I tackled this on a sunny afternoon under “exam conditions” and was surprised to find I had finished it just with the 20 minutes, with all parsed, although 4d and 6d were from wordplay alone … Read more “Times Championship 2015: Prelim one, puzzle one… a gentle enough beginning”
Author: piquet
Times 26241 – what day is it?
Feeling somewhat doped and sluggish after yesterday’s tooth implant job, I expected to struggle this morning with the usual Wednesday fare; but no, it seemed more like a Monday, I flew along and had all … Read more “Times 26241 – what day is it?”
Times 26235 – a thing of beauty
The best puzzle I’ve blogged for a while, I think – not least because, as soon as 12d and 10a were sorted, I was admiring the setter’s prescience in clue selection, following the Gunners’ superb … Read more “Times 26235 – a thing of beauty”
Quick Cryptic No 419 by Flamande
No quibbles with this pleasant puzzle, nothing obscure, and for once I re-entered it into the online grid to check I hadn’t entered any answers wrongly. Across 8 EXAMINE – AXE reversed, MINE = pit; … Read more “Quick Cryptic No 419 by Flamande”
Quick Cryptic No 414 by Rongo – pig’s feet, indeed.
I enjoyed this one, it only took a few minutes but it had wit and a nice mix of clue types. Well done, Mr Rongo. On edit: It appears the alternative solution to 9a is … Read more “Quick Cryptic No 414 by Rongo – pig’s feet, indeed.”
Times 26223
I found this a medium level puzzle and a bit of a plod; it took 35 minutes of unscrambling wordplay but nothing particularly made me nod in appreciation or chuckle. When I read it now … Read more “Times 26223”
Quick Cryptic No 409 by Hurley
A steady write-in working clockwise, 8 minutes or so, very pleasant. If anybody – an existing blogger or an aspirant – would like to take on the Friday Quickies instead of me, please post here … Read more “Quick Cryptic No 409 by Hurley”
Times 26217 – it’s there, just.
A straightfoward enough puzzle, no obscurities, 16 minutes, a few cunning traps to fall into if you were a biffer, and yes, it’s there, just; today’s cricket related clue, near the end. I wonder (but … Read more “Times 26217 – it’s there, just.”
Quick Cryptic No 404 by Tracy
This seemed a well balanced puzzle from ‘Tracy’, with four straight anagrams, one hidden clue and several slightly more complex ‘assembly’ clues, nothing too obscure; one or two needed a moment or two to parse … Read more “Quick Cryptic No 404 by Tracy”
Times 26211 – of beautiful youths, maidens, Scottish islands and things in General
After struggling with yesterday’s grid I found this a reasonably easy puzzle; I completed it in twenty minutes without aids and I think (hope) I’ve twigged all the parsing. Nuff said. As usual, D = … Read more “Times 26211 – of beautiful youths, maidens, Scottish islands and things in General”