Comments on: Cyclops 484: Reading the Riot Act

By: fearsome

fearsome — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 20:29:53 +0000

I had left 19d unfilled, with “Market?” written beside the clue
Was about to fill in and send off when I realised I was too late

So thanks Jetdoc for the explanation

By: lemming

lemming — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 17:24:01 +0000

@Winsor: there is an online version too, at http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=crossword. Once there you can also download an Across Lite software version, or you can get it directly from http://www.private-eye.co.uk/pictures/crossword/download. The program itself is light on resources and user-friendly.

I usually manually transcribe the solutions, as I also copy them to an archival text file, but I don’t believe there would be any problem if you sent an attached file, either a .puz one if using Across Lite, or a standard graphics file such as a JPG, GIF or PNG if you want to scan or photograph your paper copy — that’s what I usually do with the jumbo Christmas one, of which there’s no software version, problem-solving deities permitting.

By: Winsor

Winsor — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 12:34:16 +0000

I found this one a bit more troublesome than your good selves….but given my target a year ago was to try and complete anything more than half the clues, this might be expected!! I rarely get the chance to enter the competition since my copy of the Eye usually arrives the same day as the closing date. However, in the unlikely event that I get the chance one day, can someone advise how an email entry should be formatted?

By: lemming

lemming — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 10:17:49 +0000

19d was my last one too. Didn’t doubt it was market, but took some time to hit on Ark for the reconciliation. I’m now minded to write a wicked clue using “Northern Mariana Islands” for “MP”, as in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_abbreviations.

All a bit academic anyway, as having done the thing last Wednesday, left my draft email in the Pending folder as usual, and then noticed the closing date last night. Galling, given that this is the one week when email probably gives a clear advantage.

By: Thomas99

Thomas99 — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:37:19 +0000

Thanks for the blog. I’m comforted you also found 19d hard. It took me ages, although like you I found most of the puzzle went by very quickly. I think it was partly the contrast with the other clues that made it so hard. That definition certainly is imaginative, but it’s a good one.