Solving time: 7:44 – with one careless mistake A fairly easy puzzle for me, with quite a few double defs – I counted 6, along with a couple of cryptic defs. Of these 8, I … Read more “24445”
Author: petebiddlecombe
Mephisto 2278 – Missing Clue
For those with a one-letter hole in yesterday’s Mephisto solution, here’s the clue you need to fill it. 28 Look into publicity for old estate (4)
Mephisto 2577 – Paul McKenna
This took about 2 hours in four goes, scattered over gaps in the snooker on the box. I used Chambers after about 6 answers were in, and found the SE corner hardest – 32, 34, … Read more “Mephisto 2577 – Paul McKenna”
24439
Solving time: 5:34 An easy puzzle for me, probably because there were 5 fairly easy double defs, and some pretty clear anagrams. There are some novel clues here as well as the easy stuff. And … Read more “24439”
More news from across the pond
The Atlantic Monthly puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon came to an end two or three months ago after 20-plus years of excellent gimmick-based puzzles without the extreme vocabulary of the Listener and the … Read more “More news from across the pond”
Try another Times crossword
The New York Times has a cryptic crossword occasionally in its Sunday edition (2 weeks in every 18 I think – there’s a complex schedule for the type of puzzle that accompanies the large grid … Read more “Try another Times crossword”
Times 24433 – 4 x 2
Solving time: 7:54 There’s some quite subtle wordplay in this puzzle – such as the four two-word phrases used in 9, 17, 28, 1D. Still recovering here from the fun of tackling Beethoven 9 in … Read more “Times 24433 – 4 x 2”
Mephisto 2574 – Paul McKenna
Lost sight of my turn to blog this, and started it late last night but got stuck with much of the NE corner blank. Report later today after another look and cheating if necessary. Solving … Read more “Mephisto 2574 – Paul McKenna”
Times Cryptic Crossword Book 14 – Puzzle Index
This is the first book of Times daily cryptic crosswords to include a significant number of puzzles we’ve blogged at Times for the Times. Crossword editor Richard Browne has kindly told me how the puzzles … Read more “Times Cryptic Crossword Book 14 – Puzzle Index”
Jumbo 850
This was a pretty tough jumbo, taking just under an hour in two sessions, though the first of these was late at night. When choosing clues to explain, I marked all but about 10 as … Read more “Jumbo 850”