Mephisto 2998 - Don Manley: my 250th Mephisto Blog
Not counting two special blogs in June 2011 when Mike Laws died, this is my 250th Mephisto blog. My first was puzzle 2489 that appeared in the paper on 11th May 2008. Bar crosswords have been my...
View ArticleTimes 26965 - Swimming the Lucinda River with Joie de Vivre
A very Mondayesque puzzle indeed, which I romped through in 21 minutes, so we may expect the speedsters to be comfortably sub-5. Sometimes a puzzle is like a London bus - you know what I mean: you wait...
View ArticleTimes Quick Cryptic 1030 by Mara
This one took me 6 minutes so I would rate it on the easy side. I have one or two minor quibbles which I shall mention along the way but generally this was an excellent Quickie.As usual definitions are...
View ArticleTimes Quick Cryptic 1031 by Flamande
A brief blog today due to travel. I found this medium difficulty which seems about right for a QC - enough to think about but all gettable. Good surfaces and a couple of &lits (clues where the...
View ArticleTimes Cryptic 26966
I needed 31 minutes for this one, so another puzzle at the easier end of the spectrum methinks. And only one unknown word or meaning which presented no problem at all.As usual definitions are...
View ArticleQuick Cryptic 1032 by Felix
I enjoyed this offering from Felix - nothing obscure, but some teasers that required a bit of thinking about (9d being an example).12a proved yet again the wisdom of the old crossword adage "if you see...
View ArticleTimes 26967 - nearly as fast as Elise Christie yesterday
Sad to see our world champion Elise crashing out of the speed skating yet again. There again, £32 million of taxpayers money in four years to chase a few medals in elite winter sports does seem a...
View ArticleQuick Cryptic No 1033 by Izetti
This was my fastest time for a while at just over 5 minutes, so definitely on the easier side for an Izetti puzzle. Entertaining nonetheless!In my last blog I talked about HOLAs! (Harrumph - Opening...
View ArticleTimes 26968 - 25 up your ears?
Solving time: 12:35.Pretty steady solve, I found this overall a bigger challenge than yesterday but there were no unknown answers that held me up at the end. A few tricky wordplay elements, I suspect...
View ArticleQuick Cryptic 1034 by Wurm
So, a rare outing from Wurm on the QC so I am told. I was half expecting something befitting a special occasion like a Nina, but I can't see one. Fairly straightforward, probably the easiest I have...
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Times 26,969: Northern Powerhouse
A medium-strength crossword that nevertheless proved tough enough to merit its Friday slot, at least for me: after reasonably fast progress in three quadrants, I ran aground in the SW corner, unable to...
View ArticleTimes Cryptic No 26964 - Saturday, 17 February 2018. No style points for the...
I did this in bits and pieces in the middle of other activities, so I can’t give a time or a difficulty rating. All I can say is it came together in the end.My clue of the day was 15dn, because the...
View ArticleJumbo 1308
Apologies for the slight delay on this one.Nothing contentious, but some nicely worked clues in my opinion, in particular 8D and 53A.Across1 LEWES - L(arge), EWES = sheep4 ACCOMPLICE - ACCOMPLI(sh) =...
View ArticleSunday Times 4786 by David McLean - what’s the story 12dn?
20:59. I seem to have found this quite tricky, but I can’t remember anything about the solve. I’ve had a ridiculously busy week and didn’t get a chance to do the blog until last night after watching...
View ArticleMephisto 2999 - Tim Moorey
I now know that there is something special for Mephisto 3000 - a themed puzzle created by all three setters, I guess similar to the one that recently appeared for 40 years of the Mephisto crossword. I...
View ArticleTimes 26;971 - We like sheep.....
Time: 21 minutesMusic: Handel, Water Music, Hogwood/Academy of Ancient MusicAn easy puzzle, but one on which I was not quite on the wavelength. I did manage to biff 'advowson' and 'ostia', only to...
View ArticleQC 1035 by Teazel - Chips With Everything
Sorry you who wait with bated breath for my Monday blog (yes, both of you!) but I just seem to have run out of that precious timey-wimey commodity this week as Dr Who might have it. So I'm not up to...
View ArticleTime Quick Cryptic 1036 by Orpheus?!?!
I found this an educational, medium difficulty puzzle - anyone getting the three 13 letter answers straight away may find it easier. Completing the blog I was forced to stop and take count of the...
View ArticleTimes Cryptic 26972
I forgot to note my exact solving time but despite having one careless wrong answer I found this straightforward and completed it, I think, within 30 minutes. If the puzzle had been more of a challenge...
View ArticleQuick Cryptic 1037 by Joker
I thought there were plenty of ways in to this puzzle (through 11dn, if nothing else), but had to jump around the grid to complete it. There are some tricksy and well-hidden definitions: 6ac and 3dn...
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