Category: Quick Cryptic

I originally thought this was simply a quirky and original affair from Juno, so it was only with a bit of post-solution scrutiny that I found a glorious Nina hiding artfully in plain sight (hint … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 2098 by Juno”

After a little difficulty breaking through to the bottom half (and particularly the SW), this was polished off in less than target time. I had to take a post-solve look at 7dn to parse it, … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 2097 by Tracy”

Lots to enjoy here – and lots of anagrams. I got into all sorts of problems in the SW where I confidently entered completely the wrong answer for 22ac. Over in the SE I hit … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 2096 by Mara”

Hello again.  I thought this puzzle had quite a traditional style.  It didn’t strike me as all that much easier than usual, but I didn’t fall into any bear traps and everything slotted into place … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 2095 by Orpheus”

Another four-and-a-half-minuter for me, compact and pleasing with some nice surfaces esp 12ac and 24 ac. I didn’t know 11 across, but the wordplay was straightforward. Across 1 Stella met hysteria, displaying jewel (8) AMETHYST … Read more “Quick Cryptic 2094 by Juno”

A 13 minute solve for me, which equates to middling difficulty on the Rotterometer.  I had to write out the anagrist for 10a as the cryptic definition wasn’t particularly helpful.  We have ‘snake’ as both … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 2093 by Izetti”

Introduction 6:17, for a puzzle that was quite easy-going at first, but held me up at the end. Solutions Across 1   Gardener mad about one pineapple specialist? (9)GRENADIER = anagram of GARDENER around IPopped … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 2092 by Wurm”

Despite getting snarled up in the NW, where I finished on 11ac, my time was 9 minutes. The rest must have all slotted in pretty quickly. Definitions are underlined. Across 1 Pub’s first of eight … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 2091 by Pedro”

Solving time: 9 minutes. I found this mostly straightforward but one or two clues slowed my progress around the grid. As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 2090 by Hurley”

We have, I think, a pleasant, steady, middle-of-the-road Quick Crossword from Mara today. It was only the SW corner that held me up a little taking me to just over the 6 minute mark. I … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 2089 by Mara”