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-
- Archive-name: crossword-faq/part1
- Last-modified: 2/3/1994
- Version: 4.11
-
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for rec.puzzles.crosswords
- Version 4.11
-
- Compiled and edited by
- James A. Lundon (jlundon@xstacy.enet.dec.com)
-
- This file contains the answers to many questions which people, from time
- to time, have asked in the newsgroup, and it will act as a convenient
- store of knowledge which the participants may find useful, or even
- interesting.
-
- The FAQ will be posted irregularly since the information contained
- therein changes infrequently.
-
- This FAQ is accessible via anonymous FTP at rtfm.mit.edu in the
- directory /pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/rec/puzzles/crosswords. Mirror
- sites, where the FAQ can be found, are also available. The FAQ is also
- available in the crossword archive located at gatekeeper.dec.com in the
- directory /pub/micro/msdos/misc/crossword-archive.
-
- The FAQ is available on the WWW (World Wide Web) at
- http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/crossword-faq/top.html.
-
- If anyone wants to use a part of the FAQ for commercial gain I would
- like to know about it!
-
- Last modified: 2 March 1994
-
- Changes
- -------
-
- V1.00 Original.
-
- V2.00 Re-write of many sections including incorporation of material
- previously stored in the rec.puzzles archive.
-
- V2.01 Spell checked and errors from V2.00 corrected.
-
- V2.10 Augmented the section about crossword software available and added
- some extra detail to some other answers.
-
- V3.00 More detail to many sections plus extended clue type examples. The
- FAQ is now in four parts.
-
- V3.01 Errors from V3.00 corrected.
-
- V4.00 part3 and part4 inserted into crossword archive. Details of
- crossword archive included. Competition winners and details given
- separate section - new part3. Other FAQ sections beefed up with
- extra information and corrections.
-
- V4.10 Errors corrected from V4.00 plus some extra software descriptions
- added.
-
- V4.11 Updated crossword competition words only.
-
- Questions
- ---------
-
- (1) What's the charter of rec.puzzles.crosswords?
- (2) What are good dictionaries for crosswords?
- (3) Are there good books of word-lists for crosswords?
- (4) What technical papers are there about crosswords?
- (5) What books are there on (solving) crosswords?
- (6) Is there any FTP site for crossword related material?
- (7) What software is available for crosswords?
- (8) Are there any on-line dictionaries available?
- (9) Standard tips for solving a cryptic crossword?
- (10) Misc. questions of interest.
- (11) What crossword related associations or publications are there?
- (12) What are ACC, CWC, and PCWC?
- (13) What words have been used in the above competitions?
- (14) Who has won the above competitions?
-
- Answers
- -------
-
- (1) What's the charter of rec.puzzles.crosswords?
-
- NAME:
- rec.puzzles.crosswords
-
- STATUS:
-
- unmoderated
-
- DESCRIPTION:
-
- Forum for discussion of grid-based word puzzles
-
- CHARTER:
-
- To provide a forum for the submission of articles dealing with word
- puzzles such as crosswords, acrostics and word-searches. Any puzzle
- which involves determining words arranged in a gridlike structure and in
- which there is no opponent (except perhaps the setter of the puzzle :-)
- is included within the coverage of this group.
-
- Posts of the following types are expected:
-
- o Complete puzzles to be solved by the readers
- o Computer programs for generating (solving?!) such puzzles
- o Details on how to go about creating your own puzzles
- o Individual favourite clues
- o Requests for help in solving and/or explaining cryptic clues
- o Explanations of how to solve cryptic crosswords in general
- o Sources for puzzles in your area of the world
- o Discussion of cryptic conventions, etc.
-
- though this is not intended to be an exhaustive list.
-
- The language used in the postings to the group is left up to the poster,
- but they should bear in mind the target audience they are trying to
- reach and what languages they are likely to understand. The puzzles
- themselves can be in any language(s) the poster desires.
-
- (2) What are good dictionaries for crosswords?
-
- There is no one definitive dictionary that you must have for setting
- or solving crosswords. On the other hand, in some contexts, it helps
- to know what dictionary has been used in setting a crossword,
- particularly for hard crosswords containing unusual words. For
- example, The Listener crossword (now published in The Times) almost
- always uses "Chambers English Dictionary", with deviations from that
- being noted. On the other hand, in America, Merriam-Websters 10th
- Collegiate Dictionary is the standard of the National Puzzlers League
- (NPL - a wordplay club which devotes some of its time to crosswords).
- In both countries there are many other good dictionaries of usable
- size. Two mammoth dictionaries that solvers and setters sometimes
- have to resort to are The Oxford English Dictionary and
- Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary.
-
- The NPL rank the well known dictionaries in order of preference as
- follows:
-
- 10C (Merriam-Websters 10th Collegiate Dictionary) is better than NI3
- (Webster's Third New International) is better than NI2 (Webster's New
- International, 2nd Edition) is better than everything else.
-
- Great slang dictionaries for true word mavens include Partridge's "A
- Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English", "A Dictionary of the
- Underworld", and "The Routledge Dictionary of Historical Slang".
- Spears's "Slang and Euphemism" is quite good, as is Cassidy's
- "Dictionary of American Regional English" though only two of the
- three volumes have been published.
-
- (3) Are there good books of word-lists for crosswords?
-
- You can probably find books of word-lists in your nearest bookshop.
- These are generally of two types: they may be a simple list of words
- or they may arrange their words by subject (birds, bees, etc). Of
- the latter type, the classic American publication is Baus's "The
- Master Crossword Puzzle Dictionary". Of the former, the classic
- British one is "Chambers Words", which contains, or purports to
- contain, all the words in Chambers English Dictionary, listed by word
- length and then alphabetically. It has numerous errors, which are
- not corrected in subsequent additions. See "What errors are known in
- Chambers Words?". On the other hand, the errors still represent a
- tiny percentage of the whole, and Chambers also publishes "Back
- Words" (words listed in reverse alphabetical order) and "Anagrams"
- (words indexed by their letters collected into alphabetical order, so
- "anagram" is under "aaagmnr"). The New York Times also publish an
- adequate word-lists book. See question 6.
-
- (4) What technical papers are there about crosswords?
-
- Does anyone know any other E-Mail addresses of the authors detailed
- here? It would make correspondence with them much easier.
-
- %T A Prototype Crossword Compiler
- %A P.D. Smith and S.Y. Steen
- %J The Computer Journal
- %V 24/2, pp 107-111
- %Y 1981
-
- %T XENO: Computer-Assisted Compilation of Crossword Puzzles
- %A P.D. Smith
- %J The Computer Journal
- %V 26/4, pp 296-302
- %Y 1983
-
- %T The Generation of Cryptic Crossword Clues
- %A G.W. Smith, J.B.H. Du Boulay
- %J The Computer Journal
- %V 29/3, pp 282-283
- %Y 1986
-
- %T Crossword Compilation with Horn Clauses
- %A H. Berghel
- %J The Computer Journal
- %V 30/2, pp 183-188
- %Y 1987
-
- %T Crossword Compilation Using Integer Programming
- %A J.M. Wilson
- %J The Computer Journal
- %V 32/3, pp 273-275
- %Y 1989
-
- %T Crossword Compiler-Compilation
- %A H. Berghel, C. Yi
- %J The Computer Journal
- %V 32/3, pp 276-280
- %Y 1989
-
- %T A Proposed Standard for Measuring Crossword Compilation Efficiency
- %A H. Brerghel, R. Rankin (rrankin@mcs213k.cs.umr.edu)
- %J The Computer Journal
- %V 33/2 pp 181-184
- %Y 1990
-
- %T Computer Assisted Analysis of Cryptic Crosswords
- %A P.W. Williams, D. Woodhead
- %J The Computer Journal
- %V 22/? pp 67
- %Y 1979
-
- %T Crossword Compiling Puzzles the Programmer
- %A J. Cox
- %J Computer Weekly
- %V pp 17
- %Y 30 August 1979
-
- %T A Program for the Construction of Crossword Puzzles
- %A O. Feger
- %J Angewandte Informatik
- %V 17/5 pp 189-195
- %Y 1975
-
- %T An Investigation of Computer Generated Crossword Puzzles
- %A L.J. Mazlack
- %J P.hD. Dissertation Washington University St. Louis
- %V
- %Y 1972
-
- %T The Use of Applied Probability in the Computer Construction of Crossword
- Puzzles
- %A L.J. Mazlack
- %J IEEE Conf. on Decision and Control San Diego CA. 5-7 December.
- %V pp 497-506
- %Y 1973
-
- %T Data Structures Required for Crossword Puzzle Construction
- %A L.J Mazleck
- %J 36th Annual meeting of the American Society for Information Science L.A
- 21-25 Oct 1973
- %V pp 141-142
- %Y 1974
-
- %T Computer Construction of Crossword Puzzles using Precedence Relationships
- %A L.J. Mazlack
- %J Artificial Intelligence
- %V 7/1 pp 1-19
- %Y 1976
-
- %T Machine Selection of Elements in Crossword Puzzles
- %A L.J. Mazlack
- %J SIAM Journal of Computing
- %V 5/1, pp 51-72
- %Y March 1976
-
- %T Automation of Crossword Puzzle Solutions
- %A G. Harris, J. Spring
- %J Division Of CAD, Griffith University, Nathan, Australia
- %V Manuscript?
- %Y 1979
-
- I have been in contact with Geoff Harris and he has said he will send my
- on the 6-8 papers he and his colleagues have written about crosswords
- over the past few years.
-
- %T Redundancy Exploitation in the Computer Construction of Double-crostic
- %A E.S. Spiegelthal
- %J Proceedings of the EJCC.
