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Times for The Times: Times and comments on The Times crossword from a team of solvers

Author: petebiddlecombe

24553

Author   petebiddlecombePosted on 2nd June 2010 at 9:09 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

Solving time: 9:03 A puzzle with some interesting clues, though with quite a lot of old-fashioned looking vocabulary and some fairly gentle literary references. Thanks to the people at the Times who decided to invite … Read more “24553”

View48 Comments on 24553

Weekly puzzle 2 – solution

Author   petebiddlecombePosted on 1st June 2010 at 2:14 PM10 September 2025Categories Other Crosswords

Apologies to non-British solvers for some local culture, especially boradcaster Brian Redhead. Across 1 CUM=with,BRIAN=Redhead perhaps 5 USENET – double def – to troll is to send provocative messages on discussion forums, and to fish … Read more “Weekly puzzle 2 – solution”

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Weekly puzzle 2

Author   petebiddlecombePosted on 26th May 2010 at 8:00 AM10 September 2025Categories Other Crosswords

Here is what should be a fairly easy 15×15 cryptic. If printing from Firefox, I recommend choosing Print Preview, setting the Scaling factor to 90%, and then using the Print… button – this should get … Read more “Weekly puzzle 2”

View2 Comments on Weekly puzzle 2

24547

Author   petebiddlecombePosted on 26th May 2010 at 7:48 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

Solving time: 9:07 (late at night but it felt better than some midnight efforts). Last part was the SW corner – 22A, 22D, 28, 21 Across 1 S=succeeded,WORD=slogan – the latter sounds a bit of … Read more “24547”

View37 Comments on 24547

Jumbo 870

Author   petebiddlecombePosted on 22nd May 2010 at 10:02 AM10 September 2025Categories Jumbo Cryptic

As straightforward as I remembered it when I re-solved for this report after losing my original copy – I originally took about 18 minutes which seems worth about 6 on a daily puzzle. Why so … Read more “Jumbo 870”

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A puzzle to try

Author   petebiddlecombePosted on 19th May 2010 at 11:14 AM10 September 2025Categories Announcement

I wonder if I can manage to write a puzzle each week for you to solve? Here’s one to start off with – a thematic blocked grid puzzle roughly in the style that’s used at … Read more “A puzzle to try”

View3 Comments on A puzzle to try

24541

Author   petebiddlecombePosted on 19th May 2010 at 9:40 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

Solving time: 19:15 Before we start, a quick note that the previous posting here contains details for the next “Sloggers and Betters” event, next Thursday. I found this as tough puzzle as my time suggests. … Read more “24541”

View40 Comments on 24541

Mephisto 2593 – Mike Laws

Author   petebiddlecombePosted on 16th May 2010 at 9:52 AM10 September 2025Categories Mephisto

A pretty straightforward puzzle this one, taking about 32 minutes, with C used at the end to make sure of right answers to 20, 18 and 32 – or so say my notes – I’m … Read more “Mephisto 2593 – Mike Laws”

View5 Comments on Mephisto 2593 – Mike Laws

24535 – not exactly L for leather

Author   petebiddlecombePosted on 12th May 2010 at 8:38 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

Solving time 17:04, late last night. I think this is down to crafty clue-writing rather than late-night dimness but may be proved wrong … Across 1 UNCOORDINATED – RD.=way, in (education, on)* – time wasted … Read more “24535 – not exactly L for leather”

View35 Comments on 24535 – not exactly L for leather

24529

Author   petebiddlecombePosted on 5th May 2010 at 9:41 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

Solving time: 20:40, one mistake I found this very difficult, partly from the vocabulary/knowledge required, and partly from tricky wordplay. Across 1 BUCKRAM = cloth – reversal of (MARK=spot (stain on clothing, though possibly “notice” … Read more “24529”

View49 Comments on 24529

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