Category: Jumbo Cryptic

I enjoyed this one – not difficult but some well designed clues. I think my favourite is 20A for the clever construction of the solution from whole words. I also liked 40D. As my next … Read more “Jumbo 1413”

I thought this a nice middle-of-the-road Jumbo with plenty of straightforward clues to get you going and then a few that needed more effort. Only one unknown for me, the word “mahlstick” in the clue … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo No 1412 – 30th November”

For reasons I won’t go into this blog will be brief.  Normal “service” will be resumed next time.  Also I’ll be at the Championships on Saturday so won’t be able to field comments efficiently. Under … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1411 – two detective inspectors and two able-bodied seamen walk into a crossword”

Hello everyone.  This was a tricky one, I thought – and I hope you did too, because I had to use solving aids in places.  Moreover, the whole thing took me a time which I … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1410 – 16th November. Loadsatime”

Super super Jumbo with every clue on the spectrum of thoroughly likeable to actively brilliant – my hat is off to the setter. FOI 5ac, LOI, taking a good few minutes, 3dn, as ingenious and … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1409: Shout Out To The 19 Downs”

Mostly straightforward but I do have an issue with the definition in 31A – more detail below. Hopefully someone can provide more support. I don’t have any particular favourite among the other clues. Across 1 … Read more “Jumbo 1408”

Taking just over an hour over two sessions, I found this a little harder than your average Jumbo, with a sprinkling of questionmarks and “check” on my paper copy. 27A, 37A, the spelling at 7D  … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo No 1407 – 26th October”

What ho you lot (if lot is the right word in the tumbleweed-strewn ghost town that passes for the Jumbi bloggage environs) I managed to knock this off in a slightly-slower-than-average 40 minutes, despite quite … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1406 – Grandmaster Flash and the hot-tempered five”

Hi everyone.  I will have to be brief as I’ve had a millionty things to do. My solve looked at first like it would be pretty brief too (for a kitty), but alas it was … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1405 – 12th October. Curse and verse”

Greetings this week from Estes Park, Colorado, on the edge of the Rocky Mountain National Park, into which tomorrow morning I shall be venturing, full of missionary zeal to bring news of the Times Cryptic … Read more “Times Cryptic Jumbo 1404: Nothing To Share A Stake At”