- %V pp 39-56
- %Y 1960
-
- %T A Program to Solve Crossword Puzzles
- %A H.A. Bauer
- %J Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
- %V
- %Y 1973
-
- %T Crossword Compilation Puzzles the Programmer
- %A J. Cox
- %J Computer Weekly
- %V 30 August, pp 17
- %Y 1979
-
- %T Automatic Crossword Compilation and Solution
- %A E.J. Jushvol
- %J B.Sc Thesis. Herriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland.
- %V
- %Y 1984
-
- %T Microprocessor Compilation and Solution of Crosswords
- %A R.H. Davis, E.J. Jushwol
- %J Microproc. Microsystems
- %V 9/10 pp 500-506
- %Y 1985
-
- %T PICCUP: a Program for the Interpretation of Cryptic Crossword Clues
- %A M. Hart
- %J M.Sc Thesis Herriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland.
- %V
- %Y 1991
-
- %T Cryptic Crossword Clue Interpreter
- %A M. Hart, R.H. Davis
- %J Information and Software Technology
- %V 34/1 pp 16-27
- %Y January 1992
-
- %T The world's fastest Scrabble program
- %A A.W. Appel, G.J. Jacobson (appel@cs.princeton.edu,guy@ulysses.att.com)
- %J Communications of the ACM
- %V 31/5 pp 572
- %Y May 1988
-
- %T Search Lessons Learned from Crossword Puzzles
- %A Matt L. Ginsberg et al
- %J Proceedings of AAAI 90
- %V ?
- %Y 1990?
-
- %T A Crossword Puzzle Generator For Turkish
- %A Ilan Berker, A. C. Cem Say
- %J international symposium of computer and information sciences 8
- %V ?
- %Y 1993
-
- In the publication "Word Ways" many crossword related technical papers
- have been published. Anyone with a list please?
-
- (5) What books are there on (solving) crosswords?
-
- %T Chambers Crossword Manual (Second Edition)
- %A Don Manley
- %P Chambers
- %Y 1992
- %N 0-550-19034-1
-
- I have to plug Manley's book as the best introductory book about solving
- non definition based crosswords I have read. It goes through all the major
- clue types and there's even a section about setting your own crosswords.
-
- %T Observer AZED Crosswords
- %A Jonathan Crowther
- %P Chambers
- %Y 1991
- %N 0-550-19032-5
-
- %T The AZED Book of Crosswords
- %A Jonathan Crowther
- %P Pan
- %Y 1977
- %N 0-330-25227-5
-
- %T The ABC of Crosswords (Originally: Teach Yourself Crosswords)
- %A Alec Robins (The Guardian's 'Custos'/Observer's 'Everyman')
- %P Corgi
- %Y 1981
- %N 0-552-11843-5
-
- %T The Modern Crossword Dictionary
- %A Norman G. Pulsford
- %P Pan
- %Y 1967
- %N 0-330-63128-4
-
- %T Chambers Words
- %P Chambers
- %Y 1985
- %N 0-550-19010-4
-
- %T Chambers Backwords for Crosswords
- %P Chambers
- %Y 1986
- %N 0-550-19012-0
-
- %T Chambers Anagrams
- %P Chambers
- %Y 1985
- %N 0-550-19011-2
-
- %T The Strange World of the Crossword
- %A Roger Millington
- %P Book Club Associates
- %Y 1975
- %N
-
- %T The Crossword Phrase Dictionary
- %A R.J. Edwards
- %P Stanley-Paul
- %Y 1981
- %N 0-09-143340-1
-
- %T The Newnes Crossword Dictionary
- %A J.M. Bailie
- %P Newnes Books
- %Y 1984
- %N 0-600-31923-7
-
- %T Ximenes on the Art of the Crossword
- %A D.S. Macnutt
- %P Methuen
- %Y 1966
- %N
-
- %T The Ninth Book of Sunday Times Crosswords (Solver's Guide)
- %A Elizabeth and Derek Jewell
- %P Penguin
- %Y 1989
- %N
-
- %T The ANAGRAM Dictionary
- %A Michael Curl
- %P Robert Hale
- %Y 1982
- %N 0-7091-9674-1
-
- %T Best of AZED Crosswords /* Selected from Azed 1-200 */
- %A Jonathan Crowther
- %P Chambers in association with the Observer
- %Y 1989
- %N 0-550-19030-9
-
- %T The (Almost) Impossible Crossword Book
- %A Gyles Brandreth
- %P Sphere
- %Y 1984
- %N 0-7221-1864-3
-
- %T The Complete Guide to Cryptic Crosswords
- %A J A Coleman
- %P Collins
- %Y 1989
- %N 0-00-434570-3
-
- %T Longman Crossword Solver's Dictionary
- %A Anne Bradford
- %P Longman
- %Y 1986
- %N 0-582-89301-1
-
- %T The Book of Lewis Carroll Crosswords
- %A Edited by Alfreda Blanchard
- %P Lewis Carroll Society
- %Y 1992
- %N
-
- %T Cryptic Crossword Solver
- %A Jennifer Chandler
- %P Allen and Unwin Sydney
- %Y 1991
- %N 1-86373-043-5
-
- %T Cryptic Crosswords and How To Solve Them
- %A Michael Kindred and Derrick Knight
- %P Chambers
- %Y 1993
- %N 0-550-19036-8
-
- %T How to Solve A Crossword
- %A Colin Parsons
- %P Coronet Paperback
- %Y 1988
- %N 0-340-43079-6
-
- %T Crossword Dictionary
- %A Dawn Garrick
- %P Ace/Stoneshire Books
- %Y 1984
- %N
-
- %T Crossword Puzzle Dictionary
- %A Tophi Books
- %P
- %Y
- %N 0-86288-170-6
-
- %T Crosswords: How to solve them
- %A Ruth Crisp
- %P Hodder & Stoughton
- %Y 1992
- %N 0-340-57398-8
-
- %T Harper's Magazine Cryptic Puzzle Book 1st Edition
- %A E. R. Galli and Richard Maltby, Jr.
- %P Franklin Square Press
- %Y 1992
- %N 1-879957-05-1
-
- %T The Atlantic Monthly Puzzler Book Volume 1
- %A Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon
- %P The Atlantic Monthly Company
- %Y 1992
- %N ?
-
- %T A Pleasure in Words
- %A Eugene T. Maleska
- %P Simon & Schuster
- %Y 1981
- %N ?
-
- %T Creative Cruciverbalists
- %A Helene Hovanec
- %P William Morrow & Company, Inc.
- %Y 1988
- %N ?
-
- %T Across and Down
- %A Eugene T. Maleska
- %P Simon & Schuster
- %Y 1984
- %N ?
-
- %T Crossword Crosstalk
- %A Barry Tunick & Sylvia Bursztyn
- %P Capra Pres
- %Y 1988
- %N ?
-
- %T Crossword Puzzle Compendium
- %A Editors of Consumer Guide
- %P Beekman House
- %Y ?
- %N 0-517-294656
-
- %T The Compleat Cruciverbalist
- %A Rosen and Kurzban
- %P ?
- %Y ?
- %N ?
-
- %T Chambers Dictionary on CD-ROM
- %A Chambers - ú55 Stg
- %P Chambers
- %Y 1994
- %N 0-550-10260-4
-
- I am certain there are a lot more books out there, especially from our
- American cousins. Please, if you have more information on books, let me
- know? The incentive is that I will include your name at the bottom of
- the FAQ. Lasting fame, eh :-).
-
- (6) Is there any FTP site for crossword related material?
-
- The crossword archive is officially open for business :-).
-
- It's located at:
-
- FTP site - gatekeeper.dec.com
- directory - /pub/micro/msdos/misc/crossword-archive
-
- I propose to make this area *the* central focus of any software, free
- or otherwise, which has appeared or will appear on the Internet or in
- the newsgroup r.p.crosswords.
-
- If anyone, in the future, is thinking of publishing a crossword
- related application, please let me know so that I can upload their
- application to the crossword archive where they will gain most
- visibility among our virtual crossword community.
-
- Most of the software mentioned in the FAQ section on crossword
- applications is already located in the archive. If it isn't, it
- could be for one of two reasons: I am not sure whether the author
- wants it to be there, or more likely, I have not yet been able to get
- my hands on a copy that I can put in the archive.
-
- So please, if there is some material that you think should be in the
- archive, be it a crossword application, some source code, some text,
- etc., I would be happy to oblige.
-
- Remember the archive is there for all our benefit, so use it!
-
- (7) What software is available for crosswords?
-
- Most crossword related software is available via shareware with the
- usual shareware rules and regulations applying. Quite a few of the
- developers of the crossword software mentioned below participate in
- the newsgroup, so if you have any questions or problems you only have
- to ask.
-
- The applications included in the list below are all available in the
- crossword archive. I have transferred the more detailed description
- of each into a file called INDEX located in the archive. The format
- of presentation below is: application name (crossword archive file
- name).
