Solving time: 25:40, 1 mistake (24D) An easyish Jumbo, but with plenty of interesting words and wordplay. One careless mistake from me, so I’m wearing that cap again.. Across 1 EX,CEL(l) – an easy enough … Read more “Jumbo 813 (Bank Holiday Monday, 4 May)”
Author: petebiddlecombe
Times 24224
Solving time: 15:30 Fairly slow with this one – 30A was my last answer and should probably not have been such a struggle. Others I found hard were 21D, 27, 20, 18. Only 6D went … Read more “Times 24224”
Times 24218
Solving time: 8:35 Easyish but well-made puzzle – I can’t see anything for anyone to argue about today. Clues completed without full wordplay understanding were 14, 22, 6, 9. The Times Crossword Club website was … Read more “Times 24218”
24212 – c’est plus qu’un crime, c’est une faute
Solving time: 7:40, one mistake When they put foreign phrases into the puzzle, I reckon to gain time from good memory of French and other spelling – “faute de mieux” made hay for me in … Read more “24212 – c’est plus qu’un crime, c’est une faute”
Mephisto 2538 – Paul McKenna
Solving time: not recorded but pretty slow – maybe 2-2½ hours. As you can gather I found this very tough. One reason was missing what should have been a very straightforward anagram at 34A, another … Read more “Mephisto 2538 – Paul McKenna”
Today’s Guardian – your struggle won’t be as long as the setter’s!
I’m sure Times setter John Halpern would like you to try his puzzle as Paul in today’s Guardian. The reason why should be obvious from this entertaining puzzle. (PDF version recommended – the online one … Read more “Today’s Guardian – your struggle won’t be as long as the setter’s!”
Jumbo 808
Solving time: 16:43 A very quick solve, so I’m quite surprised that I’ve found so many clues to write about. The 18-12 victory for downs in the comment count suggests that my usual solving order … Read more “Jumbo 808”
Times 24206
Solving time: 10:03 This should please Jimbo more than yesterday’s, I think. Arts has three people (if you count Icarus) to science’s one (Piaget), but there’s lots of inventive wordplay and not much reliance on … Read more “Times 24206”
Sloggers and Betters 5
At long last, our 5th social gathering for the writers and fans of this blog and the puzzles behind it. Well actually “these blogs” – it’s equally open to folk from fifteensquared, Big Dave’s Telegraph … Read more “Sloggers and Betters 5”
24200 – Scum?
Solving time: 8:12 – which seems quite good based on the amount to talk about Scum is a surface film – as seen in the two long answers today. A puzzle solved from the bottom … Read more “24200 – Scum?”