Category: Quick Cryptic

Due to considerable difficulty breaking into the NW corner, and a couple of other spiky clues, I finished in a respectable but above average time. I thought some of the anagrams (and indicators) were lovely. … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1807 by Orpheus”

7 minutes for a very enjoyable and quick cryptic. The NW was my only hold up – the rest were in by a remarkable 4-5 minutes. LOI was the long anagram at 3dn where I … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1806 by Breadman with a bishy barnabee”

Very enjoyable puzzle with quite a few anagrams or anagram elements that were well signposted. One MER at 15D but no doubt someone will point out why I am wrong. FOI was 1A and LOI … Read more “QC 1805 by Izetti”

I ripped through this in 5 minutes, in may cases without parsing, and on reflection there are some absolute crackers. I’m particularly fond of 1ac, 8ac, 14 ac and 3 dn, but overall the surfaces are … Read more “Quick Cryptic 1804 by Wurm”

This took me just inside my 15-minute target to solve, but looking back on it as I write the blog, I wonder why it took me so long?  Typically Jokeresque, there is nothing unusual, obtuse … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1803 by Joker”

Introduction 6:33. Found this very straightforward for about 93%, but the other 7% really made me pause to scratch my head. Solutions A brief summary of cryptic crosswords —feel free to skip— : Each clue … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1802 by Tracy”

Just a few (9 – I counted them) seconds over 10 minute target but I felt pleased with the time as I wasn’t tuned in to the correct radio frequency. The only way of assessing … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1801 by Teazel”

Solving time: 10 minutes, but only just! There are a few clues that may be a bit tricky for newer solvers but there’s easy stuff too, hopefully sufficient to get some early answers in the … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1800 by Hurley”

Joker is our Friday setter this week and he has given us a typically neat quick cryptic with plenty of concise clues, which I enjoy. I liked the beer that gives you wind and the … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1799 by Joker”

Another difficult QC: I was nearly four minutes over target, which was nearly four minutes quicker than yesterday’s, done just beforehand. So perhaps a bit easier today (although I am more used to Izetti’s style, … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1798 by Izetti”