-
- 1. Crossword Creator (cwc.zip)
- 2. The Electronic Alveary (tea100.zip teabd100.zip teadac11.zip teadling.zip
- teabweb.zip ukacd11.zip)
- 3. Crossword Creator II (tm) (cwc2demo.lzh)
- 4. Wordlok (wrdlk11b.zip)
- 5. Enigmax (enigmx16.zip - supercedes enigmax1.zip)
- 6. Logos (logos.zip)
- 7. Crossword Word Finder (cwf12.zip)
- 8. Counterpoint Crossword Generator (counterx.zip - supercedes crssword.zip)
- 9. Crossword Construction Kit (cck13.zip)
- 10. AX303 [or AXTOOLS] (axword.zip)
- 11. Crossword Generator (Don't know its proper name??) (crossword-generator.hqx)
- 12. CrossMaster (cross-master-112-demo.hqx)
- 13. CrossPro (tm) (cross-pro-11-demo.hqx - supercedes cross-pro-demo.hqx)
- 14. The Crosstik Program (cross2.zip)
- 15. Crossword Compiler (DOS version: cw_v1.zip - Windows version: ccwin1.zip)
- 16. Cross (cross_am.lzh)
- 17. Crossword Companion (compnion.zip)
- 18. Cyberspace Crossword Puzzle (3dxwd.zip)
- 19. Crossword Program (bmcwrd.zip)
- 20. (Don't know its proper name??) (os2_xwrd.zip)
- 21. Xword (win_xwrd.zip)
- 22. Crossword Power (cwpower.zip)
- 23. Puzzler Solution Helper (pklr.zip)
- 24. Word-find (wordfind.zip)
- 25. Computer Crossword Puzzles System (ccps.zip)
- 26. Crosspro (crosspro.zip)
- 27. Compuzzle (crsswr.zip)
- 28. The Daily Crossword (dalyxwrd.zip)
- 29. Puz (puz10.zip)
- 30. WordWiz (wordwiz.zip)
- 31. Crossdown (xdown28.zip)
- 32. New Puzzle Factory (newpuzz2.zip)
-
- Other applications I know exist but don't have in the crossword archive
- yet include:
-
- Name: Crossword Modus
- Platform: DOS
- Developer: Eric Deeson
- Address: 20 Vaughan Avenue, London NW4 4HU. England.
- E-Mail Address: ?
- FTP Site: ?
- File Name: ?
- Cost: ú37.45 Stg
-
- Name: Crossword Editor
- Description: ?
- Platform: ?
- Developer: Wordplay.
- Address: ?
- E-Mail address: ?
- FTP site: ?
- File name: ?
-
- Name: Criscros
- Platform: DOS
- Developer: Jerry Collins
- Address: Box 110, 875A Island Drive, Alameda, CA 94501. USA.
- E-Mail address: E-Mail Brad Kaenel (72357.3523@CompuServe.com)
- FTP site: ?
- File name: ?
- Cost: $95
-
- Name: WordCross
- Platform: ?
- Developer: ?
- Address: Hi Tech.
- E-Mail Address: ?
- FTP Site: ?
- File Name: ?
- Cost: ?
-
- Name: Crossword Magic
- Platform: ?
- Developer: ?
- Address: Mindscape.
- E-Mail Address: ?
- FTP Site: ?
- File Name: ?
- Cost: ?
-
- Name: Cross Words Deluxe
- Platform: ?
- Developer: ?
- Address:
- E-Mail Address: ?
- FTP Site: Seen in America On-Line??
- File Name: ?
- Cost: ?
-
- Name: Crosswords Plus (tm) for Windows / WordQuest (tm)
- Description: ?
- Platform: ?
- Developer: Parsons Technology
- Address: ?
- E-Mail address: ?
- FTP site: ?
- File name: ?
-
- Name: The Crossword Puzzler [CWP] (tm)
- Description: Automates the composition, editing, and submission of
- crossword puzzles.
- Platform: DOS
- Developer: Mel Rosen
- Address: 11718 Nicklaus circle, Tampa, FL 33624-4538, U.S.A.
- E-Mail address: xkps13b@prodigy.com
- FTP site: None
- File name: None
- Cost: $150 ($10 for a demo copy of CWP. For this you also
- get a demo copy of the Word Weaver - Contact Mel Rosen)
-
- Name: The Word Weaver (Possibly also called Plexus??)
- Description: Light generator which can also clip into CWP
- Platform: DOS
- Developer: Charles Clapp
- Address: 1106 Pebble Beach Blvd, Sun City Ctr, FL 33573-5333,
- U.S.A.
- E-Mail address: ?
- FTP site: None
- File name: None
- Cost: $150 ($10 for a demo copy of the Word Weaver. For this
- you also get a demo copy of CWP - Contact Mel Rosen)
-
- I have scoured Library 8 of the IBMNEW forum on Compuserve for
- crossword based applications and I have come up with 6 to 8
- applications which I had previously not seen on the Internet, or in
- any FTP site of my knowledge. I hope the developers of the respective
- products don't mind me putting them in their rightful (I think) home.
-
- There are some other packages which deal specifically with solving
- prepackaged puzzles. A few games companies have released products in
- this bracket. They include:
-
- 1. Take-A-Break Crosswords from Sierra Games.
- 2. Puzzle Master from Centron Software Technologies.
- 3. The New York Times Crossword Puzzles from Swfte International Ltd.
- 4. Dell Crossword Puzzles & Other Games from Apple Computer, Inc.
-
- There are some other crossword related applications and utilities in the
- archive which people, from time to time, have posted to the newsgroup.
- These utilities/programs are explained in more detail in the file INDEX
- in the archive itself.
-
- (8) Are there any on-line dictionaries available?
-
- There are quite a few locations where complete on-line dictionaries are
- to be found on the Internet. Many thanks must go to Ross Beresford for
- the following list.
-
- File name(s) : ukacd11.zip,teadac11.zip
- File size(s) : 543330,530953
- Site(s) : gatekeeper.dec.com (crossword archive)
- Directory : /pub/micro/msdos/misc/crossword-archive
- Origin : UK Advanced Cryptics Dictionary
- Entries : 185582
- Inflected Forms: yes
- Phrases : yes
- Mixed case : yes
- Comments : Word list specifically for crosswords maintained
- by Ross Beresford (ross@bryson.demon.co.uk).
- ukacd11.zip is in plain ASCII; teadac11.zip is
- in TEA format (see The Electronic Alveary).
-
- File name(s) : web2.Z
- File size(s) : 1038775
- Site(s) : many sites (for example wuarchive.wustl.edu)
- Directory : (for example /mirrors4/4.3bsd-reno/share/dict)
- Origin : Websters 2nd Edition words (cf web2a.Z)
- Entries : 234932
- Inflected Forms: no
- Phrases : no
- Mixed case : yes
- Comments :
-
- File name(s) : web2a.Z
- File size(s) : 434291
- Site(s) : many sites (for example wuarchive.wustl.edu)
- Directory : (for example /mirrors4/4.3bsd-reno/share/dict)
- Origin : Websters 2nd Edition phrases (cf web2.Z)
- Entries : 76205
- Inflected Forms: no
- Phrases : yes
- Mixed case : yes
- Comments :
-
- File name(s) : OSPD.shar.Z
- File size(s) : 472885
- Site(s) : ftp.cs.cornell.edu
- directory : /pub/turney
- Origin : U.S. Official Scrabble Player's Dictionary
- Entries : 113901
- Inflected Forms: yes
- Phrases : no
- Mixed case : no
- Comments :
-
- File name(s) : mrc2.dct
- File size(s) : 11179399
- Site(s) : black.ox.ac.uk
- Directory : /ota/dicts/1054
- Origin : Shorter Oxford English Dictionary
- Entries : 119888
- Inflected Forms: yes
- Phrases : no
- Mixed case : yes
- Comments : Maintained by the Oxford Text Archive.
-
- File name(s) : words[1234].zip
- File size(s) : 95306,74597,99024,84500
- Site(s) : wuarchive.wustl.edu
- Directory : /mirrors/msdos/linguistics
- Origin : Uncertain (see read.me file)
- Entries : 109582
- Inflected Forms: yes
- Phrases : no
- Mixed case : no
- Comments : This list has also been seen split into zip
- files as evanwrd[1234].zip
-
- File name(s) : words.english.Z
- File size(s) : 288385
- Site(s) : sparta.nmsu.edu,haywire.nmsu.edu
- Directory : /pub/lexicals/word-lists
- Origin : Unknown
- Entries : 69964
- Inflected Forms: yes
- Phrases : no
- Mixed case : yes
- Comments :
-
- File name(s) : Unabr.dict.Z
- File size(s) : 951951
- Site(s) : arthur.cs.purdue.edu,
- ftp.denet.dk
- Directory : /pub/pcert/dict/misc/black.ox.ac.uk,
- /pub/wordlists/dictionaries
- Origin : Unknown
- Entries : 213557
- Inflected Forms: no
- Phrases : no
- Mixed case : no
- Comments :
-
- File name(s) : unabrd.dic.Z
- File size(s) : 1041512
- Site(s) : world.std.com
- Directory : /obi/WordLists/English
- Origin : Unknown
- Entries : 235544
- Inflected Forms: no
- Phrases : no
- Mixed case : yes
- Comments :
-
- File name(s) : pocket.dic.Z
- File size(s) : 85821
- Site(s) : ftp.uu.net
- Directory : /doc/literary/obi/WordLists/English
- Origin : Unknown
- Entries : 21111
- Inflected Forms: no
- Phrases : no
- Mixed case : no
- Comments :
-
- File name(s) : w130794.Z
- File size(s) : 522533
- Site(s) : ftp.uu.net
- Directory : /doc/literary/obi/WordLists/English
- Origin : Unknown
- Entries : 130794
- Inflected Forms: yes
- Phrases : no
- Mixed case : no
- Comments :
-
- File name(s) : ispell-3.0.09.tar.z
- File size(s) : 467745
- Site(s) : prep.ai.mit.edu
- Directory : /pub/gnu
- Origin : Uncertain (see README files)
- Entries : ca. 50000
- Inflected Forms: yes
- Phrases : no
- Mixed case : yes
- Comments : This is the GNU ispell package which could undergo
- quite frequent releases. Hence the file name and
- size could change.
-
- File name(s) : roget13a.zip
- File size(s) : 643011
- Site(s) : mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu
- Directory : /gutenberg/etext91
- Origin : Roget's Thesaurus, 1911
- Entries :
- Inflected Forms: yes
- Phrases : yes
- Mixed case : yes
- Comments : Since this edition is out of copyright, it appears
- in several different forms on the net. The one
- above is maintained by Project Gutenberg.
