Author: ulaca

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”

This is an eminently Mondayish sort of puzzle that will terrorise no horses. Indeed, even donkeys and mules – as it were – are likely to find that fear is not the primary emotion with … Read more “Times 27337 – I guess why that’s why they call it the blues”

A rare excursion under 20 minutes for me, so easy, but perhaps not as easy as I made it, since it had very little sciency stuff. No, looking at it again, I’d say this was … Read more “Times 27325 – Settlements Abounding”

In my last blog, I mentioned that I had an important announcement to make and today that announcement is made: after seven years and 200 puzzles blogged (today is my 200th), I have decided to … Read more “Times 27313 – Salut, et encore merci pour le poisson”

What a puzzle, containing one of the most unlikely words to ever appear in a Times daily puzzle! Congratulations to everybody who persevered and worked it out. (No kudos at all to those who might … Read more “Times 27301 – And top of da morning to you too, setter!”

Well, almost. It’s amazing what setters can get into a crossword if they try hard enough, or if the solver looks hard enough. Today, for example, we have Booby Moore (who was ‘Born Barking’ – … Read more “Times 27289 – The Silver Fox meets Bobby Moore”

Most unusually I snuck under 18 minutes for this one, which furriners might find a bit tricky with a fairly recondite Scotch county popping up. There’s also a fairly obscure word for genie, which might … Read more “Times 27277 – Perverse and foolish once I strayed”