, has this ever happened before? (nagarams)* like this ACROSS 1 Indian dish served in food halls (4) DHAL — Hidden in food halls 4 Boss with … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No. 4815, by Dean Mayer — Yon lone nagaram…!”
Sunday Times Cryptic 4813, by David McLean — Not the end of the world
Rather a mundane vocabulary for this one. I pick as my COD the clever, though quite easy, 7, which is also probably the most interesting word here. But 6 also stands out, as &lit.s have … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4813, by David McLean — Not the end of the world”