-
- File name(s) : dictionaries.tar.Z
- File size(s) : 485521
- Site(s) : guardian.cs.psu.edu
- Directory : /pub
- Origin : Unknown
- Entries : 53091
- Inflected Forms: no
- Phrases : no
- Mixed case : yes
- Comments : A collection of specialised word lists, primarily
- intended for password screening.
-
- If there are problems FTPing any of the files mentioned above, I would
- like to know about it. If you cannot find the file in the directory
- specified, consult your local archie to find an FTP site which does have
- the file in question (Thanks to Antony Lewis for this suggestion).
-
- There are some commercial outfits willing to sell you large word/phrase
- lists. I advise you to think very carefully before deciding to buy any
- such lists as the files above will suffice in most circumstances, if you
- are looking for single word combinations only. Probably the best known
- commercial word list(s) currently available is the 'Moby' dataset. If
- you are interested in further details about 'Moby' please contact Grady
- Ward (grady@netcom.com).
-
- The 'Moby' dataset consists of the following pieces:
-
- Moby Thesaurus II ($500)
- Moby Pronunciator ($265)
- Moby Part-of-Speech ($170)
- Moby Hyphenator ($105)
- Moby Words II ($100)
-
- Archive-name: crossword-faq/part2
- Last-modified: 2/3/1994
- Version: 4.11
-
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for rec.puzzles.crosswords
- Version 4.11
-
- Compiled and edited by
- James A. Lundon (jlundon@xstacy.enet.dec.com)
-
- (FAQ continued...)
-
- (9) Standard tips for solving a cryptic crossword?
-
- The explanation below is taken from rec.puzzles and I will endeavour to
- take over the responsibility of maintaining and improving this list from
- the maintainer (Chris Cole) of the rec.puzzles archive.
-
- This is a brief set of instructions for solving cryptic crossword
- puzzles. For a more complete introduction, send a self-addressed,
- stamped envelope to The Atlantic Puzzler, 745 Boylston Street, Boston,
- MA 02116, USA. The below description is taken from this introduction.
- It was written by Henry Rathvon and Emily Cox, who do the puzzles for
- The Atlantic. It is slanted towards the American type cryptic.
-
- The characteristic common to all cryptic crossword puzzles is the format
- of the clues. Each clue is a miniature word puzzle consisting of a
- straight definition of the answer and a cryptic definition of the
- answer. For example,
-
- Axle is poorly splined (7)
-
- yields SPINDLE. Axle is the straight definition. The cryptic
- definition (poorly splined) indicates an anagram of "splined". The
- number in parentheses is the number of letters in the answer.
- Punctuation and capitalization may be ignored in interpreting the clues.
-
- There are *only* (really?) eight categories of clues, as follows:
-
- 1. Anagram
-
- An anagram is a word formed by mixing up the letters of another word.
- An anagram clue is indicated by some word that means "mixed up", for
- example, out, crazy, bizarre, insane, etc. One or more words may
- contribute to the anagram. For example:
-
- Tim goes insane from selfishness (7)
-
- for EGOTISM (anagram of "Tim goes")
-
- 2. Double Definition
-
- A double definition is simply two definitions of the word. Most
- two-word clues are double definitions. For example:
-
- Release without charge (4)
-
- for FREE
-
- 3. Container
-
- A container clue indicates that something is to be put in (or wrapped
- around) something else. A container is indicated by phrases such as
- eaten by, contains, in, gobbles, etc. For example:
-
- In Missouri, consumed by fear (7)
-
- for AMONGST (MO = Missouri in ANGST = fear)
-
- 4. Hidden Word
-
- A hidden word is a word embedded in another word or words. It is
- indicated by phrases such as spot in, hides, at the heart of, covers,
- etc. For example:
-
- Worn spot in paper at typo (5)
-
- for RATTY (find ratty in "paper at typo")
-
- 5. Reversal
-
- A reversal is a definition of a word with the letters reversed. It is
- indicated by words such as back, reversed, up (for down clues), leftward
- (for across clues), etc. For example:
-
- Egad! Ray entirely reversed the lot of cloth (7)
-
- for YARDAGE ("Egad! Ray" reversed)
-
- 6. Homophone
-
- A homophone definition is a definition of a word that sounds the same as
- the answer, but is spelled differently. A homophone is indicated by
- words such as in audience, I hear, mouthed, verbally, etc. For example:
-
- Regrets prank, I hear (4)
-
- for RUES (the homophone is RUSE = prank)
-
- 7. Charade
-
- In a charade, the pieces of the word are "spelled" out in order. There
- are no auxiliary words that indicate a charade. For example:
-
- Excite a jerk extremist (7)
-
- for FANATIC (FAN = excite, A, TIC = jerk)
-
- 8. Deletion
-
- A deletion is a clue where you are instructed to remove a part of some
- word to make another word. For example,
-
- Times with poor wages (4)
-
- for AGES (with-poor WAGES, where with is abbreviated by W)
-
- Often the clue types are combined. Some common examples are 1) hidden
- word reversals where the answer is found backwards embedded in other
- words, and 2) containers or charades where the parts are anagrams. For
- example:
-
- Car shops have broken gear immersed in gasoline. (7)
-
- for GARAGES (RAGE = gear anagram in GAS = gasoline)
-
- All manner of common abbreviations, acronyms, and other symbology such
- as roman numerals are allowed. For example:
-
- c one hundred, cup, or centigrade
- vi six
- h hot
- s small
- ca california
-
- Two punctuation marks at the end of the clue have been reserved for
- special meaning. A question mark (?) indicates that the straight clue
- is not entirely straight (usually a pun). For example:
-
- I tie down mascara holder soundly? (7)
-
- for EYELASH (homophone of "I lash", mascara holder is a punning
- definition of EYELASH)
-
- An exclamation point (!) indicates that some part (usually all) of the
- clue overlaps. For example, the straight definition may also be the
- anagram indicator. Here is an example that entirely overlaps:
-
- A moped also has these! (6)
-
- for PEDALS (hidden word)
-
- Here, the entire clue indicates the hidden word, but the entire clue is
- also a straight definition of the answer.
-
- After all that explanations an example is needed. This crossword was
- compiled by Roy Trearle (Roy.Thearle@uknet.ac.uk). It originally
- appeared in the rec.puzzles archive?
-
- Each clue has two solutions, one for each diagram; one of the answers
- to 1ac. determines which solutions are for which diagram.
-
- All solutions are in Chamber's and Webster's Third except for one solution
- of each of 1dn, 3dn and 4dn, which can be found in Webster's 2nd. edition.
-
- #######################################################################
- #1 |2 | | |3 |4 |5 #1 |2 | | |3 |4 |5 #
- # | | | | | | # | | | | | | #
- #----+----###########----#----#----#----+----###########----#----#----#
- #6 | |7 | | # # #6 | |7 | | # # #
- # | | | | # # # | | | | # # #
- #----#----#----######----#----#----#----#----#----######----#----#----#
- # # # #8 | | | # # # #8 | | | #
- # # # # | | | # # # # | | | #
- #----#----#----######----#----#----#----#----#----######----#----#----#
- #9 | | | # # # #9 | | | # # # #
- # | | | # # # # | | | # # # #
- #----#----#----######----#----#----#----#----#----######----#----#----#
- # # #10 | | | | # # #10 | | | | #
- # # # | | | | # # # | | | | #
- #----#----#----###########----+----#----#----#----###########----+----#
- #11 | | | | | | #11 | | | | | | #
- # | | | | | | # | | | | | | #
- #######################################################################
-
- Ac.
- 1. What can have distinctive looking heads spaced about more prominently
- right. (7)
- 6. Vermin that can overrun fish and t'English tor perhaps. (5)
- 8. Old testament reversal - Adam's conclusion, start of sin.
- Felines initially with everything there. (4)
- 9. Black initiated cut, oozed out naturally. (4)
- 10. For instance, 11 with spleen dropping I count? (5)
- 11. Provoked explosion of grenade. (7)
-
- Dn.
- 1. Some of club taking part in theatrical function, for the equivalent
- of a fraction of a pound. (6)
- 2. Close-in light meter in one formation originally treated as
- limestone. (6)
- 3. Xingu River hombres having symmetrical shape. (5)
- 4. About sex-appeal measure - what waitresses should be? (6)
- 5. Turned stale - died - was preserved. (6)
- 7. IRA to harm ruling Englishman; extremes could be belonging to group. (5)
-
-
- Answers:
- +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
- |r e d c a p s|d e x t r a l|
- + + +-+-+ + + + + +-+-+ + + +
- |o t t e r|o|a|r o a c h|s|a|
- + + + +-+ + + + + + +-+ + + +
- |u|a|h|f a l l|a|z|m|t o m s|
- + + + +-+ + + + + + +-+ + + +
- |b l e d|r|i|t|c o o n|m|i|t|
- + + + +-+ + + + + + +-+ + + +
- |l|o|i r a t e|m|o|n o b l e|
- + + + +-+-+ + + + + +-+-+ + +
- |e n r a g e d|a n g e r e d|
- +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
-
- Notes.
- Left grid: Ac. 1. R + spaced (anag). 6. T'E tor (anag). 8. F-all. 9. B-led.
- 10. I-rate. Dn. 1. Ro-ub-le. 2. T.A.L. in one (anag). 4. it in pole.
- 5. anag of D+stale. 7. anag of initial letters.
- Right grid: Ac. 1. D-extra-L. 6. 3 mngs. 8. OT (rev) + m-s.
- 9. initial letters. 10. No.-b(i)le. Dn. Dra-c-ma. 2. Zoo(m) in one (anag).
- 3. hidden. 4. SA (rev) + mile. 5. anag of D+stale. 7. anag of final letters.
-
- How I built it: it was hard!
