Tetbury

Here is some more from last Thursday with sister Kirsty and husband David and sister Sue. After visiting Newark Park and having lunch with Sawbill, we took a little detour on our way back to Yate via Tetbury.

Lunch with Sawbill

My fellow Weekend Quick Cryptic compiler, Sawbill lives near Malmesbury which is not far from sister Kirsty and brother-in-law David who we were staying with for a few days. As we were in the area it was a rare chance for us to meet so we arranged to have lunch together on Thursday at The Gumstool Inn, about halfway between where he lives and Kirsty and David's.

Newark Park

For the past few days we've been visiting sister Kirsty and her husband David in Yate and sister Sue joined us too. On Thursday morning we took a trip to Newark Park, the National Trust property where niece Katrina works. The weather forecast was for possible hail showers so we wrapped up warm. 

Who is Alconiere?

Times Quick Cryptic No 2079 by Alconiere

Now here's a rarity - a Quick Crossword from the setter Alconiere, only his 11th, although he started in 2014, and his first since this one in May 2019. That crossword had a Nina so I was on the lookout... well have a look yourself before clicking on the link below to see what I found. As for the puzzle, I found it very enjoyable although slightly towards the harder end of diffculty, taking me 6:48. I liked the whimsical "Fabulous thing to get from a bottle" and "Something on a plate", the flying drone and the clue for the African country best. Thank-you Alconiere! How did you all get on?

Click here to read what I found

Well, for a start, whilst you might think the setter's pseudonym is a reference to the Hungarian painter Tivadar Alconiere, that's just our setter-of-many-pseudonyms up to tricks... the name happens also to be an anagram of "Coleraine". And we have a Nina today around the outside of the puzzle "The Penzance Smash, Basher" (my comma)... a reference to the book by former Coleraine FC player Frankie Moffat - known a "Basher", as described in this story on the Irish Times. Now who do we know is a Coleraine FC supporter? Sorry Richard - you've been rumbled!

Fortnightly Weekend Quick Cryptic. This time it is Phil's turn to provide the extra weekend entertainment. You can find the latest crossword  here. Enjoy! If anyone is interested in our previous offerings you can find an index to them all here.

( Read all about it... )

Weekend Quick Cryptic 45 - by Phil Jordan

Click here to read about the origin of this series of crosswords.

A brief history of the origins of these crosswords for those who are new to them. As a blogger of the Times Quick Cryptic Crossword on Times for The Times every other Friday, I have often had comments on the blog bemoaning that The Times only provides a Quick Cryptic on Mondays to Fridays. When I finally gave up work at the end of February 2020, I decided that I would try my hand at compiling crosswords. It was with some trepidation that I published, in May 3030, the first of these Weekend Quick Cryptics to fill the gap. Well it seemed to go down well so I did another. And then my fellow crossword solver and commenter on Times for the Times, Phil Jordan, volunteered to produce some too. And then, more recently, so did Sawbill. So now the three of us take turns, publishing each new crossword via my Friday Quick Crossword blog. You can find an index to the complete series of crosswords here.

This time it is Phil's turn to provide the fortnightly Weekend Quick Cryptic crossword. 

Felixstowe Walk

Today we had a walk at Felixstowe with a welcome late breakfast/early brunch stop to keep us going as we headed from Cobbold Point to Landguard Point and back via the town centre and Ferry Road.... and a chance to avoid walking through late-winter mud. Well we had had 3 winter storms in 5 days! Good call, Joyce!

Top Puzzling

 It was a good day for puzzling today...

Yes. You saw it right - the Byrdle in 1 and Wordle in 2. And as far as the crosswords went...

Dad's Removal Van in Action

Long day yesterday helping Laura move from Norwich to Bedford and her new flat.

Eunice

I'm not sure I'd seen the barometer lower than this... Today the wind blew...

More Teas

This month's Blue Tea Box teas have arrived. Interesting!

Seville Orange Marmalade

Yesterday I labelled my latest produce, some Seville Orange Marmalade.

U3A Lecture - History of Bury St. Edmunds

Another month has gone by already... it was time for this month's lecture at the APEX.

I'm a Winner!

It's been 14 months since the last one....

Nerdle and Quordle

Here are some more spin-offs from the latest craze, Wordle....

Thank-you Jane for recommending Nerdle, which is based on numbers and arithmetic. This was my first go yesterday...

Fornham Snowdrop Walk

Today we did a favourite walk from Fornham All Saints, based on this one in 2019.

Exning, Burwell and Landwade Walk

Today I did a walk from Exning to meet up with Joyce's walking group on this walk...

A Gentle Quick Crossword

Times Quick Cryptic No 2069 by Hurley

We end the week of Times Quick Cryptics with one from Hurley. And what a pleasant and, dare I say, gentle end to the week it is. Nothing too tricky or obscure, I think, with plenty of neat surfaces. COD for me was the amusing 18A, but I liked 24A too. I finished in a rare, for me, sub 4 minute time of 3:53. Thank-you Hurley. How did you all get on?

Fortnightly Weekend Quick Cryptic. This time it is my turn to provide the extra weekend entertainment. You can find the latest crossword, titled "Two Kitchens", here. Enjoy! If anyone is interested in our previous offerings you can find an index to all 44 here.

( Read all about it... ) 

Ingham Walk

Today we had an "endurance" walk of 15 1/2 miles starting from Ingham and taking in Ampton, Great Livermere, Troston, Ixworth Thorpe and RAF Honington. 

Weekend Quick Cryptic 44 - Two Kitchens by Johninterred

Click here to read about the origin of this series of crosswords.

A brief history of the origins of these crosswords for those who are new to them. As a blogger of the Times Quick Cryptic Crossword on Times for The Times every other Friday, I have often had comments on the blog bemoaning that The Times only provides a Quick Cryptic on Mondays to Fridays. When I finally gave up work at the end of February 2020, I decided that I would try my hand at compiling crosswords. It was with some trepidation that I published, in May 2020, the first of these Weekend Quick Cryptics to fill the gap. Well it seemed to go down well so I did another. And then my fellow crossword solver and commenter on Times for the Times, Phil Jordan, volunteered to produce some too. And then, more recently, so did Sawbill. So now the three of us take turns, publishing each new crossword via my Friday Quick Crossword blog. You can find an index to the complete series of crosswords here.

This time it is my turn to provide the fortnightly Weekend Quick Cryptic crossword. I hope you find the title helpful.

Blue Tea Box

 

It started with Laura's birthday last year. 

Kersey Mill Walk

 

Today was the first Thursday of the month so time for the Bury St. Edmunds U3A Longer Walks group monthly walk. We met at Kersey Mill to start walking at 10am.