Author: ulaca

I don’t know about you, but I am especially inclined to take umbrage against people who broadly belong to what I conceive of as my side. Being somewhat right of centre (except in an online … Read more “Times 27457 – As Woke as Piers Morgan?”

Tricky for a Monday this. I staggered along until I was done by 25a, where I made the schoolboy mistake of forgetting that a certain Kipling poem is the cruciverbal equivalent of a Haggard novel. … Read more “Times 27445 – If the poet doesn’t get you, the rod will”

A tricky fishlet, which required the solver to have some knowledge of the Cheshire/Lancashire boundary that was, or to rely on a lucky punt (or, indeed, to actually know the finned youngster), provides the only … Read more “Times 27433 – Sting in the scale?”

This was, I think, a rather unMondayish offering, with some interesting vocabulary (if tending to the cruciveralesque, perhaps), a minor prophet from the Good Book, a relatively famous Roman playwright (they are all pretty non-famous … Read more “Times 27421 – God knows, they need all the publicity they can geth”

Yes, this was pretty straightforward – the type of puzzle to have our esteemed Friday blogger working hard to keep his emotions in check after completing the thing in a paltry four minutes or so. … Read more “Times 27409 – A Typical Friday Puzzle?”

Some of you reading this may remember two time-travelling tales I was importuned to bring you a while back. While those of us who were privy to the remarkable events of those days knew that … Read more “Times 27397 – The Last Savages?”

Welcome from sunny Milos – product of 100 volcanic eruptions, supplier of a quarter of the world’s cat litter and home to the extraordinary Eleonora’s falcon. This was, on the whole, I would say, a … Read more “Times 27385 – ‘Armless Fun”

Kαλως ηρθατε from sunny Naxos, where me and the missus are having a well-deserved rest away from the stresses of Hong Kong, reminding ourselves in the land where democracy was hatched just how far the … Read more “Times 27373 – I fear the Geeks, even when they bring Gifs”

A rare sub-16 for me, so we can expect some serious times from the Bay Area and Barnes. I thought this was a most enjoyable stroll, with just a clue or two to keep the … Read more “Times 27361 – Cock-up on the coding front”

A very enjoyable Monday offering, which helps to exorcise the memory of Friday’s bestial offering (excellent though it was after its own fashion). Lots of nice stuff here. I needed three stabs at 8a, essaying … Read more “Times 27349 – Of Hackney Laureates and Minotaur Slayers”