Times Cryptic 26710 – April 27, 2017 Unaccented, but with a fair bit of stress

Initial results (including mine, breaking the 30 minute mark) suggest that this innocuous little number might be bamboozling everyone except George, at least a bit. My holdups were mostly in the lower half of the … Read more “Times Cryptic 26710 – April 27, 2017 Unaccented, but with a fair bit of stress”

Times Cryptic 26698 – April 13, 2017 10 Whoreson Unnecessaries*

You’d have thought that a setter’s determination to cram as many Zeds as possible into the grid would, once twigged, help with the solving, and it did, to an extent, as the odds on a … Read more “Times Cryptic 26698 – April 13, 2017 10 Whoreson Unnecessaries*”

TLS Crossword 1165 — 1A by Praxiteles – March 3, 2017 Return to Mugby Junction…

….or The Magic Fishbone This is no normal TLS, and there are clearly those at t’Club who dislike it simply because everything in it is from Dickens. The extraordinary determination of Praxiteles to give every … Read more “TLS Crossword 1165 — 1A by Praxiteles – March 3, 2017 Return to Mugby Junction…”

TLS Crossword 1162 by Myrtilus – Feb 10, 2017 Mann Freyja Day

Anything that starts with a top line pun has to be Ming the Myrtilus and a joy to solve, and this is no exception. Walter Scott is given a prominent place in the proceedings, if … Read more “TLS Crossword 1162 by Myrtilus – Feb 10, 2017 Mann Freyja Day”

Times Cryptic 26662 – March 2, 2017 Fascinating Rhythm

By my reckoning, the fourth crossword in a row on the easy side, though my relatively speedy 12.29 was nullified by a key-next-door Blurbird. Zip-a-Dee-Doo-D’oh. At least by the time most of you get on … Read more “Times Cryptic 26662 – March 2, 2017 Fascinating Rhythm”

Times Cryptic 26650 – February 16, 2017: A Lot of Lit

With a little tinkering, this could turn up in a couple of weeks as a TLS. Lots of Lit and Arts references, and decent, economical clues including an original-looking idea at 15 which works perfectly … Read more “Times Cryptic 26650 – February 16, 2017: A Lot of Lit”

TLS Crossword 1159 by Broteas – January 20, 2017 Vamanos to the Hall at Pooh Corner!

This was a good workout which I completed a shade inside 45 minutes. Some of the references were a tad obscure: or at least stuff I didn’t know, such as the book at 1 and … Read more “TLS Crossword 1159 by Broteas – January 20, 2017 Vamanos to the Hall at Pooh Corner!”