-
- Basically, I started with a couple of word pairs which were easy to clue
- (e.g. enraged/angered - same meaning and anagrams of each other) and
- built a grid around them, trying to ensure corresponding words had
- something in common, either in meaning (their, among) or structure,
- (EtalON, EOzooN) and making sure that there was at least one word which
- could be used to distinguish the two grids (dextral).
-
- The clues were built in one of two ways:
-
- either the words had a common definition, and so a subsidiary indication
- which could refer to either was needed; or it was necessary to define
- each word in such a way that it was a subsidiary definition for all or
- part of the corresponding word, and deal with any remaining parts as
- before. I think the single hardest part was finding a definition of
- "interferometer" which could also be interpreted as "zoo" or "ozo".
-
- 57 Varieties
- ============
-
- Roy Thearle has outdone himself by putting together an every better
- description of some of the gimmicks used in crossword setting. Many of
- the methods described below could be considered to be only seen in
- 'specials' but, nonetheless are very interesting to would be setters out
- there trying to think up of new ways to confuse the solver :-). All
- examples have CROSSWORDS as the answer:
-
- Clues
- =====
-
- Unclued No clue is given, and the answer is to be
- deduced from context, e.g.
- 1. (10)
-
- Straightforward definition e.g.
- 2. Puzzles involving word-grids (10)
-
- Quiz style Definition in the form of a question, e.g.
- 3. Which word puzzles were first published
- in the `London Daily Mail' in 1925? (10)
-
- Riddle Similar to previous, but usually involving
- some form of word play, e.g.
- 4. What puzzles create arguments? (10)
-
- Missing word from quotation 5. "the original acrostic form developed
- into --- early in the next century" (10)
-
- Missing word from prose A passage of prose is given in which the
- answer has been replaced by the grid number
- at which it is to appear, e.g.
- "I love doing [6ac]; even those by Kea".
-
- Call my bluff Three definitions of related or similar
- words are given; one of the words is the answer
- e.g.
- 7. 3.5ft weapons; odd beaked birds; puzzles (10)
- {longswords/crossbills/crosswords}
-
- Semi-homonyms Two definitions are given of words which differ
- only in one letter, one of which is the answer,
- e.g.
- 8. Forms meadow plants. (10)
- {crosswords/crossworts}
-
- Encrypted The clue is an encrypted form of the answer,
- normally with the alphabet replaced by numbers
- 1-26 in some order, but sometimes by a
- substitution code. Occasionally, a clue of one
- of the other types is encrypted. e.g.
- 9. 1-2-3-4-4-5-3-2-6-4 (10)
- 10. Smelly Emil (10)
- 11. Abcde dfghbi jklmne. (10)
- {encrypted clue 8.}
-
- Straightforward anagram e.g.
- 12. Dross crows (anag.) (10)
-
- Subsidiary indication only Effectively, a cryptic clue without a definition
- e.g.
- 13. Holy symbol incorporating weapon. (10)
- {sword in cross}
-
- Definition and anagram A straightforward definition of the answer
- juxtaposed with an anagram of it (in either
- order). Sometimes the anagram and definition
- are written so as to make it unobvious which
- is which, e.g.
- 14. Forms dross crows. (10)
- 15. Orcs' swords set puzzles. (10)
-
- Definition & letter mixture A line of text containing both a synonym of the
- answer, plus a hidden anagram of it. e.g.
- 16. When composing puzzles, always listen to
- compact discs, or drowsiness sets in. (10)
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- Previous with extra letter As above, but the hidden anagram contains a
- superfluous letter, e.g.
- 17. Warriors (orcs) saw death cause problems.
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (10)
-
- Cryptic e.g.
- 18. Holy symbol embracing weapon puzzles. (10)
- {sword in cross}
-
- Spoonerism There are two forms of this. Either (i) the clue
- contains a spoonerism which must be fixed before
- solving (normally in the definition part),
- or (ii) the subsidiary indication is
- a definition for a spoonerized version of the
- answer, e.g.
- 19. Holy symbol embracing weapon - triptych
- kempt Asians. (10)
- {i.e. cryptic temptations; sword in cross}
-
- Indirect anagram A cryptic clue in which the subsidiary
- indication contains a synonym for an anagram
- of the answer, plus anagram indicator, e.g.
- 20. Forms miscreate ogres with weapons. (10)
- {i.e. "orcs" (anag.) + "swords"}
-
- Unnumbered A clue with no number, the position of the
- answer being determined by the solver, e.g.
- Forms miscreate orcs with weapons. (10)
- {as previous}
-
- Cryptic using clue number A cryptic clue in which the clue number is part
- of the clue, e.g.
- 100. Rod rows badly around ship, causing
- problems. (10)
- {C + SS in "rodrows" (anag.)}
-
- Superfluous letter A cryptic clue in which all occurrences of
- one letter must be removed before solving,
- e.g.
- 21. Forms torcs, toff, and tepees. (10)
- {deleted letter is T;"orcs"(anag.)+"swords"}
-
- Ambiguous A cryptic clue with two (or more) equally valid
- answers, e.g.
- 22. Angry tellings-off that could cause
- confusion. (10)
- {cross-words or cross-talks}
-
- Concatenated Two cryptic (or occasionally other) clues run
- together, e.g.
- 23. Holy symbol embracing weapon puzzles
- religious pacifist - shudder and run? (10;6)
- {crosswords & quaker}
-
- Vowelless Cryptic (or other clue type) with the vowels
- removed, e.g.
- 24. Hl smbl mbrcng wpn pzzls. (10)
-
- Cryptic with pun Cryptic clue where one word must be replaced
- with a homophone before solving, e.g.
- 25. Holy cymbal embracing weapon puzzles. (10)
- {cymbal -> symbol}
-
- Misprint One letter in the clue (usually in the
- definition) must be replaced by another before
- solving, e.g.
- 26. Holy symbol embracing weapon muzzles. (10)
- {muzzles -> puzzles}
-
- Missing letter One letter must be added to the clue
- (usually in the definition) before solving, e.g.
- 27. Holy symbol embracing weapon poses. (10)
- {poses -> posers}
-
- Cryptic with superfluous One word in the clue should be ignored. This
- word is sometimes also known as "red herrings".
- e.g.
- 28. Sauron forms miscreate orcs with
- weapons. (10)
- {"sauron" is superfluous;orcs(anag)+swords}
-
- Location indication The clue is preceded or followed by a cryptic
- indication of the location for the answer,
- e.g.
- Went in river - in also - row forms. (10)
- {"went" and "in" in "Tyne -> twentynine;
- cross-words}
-
- Printer's devilry A passage of prose from which the solution
- has been removed, and the word breaks and
- punctuation changed, e.g.
- 30. Form a king, Mum - it hinges; sent
- I ally, reigns. (10)
- {for making muCROS SWORDSmithing
- essentially reigns}
-
- Solutions
- =========
-
- Normally Answer to be entered in usual fashion, e.g. CROSSWORDS
-
- Diagonally Answer to be entered with letters in normal order, but
- running in a diagonal direction, e.g. C
- R S
- O D
- S R
- S O
- W
- S O
- S R
- O D
- R S
- C
-
- Reversed Answer to be entered backwards,
- e.g. CROSSWORDS -> SDROWSSORC
-
- Directionally Answer to be entered with letters in normal order, but
- with direction of entry changing whenever a letter
- N (up), S (down), E (right) or W (left) is encountered,
- e.g. CROSSWORDS -> CROS
- S
- SDROW
-
- Squared Answer to be entered in the form of a square (or,
- occasionally, some other geometrical figure), e.g.
- CROSSWORDPUZZLES -> CROSS C
- S W S R
- E O E O
- L R L S
- ZZUPD ZZUPDROWS
-
- Knight's tour Answer to be entered with successive letters being
- positioned a (chess) knight's move from the previous,
- e.g. CROSSWORDS -> C.....S......
- ..R.....W...S
- .....S...R...
- ...O...O...D.
-
- Random walk Answer to be entered with letters in normal order,
- but moving in a random direction with every letter.
- Normally restricted to (up, right, left, down), but
- may include diagonal movement as well (in which case
- sometimes known as "King's tour"). Either sort may be
- self-intersecting. e.g. C
- CROSSWORDS - > CRO S C OW R
- S RD R SRD DROW
- SWO OS S S SS
-
- Wrong number Answer to be entered normally at a different location,
- where the clue contains a synonym of the answer.
-
- Hidden in diagram Answer is to be located (or, more typically, a theme
- word is to be found) in an unusual location in the
- grid, e.g. on the main diagonal, among the unchecked
- letters, or in the squares around a fixed location.
-
- Cyclic Answer is to be entered starting at any point in the
- word, running to the end and then continuing from the
- beginning, e.g. CROSSWORDS -> ROSSWORDSC OSSWORDSCR
- SSWORDSCRO SWORDSCROS ... SCROSSWORD
-
- Inside-out The central part of the answer is extracted, split
- in half, and placed around the remainder, e.g.
- CROSSWORDS -> ROSSCSWORD OSSCRDSWOR SSCRORDSWO
- SCROSORDSW
-
- First letter The first letter of the answer is to be moved to
- misplaced between any other pair of letters, or after the last
- one, e.g. CROSSWORDS -> RCOSSWORDS ROCSSWODRS
- ROSCSWORDS ROSSCWORDS ... ROSSWORDCS ROSSWORDSC
-
- Last letter The last letter of the answer is to be moved to
- misplaced between any other pair of letters, or before the first
- one, e.g. CROSSWORDS -> SCROSSWORD CSROSSWORD
- CRSOSSWORD CROSSSWORD ... CROSSWOSRD CROSSWORSD
-
- Transposition A pair adjacent letters of the answer are switched
- (or sometimes more than one pair), e.g.
- CROSSWORDS -> RCOSSWORDS CORSSWORDS CRSOSWORDS ...
