Author: mctext

Solving time: 18:40 Nothing special here except a possibly obscure board game — the one at 23dn that is. There’s a nod in the direction of instruments you blow into but, alas, not the strings … Read more “Times 25421: AS MAD ’S MONOD”

Solving time: 27:19 Getting just a tad harder as the week goes on … for me at least. But nothing too difficult here. One trap for the over-hasty solver and a few I’ve got from … Read more “Times 25409: Senseless cheering downunder”

Solving time: 18:12 Should have been quicker in retrospect, strangely held up by 1ac and 4dn! Put this down to blogger’s nerves eh? Otherwise a fairly straight solve much aided by no fewer than four … Read more “Times 25397: Capital, capital! (as Marx said when Engels’s cheques arrived)”

Solving time: 19:33 Not a difficult puzzle — three in a row then this week. So maybe expect a stinker tomorrow? I’m off in search of a decent set of baritone ukulele strings, so may … Read more “Times 25385: Homage to illogical negativism”

Solving time: 29:32 Probably spent too long trying to construe some clues when the answers were obvious from the definitions (and/or checking letters). By the same token, the only answer I’d never heard of was … Read more “Times 25373: From The Merchants of Venice with Food”

Solving time: 21:32 After a week of temperatures close to or above 40˚C, it’s finally cooled off for blog day. Just as well, for ’tis hard to think while melting. Not a really difficult puzzle; … Read more “Times 25361: Old Possum’s Books of Other Animals”

Solving time: 20:26 Not quite as easy as Monday’s and not quite as hard (or enjoyable) as yesterday’s. Perhaps a couple of bits of vocab (18ac, 24dn) might be unfamiliar; but the clues pretty much … Read more “Times 25350: Plucking game birds”

Solving time: 18:40 Straightforward puzzle with just one possible obscurity for non-train-spotters. Across  1 LIGATURE. Two meanings: musical slur or tie; combined letters such as æ and fl. In this case, the latter.  5 SCAR,A,B. … Read more “Times 25338: Parts on Parade”

Solving time: 21:08 Hope this is the last Championship puzzle I have to blog for a while. Didn’t find this terribly hard. No omissions as the puzzle’s been around in the public domain for quite … Read more “Times 25326: A most unattractive old thing”

Solving time: 49:31 Ergo no use whatsoever for me at any Finals ever. Did this last week after being sent the Finals puzzles by a friend. Thanks. It’s a pangram and that helped a bit … Read more “Times 25314: Love In The Bloodstream”