Category: Jumbo Cryptic

For complicated reasons to do with ospreys, I ended up solving this at around 3:30 one morning, so I’m not sure I can comment on how easy or difficult it was! Not too hard, I … Read more “Times Jumbo 1204”

Fairly straightforward, with a couple of nice clues and a couple of solutions to check. Nothing controversial to my mind Across 1 SCOFF – double definition 4 MIAOWED – DE = of, French, AIM = … Read more “Jumbo 1203”

Just under the hour for me, so medium difficulty I would suggest.  A couple of leaps of faith with EUPHORBIA and MICRODOT, but nothing too controversial as I recall.  Unless you want to get into … Read more “Jumbo 1202 April 16, 2016 – Something for everyone?”

Three blogs in and I’d say this was certainly the hardest Jumbo I’ve had to blog so far.  Spread over a few days with interruptions and with time taken to parse everything and make notes … Read more “JUMBO 1201 – Me Grim, you Ariadne”

A couple of unknown words, a couple of unexpected hyphens, and a questionable definition in an enjoyable puzzle without much in the way of 2Ds. Solving time: 21m26 * = anagram, dd = double definition, … Read more “Jumbo 1200”

A not-too-tough Jumbo (I thought), with quite a high anagram count, for the bank holiday Monday. As always, * indicates an anagram. Across 1 SPRING – triple definition 5 MUSTANG – MUG, around S + … Read more “Times Jumbo 1199 – Easter Monday”

Nothing too taxing on this one, but in 18A there is an inconsistency that I am unsure about. All the references I found show a different spelling for the cryptic part, and I don’t think … Read more “JUMBO 1198”

Have to admit I struggled with this one for more than an hour and a half, possibly because of the ten (count ’em) unknowns.  Still, that’s one of the joys of crosswords, and since solving … Read more “Jumbo 1197 March 19, 2016 – Shebangabang”

As the recently departed Keith Emerson used to play along to, welcome back my friends to the show that never ends.  I solved this the day after publication after a long drive and with much … Read more “JUMBO 1196”

A rare (for me) sub-10m solve for this one, suggesting it was at the easy end of the difficulty spectrum, though no less enjoyable for that. My unknowns (e.g. the Dickensian heroine in 26A) all … Read more “Jumbo 1195”