Hmm. There’s nothing complicated about these clues, which I am looking back on nearly a week after my… leisurely solving experience, as I ask myself, What took so long?
Author: Guy du Sable
Sunday Times Cryptic No 5103 by Dean Mayer — Not a word wasted
Clues succinct and densely packed, somewhat like koans, hard to crack.
Sunday Times Cryptic No 5101 by Robert Price — FOUND DOG
This was great fun, albeit fairly easy. We are given a nice variety of clue types.
Sunday Times Cryptic No 5099 by David McLean — Any Questions?
Some of these clues kept me guessing for a while, and delightfully so.
Sunday Times Cryptic No 5097 by Dean Mayer — climbing K2
This surely isn’t “objectively” as hard a puzzle as it seemed to me last Saturday night. It would be extremely hyperbolic to call it a “Savage Mountain,” but it was a worthy challenge that I survived unscathed.
Sunday Times Cryptic No 5095 by Robert Price — sustenance
Took a few moments to find the wavelength, but I soon had a steady signal, as usual when Bob’s at the transmitter.
Sunday Times Cryptic No 5093 by David McLean — crime and punishment
Hmm… I detect a theme here.
Sunday Times Jumbo Cryptic No 5091 by David McLean — all unwrapped
This fruitcake is chock-full of seasonal nuttiness, with a good number of clues that wouldn’t work nearly as well at any other time, which makes it generally quite easy. The few unusual words and more difficult parsings really stood out.
Sunday Times Cryptic No 5089 by Robert Price — Beatitude
This Sunday we were truly blessed, brothers and sisters. The intelligent design of this creator tested us, but not with anything beyond our ability to bear.
Sunday Times Cryptic No 5087 by David McLean — cutting words
After my FOI, I worked all the four longest (12-letter) clues. I profited from that flying start and had this all completed within a comfortable timeframe, though two answers stubbornly resisted parsing. Had to watch my fingers—there are some sharp devices here.