Author: vinyl1

Solving time: 33 minutes Music: Mozart, Nocturnes and Serenades, Maag/LSO This puzzle has a good mixture of straightforward and tricky clues. It is quite easy to get started, but it may not be so easy … Read more “Times 24599 – Flattery will get you somewhere!”

Solving time: 39 minutes Music: Beethoven, Piano Sonatas, Backhaus This puzzle shows that you should not imagine you can finish quickly until you actually do so. Although I had all but the southeast corner done … Read more “Times 24587 – Otter chaos!”

Solving time: 19 minutes Music: Strauss, Bax, Symphony #7, Leppard/LSO After the sequence of toughies this week, I was a little worried. What I got was a beginner’s puzzle – that is, if you are … Read more “Times 24575 – Still barking up the wrong Tree!”

Solving time: 45 minutes Music: Delius, North Country Sketches, Groves/RPO My time for this puzzle was embarrassing. I raced through most of it in about fifteen minutes, and then got stuck on the last six, … Read more “Times 24563 – Awl’s well that ends well”

Solving time: 43 minutes Music: Mozart, Sinfonia Concertante, Grumiaux/Davis/LSO First, let me thank my colleague Russel John for filling in last week. I had a most enjoyable trip, but my access to the internet was … Read more “Times 24557 – Heathcliff again”

Solving time: 30 minutes Music: Sibelius, Violin Concerto Belkin/Ashkenazy/LSO This is the first puzzle I’ve had to blog that I consider somewhat unsatisfactory. For me, the cryptics lacked the precision one expects in a Ximinean … Read more “Times 24539 – In search of the lost cloud”

Solving time: 30 minutes Music: Van Morrison, Astral Weeks Another two-parter. About 15 minutes for most of it, and then 15 minutes for the last three, and I didn’t make it easy for myself either. … Read more “Times 24527 – Stand and Deliver!”

Solving time: 40 minutes Music: Shostakovich, Symphony No. 14, Ormandy/PhilSO Before you laugh too hard at my time, let me point out that it was divided into two parts; 15 minutes for most of the … Read more “Times 24515 – All Thumbs Eve!”

Solving time: 53 minutes Music: Elgar, Enigma Variations, Previn/LSO Some solvers may find this a bit tricky. Very specific general knowledge, and a good vocabulary, will come in most handy. I was slowed down at … Read more “Times 24503 – Where are Muckram Wakes when you need them?”

Solving time:42 minutes Music: Holst, Choral Symphony, Boult/LPO This one started out easily enough, but ended up being tough at the end. The correct spelling of ‘Roentgen’ is absolutely essential for finishing. I had it … Read more “Times 24491 – The answers, but some questions”