Author: ulaca

A gentle start to the week, which took me 15 minutes plus change. Nothing too difficult vocabulary, definition or parsing wise, and the easily misspelt word had the dodgy vowel handed to you on a … Read more “Times 27625 – David Duckham Remembered”

I started this one off like loo rolls flying off the shelves of Tesco, but was held up by a few pesky ones that the setter had shoved in to keep the speed merchants humble … Read more “Times 27613 – Vive la révolution!”

With an old (and therefore not known to all), but brilliant, book fairly clued (i.e. not as an anagram), this setter shows how to handle such things in an equitable way. Well done, sir! Or … Read more “Times 27601 – No ludicrous clues”

Definitely a cut above your average Monday in terms of difficulty, with one or two cunning definitions and a soupcon of tricky clueing. I staggered home in 34 minutes, just above my NITCH (for all … Read more “Times 27589 – Wot’s that thingummy?”

Despite a smattering of tricky vocab, the congruous nature of the literals made this a pretty straightforward Monday offering. Special thanks to the setter on two counts: evoking images of horryd at 1d and referencing … Read more “Times 27577 – Harmony and Prosperity?”

A bit of a skeletal blog, I’m afraid, as I have to attend a hastily arranged meeting with Louisa, the scary head of our newly established Projects and Administration Department. This was a workaday Monday … Read more “Times 27565 – Christopher Newport Meets Bo Peep”

Pretty much where I left off in 2019, puzzle difficulty wise, with this pleasant offering doing nothing to disturb any swallow-like creatures who might be constructing their nests in soft cliff material and digging in … Read more “Times 27553 – It’s That Bird Again!”

I was bang on the wavelength for this one, romping home in 11 and a half minutes. I never thought one of CS Lewis’s favourite expressions would become a chestnut, but MARES NEST is in … Read more “Times 27541 – Baldrick meets Benny Hill”

For those looking for a gentle reintroduction to the art of solving after losing a brain cell or two at Times HQ or in the George, this was a nigh-on perfect puzzle. One or two … Read more “Times 27529 – Mother and Father of Mondays”

Quite a few double definitions (DDs) and cryptic definitions (CDs) in this more difficult than usual (SNITCH allowing) Monday offering from a setter who was either in his/her most mischievous mode or had perhaps been … Read more “Times 27517 – Absolutely spliffing!”