Category: Daily Cryptic

Accessing the online version was somewhat technically challenging but the puzzle itself was pretty reasonable — everything fell into place after about 20′ — though the NE corner was the last to succumb. One new … Read more “Times 23751 – two women”

I found this a little hard to get started, but, once I did, found it not too difficult a puzzle. Solving time: 21 mins (fast for me) * = anagram < = reversedACROSS1 D (ALES … Read more “Times 23,750 (Mon 05 11 07)”

Solving time: 18:45 The bottom right corner here took me as long as the rest of the puzzle. I’m afraid I thought lots of clues in this were very poor. * = anagram. Across 9 … Read more “ST 4248 (Sun 28 Oct) – Malorodous”

This was not my favourite Times puzzle ever, although it did have some very clever clues. At first, I thought that my lack of enthusiasm for it was due to it taking me a long … Read more “23,748 – Charming or Offensive?”

Solving time: 8:40 I had noticed CODSWALLOP and BALDERDASH as I worked down the crossword (though I didn’t spot TOMMYROT as part of the set), and so I was pleased to find the cross-reference in … Read more “23,747 – poppycock”

Solving time: say 11 minutes I have a time of 9:25 written next to the grid from solving this shortly after the champs, but I’d heard one or two answers already and even had a … Read more “23746 – Championship Prelim 2, Puzzle 3”

Some very clever wordplay (and unlike today’s Guardian no errors!). I especially liked 1D because the definition was so well-hidden in a convincing apposite surface. Across 6 A,T IT – the kind that sings. 9 … Read more “Times 23745 – I need the loo”

Solving time: 41 mins It felt pretty quick this morning. I got the two long ones straight away – it helps when that happens. There were a couple of bits I needed to look up … Read more “23744 – cold and hot”

Solving time: 3:58 Quite a few old chestnuts today (e.g. 10ac, 11ac, 7dn). One word I didn’t know but probably should have (2dn). Music of the day, courtesy of 26ac: All Together Now by The … Read more “ST 4247 (Sun 21 Oct) – Well well”

Good, fair puzzle today with some excellent surfaces, I thought. Took me a while to get started, but the whole thing was complete in less than 11 minutes, OSAGE being the last light to go … Read more “23,742 – slow starter”