Like most Don Manley Mephistos, I was able to finish this one without much difficulty. I got a few almost immediately, and they opened up the grid for me. The hardest thing in a Mephisto is getting started, since a few crossing letters are amazingly helpful in parsing in the clues.
Author: vinyl1
Times 28363 – Today’s man, in more ways than one
A rather typical Monday puzzle, with one or two surprise entries. But if you follow the cryptic, it all falls rather easily into place. The two larger answers were particularly easy, which really opened up the middle of puzzle.
Mephisto 3230 – Rosie the River!
This was a bit of a toughie – not a one-day solve. In fact, I picked at it for most of the week, and finally finished on Thursday. The setter seems to be rather fond of letter removal, and even multiple letter removal.
Times 28351 – The takeaway place
I did not find this one particularly difficult, despite numerous mis-biffs, and managed to trot home in a decent time for me. Lack of any attempt to conceal the literals was certainly helpful.
Mephisto 3228 – Born on the 4th of July!
I didn’t find this one too bad, and finished in a single sitting. Since the setter has used many common words as answers, he evidently felt the need to add some obscurity to the clues in order to come up to Mephisto standards.
Times 28339 – A day in the life of Figaro?
A rather simple Monday puzzle, but one lacking pizzazz. I really shouldn’t have taken as long as I did.
Mephisto 3226 – Seth would be proud!
It’s always a pleasure to get a Don Manley puzzle – at least I know I won’t be beating my brains out over how the clue works. Manley must know Chambers inside out, because everything he uses can be found in exactly the place you would expect to find it in that big red book.
Times 28327 – With a tiny monster, perhaps?
We have certainly gotten to just about the easiest possible puzzle today – I doubt whether this will break 50 in the SNITCH.
Mephisto 3224 – Wood nymphs? Baboons? Nope!
I found it a little difficult to get started in this one, and was thinking of stopping for the night with only a few solved. But then I started to break through, and got a bit of traction.
Times 28315 – Half way there
I thought this was going to be a very easy one, but I was forced to change my mind about half-way through. The top ones went in easily enough, but there were a few tricky ones in the middle and bottom that held me up.