Category: Quick Cryptic

After last week’s ups and downs we seem to be on a more even keel.  Today we have two examples of regular crossword usage it helps to know and remember, one quibble, and one I … Read more “Quick Cryptic 513 by Hurley”

An interesting mix from Mara with a few very easy clues (such as 11a, 19a, 21a) and some which were quite tricky I thought (most notably 7d, but 1a and 8d might also present a … Read more “Quick Cryptic 512 by Mara”

Today is my first experience of the timer and I can accurately report that I took 14 mins 31 seconds on today’s puzzle. A little slow, perhaps, for what felt like a not too difficult, … Read more “Quick Cryptic 511 by Teazel”

I just scraped in under the wire with this one solved in 10 minutes, my target time which I have not achieved since last Monday. I think most of the clue construction is straightforward and … Read more “Quick Cryptic 510 by Joker”

Back in tricky territory again this week, I felt. Made up a word at 1a to begin with (cellural, anyone?) and stared long and hard at 18a before realisation dawned. I knew the word play … Read more “Quick Crossword 509 by Tracy”

No obscurities and no special GK needed. Unlike yesterday’s, this seemed to me to be very straightforward.  I was interrupted by a phone call which was distracting and I failed to time it. A couple … Read more “Quick Cryptic 508 by Oran”

I found this very tricky, with some grown-up clueing leading me to unusual or unknown vocabulary. Amongst my list of (at best half-) guesses, were the ghost, plant, actress/material, and location in Sri Lanka. Bit … Read more “Quick cryptic Number 507 by Izetti”

Excellent offering today. Didn’t seem too hard but took me 13 minutes – some of which was spent admiring the clues. Good, humorous clues just kept on coming – in my solving order – 23, … Read more “Quick Cryptic 506 by Mara”

An offering of average difficulty from this setter, with a few gimmes (e.g. 21A) and the lesser known words (e.g. 11A) all with clear wordplay. A pleasant start to the week – thanks Orpheus. The … Read more “Quick Cryptic 505 by Orpheus”

Some nice images conjured up in the story-telling type clues at 23a and 7d, and that ever-popular crossword meal at 22a. Checked 20a afterwards in Chambers, as I’d always thought this was ‘amend’, but turns … Read more “Quick Crossword 504 by Teazel”