A bit of a tricky Quick Cryptic from Izetti today, I think. I was slow to get started with very few across clues yielding an answer on a first pass, but the downs got me going. Thank-you Izetti. How did you all get on?
Fortnightly Weekend Quick Cryptic. [Update: Erroneous link fixed]. This time it is my turn to provide the extra weekend entertainment. You can find the latest crossword, which is entitled “I can’t see the wood…” here. Enjoy!
I am standing in for RolyToly today whilst he is on holiday.
Slightly harder than usual from Oink – I’m usually right on his/her wavelength, but not so much today. Nevertheless, all solved within target time, only 6dn holding out until the bitter end.
A scorpion of a QC! I was well and truly bitten by the sting in the tail which was 13dn.
Hello everyone. Thanks to Jalna for a puzzle which I found lots of fun and thought perfectly pitched for the slot.
Time after time, I don’t have a clear favourite to mention here, but this time I do: 17d. I also liked the gift of frilly clothing in 14a. Neither of these clues have misleading definitions, but both have delightful wordplay.
I enjoyed this. It’s fairly straightforward, but introduces some devices that are marginal for a QC, so beginners may struggle
Theme spoiler alert – I have given some of the theme elements at the end of the blog.
I can scarcely be said to have finished this puzzle, but let us say it came to an end in 13:28.
I got off to a good start with 1ac and then just about kept going, although it seemed rather sticky. I finished in the SE with 22dn just on 9 minutes. Looking back this seems like a pretty decent time. Having now had time to appreciate the complexity of the clues and the smoothly polished surfaces, I do congratulate Joker for a great puzzle.
I needed 12 minutes for this one as I was delayed by 2, 14 & 18.
