Category: Weekend Cryptic

I have to admit to a slight case of blogger’s nerves when filling for Bruce on Saturdays. These puzzles are often on the tough side and can leave me prone to what Ulaca once called … Read more “Times Saturday 26784 — July 22, 2017. What? Your name’s not Brian?”

I really enjoyed this puzzle. Whilst I found it slightly easier than some of Dean’s offerings, it nonetheless came up with three instances where I had to trust to the wordplay and enter the answer … Read more “Sunday Times 4755 by Dean Mayer”

This was great fun, not least because I was watching replays of Wimbleton at the same time. There were several unknowns, but in each case the rest of the clue steered me straight eventually. Cats … Read more “Times Saturday 26778 – July 15, 2017. When the cat’s away, the mice will play.”

9:36. Pretty straightforward stuff, this, but I enjoyed it a lot. I can’t entirely put my finger on why but it just flowed very nicely. There’s very little by way of obscurity, although I didn’t … Read more “Sunday Times 4754 by Jeff Pearce”

I think this will be another easy or medium puzzle by Saturday standards, at least for the expert solvers. A nice mix – some history, some geography, some languages. The SE corner took me longest … Read more “Times Saturday 26772 – July 8, 2017. One for our North American friends.”

I found this one decidedly tricky, and had to chip away at it over several sessions. When writing up the blog, I was trying to figure out why it had seemed so hard – there … Read more “Sunday Times 4753 by David McLean”

After struggling last week, this week went very smoothly until the last answer! I started well, finishing the bottom half (all bar one) and then the NW followed by the NE, but then found myself … Read more “Times Saturday 26766 – July 1, 2017. Nothing tedious today.”

20:48. Another excellent puzzle from Dean, and for my money a perfect level of challenge for a Sunday: tricky without being an absolute stinker. Actually I like an absolute stinker too, but my kids get … Read more “Sunday Times 4752 by Dean Mayer”

After breezing through last week, this week saw me thud back to earth! I started well, finishing the NW corner, but then gradually slowed to a standstill. My last ones in were 15ac, 6dn, 20dn … Read more “Times Saturday 26760 – June 24, 2017. Too many unknowns?”

Greetings from Sydney where your ‘umble blogger is currently spending a couple of weeks doing a bit of work and catching up with old pals. Solved this one sitting in the gorgeous beer garden of … Read more “Sunday Times 4751 by Jeff Pearce”