Category: Quick Cryptic

Maybe I’m a little jaded after yesterday’s festivities, but this took me 20 minutes, well outside my target range.  Other than one slightly questionable answer (17a – see below), I can’t see any real excuse … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1513 by Orpheus”

Introduction A gentle, enjoyable puzzle for Christmas Day. I would have finished in 5:20, but couldn’t get 19 Down. I knew what was going on but simply didn’t know the word. Two minutes later, I … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1512 by Wurm”

I seemed to be taking a while with all the long clues so was surprised when I had it all wrapped it all up in 8:44 with loi 3dn. A Yuletide salute to the valiant … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1511 by Teazel”

Solving time: 7 minutes. Quite straightforward I think, but we shall see what others made of it… As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1510 by Joker”

A nice QC from Mara, with plenty to delight us, but… Well I usually print out the crosswords and do them on paper before entering the answers online to create the outline of the blog … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1509 by Mara”

Nudging a bit past average difficulty from Hurley today, I found. I had all bar 19ac done around the 10 minute mark, and spent the next couple of minutes considering it and various Christmas related … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1508 by Hurley”

This might prove dispiriting for those on the K-scale – it’s going to be difficult to keep up, I think! Trelawney has typically been a welcome respite from obscurities and tortuous wordplay, and while no … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1507 by Trelawney”

On holiday so as brief as ever. Having struggled in the top half, I was lining this one up as difficult but progress further down and a 13 minute finish has made me ease the … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1506 by Izetti”

No idea about timing for this one, I was away on holiday at the time and too much else was going on, but I thought it was above average difficulty for a Monday quickie. Looking … Read more “QC 1505 by Teazel”

A welcome 6-minute romp for me after a bit of a late night. Not too hard but very neatly clued and thoroughly enjoyable. Contains a few of the staple niche definitions found in crosswordland, that some … Read more “Quick Cryptic 1504 by Joker”