Category: Weekend Cryptic

Solid, sufficiently scintillating session.Slick surfaces.Succinct suggestions.Sly subtexts.Some small something seemed strange, still… I indicate (a Sam rang)* like this, and italicize anagrinds in the clues. ACROSS  1 Poor piece of work that setter’s put away? … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4991, by Dean Mayer — What it’s all about”

The names of the comedian at 3dn and the manager at 6dn may be unfamiliar to solvers outside the sceptered isle, likewise the answer at 25ac. Otherwise this was a normal Saturday assignment, I thought. … Read more “Times Cryptic No 28194 – Saturday, 22 January 2022. Call that funny?”

15:33. I enjoyed this tricky and rather quirky puzzle, but there are a couple of things I found a bit puzzling (see 5ac, 23ac, 6dn). Any elucidation welcome. Nothing that caused me undue difficulty, although … Read more “Sunday Times 4990 by David McLean”

The double Homeric reference was a delight. Obviously it wasn’t all Greek, though both answers were among my last few in. Thanks to the setter for a very enjoyable puzzle. How did you all get … Read more “Times Cryptic No 28188 – Saturday, 15 January 2022. Not all Greek to me.”

…this puzzle is constructed. No exotic vocabulary, no CDs (not that I mind either), no stretchy definitions, all quite clear and no questions or quibbles left after solving… and yet I had to look at … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic 4989, by Robert Price — With wit and cunning”

I was struck by the number of terse definitions in this puzzle – often one word, sometimes just two letters. I didn’t know the old county – and probably don’t know many current ones! – … Read more “Times Cryptic No 28182 – Saturday, 8 January 2022. Short and sweet.”

I was wondering recently how many blogs I had done. I had never kept a record and working it out was always going to be quite fiddly, because there was a fair bit of chopping … Read more “Sunday Times 4988 by Dean Mayer”

This was a pleasant way to start 2022. It took a while to get a toehold – thank you, 26ac and 7dn – but then the bottom half flowed smoothly, and the top half followed. … Read more “Times Cryptic No 28176 – Saturday, 1 January 2022. Happy New Year, one week in.”

You can’t fool me! Ha. Having got the long song title at the bottom right away, I expected very smooth sailing… but it turned out not to be a steady breeze. There were a few … Read more “Sunday Times Christmas Cryptic 4987, by David McLean — There ain’t no sanity clause!”

Just to remind those who were busy on the day – last Saturday’s puzzle was blogged on Christmas Day. You’ll find the blog here: https://times-xwd-times.livejournal.com/2660654.html As always, please don’t comment here on the current Saturday … Read more “Times Cryptic – Saturday, 1 January 2022. Happy New Year!”