Author: richardvg

Solving time: 18:33 I found this pretty tough-going. Some very good and witty clues, but not enough easy ones for me. And I was worried about 10A until I found that an oxer really is … Read more “23,711 – no bad for a scunner”

Solving time: 14:52 Fast start, including the big central down. Then struggled a bit, especially in the South East corner. Although it took me a long time to see, I was amused by the audacity … Read more “23,705 – school lesson”

Solving time: 15:36 Two more composers, Charpentier and Barber, whose names I know, but I would have difficulty telling you any more about them beyond reasonably confident stabs at their nationalities. Still, knowing names is … Read more “23,699 – talking points”

Solving time: 12:18 I enjoyed this puzzle. Interesting words but no particularly obscure ones, and good surfaces. Annoyingly, it took me a long time to get two easy-looking ones: the long anagram at 3D (BE … Read more “23,693 – a maze of twisty little passages, all different”

Solving time: 11:09 I was told at last night’s drinks that we crossword bloggers should be less sycophantic. But this is a particularly good puzzle, with lots of imaginative approaches, and smooth and witty surfaces. … Read more “23,687 – riddling askant”

Solving time: 12:53 No show-stoppers but a lot of clues that needed thinking about, and a fair number that I filled in without understanding the wordplay at the time. I think there are only five … Read more “23681 – comparisons are odo(rife)rous”

Solving time : 29:59 I found this very difficult, mainly because I was slow on all the long clues. 11D took ages, and left with 15A, I decided I had to finish within 30 minutes … Read more “23,675 – tricky”

Solving time : 10:50 Fairly striaghtforward for the most part, but I got a bit stuck at the end on 25A and 22D. For 22D I was unable to think of the courtier and worried … Read more “23,669 – semiprecious haggis”

Solving time: 14:38 A fast start with the two easy 15-letter downs. Then I slowed myself up pursuing red herrings that probably existed only in my mind. Four easy but good cryptic definitions at 4, … Read more “23663 – No time Toulouse”

Solving time: 23:02 My first thought for 1A was that “quite” means FAIRLY, and there is AIR which means “dry”, and so I entered it, resolving to work out how “quarry” could possibly mean FLY … Read more “Times 23657 – Fairly disastrous”