Category: Daily Cryptic

I’ve lost my solving time for this, but I think it was about average. There were some trickier words this week though, as well as an erroneous definition at 18dn. * = anagram. Across 1 … Read more “ST 4292 (Sun 31 Aug) – Sofia so good”

Firstly, apologies for not doing this last week, particularly as it’s something of a milestone that only comes round once every three years or so. Shame they didn’t do something with it – I was … Read more “Times 24000 (belatedly) – from Aug 23”

Solving time: 15.12. Quite a few clues with very helpful definitions, including the two long verticals, got me off to a good start and I saw the long anagram at 17a right away too, but … Read more “Times Crossword 24011”

Solving time: 7:18 An easy one, with mostly very straightforward clues. The anagrams in the two long acrosses were made slightly less obvious by having their fodder broken up. The answers included a few words … Read more “Times 24,010”

It’s elicited several comments worthy of discussion – are all of the devices fair, all of the clues sound, nothing too obscure? Hope you’ll feel strongly enough to join us for a chat this evening … Read more “24009 – Much ado about quite a lot to talk about?”

Following an eleventh hour takeover of this site by the royal family of Abu Dhabi, I’ve been appointed caretaker blogger for one day only. Kevin Keegan will be here tomorrow. And having struggled womanfully through … Read more “24,009 – Much Ado About Quite a Lot”

Solving time : 12 minutes for me, suggesting the real speedsters will be having soft-boiled eggs for breakfast today; for the more leisurely in manner, another pleasant Tuesday puzzle. By my reckoning only one or … Read more “Times 24,008 – Calling All Elf Fans…”

Solving time: about 45 minutes, in two sittings. I did about half of this in 15 minutes, with quite a few answers going in on first read-through. Then needed a further 30 minutes later on … Read more “24007”

Solving time: 7:58 A couple of dodgy clues this week but on the whole a decent puzzle, with nothing too difficult or obscure. * = anagram, “X” = sounds like ‘X’. Across 1 PL(ANT)AIN – … Read more “ST 4291 (Sun 24 Aug) – Lesser of two weevils”

This took me a good hour, so that’s three consective quite difficult days for me and yet again I was very slow getting started. An enjoyable puzzle but nothing special. For a long time I … Read more “Times 24005”