Solving time: 1:20 (hours not minutes) After a diet of Sunday Times, there’s no doubt that the Times is both more rigorous and more challenging. Lots to commend this puzzle – but I wonder if … Read more “23517/Cheeky revolutionary”
23,516 – a moment of cheeky brilliance
Solving time : 46 minutesI made a quick start on the SE corner and then pretty steady progress. they were quite a few straightforward clues to make this accessible to beginners. There were a couple … Read more “23,516 – a moment of cheeky brilliance”
Sunday Times 4209 – Had a ball rumbaing
It feels like the quality of Sunday puzzles has improved: this one was both harder than the run of the mill, and almost all the clues were solid. RUMBAING is a new word for me … Read more “Sunday Times 4209 – Had a ball rumbaing”
Times Saturday 23509
Solving time 12:37 Not too tricky for a Saturday, the anagram at 7dn was the only entry I wasn’t 100% sure of when I put it in. Should have been quicker really, but I’m always … Read more “Times Saturday 23509”
23,514 – Keeping up with the Joneses
Solving time : 6m05s – I have to say this felt like a very good time, given some brilliantly contrived clues, that featured many words not meaning what they appeared to at all (and often … Read more “23,514 – Keeping up with the Joneses”
Jumbo 679/Jan 13th – the first “compact” Jumbo
Solving time: 42:38 Apologies for the second consecutive late Jumbo posting. As you know the idea had been mooted to scrap them, but the consensus emerged to keep them going in a reduced format. Consequently, … Read more “Jumbo 679/Jan 13th – the first “compact” Jumbo”
23513 – Mixed nationalities
Solving time : 13:54 Israelis, Czech, Latvian, Turkey and Anglais appear in answers. Not to mention the Nova Scotian (mis)described as an islander. I could complain that indicating “totty” as “attractive women” in 22A is … Read more “23513 – Mixed nationalities”
23,512 – a classic grid
Solving time 6:28 I’m pretty sure this grid uses the smallest possible number of added black squares in an “odd rows and columns” lattice. There are just 8 of them. This puzzle used fairly original … Read more “23,512 – a classic grid”
23,511 – The name game
Solving time: 5’04” I had a bad start, making a pig’s ear of the top left and working ‘up and left’ through the grid which is always much slower, so I expect others to have … Read more “23,511 – The name game”
Times Jumbo puzzles
As there have been very few comments about these puzzles, I’ve decided that the (sometimes considerable) effort of writing blog entries about them isn’t really justified, and that we’ll stop writing about them. If there … Read more “Times Jumbo puzzles”