Time: 38:30 — I am well pleased with this time. It is the first time I have completed a Times puzzle on the train to London (42 mins), although I have completed a couple of … Read more “23684 – ok today”
Unofficial Times cryptic RTC contest No. 5 – results
Mark Goodliffe wins the mini-championship by a country mile this week, but there were fewer mistakes than in the previosu couple of weeks and some close contests, with the margins between Sabine and Tony, and … Read more “Unofficial Times cryptic RTC contest No. 5 – results”
Times Saturday 23677 (Aug 11)
Profuse apologies to those who were waiting for this to arrive earlier in the week, but I had a hectic week at work combined with a lot of evening social occasions (Sloggers & Betters 3 … Read more “Times Saturday 23677 (Aug 11)”
ST 4237 (Sun 12 Aug) – Drog star
Solving time: 5:18 A straightforward puzzle with one or two more difficult words and names, but for once I knew them so this time was below par. * = anagram, “X” = sounds like ‘X’. … Read more “ST 4237 (Sun 12 Aug) – Drog star”
Unofficial Times cryptic RTC No. 5 – your times please
(This is a weekly unofficial contest based on your times for the Times cryptic crossword from Saturday to Friday.) At last I can log a set of all-correct times adding up to less than an … Read more “Unofficial Times cryptic RTC No. 5 – your times please”
23,682 – Gunning for homophones
If you follow my blogs here and on Fifteensquared, you may realise that I don’t like dodgy homophones, and 24ac held me up for a minute or two today. Other than that, this was pretty … Read more “23,682 – Gunning for homophones”
23681 – comparisons are odo(rife)rous
Solving time: 12:53 No show-stoppers but a lot of clues that needed thinking about, and a fair number that I filled in without understanding the wordplay at the time. I think there are only five … Read more “23681 – comparisons are odo(rife)rous”
23680 – making sense
Solving time 6:57 Quick start, with 1A (a classic easy but entertaining clue) falling immediately, but slowed down a bit in the bottom half. In various clues we have references to eyes, brains and sound … Read more “23680 – making sense”
Jumbo 710
Solving time 14:36 A pretty easy puzzle, but the clues read well and there are a couple of good &lit clues. The 15×15 cryptic on the same day was really tough, so this one’s low … Read more “Jumbo 710”
Unofficial Times cryptic RTC contest No. 4 – results
Mark Goodliffe returns from holiday in sparkling form to win the championship scoring by over 20 minutes. Tony Sever grabs second mainly by virtue of a good time for the tough Saturday puzzle. In the RTC … Read more “Unofficial Times cryptic RTC contest No. 4 – results”