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Times for The Times: Times and comments on The Times crossword from a team of solvers

Author: vinyl1

Times 28603 – First a coronation, then….

Author   vinyl1Posted on 15th May 2023 at 2:45 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

Although I didn’t get an answer right away, and only had six in my first run-through of the across clues, I started to make good progress with the downs.   I was doing pretty well, but after 14 minutes I still had three to solve that I found a bit tough.  

View63 Comments on Times 28603 – First a coronation, then….

Mephisto 3270 – The terminal puzzle?

Author   vinyl1Posted on 7th May 2023 at 1:14 AM10 September 2025Categories Mephisto

I didn’t have much difficulty with this one, although the pun was even more excruciating than usual.     There are a few obscure literals that you have to check in Chambers, but this is scarcely a novelty in Mephisto.

View16 Comments on Mephisto 3270 – The terminal puzzle?

Times 28591 – Half an answer is better than none!

Author   vinyl1Posted on 1st May 2023 at 1:24 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

After getting only two answers in my first run-through of the across clues, I realized I might need to think a little. Looking over the solved puzzle, I don’t think it is really that hard.

View75 Comments on Times 28591 – Half an answer is better than none!

Mephisto 3268 – Like Peter, say?

Author   vinyl1Posted on 23rd April 2023 at 1:21 AM10 September 2025Categories Mephisto

While for the previous Mephisto I barely needed to touch Chambers, this John Grimshaw production will require considerable checking for most solvers.  I had to make a number of guesses, most of which turned out to be correct.

View7 Comments on Mephisto 3268 – Like Peter, say?

Times 28579 – Never heard of it!

Author   vinyl1Posted on 17th April 2023 at 3:32 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

After completing my solve, I was wondering if the puzzle was really quite simple and I was just not on the wavelength.   However, on checking the SNITCH, it seems like this was quite a difficult Monday puzzle, and I may not be alone in my struggles.

View88 Comments on Times 28579 – Never heard of it!

Mephisto 3266 – That you, Jethro?

Author   vinyl1Posted on 9th April 2023 at 1:40 AM10 September 2025Categories Mephisto

I didn’t find this one that difficult, although I was a little slow getting started, and had to put off a the left side until the next day.     The pun didn’t help me much, and I ended up having to push through the left from the bottom to the top.

View10 Comments on Mephisto 3266 – That you, Jethro?

Time 28567 – Just wait until Friday…

Author   vinyl1Posted on 3rd April 2023 at 2:59 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

Well, nobody seems to have found this one very difficult, so welcome to another easy Monday.   I put the answers in pretty steadily, only pausing at the end to figure out my last two.  

View83 Comments on Time 28567 – Just wait until Friday…

Mephisto 3264 – ….the cats will play!

Author   vinyl1Posted on 26th March 2023 at 2:09 AM10 September 2025Categories Mephisto

This one was not too bad, although I gave up after an hour and went to bed.   I finished it off pretty quickly the next morning. 

View2 Comments on Mephisto 3264 – ….the cats will play!

Times 28555 – Sign here!

Author   vinyl1Posted on 20th March 2023 at 1:35 AM10 September 2025Categories Daily Cryptic

This one was just a little tricky, as the setter seems to like to rely on the secondary and tertiary senses of words.    I made slow progress at first, and then sped up a little, but it was still a bit of a slog.

View63 Comments on Times 28555 – Sign here!

Mephisto 3262 – A bottle of white, a bottle of red….

Author   vinyl1Posted on 12th March 2023 at 1:47 AM10 September 2025Categories Mephisto

Most of this was straightforward enough, but there are a few bits I did’t fully understand while solving.   I finished it in two sessions, and checked my results against Chambers.  

View13 Comments on Mephisto 3262 – A bottle of white, a bottle of red….

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