Solving time: 8:50 Mostly straightforward; some good clues today, but very Sunday-Timesey nevertheless. * = anagram. Across 1 TABERNACLE; (BERATE CLAN)* 7 FRAY (double definition) – not sure what the question mark is doing here. … Read more “ST 4252 (Sun 25 Nov) – Tickled a th’ sere”
Author: talbinho
ST 4251 (Sun 18 Nov) – Dessert storm
Solving time: 6:39 (one mistake – 13dn). Yet another anagram error in this puzzle (16dn). Also a missing letter in the online version. * = anagram, “X” = sounds like ‘X’. Across 1 LOST CAUSE; … Read more “ST 4251 (Sun 18 Nov) – Dessert storm”
ST 4250 (Sun 11 Nov) – Crowdie house
Solving time: not taken. 1dn missing. I helped someone solve this so didn’t take a time, but it seemed mostly very straightforward, with a couple of trickier answers, CROWDIE and SIKA DEER probably being the … Read more “ST 4250 (Sun 11 Nov) – Crowdie house”
ST 4249 (Sun 4 Nov) – Bemusing
Solving time: 8:01 Struggled to finish this off, partly because of an error at 17dn, but the long word at 9dn took the most time. Music (8dn): Angel of Harlem by U2. * = anagram, … Read more “ST 4249 (Sun 4 Nov) – Bemusing”
ST 4248 (Sun 28 Oct) – Malorodous
Solving time: 18:45 The bottom right corner here took me as long as the rest of the puzzle. I’m afraid I thought lots of clues in this were very poor. * = anagram. Across 9 … Read more “ST 4248 (Sun 28 Oct) – Malorodous”
Jumbo 723 (Sat 20 Oct) – Return of the Space Capsule
Solving time: About 50 mins in two sessions; four missing (asterisked below). I found this very tough, mostly because I didn’t know some of the harder words / phrases; anyone who did would probably say … Read more “Jumbo 723 (Sat 20 Oct) – Return of the Space Capsule”
ST 4247 (Sun 21 Oct) – Well well
Solving time: 3:58 Quite a few old chestnuts today (e.g. 10ac, 11ac, 7dn). One word I didn’t know but probably should have (2dn). Music of the day, courtesy of 26ac: All Together Now by The … Read more “ST 4247 (Sun 21 Oct) – Well well”
ST 4246 (Sun 14 Oct) – Plenary session
Solving time: 15:10 After a quick start in the top left and the two long anagrams I struggled with this one, especially in the bottom left and on the two central down answers, both of … Read more “ST 4246 (Sun 14 Oct) – Plenary session”
ST 4245 (Sun 7 Oct) – Sticky pricket
Solving time: 8:30 Straightforward until the end, where I was unsure of 4dn and 13ac, but as it turned out my guesses were correct. On another day I’d probably have spent a good few more … Read more “ST 4245 (Sun 7 Oct) – Sticky pricket”
ST 4244 (Sun 29 Sep) – Salubritas et Eruditio
Solving time: 6:51 Very quick blog for this, as I’m sure noone is remotely interested given today’s main event. 20dn is terrible, the rest fairly standard. Rather uncharitably I hope that Alonso and Raikkonen crash … Read more “ST 4244 (Sun 29 Sep) – Salubritas et Eruditio”