Author: rolytoly

A middling-difficulty puzzle from Oink that I managed two minutes under target. I found this good quality and fun when solving but a couple of the clues look a bit shaky on closer inspection (I’m … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1598 by Oink”

A straightforward-enough puzzle, completed a couple of minutes under target. I was slow to see 1ac, for no good reason, and needed all the checkers for 8ac and several checkers for 10ac, but the rest … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1588 by Hurley”

I found this quite tough, and fared very similarly to yesterday’s, which is to say a DNF around the 17 minute mark, all following a bruising hour with yesterday’s 15x. I was feeling my enthusiasm … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1578 by Izetti”

After attempting both of yesterday’s puzzles with varying degrees of failure, I was starting to feel like patient zero in the latest twist to the zombie apocalypse whereby the brain is rendered down to a … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1568 by Trelawney”

On the gentle side from Joker, giving my first sub-6 minute blog in… quite some time. All but three of the acrosses went in on a first read through (1, 22 and 23 being the … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1558 by Joker”

Lots to like today in a good quality puzzle from Felix. I was held up a bit at the end by not expecting a second “hidden” clue – it’s an unoffical rule to only appear … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1548 by Felix”

A bit on the gentler side today from Tracy: I came in about a minute under my target after finishing off with a slightly sluggish LH side and then taking a minute to locate the … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1538 by Tracy”

Another tricky puzzle today from Orpheus, taking me two minutes over my target and about a minute longer than yesterday. It seemed to require more GK than average for a QC along with a number … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1528 by Orpheus”

Quite a tricky one from Pedro (although I mightn’t be in peak solving condition), holding me to the 18 minute mark. The last couple in particular (21ac and 19d) required a few minutes teasing out, … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1518 by Pedro”

Nudging a bit past average difficulty from Hurley today, I found. I had all bar 19ac done around the 10 minute mark, and spent the next couple of minutes considering it and various Christmas related … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1508 by Hurley”