Solving time: 26:07, but a couple of minutes thanks to the mistake in the clue for SIDDHA at 55ac. Also two mistakes of mine (28ac and 12dn). A fairly standard and unremarkable puzzle, I thought … Read more “Jumbo 750 (Sat 5 Apr) – Yoga meister”
Times 23886
Had to lookup ALICE BAND to check it as well as GRASMERE. Other than that, I thought that this was relatively easy for a Saturday. Probably finished it off in about half an hour. Across … Read more “Times 23886”
23891 – Morning campers!
Solving time – 16:53 Quite tricky in places, and from the comments received so far it looks like the literary stuff (3, 22, 28) slowed a few people down. Luckily this is one of my … Read more “23891 – Morning campers!”
A bit of crossword history
Back in 1968, Stephen Sondheim (yes, the famous one) had a go at introducing the US to cryptic crosswords. (Someone else had tried back in the 1940s, but that attempt produced the Puns and Anagrams … Read more “A bit of crossword history”
Times 23,890
Solving time: 10:48 Was heading for a fast time then came to a dead halt on 22 and 27. Tempted by LOTI for 27 (can’t now see why), but eventually “physician” sparked the thought of … Read more “Times 23,890”
23889 – party animals
Solving time 8:10 After finding the Mad Hatter at 1D and the March Hare at 6D I was waiting for the dormouse to turn up, but he (or she? – I can’t recall whether its … Read more “23889 – party animals”
Times 23,888
22 minutes, of which an unwontedly large proportion was spent on 13 down. Across 4 MAINSTAYS – guys as in guy-ropes. 9 AGINCOURT – NCO + ‘U’ inside A(rea)GIRT. 10 VERGE – (EG+REV) backwards; possibly … Read more “Times 23,888”
Times Crossword 23,887
Solving time: 33 minutesFound this pretty easy to get into. Held up at the end by 27 and 16 – I should know by now what ‘distressing’ means in a crossword! Also briefly held up … Read more “Times Crossword 23,887”
ST 4271 (Sun 6 Apr) – Bo selecta
Solving time: 3:16 A pretty straightforward puzzle – I think I’ve already seen another member of this site’s blogging team claim a much-improved PB for this. Would any Estonians in the audience like to comment … Read more “ST 4271 (Sun 6 Apr) – Bo selecta”
Mephisto 2484 – Paul McKenna
Solving time: 24m My first Paul McKenna Mephisto to blog, and it proved to be an enjoyable puzzle. Quite a high proportion of obscure words, but there was little convoluted wordplay, so that helped. Many … Read more “Mephisto 2484 – Paul McKenna”