Category: Weekend Cryptic

I can’t give a solving time as I solved this in bits and pieces over the whole day as I’m holidaying in Wales this week. It wasn’t a quick one though – well over an … Read more “Sunday Times 4436 (5 Jun 2011)”

Solving time 15:55, about average for me. A few literary references and absolutely no science, but a very good puzzle nevertheless. 4D was my last in as I’d never heard of the term, but with … Read more “Saturday Times 24867 (4th June)”

Solving time: I don’t know – a long time. Maybe an hour and a half before resorting to aids for the last 3 or 4, and I still got one wrong! After my son’s half … Read more “Sunday Times 4435 (29 May 2011)”

Solving time 15:05, so about average. Mostly straightforward, although there were a couple of very convoluted wordplays that took ages to decipher (e.g. 14ac, 25ac). Across 1 ARABIC – A + RA(b)BI (scholar disheartened) + … Read more “Saturday Times 24861 (May 28th)”

Solving time: 18 minutes. Something of a walk in the park today. My son was barely halfway through his swimming lesson when I finished, so I had to pull out an old one from my … Read more “Sunday Times 4434 (22 May 2011)”

Solving time 25:05, one of my slowest for quite a while. I blame tiredness, as I solved it on Monday morning on the train, having solved Monday’s and Sunday’s puzzles first. A silly mistake which … Read more “Saturday Times 24855 (May 21st)”

Solving time: 30 minutes. Something of a geographical crossword today with 1a, 2, 10 & 26 all to be found on a map. My COD to 18 for a surface that made me chuckle. cd … Read more “Sunday Times 4433 (15 May 2011) – Get your atlas ready.”

Solving time: 33 minutes. Some nicely disguised definitions today. I liked tiddly (27), content (28) and I do feel a heel (1d). I put in a few without full understanding at the time – ON … Read more “Sunday Times 4432 (8 May 2011)”

No time for this one. I solved it on the train on Monday morning, having already tackled Monday’s and Sunday’s puzzles. By that time I was too tired to concentrate (I’m not a morning person), … Read more “Saturday Times 24843 (May 7th)”

Solving time: About 40 minutes again this week. I still had several left after 30 minutes. This is probably my least favourite grid. I don’t like the way the four corners don’t intersect with each … Read more “Sunday Times 4431 (1 May 2011)”