A challenging puzzle with many elegant surfaces and misleading devices. 72 minutes of hard, pleasurable but not unblemished, graft for me. Across 1 VISCOUNT – tougher to parse than to get: it’s V (as in … Read more “Times 25551 – Not Your Average Monday”
Author: ulaca
Times 25539 – A Mixed Bag
Some easy ones, some inchoate chestnuts, one obscure horse race – a farrago of a puzzle for this sunny Monday morning. 36 minutes. On edit – I’m so angry I could not only write a letter … Read more “Times 25539 – A Mixed Bag”
Times 25533 – Hail Phil!
Mickelson may not be everyone’s cup of tea but he’s one hell of a golfer. As for this puzzle, I finally got a clear run at it, only to come unstuck in the NE, where, … Read more “Times 25533 – Hail Phil!”
TIMES 25515 – Gardeners’ Answer Time
I was going along swimmingly until I was bitten, as so often before, by my bete noire, that little blighter at 19. Even those who get him right will be struggling with 20, I reckon, … Read more “TIMES 25515 – Gardeners’ Answer Time”
Times 25503 – Hail England’s Rose!
Buoyed by getting up to watch an Englishman win a Major for the first time in years, I found this nice number waiting for me at the office. With England through to the semis of … Read more “Times 25503 – Hail England’s Rose!”
Times 25491 – (White) Christmas Comes Early for the Merry Widow?
A gentle opening to the week, with only the second of three musical clues likely to propel the little grey cells into action. 21 minutes. Last time I blogged we had several PBs – I … Read more “Times 25491 – (White) Christmas Comes Early for the Merry Widow?”
Times 25479
25 minutes for a gentle offering with one clue that has me flummoxed. Across 1 PLAYWRIGHT – wary* in PLIGHT to give the luvvies’ luvvie.6 IDEA – the even letters in mIdDlEmAn.10 UNHINGE – [f]UN … Read more “Times 25479”
Times 25467 – Birds in the Lock-up
39 minutes for this, ending with the cryptic clue at 21, which I thought was rather good. A few Britishisms to keep our Septic solvers honest, plus a bit of an operatic feel, with both … Read more “Times 25467 – Birds in the Lock-up”
Times 25455 – Wish I could say it was a typo
22 minutes, but with one wrong. Nice, gentle start to the ‘daily’ week. I’m adopting the ‘Leave none behind’ protocol from now on, so every answer will be given (hopefully, the right ones). Across 1 … Read more “Times 25455 – Wish I could say it was a typo”
Times Cryptic 25437 – Prizeless!*
51 minutes. Those of you who did the Saturday puzzle 25430 will recognise this, as it has been cunningly reclued. (Andy’s write-up is still on the TfTT front page.) For those who come here in … Read more “Times Cryptic 25437 – Prizeless!*”