Author: rolytoly

Gentle enough from Hurley today – it’s been a while since I’ve blogged a puzzle and have come in under 7 minutes, so that was nice if not especially diverting. Slight hold up at the … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1738 by Hurley”

I’d say this was pitched at middling difficulty today from Orpheus, but I was held to two minutes over target with a tip-of-the-tongue moment (or two) at 20ac and then a longer pause at the … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1728 by Orpheus”

I found this a very different type of solve to yesterday’s QC, despite a fairly similar time: with that one I chugged along at an ok pace before grinding to a halt for the last … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1718 by Teazel”

A bit of a trickier one today from Teazel – at a minute-and-a-half over target this took a touch longer than yesterday’s 15×15, with five fewer clues. That was also with several unparsed until post-solve, … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1708 by Teazel”

A top-notch QC, pitched towards the easier end of medium difficulty. I came in two minutes under target, about half the time it took for Tuesday’s done just beforehand. But that was without noticing the … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1698 by Felix”

A second outing for Monty today, his first being a fortnight ago to the day. Looking back over the previous comments, it was a puzzle that divided opinion, with some fairly tough clues, a dash … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1688 by Monty”

I think we have the added interest of a new setter today, and a very enjoyable puzzle it was too: a broad range of difficulty with an elephant trap or two for the unwary biffer … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1678 by Monty”

A tough one today from Izetti, broadly on a par with Monday’s and Tuesday’s 15×15 puzzles, and I bunged in 1d with no great certainty just to creep in under the 16 minute mark. We … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1668 by Izetti”

A bit on the trickier side today, I found – the RHS certainly looked pretty sparse after a first read through of the acrosses, with only 19 and 23 going in. I don’t have an … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1658 by Pedro”

I can’t remember the last time I crept in under the 5 minute mark so I’d put this right at the gentle end of things. I don’t really keep track of the setters’ various difficulty … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1648 by Trelawney”