Author: rolytoly

So we have a new setter today (or a new name at least): the word ‘Parkin’ has cropped up a few times in crosswords past, clued as a gingerbread or teatime snack (and completely forgotten by me). It looked like we were in for an easy one, with the first five clues going straight in, but things got trickier and I ended up a good couple of minutes over target

Towards the easier side of things today from Hurley, with a number of the clues pointing fairly unambiguously to the answer. A few seconds spent at the end on 9d and 17ac, but more because … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 2118 by Hurley”

A bit on the trickier side of things today from Teazel, with a lot of effective misdirection (for me, 10ac) and a dash or two of the less-than-obvious. I only managed four of the acrosses … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 2108 by Teazel”

A lovely puzzle from Hurley. At 9 minutes I was a minute slower than yesterday done just before, except I had one wrong at 11ac, which is what I get for trying to be too … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 2008 by Hurley”

A very pleasant puzzle of about average difficulty from Mara: I came in a notch under 9 minutes, held up briefly at the end with 18ac. It seemed like there were a lot of references … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1998 by Mara”

I spent a long time staring at my final two (5d and 10ac) before taking a break, and saw them fairly quickly on my return. So 13-ish minutes, in total, if you don’t include the … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1948 by Tracy”

Possibly a touch on the gentle side of average difficulty today. I say possibly: I seem to be solving better than usual at the minute and took 6:33, around a minute quicker than yesterday’s done … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1938 by Trelawney”

11 minutes, with four of those spent – for no good reason – on 9ac, 7d and correcting 12ac. A fine puzzle with good clues aplenty, my favourite I think being 18ac – many thanks … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1878 by Teazel”

A gentler one today from Teazel, if you’re prepared to do a bit of shrugging-and-entering along the way. Three cryptic definitions and two cryptic hints felt a touch excessive (and I do like a good … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1868 by Teazel”

I had one of those frustrating solves – not often a fault of the setter – where you rattle through most of it before getting stuck on the last one or two clues: here I … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1778 by Orpheus”