Category: Weekend Cryptic

15:37. I remember finding this mostly easy, but then getting quite seriously held up by a few at the end. However I can’t now remember which ones! The unknown 13dn was one of them. I … Read more “Sunday Times 4666 by Tim Moorey – elementary my dear”

Solved online in 11:57, so fairly easy despite the high GK content. I suppose it’s one where you either know the words or you don’t, as there was also some tricky vocab (KABADDI, SERAI, BDELLIUM), … Read more “Saturday Times 26244 (31st Oct)”

As ever, a highly enjoyable puzzle from Dean, but not as mind-bending as some – and I’m certainly not complaining, particularly as this was my blogging week! The trademark elegance and economy of cluing were … Read more “Sunday Times 4665 by Dean Mayer”

Okay make that “tomorrow”. I was kept away a lot longer than I expected, then there was the rugby final, then something else happened, then my PC crashed and I had to type it up … Read more “Saturday Times 26238”

24:19. I always used to associate Jeff Pearce with straightforward, plain vanilla puzzles. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course: variety is the spice of life, need to cater to all abilities, no-one wants a … Read more “Sunday Times 4664 by Jeff Pearce – an embarrassment of hitches”

Solving time 10:38, a lot quicker than expected. In previous years the finals day puzzle has been an absolute stinker, as if deliberately devised to discourage us before the competition begins! This one had a … Read more “Saturday Times 26232 (17th Oct) – Championships day sweetener”

Not too stretching – indeed, some pretty fast times recorded at the Club site. I rumbled merrily along at my more sedate pace, enjoying the scenery and stopping for a bit of refreshment every now … Read more “Sunday Times 4663 by Tim Moorey”

Solving time 10:38, so on the easier side. This setter likes the single-letter removal wordplay device – I counted 8 instances in this puzzle, but apart from that it was very tight with hardly a … Read more “Saturday Times 26226 (10th Oct)”

23:13. I found this decidedly tricky but for reasons I can’t now understand. Some of it is arguably a bit stretched or loose, which might explain it in part, but I didn’t notice most of … Read more “Sunday Times 4662 by Dean Mayer – have done with childish Day-O”

I found this a real brute of a puzzle which I tackled while tired, and stopped after 20 minutes with less than half of it done. However, I came back to it refreshed the next … Read more “Saturday Times 26220 (3rd Oct)”