Mephisto 2808 by Don Manley
A very easy puzzle that I raced through. Nothing to say really.Across1OSSELET - (so steel)*; 6ATTIC - (L)attic(E); 10THARBOROUGH - T(HARBOR)OUGH; mispronounced thirdborough=old under-constable;...
View ArticleSunday Times 4595 by Jeff Pearce
No real time for this: I spent 35 minutes on it, but I dozed off half way through, and then got fed up and cheated to get the last two or three obstinate answers. This puzzle wasn't really to my taste...
View ArticleJumbo 1096 - Saturday 14th June
Nice easy solve this one, did not know the ESPRIT in 54A, but the letters were there from the anagram. May well have struggled with 36D, had the same clue not come up recently, as it may be considered...
View ArticleQuick Cryptic 81 by by Flamande
Here's the link to today's puzzle currently missing from the Times button: http://feeds.thetimes.co.uk/timescrossword/20140630/195/This is Flamande's 8th puzzle and after his (?) first three I had him...
View ArticleTimes Crossword 25,819 - Times Crossword Championship, fourth qualifier
Solving Time: Once again I won't say, but this was very easy and should not be taken as a guide to what will be offered on finals day. I have again been unable to extract useful text from the .pdf...
View ArticleTimes 25826 - Off to an easy start....
Solving time: 58 minutesMusic: Resphigi, Ancient Airs and Dances, Dorati/HPhilThis puzzle should not have taken as long as it did. I put in most of it in twenty minutes, only to get most thoroughly...
View ArticleQuick Cryptic 82 by Mara
I've been away from crosswords for a couple of weeks so maybe that is why I found this really tough or maybe it's just really tough. Please check the time/comments of the regulars to get a real idea....
View ArticleTimes 25,827
So, Day 1 of the new subscription regime dawns (metaphorically, anyway, as it's still the middle of the night, but you know what I mean). I assume that the long-threatened changeover actually did...
View ArticleQuick Cryptic No. 83 by Teazel
Significantly gentler than the last couple of days, I thought, but it had some challenges. Never felt quite on the wavelength, so I probably struggled a bit more than I should have done. An unusually...
View ArticleCryptic 25828 - nearly a Greek tragedy
I tackled this, waiting with unusually disgusting instant coffee, while M. Grimaud put my car through 104 tests for the Controle Technique; At first I thought this was going to be 'setter's revenge'...
View ArticleTimes Quick Crossword No 79
I'm at hospital for most of morning and will blog on my return home. I can't seem to access puzzle and haven't got any secret methods. If any of the other bloggers want to cover the puzzle before I'm...
View ArticleQuick Cryptic 84 by Grumpy
10 minutes -still editing by the way, so more to come plus corrections…Across8INFERNO - INFER (gather), NO (small number). Definition: big blaze9NEHRU - Hidden and reversed [back] inside 'favoUR...
View ArticleTimes 25829 - welcome to my nightmare
Hmmm... well about 15 minutes into this one, I accidentally closed the window. So reloading it, and trying to remember what I had typed in the first time, I managed to get a little further. I then...
View ArticleQuick Cryptic Number 85 by Tracey
A good, balanced crossword containing several clues with which to find a way in. There are a few testers in the mix too, though, including one bit of general knowledge that I had to cheat to find (if...
View ArticleTimes 25830 - Won't Get Rawed Again
A perforce abbreviated blog from me this morning - am flying out to New York later today, and it wouldn't do to forget to pack my passport due to spending too much time pontificating over crossword...
View ArticleSaturday Times 25825 (28th June)
Solving time 14:44, although would have been quicker if I hadn't wasted a bit of time at the end trying to justify HURRICANE for 5dn! Mainly very straightforward wordplay peppered with a few...
View ArticleTimes Jumbo 1097 - placeholder
My turn to blog, but I will shortly be heading to that London to participate in the Cult of Monty Python, so it is quite likely I won't post before Sunday afternoon. I realise it will be painful having...
View ArticleMephisto 2809 - Tim Moorey
I found this one a little trickier than recent weeks, particularly with some "general" knowledge. The two composers were familiar to me but the French town and the Russian Secret Policeman (who may or...
View ArticleSunday Times 4596 (29 Jun 2014) by Dean Mayer
Solving Time: Offline, about 25 minutesQuite an easy one by Dean's standards, but enjoyable as always. Lots of natural surface readings.I'm not sure that 9d really works - surely an oath is a swear...
View ArticleQuick Cryptic 86
My Times subscription expired last week though my Crossword Club sub didn't, leaving me in the situation where I can access all the puzzles ... except the one that I need to blog. As such, I will have...
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