Author: vinyl1

Solving time: 89 minutes Music: Beethoven, Piano Concerto #5, Bishop/Davis/LSO Although some of my colleagues were a bit concerned if this blog would appear, I have made it back to my post in NYC following … Read more “Times 25318 – Back to the grindstone”

Solving time: 18 Minutes Music: Rachmaninoff, The Bells, Slatkin/St Louis Symphony Although I was annoyed that the puzzle was late due to the change from BST to GMT, I caught up quickly. This is the … Read more “Times 25306 – Better late than never…”

Solving time: 27 Minutes Music: Brahms, Piano Concerto #2, Gilels, Reiner/CSO Another easy Monday puzzle for you experienced solvers. How beginners will fare, I have no idea, because I’ve been at this too long and … Read more “Times 25294 – Haha, Mr Wilson, haha, Mr Heath……”

Solving time: 37 Minutes Music: Prokovief, Symphony #7, Martinon/PCO This should have been an easy one, but I started solving in an overconfident manner and entered a wrong word, then replaced it with another wrong … Read more “Times 25282 – Ole, ole, ole!”

Solving time: 57 minutes Music: Niamh Parsons, Blackbirds and Thrushes In no way is this an easy Monday puzzle, unless you have built up your vocabulary by doing barred-grid puzzles – in which case it … Read more “Times 25270 – Sonatine, Miroirs, Valse, Bolero…..”

Solving time:80 Minutes Music: Mahler, Symphony #9, Levine/Philadelphia This is a bank holiday puzzle, and so is designed to take up your whole day – which is all well and good if you’re in the … Read more “Times 25252 – Francesca da Bikini!”

Solving time: 59 Minutes Music: Old Blind Dogs, Close to the Bone This was a solve in three parts. In part one, I did all except the SW in 20 minutes. In part two, I … Read more “Times 25246 – I’d like to be 1 across, please”

Solving time: 65 Minutes Music: None, golf on TV I found this one rather difficult. There are a few unusual words, and in some cases the wordplay is not particularly helpful. I had to make … Read more “Times 25234 – Dinka or Luo, anyone?”

Solving time: 35 Minutes Music: Eric Clapton, Unplugged Quite a moderate puzzle, with a few tricks here and there. I seemed to be on the setter’s wavelength, and didn’t have any real problems, although there … Read more “Times 25222 – Another easy Monday”

Solving time: 65 Minutes Music: Mozart Notturno, Serenata Notturna, Overtures & Interludes, Maag, LSO My time includes a possible wrong answer in 25 down. I see all the words that it might be, but I … Read more “Times 25210 – The return of Mr. Rubble”