Category: Quick Cryptic

I expect to see some very fast times quoted here, as I completed this in a PB of 6 minutes, which I think is a record by a long way.  My last blog was also … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1563 by Mara”

Introduction Super distracted with the kids, but no major difficulties here. There were a lot of head-scratchers on first pass, but I was always able to get some crossing letters and figure everything out. Solutions … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1562 by Oink”

I really struggled getting going in this one. My problems stemmed from the NW where LOIs were 2dn, 3dn, 1dn and finally 8ac. 10ac didn’t help matters either so I ended up at 16 minutes. … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1561 by Tracy”

Solving time: 10 minutes. I found this straightforward but I’m sure others will view it differently and I look forward to reading all comments. As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1560 by Hurley”

I got off to a flying start with this, with the first 3 across clues, but then I discovered it was no picnic. I was pleased to get 3 of the 4 words around the … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1559 by Des – Ménage à trois?”

On the gentle side from Joker, giving my first sub-6 minute blog in… quite some time. All but three of the acrosses went in on a first read through (1, 22 and 23 being the … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1558 by Joker”

A couple of unknown meanings for me at 1ac, 14dn and 18dn meant I had to wait for a few checkers there, but otherwise a nice, workaday puzzle. Definiitons underlined. Across 1 Former pupil, retainer, … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1557 by Hurley”

Not my best form, judging by the ‘doh’ count – not least LOI 9ac which I realised I’d known all along. So a longish 13 minutes with lots to enjoy, including COD 13ac but also … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1556 by Orpheus”

A very interesting puzzle today from Teazel. It had very few of those usual staples of a QC, anagrams and hidden words. I could see only two full anagrams (plus one where an anagram was … Read more “QC 1555 by Teazel”

So 8 minutes for me. Compound anagrams are the theme of the day, plus some well-disguised hidden words. LOI 11 ac, which I spent an age staring at for no good reason. Overthinking it again, … Read more “Quick Cryptic 1554 by Breadman”