Category: Weekend Cryptic

Solving time 19:11 for this very literary offering, with appearances from Shakespeare (twice), Dickens, Swift and Cardinal Newman. Across 1 BUBBLE AND SQUEAK – BUBBLE (seem joyful) AND (with) SQUEAK (a little excited sound). Fried … Read more “Saturday Times 25107 (10th March)”

Solving time: 48:30 was the official time, but realistically more like 30-35 minutes. I was solving online on Sunday night, but I had to go and empty the washing machine part way through and forgot … Read more “Sunday Times 4475 (4 Mar 2012)”

A rather bemused 12:43 for this one, as reports on last week’s blog as well as on the Times forum suggested it was a stinker. It was a good puzzle though, with some excellent clues … Read more “Saturday Times 25101 (3rd March)”

Solving time: 45:41 I forgot to write the blog at the time, so I’m afraid I’m having to write it a week after I solved it, and I can’t remember much about how I found … Read more “Sunday Times 4474 (26 Feb 2012)”

Solving time 17:50. I started with the four crossing 12-letter entries and got three of them straight away, so thought I’d be in for a quick time. However, I lost my way a bit in … Read more “Saturday Times 25095 (25th Feb)”

Solving time: 1:11:27 There was a lot here that I found tricky, as is often the case with Dean’s puzzles, and I was never going to post a quick time, but I get stuck in … Read more “Sunday Times 4473 (19 Feb 2012) – Crashed due to pilot error”

Solving time 28:41, which seems pretty quick now, looking at the times posted on the forum! Only a minute or so behind Pete Biddlecombe will do me. There were hints last week that this was … Read more “Saturday Times 25089 (18th Feb)”

Solving time: 45:07 Since the ST has started publishing the setter’s name, I have, like many others I’m sure, gained a gut reaction to each name giving me an expectation of how much I’m likely … Read more “Sunday Times 4472 (12 Feb 2012)”

14:44 for this. Having struggled recently on Monday mornings, I wisely decided to save this for the train home on Monday evening, posting what seems to be a fairly good time (anything under 15 mins … Read more “Saturday Times 25083 (11th Feb)”

Solving time: 48:50 Many apologies for being a couple of days late with this one. I’ve been on holiday in Egypt for a week and I’ve just got back an hour ago. I did leave … Read more “Sunday Times 4471 (5 Feb 2012) – Apologies for being late (Andy’s fault!)”