Hello everyone. I started slowly with this one, then moved up to a steady medium pace before grinding to a halt on my last couple … if you’re not a plant person you may well have felt the presence of something nasty in the woodshed!
Author: Kitty
Times Quick Cryptic 2938 by Trelawney – Happy Monday
Hi all. I liked this – there are some creative touches which I really enjoyed. Thanks Trelawney!
Times Quick Cryptic 2926 by Oink
Hi everyone. It feels like some time since we’ve seen Oink, and certainly since I’ve had the pleasure of blogging a piggy puzzle. It seemed not so easy when solving but I actually came in comfortably under my inner target time, about a minute slower than my record. My favourite clues are 1d and 4d.
Times Quick Cryptic 2914 by Izetti – back to normality?
Hi all. After failing on Izetti’s last offering, this week I put in a very similar time to the Izetti before that, progressing at an even (if unexceptional) pace. I enjoyed it more too. No 11ds today! Thanks Izetti!
Times Cryptic Jumbo 1715 – 1 Feb 2025. A better fail than expected
Hello everybody, and happy Saturday. This was a dnf, but I was amazed that it was only by one. In the end I was quite pleased really with my 76 minutes on the timer and single error. Thanks, setter, for the brain teasing.
Times Quick Cryptic 2902 by Teazel
Hello all. Thanks to Teazel who kicks off a fresh week of quick cryptics. How did you find it?
Times Quick Cryptic 2890 by Alex
Hi everyone. Thanks to Alex for a typically enjoyable puzzle in which my picks are 17a, 2d and 4d. For me it was a medium on the QC difficulty scale, but it’s your collective experience which will tell.
Times Cryptic Jumbo 1710 – 1 January 2025. I found myself!
Hi all. This puzzle was published on New Year’s Day and already it feels like the year is far from new. I recorded 77 minutes so must have found it pretty tricky – or been very tired! There’s an obvious COD for me at 34d. Thanks setter!
Times Quick Cryptic 2878 by Bjorn – not for one Bjorn yesterday
Hello all. I hope the new year is treating you well. With some clever misdirection in wordplay and definitions, this felt like the kind of puzzle which might sit better with experienced solvers used to more advanced puzzles. Because I’m one of those (just realised I started blogging nearly ten years ago – eek!) I did ok timewise (about average) and enjoyed it immensely, but it kept me thinking a couple of minutes longer than did the previous Bjorn puzzle. Thanks to Bjorn for the entertainment.
Times Quick Cryptic 2866 by Pedro
Hello, and welcome to Christmas Eve Eve. I hope you all have a lovely festive season and I’ll see you again on the other side.
EDIT: following comments, I can reassure you that today’s puzzle was clearly on the tough side for a Quick Cryptic. I must have been in the zone as nothing held me up unduly and I found plenty to like. Thanks Pedro!