Apparently this Sunday’s edition (8th June) will include a shortened version of Don Manley’s “Chambers Crossword Manual”. For UK solvers who don’t yet have a “how to solve cryptics” book and think it might help, … Read more “Free book in Sunday Independent (UK)”
Author: petebiddlecombe
23931 – Gateway and cocker shocker
Solving time 9:43, two mistakes I got to the end of this with 21D left to solve. ?O?K?R for “Fishing boat, one that heels”. I inked in an E to make ?O?KER and then, lacking … Read more “23931 – Gateway and cocker shocker”
Times Championship Qualifier No. 3
Judging by my time, this continues a trend of gradually increasing difficulty for the qualifier puzzles, though I was fairly slow on a couple of points. Mainly 14 where I lost time by failing to … Read more “Times Championship Qualifier No. 3”
23925 – you only solve once
Solving time 8:35 This is an example of what’s still a comparative rarity – a Times crossword with an obvious theme. The only others I can remember in the last couple of years are Brian … Read more “23925 – you only solve once”
Jumbo 756 – May 10th
We don’t yet have a report on this. Rather than wait, or get someone to re-solve a puzzle they did two weeks ago, I’ll throw the floor open for any burning questions you have about … Read more “Jumbo 756 – May 10th”
Mephisto 2490 – Paul McKenna
Solving time: 25 mins without Chambers to get all but 2 answers (11D and 27D), with two mistakes – 23A, 29A. Say 40 minutes in the end including checks in C for any other mistakes. … Read more “Mephisto 2490 – Paul McKenna”
23,916 – Sat 17 May
Posted on behalf of Andy Wallace who is back on blogging duty but away for a long weekend. I didn’t get an uninterrupted run at this one but was thoroughly stumped by 25A and two … Read more “23,916 – Sat 17 May”
23,919 – hunting for 1D
Solving time 9:15 – with the last 2 or so pondering 1D. This seems a very fair test – no literature that I can detect, and not too much local culture. The answers are well-chosen … Read more “23,919 – hunting for 1D”
Olla Podrida – what slices in our pie?
Another posting for a Friday, where you can chat about anything Times crossword that doesn’t fit elsewhere, but I’ll give you one topic to ponder. And it is you, as I’m off-blog for most of … Read more “Olla Podrida – what slices in our pie?”
Jumbo 755
Solving time 15:43 This puzzle should have appeared on the recent Bank Holiday Monday, but some clot putting together the Times2 supplement put in a repeat copy of the very easy 754. The right jumbo … Read more “Jumbo 755”