Author: rolytoly

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”

I found this of very similar difficulty to yesterday’s QC, which I did just beforehand, taking a bit over 7 minutes for each – this was perhaps helped along by doing them after yesterday’s 15×15, … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1638 by Hurley”

Pitched on the gentle side of average difficulty today from Breadman: I stopped the clock at 7.30, hindered at the end by the last bit of 17ac, but helped along earlier in the puzzle by … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1628 by Breadman”

I had most of this polished off by the 6 minute mark, but it took almost as long again to unravel the remaining three (14ac, 22ac and 15d). A large part of that was due … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1618 by Hurley”

Very enjoyable puzzle today, pitched towards the easier end, which Trelawney has been tending to do on about a monthly basis since first setting all the way back in those joyous, carefree, touchy-feely days of … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1608 by Trelawney”