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Times for The Times: Times and comments on The Times crossword from a team of solvers

Author: Zabadak

29386 Your train (of thought) may be delayed

Author   ZabadakPosted on 13th November 2025 at 3:06 AMCategories Daily Cryptic

Time: 25:52, which seems like a long time , but I think, for me at least, the complexities of this one demanded much head scratching and careful pondering. One curiosity, which you’ll see often enough … Read more “29386 Your train (of thought) may be delayed”

View48 Comments on 29386 Your train (of thought) may be delayed

Times Cryptic 29374 A chorus of approval.

Author   ZabadakPosted on 30th October 2025 at 2:30 AM30 October 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

Time: 25:21, so a challenging piece as far as I’m concerned, though full of delights and flashes of sudden realisation. I’d like to say, as a proper blogger, that I worked everything out as I … Read more “Times Cryptic 29374 A chorus of approval.”

View52 Comments on Times Cryptic 29374 A chorus of approval.

29362 ….and breathe.

Author   ZabadakPosted on 16th October 2025 at 1:43 AMCategories Daily Cryptic

  13.10, though I thought it was going to be quicker. After the chastening challenge of the first Competition grid yesterday this felt like a generous helping of light relief, and in the early stages … Read more “29362 ….and breathe.”

View62 Comments on 29362 ….and breathe.

29350 Izzy wizzy, let’s get busy!

Author   ZabadakPosted on 2nd October 2025 at 2:23 AMCategories Daily Cryptic

  At 20.43, I didn’t find this easy, especially working out all the wordplay as one should when preparing a blog. There’s still a couple of bits, however, where my working out is a bit … Read more “29350 Izzy wizzy, let’s get busy!”

View63 Comments on 29350 Izzy wizzy, let’s get busy!

29338 End of a (brief) era.

Author   ZabadakPosted on 18th September 2025 at 1:45 AMCategories Daily Cryptic

  17.58, but as I was going through this write up, I was increasingly convinced that it should have been quicker. Lots of clearly telegraphed first, last and middle letters, and a compendium of very … Read more “29338 End of a (brief) era.”

View57 Comments on 29338 End of a (brief) era.

29326 Not from down under, then…

Author   ZabadakPosted on 4th September 2025 at 1:57 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

  18 minutes precisely, taking time to make sure I’d correctly interpreted the wordplay, which varied between the bizarre and the really quite easy. A couple of celebrities put in an appearance, one living, one … Read more “29326 Not from down under, then…”

View80 Comments on 29326 Not from down under, then…

29314 Russ Conway remembered.

Author   ZabadakPosted on 21st August 2025 at 1:36 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

  22.20: I don’t think this was anywhere near as tricky as I made it, but I do have some excuses, such as tackling a brutal Broteas TLS crossword immediately before the midnight hour and … Read more “29314 Russ Conway remembered.”

View74 Comments on 29314 Russ Conway remembered.

29302 Given an even break.

Author   ZabadakPosted on 7th August 2025 at 1:56 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

  14.41, as I took my time making sure everything was parsed and nothing was going to produce an unwanted pink. There’s one I’m not fully convinced by, which usually means I’ve missed something obvious … Read more “29302 Given an even break.”

View58 Comments on 29302 Given an even break.

29290 Mine’s A Good Attempt.

Author   ZabadakPosted on 24th July 2025 at 2:17 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

  A much appreciated puzzle completed (mostly parsed) in 23.12, which seems to be about par for me on blogging Thursdays. A lot of great surfaces inviting (possibly controversial) commentary, and as far as I … Read more “29290 Mine’s A Good Attempt.”

View69 Comments on 29290 Mine’s A Good Attempt.

29278 Not the end of the world.

Author   ZabadakPosted on 10th July 2025 at 2:25 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

  18.33 Most of this I found relatively straightforward, and the geographical and literary references were known to me, even if I misremembered the nationality of the writer at 4. Where I hit a bit … Read more “29278 Not the end of the world.”

View64 Comments on 29278 Not the end of the world.

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