Author: ulaca

The presence of two recondite words at 4 across and 4 down means that this puzzle is going to find a few out – including me. I ‘resorted to aids’, as the saying goes, pleased … Read more “Times 25371 – May the Fours Be With You”

Back with a bang after my holiday in England, despite the effects of a combined assault from the common cold and jetlag, clocking up a rare sub-30, if only by the narrowest margin, but with … Read more “Times 25359 – Where’s Patrick Moore when you need him?”

My third in a row before my colleague Vinyl takes the helm for the three up to Christmas. This one was as simple as they come – the only unknown for overseas solvers is likely … Read more “Times 25336 No Sweat”

Two in a row for me, as I will be in England for Christmas – where, incidentally, I hope to meet up with as many solvers and setters as can make it to a pub … Read more “Times 25330 Classic, Cryptic and Corny”

Well, this one is definitely not your average Monday offering. Quirky, outrageous in places – notably 25 ac – but always fun even as it flirted with the borders of acceptability. 80 minutes for me, … Read more “Times 25324 – Cilla Rides Again”

42 minutes, eight or nine of which were on 25 ac at the end. I found the bottom easier than the top, where I gave myself problems in the NE by chucking in ‘fall’ at … Read more “Times 25312 Bowling for Coalmine”

A puzzle which was definitely smarter than your average Monday offering, with a word at 4 across that doesn’t even make it into Oxford Dictionaries Online. Lots of good stuff, though, which took me around … Read more “Times 25300 Verging on the farcical?”

A rather more challenging Monday puzzle, highlights of which were an excellent cryptic clue (9) and a weird Gaelic word which did for me (21). 35 minutes for all bar these two, a few more to get … Read more “Times 25288”

This was the latest in a run of easy Monday puzzles – at least on my blogging days. My time could have been down there in Severland but for the SE corner, which stretched things … Read more “Times 25276”

36 minutes. My third blog and the crossword gods are still shining their faces upon me. This was the second simple puzzle in a row (counting yesterday’s, which I did in 20 minutes), and that … Read more “Times 25264”