Solving time 24:20 – without Chambers except for 5D. An easy Mephisto for me (especially for Mike Laws, often the hardest of the three), as you can guess from the time. The main reason for … Read more “Mephisto 2494 – Mike Laws”
Jumbo 761 (Sat 7 Jun) – Reductio ad absurdum
Solving time: 13:28 On the easier side of average, I thought, and perhaps I should have been faster – plenty of straightforward clues but also a few harder names and phrases. I’m not anti cryptic … Read more “Jumbo 761 (Sat 7 Jun) – Reductio ad absurdum”
Mark Twain Said What!
Cumulative Pie Chart Analysis What follows is based upon 18 consecutive puzzles running from the end of May to Thursday 19th June 2008. I had originally intended to accumulate data from 24 puzzles before drawing … Read more “Mark Twain Said What!”
Times – 23945 – No sweat
This took me a little under 30 minutes. It all seemed pretty straightforward though a couple of clues highlighted some gaps in my knowledge of Geography. Nothing really stands out as COD, but maybe at … Read more “Times – 23945 – No sweat”
Times 23944 – the Thursday annihilator!
Solving time : 38 minutes! Usually I’d have given up and headed for the solving aids on this one, but that would have meant getting out of my chair and that wasn’t happening. Another Thursday … Read more “Times 23944 – the Thursday annihilator!”
23943
Moderately difficult puzzle with what seems like a good balance between snippets of knowledge and wordplay – the knowledge is mostly in half points I think. Solving time 8:30 Across 1 CHAR IS MA – … Read more “23943”
Times 23942 Double Meanings Galore
Solving time : 30 minutes A compiler who likes double meanings and homophones but who also knows what kinetic energy is.This is mostly a standard daily cryptic. I don’t fully understand 13A, which I have … Read more “Times 23942 Double Meanings Galore”
ST 4280 (Sun 8 Jun)
Solving time: 6:28 (one mistake – 15ac). 27ac in this puzzle was NAOMI, clued as ‘I MOAN’ backwards, which pretty much says it all, I think. A few more difficult words (tondi, maenads, colobus) but … Read more “ST 4280 (Sun 8 Jun)”
23941 – strange birds
Solving time: 41 mins so far Still two missing! Don’t think I’ve written one of these blog posts without completing the crossword – but I don’t have time to sit and think today – can’t … Read more “23941 – strange birds”
Mephisto 2493 Paul McKenna
This Mephisto is a little easier than some because the starter clues (see below) are generous in number and strategically placed. It is an artisan puzzle, robust and workmanlike but never scaling the heights. All … Read more “Mephisto 2493 Paul McKenna”