Category: Daily Cryptic

Solving time : let’s keep this one to ourselves. I found this more difficult than qualifier 1 Across 1 P(e)ACEMAKER 6 WASTE: two definitions 9 DORIS: I in Diana DORS. Is this a sign to … Read more “Times Crossword Championship 2008: 2nd qualifier”

 A very lively puzzle that took me the best part of an hour to complete. I found it quirky but highly enjoyable and satisfying because everything seemed fair. I have (for once) no real quibbles … Read more “23909 – Able was I…. to solve it again”

Solving time: 12:58 Another tough-ish one, I think, but full of good things. Perhaps someone will explain exactly how 24 works. (Peter did. See below.) As an HP fan, I was delighted to see quidditch … Read more “Times 23,908”

Solving time 7:50 Made a slow start with this, failing to notice that “forgotten wreaths” is one letter too long and considering it as the fodder, and not seeing GAME POINT or WOMEN as soon … Read more “23,907 – time for our Pantheon?”

Solving time : 40 minutes I enjoyed this puzzle, which I found quite difficult in parts but completely fair. There are some unusal usages such as SETTING at 1A, some very UK oriented references (CORRIE, … Read more “Times 23906 A Weatherfield Setting”

This one took just over an hour. I found it a bit difficult to get into, but very enjoyable – some very good (and misleading) surface readings. I found the NE corner the most difficult … Read more “23905 – Placeholder”

Solving time: 5:34 Today has been a very bad day. It turns out that Leicester City are not (as the terrace chant would claim) by far the greatest team the world has ever seen, but … Read more “ST 4274 (Sun 27 Apr) – Burnt at the Stoke”

Solving time – 9:37  An easy end to what (I think) has been an easy week for the Times. No standout COD but I liked 21 so I’ll go for that.  Across 5 CHASER – … Read more “23903”

Solving time : 26 minutes. On a first read-through of the across clues I didn’t get a single one, and I was sure we were in for a dose of impossible Thursday. I fared a … Read more “Times 23902 – wordplay goes bumph”

Solving time 8:54 Slower than the last couple, though I missed out on one trick for quick solving. After guessing SWEEPSTAKE from the def at 1A but not seeing the wordplay, I should have written … Read more “23901 – getting a bit more tricky”