- CROSSWODRS CROSSWORSD
- CROSSWORDS -> RCSOSWORDS RCOSWSORDS RCOSSOWRDS ...
- CROSSOWRSD CROSSWROSD RCOSWSODRS ...
-
- Shuffled The letters of the answer are to be entered in arbitrary
- order, e.g. CROSSWORDS -> CSSOWDSROR OOCWDSRSRS
- Sometimes the letters are restricted so that none of
- them occupies the place where they should be, e.g.
- CROSSWORDS -> SSSRRCDOOW
-
- Extra letter An extra letter is to be inserted in the answer before
- inserted it is entered into the grid, e.g. CROSSWORDS ->
- ACROSSWORDS CROSBSWORDS CROSSWCORDS CDROSSWORDS ...
-
- Beheaded The first letter of the answer is to be omitted,
- e.g. CROSSWORDS -> ROSSWORDS
-
- Curtailed The last letter of the answer is to be omitted,
- e.g. CROSSWORDS -> CROSSWORD
-
- Letters latent One letter of the answer is to be omitted wherever it
- occurs, e.g. CROSSWORDS -> ROSSWORDS COSSWODS
- CRSSWRDS CROWORD CROSSORDS CROSSWORS
-
- Deduplicated Double letters in the answer are to be reduced to
- single letters, e.g. CROSSWORDS -> CROSWORDS
-
- Vowelless All vowels are removed from the answer before entry,
- e.g. CROSSWORDS -> CRSSWRDS
- The definition of vowel may include `Y' or `W' in some
- circumstances
-
- Consonantless All consonants are to be removed from the answer before
- entry, e.g. CROSSWORDS -> OO
-
- Other absent Certain specified letters are to be removed from the
- letters answer before entry, e.g. if the letters are NSEW
- CROSSWORDS -> CROORD
-
- Absent The answer does not appear in the grid! (e.g. in a
- puzzle where the letters NSEW are removed from the
- answers before entry, the words "SENSE" and "NEWNESS"
- are completely absent).
-
- Symbolic Part of the answer is to be entered as an appropriate
- symbol, e.g. CROSSWORDS -> +WORDS
-
- Directionally All compass directions in the answer (usually referring
- symbolic to N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW) are replaced by arrows
- pointing in the appropriate direction, e.g. {apologies
- for ascii graphics} CROSSWORDS -> CRO| /ORD|
- vL v
-
- Misprint One of the letters of the answer is to be replaced by
- another letter before entry, e.g. CROSSWORDS ->
- AROSSWORDS BROSSWORDS DROSSWORDS ...
- CAOSSWORDS CBOSSWORDS CCOSSWORDS ...
- ... CROSSWORDX CROSSWORDY CROSSWORDZ
-
- Internally A substring of the answer is replaced with a synonym,
- substituted antonym, association, translation, etc. e.g.
- CROSSWORDS -> CROSSHIELDS {sword-shield}
- SEEKING -> SEEQUEEN {king-queen}
- FOOTWORK -> FOODEUXRK {two-deux}
-
- Replaced by The solution is a homophone of the clue answer, e.g.
- hompohone SEEKING -> SEA-KING
- COLONEL -> KERNEL
-
- Replaced by synonym The solution is a synonym of the clue answer, e.g
- CROSSWORDS -> FORMS
- CROSSWORDS -> CRUCIVERBALISMS
-
- Encoded The solution is to be encoded (using a substitution
- cypher) before entry, e.g.
- (rot13) CROSSWORDS -> PEBFFJBEQF
- (a<->z, b<->y, etc.) CROSSWORDS -> XILHHDLIWH
-
- Adacode The alphabet is sorted into a code string consisting
- of a keyword (with no repeated letters) plus the
- remainder in order, e.g.
- QUESTIONABCDFGHJKLMPRVWXYZ {question}
- VERACIOUSLYBDFGHJKMNPQTWXZ {veraciously}
- and the answer is coded as follows:
- the first letter to be entered is the letter
- one space after the first letter of the answer;
- the second letter to be entered is the letter
- two spaces after the second letter of the answer;
- and so on, treating the code string as cyclic if
- necessary, e.g.
- (with QUESTIONABCDFGHJKLMPRVWXYZ)
- CROSSWORDS -> DWBNAEGERG
- (with VERACIOUSLYBDFGHJKMNPQTWXZ)
- CROSSWORDS -> ICLDFAFYQM
-
- Playfair The alphabet (less J) is sorted into a code string
- as for the previous, and this code string is placed
- in a 5x5 square, e.g. ZANTH SEAFR
- OXYLU ONTBC
- MBCDE DGHIK
- {zanthoxylum} FGIKP LMPQU {seafront}
- QRSVW VWXYZ
-
- and the answer is split in to pairs of letters, each
- of which is encoded as follows:
- if both letters are the same, then they are entered
- normally
- if both letters are in the same row, then the
- letters to the right of them are to be entered
- (treating the row as cyclic if necessary);
- if both letters are in the same column, then the
- letters below them are to be entered
- (treating the row as cyclic if necessary);
- otherwise, treat the two letters as the corners
- of a rectangle, and enter the other two corners
- of the rectangle (top right being entered instead
- of top left, bottom right being entered instead
- of bottom left)
- If a word has an odd number of letters, then an extra
- letter is added at the end to allow it to be encoded,
- and the last letter of the encoded form is ignored.
- e.g. (with the squares given above)
- CR-OS-SW-OR-DS -> BS-YQ-VQ-XQ-CV
- CR-OS-SW-OR-DS -> KC-DO-EV-CS-LO
- Sometimes the `J' is reinstated and the digits appended
- to give a 6x6 square used similarly, e.g.
- with 1976MO
- NTREAL
- BCDFGH
- IJKPQS
- UVWXYZ {1976 montreal}
- 023458
-
- CR-OS-SW-OR-DS -> DT-LZ-KZ-7L-HK
-
- (10) Misc. questions of interest.
-
- Q: Is there an official Archiver for the rec.puzzles.crosswords
- newsgroup?
-
- Well not really... Ross Beresford has, on occasions, been known to
- be able to dig up the odd article or two, which may have gone out of
- date on the local newserver of choice. This service is performed on
- a completely personal basis and he doesn't want to be considered the
- official newsgroup archiver! Let's say he won't be too happy if you
- come in his direction asking for the past years r.p.crosswords articles.
-
- Q: What is "The Grauniad" ?
-
- It's a joke name for British newspaper "The Guardian" which is legendary
- for its numerous typos. For example, in a 1992 crossword in the weekly
- version of the paper, the last clue was omitted!
-
- Q: Is Bill Clinton a crossword fan?
-
- Yes.
-
- Q: I'm British: what are "British style" crosswords? "American style"?
-
- "British style" is a common American name for cryptic crosswords.
-
- "American style" is the type of crossword that appears in all the daily
- newspapers there. They are not cryptic, so are like British "concise"
- or "quick" crosswords. The main difference is that every square is
- checked: i.e. every square is in two clues, and there are many fewer
- black squares than in a British concise. Often this means that obscure
- words, names of famous people, initials etc. appear as answers.
-
- Q: What is the difference between British and American cryptic clues?
-
- Of course, British and American clues will use different spellings. One
- might use "hue" to clue "colour" and the other to clue "color". There
- are less obvious differences though, because there is no absolute rule
- about the fairness of a crossword clue. Americans tend to insist that
- each word in the clue contribute to the definition or wordplay, while
- British people may be less strict. For example, the following clue
- once caused a few disagreements in this newsgroup:
-
- "Could this replace a super tom?"
-
- The answer (spelt backwards) is PARTESUOM. It's an anagram and the
- whole clue is the definition: this type of clue is known as an "&lit"
- clue. Some Americans complained that the words "Could this" were
- superfluous as they didn't enter into the wordplay, while some British
- people thought they added to the clue in an indefinable way. Another
- example is that Americans don't like clues with only a single definition
- and no subsidiary indication. For example, a Times (of London) clue:
-
- "Kosher diet?"
-
- The answer (backwards) is TESSENK. Although difficult to define, this
- is acceptable because it's misleading and, once you've got the answer,
- you can be sure you have it right.
-
- It's impossible to define exactly what is acceptable, either to
- Americans or to British people. You just have to learn from experience.
-
- Q: What errors are known in Chambers Words?
-
- Chambers Words is a tremendously useful publication, but assorted people
- have found many errors in it. The following errors are due to Ian Gent,
- Hubert Gent, Roger Phillips, and Judith Underwood.
