TLS Crossword 1142 by Myrtilus, September 16 2016 Buddy can you spare a definition?

There are a lot of very concise and not terribly revealing definitions scattered throughout: An author, a writer, a queen, a poet, a nurse, this rifleman, so it’s just as well they’re tied to lucid … Read more “TLS Crossword 1142 by Myrtilus, September 16 2016 Buddy can you spare a definition?”

Times Cryptic 26530 – September 29, 2016. A Navel Encounter.

25 minutes on the dot, distracted perhaps by the incessant roar of a butterfly flapping its wings in the far, far distance. I don’t think there’s anything too tricky here, though there are a couple … Read more “Times Cryptic 26530 – September 29, 2016. A Navel Encounter.”

TLS Crossword 1139 by Broteas – August 19, 2016 A cabinet of curiosities

Another fine offering, which took me heunny naimits. O all right, 79 minutes. And yes, yes, 16 seconds. 22 and 26 were the undeserving holdups, but in truth, by the time I got to them … Read more “TLS Crossword 1139 by Broteas – August 19, 2016 A cabinet of curiosities”

Times Cryptic 26512 – September 8, 2016 Both grandmothers, twice

Another slow solve punctuated by semi-conscious episodes before the caffeine kicked in. I should explain that George has kindly agreed to take next week’s crossword when I shall be loose in France with uncertain communications … Read more “Times Cryptic 26512 – September 8, 2016 Both grandmothers, twice”

Times Cryptic 26506 – September 1, 2016 At last, a cure for insomnia!

I struggled through drooping eyelids through this, untroubled by any inkling of excitement for 25 minutes*. So many of the clues were of the “stick this into/onto that” variety, so many indeed that I ran … Read more “Times Cryptic 26506 – September 1, 2016 At last, a cure for insomnia!”

TLS Crossword 1136 by – erm – let me think about it – ah yes, Talos – July 29, 2016

40 minutes for this one, a pleasant piece of work with the happy knack of making you believe you actually knew stuff by providing accessible wordplay to answers on the fringe of memory. The crossword … Read more “TLS Crossword 1136 by – erm – let me think about it – ah yes, Talos – July 29, 2016”

Times Cryptic 26494 – August 18, 2016 So that’s what it means.

You need to know some stuff for this one at a level almost consistent with a TLS. Past brushes with Greek, Italian/music, Arabic, classic literature, various religious texts and French anti tech practices might come … Read more “Times Cryptic 26494 – August 18, 2016 So that’s what it means.”

TLS Crossword 1133 by Praxiteles – July 8, 2016: Bom Dia Senhor. E como são todos vocês hoje?

A terrific piece of work, this, which I unraveled in 47.56, with some recourse to Google’s algorithms for confirmation and enlightenment (vide infra 1ac, but not before I had manfully found several checkers). One of … Read more “TLS Crossword 1133 by Praxiteles – July 8, 2016: Bom Dia Senhor. E como são todos vocês hoje?”