Category: Weekend Cryptic

Solving time: 56:57 A typical Dean puzzle with lots of slick surfaces and clever wordplay. There were a few words I didn’t know – MAVEN, BAGASSE and MANIFEST DESTINY, but all were gettable from the … Read more “Sunday Times 4554 (8 Sep 2013) by Dean Mayer”

Solving time 21:16 – I think I found this a bit tricky just because I was getting tired after already solving the previous Thursday and Friday puzzles in the same session. Good puzzle though – … Read more “Saturday Times 25574 (7th Sept)”

Solving time: 39:25 I wasn’t keen on this one as it seemed to require an awful lot of specialised knowledge. There were lots of unknowns to me – the birds PRION and TOURACO, the plant … Read more “Sunday Times 4553 (1 Sep 2013) by Jeff Pearce”

Solving time 14:44, a very enjoyable solve out of the paper for a change, in a pub garden on a sunny day with a pint of cider, while waiting for the missus to come out … Read more “Saturday Times 25568 (31st August)”

Solving time: 53:03 – I lost quite a bit of time on this one by starting it late one night when I was too tired to concentrate properly. I continued the following day and did … Read more “Sunday Times 4552 (25 Aug 2013) by Tim Moorey”

Solving time about half an hour, including a ten-minute kip with three left. I came up to blog this, wondering why I couldn’t remember anything about it. Looking through the pile, I soon discovered the … Read more “Saturday Times 25562 (24th August)”

Solving time: 31:42 Typical Dean. Lots of excellent surface readings and clever wordplay. Many candidates for COD but 12a just shades it over 17a for me. Apologies for the lateness of the blog. cd = … Read more “Sunday Times 4551 (18 Aug 2013) by Dean Mayer”

Sorry this is late, I’m afraid I won’t have time to do the blog until later tonight, or tomorrow if I’m too tired. This placeholder was supposed to go up first thing this morning, but … Read more “Saturday Times 25556 (17th August)”

Solving time: About 25 minutes I think, if memory serves. I solved it offline while on holiday, and made a note of my time on the sheet, but later threw it away before noting my … Read more “Sunday Times 4550 (11 Aug 2013) by Jeff Pearce”

First day of the premiership season, so I’m sat in a Sky “Event Centre” being paid to watch the football. Nice job if you can get it, but I’d rather be watching the Twenty20 finals! … Read more “Saturday Times 25550 (10th Aug)”