Author: piquet

25 minutes of pleasure; the answers seemed to include a plethora of assorted things I particularly liked or with which had some personal connection; not that that makes it any easier or means much to … Read more “Times 26649 – “… these are a few of my favourite things””

After a silly error on Monday and a bit of a struggle yesterday I was expecting a hard time today, but instead found this a Monday style puzzle. I completed it from top down in … Read more “Times 26643 – even the antelope was easy. But Doctor who?”

I found this a nice, old fashioned sort of puzzle, an easy, steady solve in 20 minutes or so, ending in the SE quarter. There are a couple of words perhaps not in everyday use … Read more “Times 26637 – what the doctor ordered”

When I’d finished it I realised this puzzle has a bit of a gloomy theme to it – there was much complaining and moaning, gnashing of teeth and misery, at 2d, 12d, 20a, and 1d, … Read more “Times 26631 – you need a spirtle and a shot”

I don’t have a solving time for this one, as I did it in three bursts in transit from very cold and windy France to nearly as cold and windier Spain, where in theory Winter … Read more “Times 26625 – middle of the road, on the road”

Maybe I was in a less than enthusiastic mood today, but I found this more of a plod than a pleasure; I hope the esteemed setter will forgive me if everyone else finds it a … Read more “Times 26619 – put that in and smoke it.”

Appropriately, I had been catching up on the last few episodes of Professional Masterchef and feeling foodie friendly, just before tackling this challenge. What do we find? A feast of 1a, with a 17a or … Read more “Times 26613 – a tasty smorgasbord of a puzzle”

The third of the Championship Grand Final set; I see, as was also the case last week, 12 of you 24 wizards had it complete and correct; I thought it was slightly easier than the … Read more “Times 26607 – last of the best Sellers”

Well, it was the final, and you’d expect a move to the black runs, and last week’s (the first of the three) wasn’t so bad, was it? But this one; had I started it first … Read more “Times 26601 – 20 minutes? Yer ‘avin a larf.”

Those who bothered to read last week’s diatribe about blocked roads and the bird flu outbreak will be pleased to hear there have been no more mass duck-roastings (as far as I can smell) but … Read more “Times 26595 – one flu over…”