Apologies for late posting – I didn’t get various blogging tasks done before a busy weekend. Having made a complete hash of a puzzle and blog at fifteensquared, I’m trying to ensure this one is … Read more “Times Jumbo 833”
Author: petebiddlecombe
Times 24338
Solving time: 8:14 This feels like a better bit of speed-solving than a few recent attempts. Answers written in without full wordplay understanding were: 1A, 14, 15, 17, 5, 20. There’s some quite fiendish wordplay … Read more “Times 24338”
Times 24332 – Another fine mess!
7 a.m.: 13:00 for this. At 1D I saw “PI=holy inside something”, and made this into POPISH, thinking it was an offensive version of “catholic”, and hoped the rest worked. On writing up, I got … Read more “Times 24332 – Another fine mess!”
Times 24326 – memento mori?
Solving time: 8:38 Apart from some carelessness at 15D and a partly self-inflicted brief struggle with the last few in the SW corner (16, 14D, 20, 25), this was fairly plain sailing combined with some … Read more “Times 24326 – memento mori?”
New grids
I’ve had a message from Anax with a PDF showing four seven new Times grids which are now available to the setters – so you’ll probably see these grids used in a few months. I’ll … Read more “New grids”
On behalf of mctext ….
A couple of questions e-mailed to me by mctext, who can’t yet post here (I suspect he’ll be on the staff one day). If you want to reply personally, I suggest using the private message … Read more “On behalf of mctext ….”
Times 24320
Solving time: 10:05 Forgot to note which answers came last, but can certainly tell you which wordplay came last – 3D, well after solving and explaining everything else. There are some very good clues here, … Read more “Times 24320”
Times 24314
Solving time: 8:43 A fairly straightforward puzzle – some novel words, but no clue really held me up. 27 and 7 assisted by a visit to Kew Gardens yesterday with a nephew. Jimbo will be … Read more “Times 24314”
Times 24308
Solving time: 9:55 This was a mildly tricky puzzle. I’ll be interested to see how overseas solvers get on with the Test ground at 15D. I liked the various outrageous stuff – VEEP, VATABLE and … Read more “Times 24308”
Book bargain – Collins English Dictionary
(or maybe NOT such a bargain – see the text added at the end) Folk based in the UK might find a trip to W H Smiths worth their while – they’ve got the current … Read more “Book bargain – Collins English Dictionary”