h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Had an idea:

Has ever considered hosting a cryptic crossword in the tradition of the very ebst of fleet street?

I figured producing a full table is too much work for one mind in and amongst everything else, so a compromise might be: produces a grid with overlapping words, by random selection from the dictionary. Supply a list of words via application and email.

First come first serve system, post writers apply, are given one word (or as many as they think they could manage) and then each re-submit the clue(s) to .

Every fortnight publish a grid, with last fortnights answers. - and maybe a hall of fame for the first submitted fully correct solution received via email

Clue compilers compete essentially against each other and readership try to out-think the compilers.

role in this would be to design the over-lapping grid and select the words.


Whaddya think?

7 up...lemonade

I've been considering it for the last few weeks, and got as far as writing half a dozen clues. I'd be very keen, actually.

The downside of your idea is that it sounds like a lot of work for us. We're not afraid of work, of course, but this sounds like a few hours' work just to put together one crossword. Perhaps it would be better if a few keen people took it in turns?

We have a small but active group of amateur clue compilers on the Cryptic Clues thread at F2137311?thread=371212&latest=1

Beware, though: we like to make them fiendishly difficult

How about having a regular columnist where one person does the job that Clive said that The Post should do.

If everyone there took it turns every couple of months, Icy, we'd have one an issue

Yes, that's true. I'm sure a few of the CC'ers would be happy to oblige.

Now I've never compiled a grid before, so I can't tell you how to do that - I imagine there's some shareware which might do it, but I'd have to check.

One thing that's important is to pitch the level right. There's a world of difference between, say, the Listener Crossword and the Heat magazine Coffee-time puzzle.

Is there? I can't do either

Hmmm, this sounds like it could be difficult...

OK, how about quiz-style clues, where all of the answers can be found in Edited Guide Entries (or is that boring?)

Can you give an example of a question.

Well, if, say the answer was "tank tops", then you might have clues like:

a) Sleeveless knitwear (4,4) [standard quick]
b) Knots Pat untangled in knitwear (4,4) [standard cryptic]
c) Knitwear characterised by Monthy Python's Gumbys (4,4) [quiz-style]
d) These jumpers are GROSS!!! (4,4) [Heat magazine]
e) Aha, giraffe (unskinned) skedaddles haughtily on the lychee - no?(4,4) [Listener]

Q: The storm rages on with this 'no-mates'?


A: Billy Fury

We had a similar game here: F2023083?thread=609811&skip=2220&show=20


It was quite successful and had researchers using the search engine

I suspect I'm the only one here who remembers this : A713567

I'll just get my zimmer out...

And we've had some Sudokus: A8786604

So it is possible.

I can't believe that Shazz went to all the trouble of doing crosswords A713567 and hardly anyone posted a message. I wasn't around then, but well done Shazz.

My other half is a crossword, soduko and puzzle fan - drives me nuts

Websailor

A lot of fantastic stuff in the post goes uncommented, but you're right. Kudos to Shazz... although that kind of goes without saying for a lot of thing Although I am saying it and have said that about lots of people involved in the post

It's certainly possible. It's the time that it would take to code the grid that's the hassle.

However, I *may* be able to work out a way to get Excel to do it for me. That would take me some time. If I had a commitment to give it a go from a few crossworders, though - cryptic or quick - I'd be happy to give it a go.

There is a crossword compiler programme I found online - free demo but then has to be purchased, and it's windoze only ()