Category: Quick Cryptic

I found this one a bit of a game of two halves. First quick run through the Across clues yielded a dispiriting three answers, but then a similar quick run through the Downs got almost … Read more “Quick Cryptic No 382 by Mara”

It seems a long time since I had one at the easier end of the spectrum to blog. Most of this went in on first pass and all was finished off just within 10 minutes. … Read more “Quick Crytpic No 381 by Flamande”

I solved all but two clues in 8 minutes but it occurred to me that some of the answers are not easy if one doesn’t have all the necessary general knowledge. Eventually I ground to … Read more “Quick Cryptic 380 by Hurley”

Not the easiest of quickies, it took me ten minutes or so but I had to duck and dive around the grid, not just write them in from top to bottom. Only two anagrams today … Read more “Quick Cryptic No 379 by Teazel”

Morning all! Solving time: Reasonable. We have Joker along today with a pleasant balanced puzzle that didn’t prove too troublesome. lots of clues of the type I call Wordsums (definition below). Off on my jollies … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 378 by Joker – Sum fun!”

I consistently struggle with the main cryptic to the point of failure, so I enjoy these Quickies best when they’re testing, and this certainly was a stretching but satisfying crossword. I suspect the other novices … Read more “Quick Cryptic Number 377 by Izetti”

All was going swimmingly until the sea creature came along but the real sting in its tail for me was the NE where I ‘struggled to survive’ with little ‘improvement’. I expect times/completions to vary … Read more “Quick Cryptic No 376 by Tracy”

A gentle offering from Mara today, with a good wodge of simple charades and anagrams. The puzzle can be found here if the usual channels are unavailable: http://feeds.thetimes.co.uk/timescrossword/20150817/9337/ Definitions are underlined. Across 1 ‘Shiner‘ in … Read more “Quick Cryptic 375 by Mara”

Hurley usually gives us a nice balanced puzzle with some good anagrams and this one is no exception. I ran through it in five or six minutes ending with 12d; should have been an easy … Read more “Quick Cryptic No 374 by Hurley”

Standing in at short notice for Macavity, so please excuse any brevity or indeed the tedium of seeing me again tomorrow. I’d normally be on the fifteenth by now but thunder and torrential rain are … Read more “Quick Cryptic No 373 by Orpheus – quick blog too, rivers everywhere.”