Puzzletome

Stretham · Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 10:52 am Post subject:

Some feedback on the Dingbats puzzle:

Stretham · Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 6:31 am Post subject:

April Showers:

Stretham · Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 6:12 am Post subject:

Continuing congratulations for everyone who solves the puzzles, but especial congratulations should go to stozz who spotted the following that was missed by setter, playtester and (as far as I'm aware) all other solvers:

July puzzle, 8 down - Make sense about time back in ropes (8):

Stretham · Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 7:26 am Post subject:

Oh... and I almost forgot. Keep your eye out for a guest crossword setter taking over the reins for the monthly puzzle in the very near future. Smile

Stretham
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Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy?
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Stretham · Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:19 am Post subject:

Some feedback for stozz's September puzzle:

This last point is quite pertinent as I try (probably not always successfully) to cater for the fact that a number of the solvers are not from the UK. There are very many UK-centric abbreviations, etc used in the UK newspapers that are so embedded in me that I probably use them without thinking. Please do feel free to let me know if I fall short in this regard.

In the meantime, I think it is reasonable to say that stozz's contribution was a success. Don't hesitate to get in contact if there is someone else out there who wants to have a go.

Stretham
_________________
Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy?
I don't know and I don't care!

Stretham · Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 2:12 pm Post subject:

November's time travelling celebration appears to have been well received. Here are some of the comments:

Stretham · Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 8:23 am Post subject:

Some feedback on the December puzzle:

Stretham · Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 7:47 am Post subject:

Inspired by feedback for the January puzzle, I have a couple of self criticisms:

23a - In retrospect this either should not have contained the word 'get', or should have been rewritten. My apologies for this oversight.
18d/19d - Both used the construct of 'walk' as they were written at different times. In separate sections of the crossword I could maybe get away with this, but in consecutive clues this was poor.

Hopefully you are enjoying, or have already enjoyed the February puzzle. As I mentioned in a separate thread, March should see another puzzle from a new compiler. Please do feel free to leave some feedback here for this, even if you don't get a chance to finish the puzzle.

Stretham
_________________
Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy?
I don't know and I don't care!

Stretham · Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 4:59 am Post subject:

My sincere apologies that I haven't previously addressed the debut puzzle of our newest administrator here. Embarassed

Here is a selection of comments for JWawro's puzzle "Of The Sun":

- I thoroughly enjoyed this challenge.
- Excellent debut made all the more difficult because of non-dictionary words.
- Enjoyable, with good clues - to name a few I particularly liked 23a (took me a while to work it out but kicked myself afterwards), 7d and 24d.
- Nice puzzle, Jay!! Look forward to seeing more from you.
- A strong candidate for: a) the most obscure theme I've yet encountered, and b) the worst blunder I've ever seen in a cryptic clue - A. Perkins, not A. Hopkins, was in Psycho!
- Nice to see another guest setter, and fun to chase up the topic on the web -- I learnt a lot. I would like to see a more Ximinean approach though: for example, I don't think one should clue aplomb, a noun, with composed, an adjective.

On the whole pretty good. The Psycho hiccup also needs blame apportioning to the testers, so I accept responsibility for missing that.

Stretham
_________________
Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy?
I don't know and I don't care!

Stretham · Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2014 6:44 am Post subject:

The first of two posts in quick succession. The first is to address the April puzzle, cunningly entitled 'April'. Here are a couple of the comments:

- Another good puzzle. I don't understand the link to the number four - perhaps I need to know Shakespeare a bit more in depth? - and would be grateful for the enlightenment!
- I'm afraid I thought this was conceptually weak - there seemed to be no reason why the answers to starred clues should be characters from the Shakespeare plays spelled out by the 4th letters of each word in the clue, other than the bard having been born in April.

Fair point about the use of four/fourth letters, which I admit was purely derived from the fact that April is the fourth month. However, the choice of characters was picked up by a couple of people (who perhaps solved it on the first day of release!).

- This month's challenge was an especially enjoyable one. I had to solve all but one of the non-themed clues before I figured out what to do with the themed clues. I had to Google GRAVEDIGGERS and look at the results, and when I saw SHAKESPEARE and FOOLS I finally knew what was going on. Very sneaky and clever!
- It took me a ridiculously long time to see how the asterisked clues worked -- I picked up the theme first by guessing GRAVEDIGGERS and FALSTAFF, which allowed me to complete the grid, and only then did the penny (or perhaps the groat) drop.

So overall, perhaps weak and arbitrary use of some constructive elements, but I hope I made one or two people feel a little bit foolish (in the nicest possible way). Smile

Stretham
_________________
Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy?
I don't know and I don't care!

Stretham · Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2014 6:53 am Post subject:

On to Stozz's May puzzle:

- Thank you Stozz, yet another intricate puzzle. Solving the cryptic crossword was only the first half...
- This was fun and once the theme became clear, very satisfying!
- This was great fun. I particularly liked the way the three groups were hidden, and neatly hidden at that. Was the stiletto there as a deliberate red herring? Many thanks, Stozz.
- I've seen several Cluedo-based cryptics and this was as good as any of them.

I'd like to point out that this latter comment comes from our harshest critic (many thanks Dave, please keep up the good work as serious appraisal is the only way we can improve). I think Stozz can be very pleased with a superbly well constructed puzzle.

Stretham
_________________
Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy?
I don't know and I don't care!

stozz · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 6:17 pm Post subject:

Okay, as the monthly crossword is not a prize crossword any more I have no qualms about posting for help/advice on the very challenging Inflation crossword.

The clues I have not solved are 1a, 10a, 12a, 31a, 1d and 2d. What I would really like to know at this stage is simply which of the remaining clues are "special" and which are normal?

I do not consider myself to be easily defeated, but likewise I do know when I am defeated!

Jon

JWawro · Mr. Frosty Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Posts: 2223

Jon,

I believe that enough time has passed while you wait for your response.

3 of your 6 remaining clues are standard cryptic clues, while 3 are special.

JWawro

Stretham · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 6:32 am Post subject:

The explanations for the August puzzle (22) are now in place. A couple of comments from solvers:

- I really enjoyed your challenge this month. It was made a little easy after I noticed the abundance of "V"s and then I realized what the display was supposed to be and what the title meant. The clue for 22 down was actually the last clue that I solved, it was so cryptic. Thanks again for these monthly challenges!
- Two six-letter lights with four unches each - ugh!

On the latter, for those who don't know 'unch' is jargonese for 'unchecked letter'. And it is a fair comment, although in my defence to get the letter Vs lined up I had to go for an unusual grid and 22d was always intended to be difficult.

Stretham
_________________
Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy?
I don't know and I don't care!

Stretham · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2014 8:03 am Post subject:

Also now in place are the explanations for the September puzzle, JWawro's 'Inflation'. Hopefully I have everything correct, but if something is wrong or missing then I am sure my esteemed colleague will let me know. Smile

Here are some comments from solvers:

- What a great challenge this month! I always like it better when you can't just enter what you know into a word list generator. It makes for a much more enjoyable solve. Way to go JWawro, I hope to see more intricate puzzles by you!
- Took us a while to see the connection, but once we figured it out, it was smooth sailing.
- Very enjoyable, good theme and fairly difficult.

And finally in answer to the solver who wondered whether I was still writing crosswords, see this month's puzzle! Smile

Stretham
_________________
Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy?
I don't know and I don't care!