Category: Jumbo Cryptic

For the first time, a published book of Times crosswords includes puzzles we’ve blogged at Times for the Times. Times crossword editor Richard Browne has kindly told me how the puzzles in this book correspond … Read more “Times Jumbo Cryptic Crossword Book 9 – Puzzle Index”

I really didn’t enjoy this at all. In fact if I hadn’t known I was blogging it I would probably have screwed it up after about 15 minutes. It seemed to be hard just for … Read more “Jumbo 814 – 9th May 2009”

Late again, mea culpa. I have a tendency to solve the Jumbo, make notes, then forget about it… No great problems here, apart from a single new word (43 ac) makes this a Q0-E7-D5. As … Read more “Jumbo 812”

Solving time: 25:40, 1 mistake (24D) An easyish Jumbo, but with plenty of interesting words and wordplay. One careless mistake from me, so I’m wearing that cap again.. Across 1 EX,CEL(l) – an easy enough … Read more “Jumbo 813 (Bank Holiday Monday, 4 May)”

A very good puzzle, indeed. Tough, but very fair, with rigorous clueing. Solving time, 98 mins. * = anagram < = reversedACROSS1 G(RASP)ABLE Clark Gable of Gone With the Wind and much else6 DEAD MEN’S … Read more “Times Jumbo 811 (Sat 25 Apr 2009)”

Solving time: 16:43 A very quick solve, so I’m quite surprised that I’ve found so many clues to write about. The 18-12 victory for downs in the comment count suggests that my usual solving order … Read more “Jumbo 808”

Apologies for slight lateness – I went to post as usual earlier this week, then realised that the online solution wasn’t yet published, presumably because of a deadline extended over the Easter holidays, so held … Read more “Times Jumbo 807 – A Game of Two Halves”

Solved this during a 4-hour wait in a airport with no access to dicts etc. I finished it there so this means it was probably quite an easy puzzle, solving time 64 mins. Enjoyable. * … Read more “Times Jumbo 806 (Sat 28 Mar 2009)”

Didn’t record a time, but it was around the half-hour mark (however long it took my train to get from Euston to Milton Keynes on Wednesday night). Still, as I solved it only a couple … Read more “Jumbo 805 (21st March)”

This was my first crossword solve after a week’s break. Quite a lot of really easy clues, a few good ones but very few smiles and far too much obscurity for my liking. Others will … Read more “Jumbo 804 – 14 March 2009”