Solving time: Gave up after 20 mins with 5ac (MANTLE), 21ac (PALMARY) and 11dn (COXCOMB) all missing. I got horribly stuck on three clues at the end of this. Lack of knowledge hampered me at … Read more “ST 4312 (Sun 18 Jan) – Rubic? Er, no”
Author: talbinho
ST 4311 (Sun 11 Jan)
I will be unable to post on last Sunday’s Sunday Times puzzle 4311 until late this coming Sunday night. If anyone would like to blog it instead, please feel free, otherwise I’ll post as soon … Read more “ST 4311 (Sun 11 Jan)”
ST 4310 (Sun 4 Jan) – Vexing
Solving time: 12 mins, most of which on 3dn. I found this mostly straightforward and rattled through until I was left with C_N_E_L_ for 3dn. The only sensible word I could see that fit was … Read more “ST 4310 (Sun 4 Jan) – Vexing”
ST 4309 (Sun 28 Dec) – Aztec, camera
Solving time: 7:40 (one mistake) A nice puzzle to end the year with generally simple breakdowns, 5dn excepted! * = anagram, “X” = sounds like ‘X’. Across 1 IN CAME R.A. – I was thrown … Read more “ST 4309 (Sun 28 Dec) – Aztec, camera”
ST Jumbo 4308 (Sun 21 Dec) – ‘Twas the aconite before Christmas…
Solving time: 25:25, appropriately! One mistake (10dn: ‘acotine’ for ACONITE). The Sunday Times gave us a Jumbo puzzle for Christmas, which contained several seasonal answer words and many clues having Christmas-themed surface readings. Like last … Read more “ST Jumbo 4308 (Sun 21 Dec) – ‘Twas the aconite before Christmas…”
Sunday Times Jumbo 4308 – Closing date?
Last Sunday’s puzzle was a special Jumbo. Unfortunately the online version doesn’t seem to include the closing date. Please could someone with the paper confirm when the closing date is, so that I don’t post … Read more “Sunday Times Jumbo 4308 – Closing date?”
ST 4307 (Sun 14 Dec) – The Dreyfus(s) Affair
Solving time: Lost, but about 5 mins I think. A pretty straightforward puzzle this week including a couple of famous names, one of which seems to be spelt incorrectly. I’m sorry this is a day … Read more “ST 4307 (Sun 14 Dec) – The Dreyfus(s) Affair”
ST 4306 (Sun 7 Dec) – Harridan floored
Solving time: 8:13 (one mistake: 13ac) I got a bit bogged down on the left half of this, struggling on SHEEPISH/SINK at the top and TOURACOS, TISANE and CHITON at the bottom, and also misspelt … Read more “ST 4306 (Sun 7 Dec) – Harridan floored”
ST 4305 (Sun 30 Nov) – Hedda ache
Solving time: 6:50, one mistake (7dn) I didn’t know the Ibsen play Hedda Gabler, and guessed wrongly from the anagram at 7dn. One-all, then, with the setter’s / editor’s / printer’s gaffe at 6ac. Elsewhere, … Read more “ST 4305 (Sun 30 Nov) – Hedda ache”
ST 4304 (Sun 23 Nov) – Ooh, ah, lantana
Solving time: 4:26, one mistake (‘lannata’ for LANTANA at 20dn) A typical Sunday Times puzzle: mostly straightforward, a couple of difficult words, some very good clues and a couple of pretty bad ones. * = … Read more “ST 4304 (Sun 23 Nov) – Ooh, ah, lantana”