Author: ilanc

Solving time: 32’ Solved at a rather brisk pace – for me. I actually knew all the words in this puzzle or at least believed they meant what the clue implied. A nice thing about … Read more “Times 23601/not a dictionary word to be found”

Solving time: 42’ Took some scouring of clues and an empty grid until something fell (first was the anagram at 8D) – from then on made fairly steady progress with the bottom-half significantly easier than … Read more “Times 23595/needed a portolan to find the oche”

Solving time: 25’ Any time under half an hour is rather quick for me, though there are a couple of wordplays that I’ll leave for my betters to gloss. Words almost all longish (except for … Read more “Times 23583/Pussy Galore!”

Solving time: 58′ Meticulously fair wordplay but some pretty obscure references that had me scurrying for reference books (e.g. LABAN) and I’m not sure about the Clare reference in 13D nor the wordplay for 22A. … Read more “Times 23577/Laban”

Solving time: 40’ but missing two NW answers Rather difficult – and I discovered I don’t do all that well under pressure – I have to get out of the house about 20 minutes ago… … Read more “Times 23571/cryptic interruptus”

Solving time: About an hour but in two sessions The top-half was a lot easier than the bottom. A couple of new words that had me reaching for a dictionary (which had to wait until … Read more “Times 23565/gubbins”

Solving time: 1hr 3mins Tough Tuesday. My brain has slowed down considerably this week. My Grandmother died – it’s OK she was 104 and totally with it until the last moment (her last words to … Read more “Times 23559/Tati in a tutu?”

Solving time: 55’ but not sure about one answer I did this mostly on a paper copy over breakfast in Manchester (that’s N. England not Sicily). Fortunately on my Sicily vacation I took a wrong … Read more “Times 23553/Sicily vacation”

Solving time: 40’ I did this on and off between interruptions in an hour and a bit but don’t understand two wordplays – probably a net of 40’. Lots of words starting with O (seven) … Read more “Times 23541/nOt sOlved at full tilt”