Solving time: 28 minutes. This was an easy puzzle but blogging it was much harder work. As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and … Read more “Times Cryptic 27518”
Author: jackkt
Times Quick Cryptic 1490 by Orpheus
At 6 minutes this was equal to my fastest regular solving time as achieved on 30 previous occasions. I’ve beaten it only twice over the years, coming in at 5 minutes. For the record, I … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1490 by Orpheus”
Times Cryptic 27512
Solving time: 52 minutes. There are some quite complicated constructions here but easy stuff too so that it was not difficult to get footholds around the grid and build from there. As usual definitions are underlined … Read more “Times Cryptic 27512”
Times Cryptic 27506
My solving time was about an hour but there was nothing particularly difficult here. How did you all do? As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and … Read more “Times Cryptic 27506”
Times Quick Cryptic 1480 by Trelawney
My solving time was 9 minutes but I lost at least a minute towards the end trying to find something to fit the checkers at 1ac. After a couple of QCs with very few anagrams … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1480 by Trelawney”
Times Cryptic 27500
My solving time was off the scale and I used aids for the unknown 21dn. Perhaps the setter decided to set a stinker to mark the 27500th puzzle, or maybe it was just me? As usual definitions … Read more “Times Cryptic 27500”
Times Cryptic 27494
I found some of this quite tricky as there were a few words and bits of GK that I didn’t know. But it was every enjoyable and held my interest so that I never felt … Read more “Times Cryptic 27494”
Times Quick Cryptic 1470 by Tracy
My run of disastrous solves continues with this one that took me 18 minutes which is well into ‘red’ territory (15+ minutes) yet again. I haven’t achieved my 10 minute target since Tracy’s last appearance on 18th … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1470 by Tracy”
Times Cryptic 27488
I’ve no solving time to offer for this one as I was distracted and forgot to note how long I was away from it. There were a couple of answers unknown to me and an unknown … Read more “Times Cryptic 27488”
Times Cryptic 27482
Solving time: 38 minutes. There were a couple of unfamiliar words here but the answers came easily enough from wordplay, which is as things should be so I have no complaints. Much more enjoyabe than yesterday’s strange … Read more “Times Cryptic 27482”