-
- Words in Chambers Dictionary but not in Words:
-
- aband, abelia, aemule, aflaj, aidos, alaap, alap, alapa, alcazar,
- alferez, alforja, alkene, alkyne, alopecoid, an-heires, andvile, antick,
- anticke, ashet, astun, atchieve, avant-propos, bandeirante, berob,
- bibite, bro, brust, camaron, cilia, clamor, Datel, Datin, Datuk, Dayak,
- demarche, diner-out, diseur, dojo, douane, Dyak, edite, emplonge, emule,
- ennuying, epuise, estro, etatiste, etrenne, eudiometer, Exocet, falaj,
- franticly, geare, gerle, glom, good-sense, graduateship, graphicly,
- griped, grypt, hadal, holesom, holesome, hombre, honey-seed, hony-seed,
- illite, iroko, jamahiriya, jamahiriyah, karsey, karsy, karzy, kazatzka,
- kazi, Kru-boy, Kru-man, ksar, latrant, lavatera, leaperous, leaporous,
- leaprous, limail, macro, matinee, missa, mnemonic, mose, Navaho, Navajo,
- nomen, nomina, nork, noyes, ocotillo, one-time, oneyer, oneyre, oppo,
- ossa, oughly, ouglie, pierst, plast, plaste, pousse, preif, pursew,
- rallye, red-wing, redwing, relie, requight, rewarewa, rurp, shalom,
- simi, sowsse, spavin, spudding, spyre, stater, sted, stedd, steddy,
- stede, stedfast, steedy, Syncom, tagmeme, talak, talaq, talek, tarp,
- thread-lace, todde, tranchet, unhip, vahine, vicegerent, vigoro, whidah,
- whydah
-
- Words spelt incorrectly in Words:
-
- Anglophabiac for anglophobiac
- artillary for artillery
- bibliogical for bibliological
- bumalc for bumalo
- cacodaemom for cacodaemon
- cullysim for cullyism
- daiquari for daiquiri
- double-mined for double-minded
- faith-cube for faith-cure
- glassfulls for glassfuls
- greviousness for grievousness
- inseperableness for inseparableness
- jodphurs for jodhpurs
- knat-bottle for knap-bottle
- Nothofagust for Nothofagus
- nephratic for nephrotic
- olephilic for oleophilic
- outerware for outerwear
- Owlspiegel for Owlspiegle
- ouabian for ouabain
- pachydacious for pachydactylous
- priep for prief
- pugilistial for pugilistical
- reconsituent for reconstituent
- retensionist for retentionist
- sabre-battling for sabre-rattling
- smarago for smaragd
- stenpoaeic for stenopaeic
- synonimical for synonymical
- syzgial for syzygial
- tasseiling for tasselling
- totemastic for totemistic
- transferribilty for transferribility
- trisulphine for trisulphide
- turbidimiter for turbidimeter
- unforgiveable for unforgivable
-
- Q: What new words are there in Chambers latest edition?
-
- Ross Beresford and Roger Philips have collected over 1100 such words and
- the list can be obtained on request from Ross Beresford
- (ross@bryson.demon.co.uk).
-
- Q: Who sets the crossword in your daily newspaper?
-
- The Times (of London) uses a number of crossword setters but they are
- not named. There is a crossword editor at the Times, but that person is
- not well known (though you get through if you write to him/her). The
- Guardian and Independent use pseudonymous setters. The Listener uses a
- huge variety of setters. Probably the people behind them are less
- interesting than the source (e.g. Times, Guardian etc). There are one
- or two exceptions, like the crossword in the Observer which I think is
- always the same person. The setter for the Irish Times cryptic
- crossword is probably an exception in that he recently (March 1993)
- celebrated his golden anniversary of setting crosswords for the paper.
-
- Q: What is ROT13 ?
-
- This is a very simple encryption: each letter is mapped to the letter 13
- away from it in the alphabet. You can decode it easily by hand. In this
- newsgroup it is usually used only to disguise clue answers or other
- small items that some people may not want to see.
-
- See the crossword archive for a fuller explanation by Ryan Harding.
-
- Q. What is an &lit clue?
-
- From Felix Lee (flee@guardian.cse.psu.edu):
-
- &lit stands for "and literally". In non-cryptic crosswords, &lit is
- usually attached to clues that are meant to be read two ways: as a
- definition, and as a form of wordplay (eg, literally).
-
- In cryptic crosswords, &lit is a term applied to clues where both the
- definition and the cryptic parts are the whole clue itself, and not
- separate parts of the clue. These clues are usually signalled by a ? or
- a ! at the end.
-
- Milk: it tenderly laps it! (6)
-
- is a clue for KITTEN. This is a perfect &lit, since every word is
- essential to both the definition and the cryptic.
-
- Perfect &lits are hard to create. Partial &lits seem to turn up more
- often:
-
- You'll see nude imp moan horribly here! (11)
-
- is a clue for PANDEMONIUM. The whole clue is the definition, but only
- "nude imp moan horribly" is pertinent to the cryptic.
-
- Straighten girth! (5)
-
- is a clue for RIGHT. The whole clue is the cryptic, but only
- "straighten" is pertinent to the definition.
-
- From Roger Philips (roger@quantime.co.uk):
-
- A "conventional" cryptic clue may be split into two (or more) distinct
- parts, at least one of which is a straight definition of the answer.
-
- For example, in: A person selling things cheaply arranged reductions
- (10)
-
- the two parts are a definition of DISCOUNTER: A person selling things
- cheaply, and an indication that the answer is an anagram of REDUCTIONS:
- arranged reductions
-
- The only difference in an &lit clue is that the two parts are overlaid.
-
- For example, in: I arrange reductions (10)
-
- the definition is the whole clue (the answer is someone who makes
- reductions happen), and the cryptic indication is also the whole clue
- (the required word is a rearrangement of REDUCTIONS).
-
- The mistake most often made is for part of the clue to contribute to
- only one of the readings. To be an &lit clue, the *whole* clue must be
- susceptible to two interpretations.
-
- Q. What's an indirect anagram and why are they frowned upon in the
- newsgroups clue writing competitions?
-
- Thanks to Ilana Stern for this description.
-
- Indirect anagrams are clues where the actual word to be anagrammed
- doesn't appear in the clue; rather a synonym or pointer does. This
- type of clue is frowned upon by most (not all; but those who don't
- like it generally consider it completely unfair) because it's quite
- hard.
-
- Example: Train part of a swirling snowflake, for example (7)
-
- Solution: FLATCAR = train part, swirling = anag. indicator,
- snowflake, for example = fractal (which anagrams to flatcar).
-
- This is an incredibly bad and difficult clue! The general rule is
- that any letters to be anagrammed must be actually present in the clue.
-
- Q. Define surface reading and how important is it in clueing?
-
- Note: I have strong opinions on this topic, vis a vis the necessity of a
- clue having a surface reading.
-
- *My* definition of good surface reading in a clue is:
-
- something (the clue) you could say, or have said in the past, in
- conversation and not something, while syntactically and semantically
- possible, means nothing.
-
- Tovah Hollander said:
-
- My first-pass definition of acceptable surface reading would be: would
- this clue make sense to someone who doesn't know anything about cryptic
- clues? (Not "make sense as a clue", but simply "mean something
- sensible".)
-
- Better definitions are welcome?
-
- Q. I've set a crossword which I think is good enough for publication.
- Where can I send it for evaluation and possible publication?
-
- Thanks to Ray Hamel for the addresses provided below.
-
- Editor
- Penny Press
- 6 Prowitt St.
- Norwalk, CT 06855
-
- (Chicago Tribune crossword editor)
- Herb Ettenson
- 14460 Strathmore Lane #308
- Delray Beach, FL 33446
-
- Janis Weiner
- Magazine Editorial Services, Inc.
- 7002 West Butler Pike #100
- Ambler, PA 19002
-
- Editor
- DELL CHAMPION CROSSWORDS
- 1540 Broadway
- NY, NY 10036
-
- You could always post the crossword to the newsgroup itself asking for
- comments? The newsgroup is known to be frequented by some major figures
- in the crossword world from both sides of the Atlantic :-).
-
- Does anyone out there have an addresses for european crossword setters?
-
- (11) What crossword related associations or publications are there?
-
- Thanks to Chris Long for most of this description!
-
- Organizations:
-
- American Cryptogram Association
- Publication:
- The Cryptogram
- Bimonthly
- Dues:
- See below
- Treasurer:
- ACA Treasurer
- 18789 West Hickory St.
- Mundelein, IL 60060
- Comments:
- Devoted to cryptography. Every issue of the journal contains
- several thoughtful articles and a large number of puzzles, including
- aristocrats, patristocrats, xenocrypts, cipher exchanges and
- cryptarithms. Members have the option of picking a "nom" (nom de
- plume), e.g. the president is Gizmo. As it is a specialized
- organization, you should request a sample issue first (I don't
- know the procedure for this, but $1 and a SASE should do it).
-
- The National Puzzlers' League
- Publication:
- The Enigma
- Monthly
- Dues:
- See below
- Editor:
- Judith E. Bagai
- Box 82289
- Portland, OR 97282
- Comments:
- Simply the best organization devoted to word puzzles. The "Enigma"
- contains over 80 word puzzles per issue, ranging in difficulty from
- easy to extremely difficult and in type from the familiar anagrams
- and riddles to such obscure forms as spoonergrams and acrostical
- enigmas. Each issue also includes a member-written cryptic. Members
- get to pick a "nom" (nom de plume), e.g. I'm Cubist and Chris Cole
- is Canon. The NPL is a somewhat specialized organization, so you
- should send a SASE with a request for a mini-sample to the editor
- to see if it's for you.
-
- Publications:
-
- Algorithm
- Quarterly
- $19.95 per year US, $24.95 Canada, $23.95 elsewhere (all prices US)
- Subscriptions:
- Louis Magguilli
- Algorithm
- P.O. Box 29237
- Westmount Postal Outlet
- 785 Wonderland Road S.
- London, Ontario N6K 1M6
- Canada
- Comments:
- A. K. Dewdney's magazine devoted to recreational computing.
-
- Games
- Bimonthly
- $17.97 per year US, $22.97 Canada, $27.97 elsewhere (all prices US)
- Subscriptions:
- Games
- P.O. Box 605
- Mt. Morris, IL 61054-0605
- 1-(800)-827-1256
- Comments:
- The best-known puzzle and game publication. A wide variety of puzzles
- and articles in every issue.
-
- Graffiti on the Sphinx
- Monthly
- $1.50 per issue
- Subscriptions:
- Philip M. Cohen
- 50 DeKalb Avenue #S6
- White Plains, NY 10605
- Comments:
- Members of the NPL use GotS for discussions on all types of topics
- such as comments on puzzles that have appeared in "The Enigma" to
- reviews of publications that may be of interest. Put out by Philip
- Cohen, who is Treesong in the NPL.
-
- The Journal of Recreational Mathematics
- Quarterly
- $23.45 per year for US and Canada, $28.30 elsewhere
- Subscriptions:
- Baywood Publishing Company, Inc.
