Author: jackkt

Some of this was straightforward and I thought for a while I might be in for an easy ride, but several clues put up quite a lot of resistance and time gradually slipped away from … Read more “Times 25728”

After so many erudite and entertaining blogs over recent days I’m afraid this one’s going to let the side down with a bang because I’ve very little to say about this puzzle. It’s a workmanlike … Read more “Times 25704 – Not a stinker!”

I solved all but four clues in the SE corner within 30 minutes parsing as I went, but I needed another 15 to finish it off with 17dn and 19ac accounting for the last 10 … Read more “TIMES 25692 – Aharr, Jim Lad!”

I solved all but seven clues in the top half within 30 minutes then ground to a halt for 20 minutes. Having eventually cracked 7dn the remaining answers fell like nine-pins. I had a lot … Read more “Times 25680”

About 50 minutes for this one but my brain is still addled following the festivities of the past couple of days. An early Z made me think we might be in for another pangram but … Read more “Times 25668 – The morning after…”

This took me 45 minutes parsing everything as I went and some of the wordplay was not immediately apparent. There were no actual unknowns today except perhaps 4dn where I knew the engine part but … Read more “TIMES 25657 – Bit of a stretch?”

20 minutes, and as predicted I got off very lightly after a testing week of puzzles. One clue gave me pause for thought but otherwise it was more or less a write-in. If I’d not … Read more “Times 25645 – Happy Day!”

A minute or two over the hour, so another tricky one for me which on reflection might have been solved more quickly if I had not insisted on working out the wordplay as I went … Read more “Times 25633 – Slow Cha-Cha”

I expect to see some fast solving times today as most of this was very easy indeed. I got held up towards the end by a couple of shades of meaning I didn’t quite see … Read more “Times 25621 – The New Monday”