Author: talbinho

Solving time: 9 mins The worst clue this week is probably 7dn, which is either faulty or just awful. There’s also an incorrect enumeration at 1dn. Actually, I’ve just had a thought. In the same … Read more “ST 4350 (Sun 11 Oct) – Miseducation”

Solving time: 4:28 A distinct improvement this week, with no mistakes that I noticed and some very good clues. This, plus some speculative schedule analysis, suggests that this may have been written by Tim Moorey. … Read more “ST 4349 (Sun 4 Oct) – Status report”

Solving time: 9:21 Not a great puzzle but at least free of mistakes, as far I can see. I wasted two minutes on 20dn (GRACKLE) at the end, and also didn’t know 21dn (BORNITE). * … Read more “ST 4348 (Sun 27 Sep) – Bornite entity”

Solving time: 4:37 When I saw the anagram at 11ac a bell rang, so I did a bit of a search to see when it last came up. It turned out to be July 2008, … Read more “ST 4347 (Sun 20 Sep) – Déjà vu”

Solving time: 9:15, plenty of which on the erroneous clue. An abysmal error at 22ac (‘about oil’ intended as an anagram of ABUTILON) was the nadir of this pretty awful puzzle. * = anagram, “X” … Read more “ST 4346 (Sun 13 Sep) – Oil disaster”

Solving time: 6:19 I wonder what merited Plymouth Argyle’s appearance in prime position at 1/6ac? Perhaps the setter is a supporter. Whatever, it’s the last time the Pilgrims, as they are known, will be at … Read more “ST 4345 (Sun 6 Sep) – Pilgrims ogrish”

Solving time: 5:33 I hadn’t seen a crossword for a couple of weeks when I did this but it was a gentle re-introduction. There seems to be an animal theme with bears, horses, lions, antelopes, … Read more “ST 4344 (Sun 30 Aug) – Animal Farm”

Solving time: 7:18 One or two strange cryptic definitions here (13ac, 11dn) but some good clues as well, 9ac (MOON SHOT), 15ac (ATHLETE’S FOOT) and 14dn (FLORIST) among them. I nearly slipped up on the … Read more “ST 4341 (Sun 9 Aug) – Amber grease”

Solving time: 8:48, one mistake (17dn) Not the easiest Sunday Times puzzle although a better grid than usual, with only 1dn and 18dn breaking the rule that half or more letters in a grid entry … Read more “ST 4340 (Sun 2 Aug) – Ugandan discussions”

Solving time: 10 mins I thought a couple of the cryptic definitions in this were as good as anything (27ac, 15dn). A couple of pairs gave me problems at the end, 29ac/23dn (INFERIOR and SERAI) … Read more “ST 4338 (Sun 18 Jul) – Simple interest”