- 26 Austin Avenue
- P.O. Box 337
- Amityville, NY 11701
- Comments:
- A must for anyone interested in recreational mathematics.
-
- PuzzleSIGns
- Quarterly
- $7 per year for Mensa members, $8 non-members, $10 foreign
- Subscriptions:
- Chuck Murphy
- Puzzle SIGns Coordinator
- 11430 East Palomino Road
- Scottsdale, AZ 85259
- Comments:
- Publication of the Mensa "Puzzle" SIG. This fledgling newsletter
- contains a variety of puzzles in every issue. Sample issue $1.
-
- REC (Recreational & Educational Computing)
- 8 issues per year
- $27 per year US, $28 Canada, $36 elsewhere
- Subscriptions:
- Michael Ecker
- 909 Violet Terrace
- Clarks Summit, PA 18411
- Comments:
- Devoted to recreational computing.
-
- Word Fun
- Bimonthly
- $5 per year US and Canada, $10 elsewhere
- Subscriptions:
- Jill Conway
- Rte. 6
- 3001 Johnson Lane
- Columbia, MO 65202
- Comments:
- Publication of the Mensa "Fun with Word" SIG, but anyone may
- subscribe. A variety of wordplay and puzzles; fantastic bargain.
- Sample issue $.50 stamps per coin (no checks) + business-size SASE.
-
- Word Ways
- Quarterly
- $17 per year
- Subscriptions:
- Faith W. Eckler
- Spring Valley Road
- Morristown, NJ 07960
- Comments:
- An absolutely fantastic journal devoted to recreational linguistics;
- a must for anyone who loves words or word puzzles.
-
- Tough Cryptics
- Bimonthly
- $19 per year US, $35 elsewhere
- Subscriptions:
- The American Crossword Federation
- P.O. Box 69
- Massapequa Park, NY 11762
- Phone: 1-800-929-1999
- Comments:
- Also publish "Tough Puzzles". "Tough Cryptics" has clue writing
- contests, a cryptic solving contest and a "Cryptic Clinic" which
- will help you write better clues.
-
- Acrostics Network
- Quarterly
- $10 (add 20% for Canada and 40% for overseas)
- Subscriptions:
- Acrostics Network
- 1075 NW Murray Rd., Suite 244
- Portland OR 97229-5501
- Comments:
- The Network newsletter publishes about a dozen puzzles in each issue (it
- comes out every two months), along with the names and addresses of
- constructors; readers are invited to exchange puzzles with each other,
- and many do. About half the members are retirees.
-
- Crossword
- Monthly
- ú20 Stg (extra overseas)
- Subscripions:
- The Crossword Club
- Coombe Farm
- Awbridge
- Romsey, Hants SO51 0HN,
- England
- Comments:
- Usually contains two barred grid puzzles, both of which are prize
- crosswords. There are other interesting articles on various crossword
- related issues. Distinctly British bent to things though. Good
- value.
-
- Archive-name: crossword-faq/part3
- Last-modified: 2/3/1995
- Version: 4.11
-
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for rec.puzzles.crosswords
- Version 4.11
-
- Compiled and edited by
- James A. Lundon (jlundon@xstacy.enet.dec.com)
-
- (FAQ continued...)
-
- This section is dedicated to the memory of Tovah Hollander who passed
- from this life on 29 May 1994. May she rest in peace.
-
- (12) What are ACC, CWC, and PCWC?
-
- These are cryptic clue writing competitions run regularly in the
- newsgroup. In each a word, or words, are set for which the
- participants must write a cryptic clue(s). Completed clues are
- E-mailed to the moderator or setter. The author of the winning clue
- has to option of setting, and moderating, the next round of the
- competition. The competitions don't have a final round; they just
- keep going.
-
- The three competitions are:
-
- ACC, for "Araucaria Clueing Contest", was started by Ray Steiner (and
- named by Dave Corne, the first winner). The winner of each round
- gets to set and judge the next round. (For those of you who don't
- know who Araucaria is, he is a famous British crossword setter who
- writes very fine puzzles and clues for the Guardian.) The moderator
- has considerable freedom in imposing a particular task on the
- setters. This has resulted in some ususual word combinations/phrases
- being given in the past. It's probably the most flexible of the
- three competitions. (FYI: Araucaria is really an elderly Yorkshire
- based Clergyman.)
-
- CWC, for "Clue Writing Competition", was started by Ian Gent. Two
- words are given: one is intended to be easy to clue and the other
- more awkward. The best single clue wins the contest though a winner
- for each word is announced. Also, it often has a shorter time
- between the setting of words and submission deadline than ACC, but
- that is up to the person running the competition to decide.
-
- PCWC, for "People's Clue Writing Competition", was started by Guy
- Jacobson. Unlike ACC and CWC, submitted clues are posted before the
- winner is judged. Readers of the newsgroup (except for the
- moderator) then vote for their favourite clues. The winner sets the
- next word, but the judging is always done by the people. The ranking
- system, by which the winning clue is chosen, has come in for some
- criticism of late.
-
- Member of the newsgroup who don't have access to a UNIX system may
- have problems moderating the PCWC competition since the ranking
- software (which is located in the crossword archive) uses UNIX to
- tabulate the scoring. Various people in the newsgroup have offered
- to help if this situation arises in the future.
-
- (13) What words have been used in the above competitions?
-
- Here are the lists of all CWC, PCWC, and ACC words used to date
- (March 1995):
-
- CWC words PCWC words ACC words
- 1 MOUSETRAP, CONVOLVULUS 1 DEMOCRATIC 1 OPHELIA
- 2 DEMONSTRATE, SCHERZO 2 RECAPITULATE 2 VALETUDINARIAN
- 3 PIRATES, PISTACHIO 3 SCAPEGOAT 3 PRIDE
- 4 ENTERPRISE, KARAOKE 4 LANDSLIDE 4 CHOCOLATE
- 5 FLOUNDER, JERK 5 MACEDONIA 5 MARSUPIAL
- 6 INTEGRATED, PARANOIA 6 ADMINISTER 6 ACE
- 7 MODERATE, UNREQUITED 7 WISTFUL 7 CONTROVERSIAL
- 8 STRANGER, SHOCKED, ICED TEA 8 CARDINAL 8 CATASTROPHE
- 9 ALTERNATE, RHYTHM 9 INAUGURATE 9 SUNBATHER
- 10 CONSIDERABLE, KNUCKLE 10 DISCRIMINATE 10 SOFTWARE
- 11 ELABORATE, JUXTAPOSE 11 FREQUENCY 11 OBESITY
- 12 MISCREATION, AARDWOLF 12 PHANTASM 12 ALL SAINTS' DAY
- 13 CONDIMENT, FACULTY 13 SFORZANDO 13 SEPARATE
- 14 SULLEN, CHILDHOOD 14 KITTEN 14 CHASTE
- 15 PICARESQUE, COLOPHON 15 RIGHT 15 CALLIPYGIAN
- 16 WEATHERED, EXEMPT 16 PREHISTORIC 16 FOREPLAY
- 17 STRATEGEM, SQUEEZE 17 DELIBERATE 17 INEBRIATED
- 18 BULLWINKLE, ROCKY 18 CARGO 18 MONKEY-PUZZLE TREE
- 19 CHINA, HONG KONG 19 MARMALADE 19 HORSERADISH
- 20 AROUND, ASBESTOS 20 CAROUSEL 20 COME UP TO SCRATCH
- 21 PEDESTRIAN, AZURE 21 WOODY ALLEN 21 ENFRANCHISE
- 22 DELIVERY, FLIBBERTIGIBBET 22 ORDINANCE 22 TEMPERATE
- 23 NINETEEN 23 SELECT 23 WITHOUT A CLUE
- 24 PRINCIPAL, CORROBORATE 24 SNOWFLAKE 24 PANDEMONIUM
- 25 PIERCING, STATE OF GRACE 25 DISASTER 25 ENGAGEMENT
- 26 CAROL SINGER, HOMOLOGUE 26 MADRIGALIST 26 CARICATURE
- 27 TRANSPARENT, KOOKABURRA 27 SUBTERFUGE 27 PROPER
- 28 RESOLUTION, EPIPHANY 28 RUMINATE 28 A SHOT IN THE DARK
- 29 HELICOPTER, MACROBIOTIC 29 REINCARNATION 29 GAME SET AND MATCH
- 30 ARSENIC, CYANIDE 30 METONYMY 30 DOUBLE ENTENDRE
- 31 SPECTACLE, INGENUOUS 31 BASEMENT 31 MAINTENANCE
- 32 REFRAIN, MALICE 32 TELEPHONE 32 SHALLOW
- 33 CLARINET, KAZOO 33 SNAPSHOT 33 OVER THE HILL
- 34 BLIZZARD, CLOUD 34 NEGATIVE 34 MEASURE
- 35 ORCHESTRA, SYMPHONY 35 DIGEST 35 DETACHMENT
- 36 LEMON, DISTRESS 36 SPRAINED 36 VOLUNTEER
- 37 CARPENTER, VODKA 37 GROUNDS 37 Chosen by entrants
- 38 BANDICOOT, CHINCHILLA 38 CURTAILMENT 38 ROMANCE
- 39 DEGREE, NUPTIAL 39 REACTIONARY 39 Chosen by entrants
- 40 MOTIVE, ARCHIPELAGO 40 RANDOM-NUMBER GENERATOR
- 41 SOLUTION, CONCENTRATE 41 A set of five words
- 42 ITINERARY, PREROGATIVE 42 ARAUCARIA
- 43 FRIENDLINESS, GASTRONOME 43 THERAPEUTIC, SICKEN
- 44 HARVEST, SOPRANO 44 BLACK HOLE, INCANDESCENT
- 45 SNORKEL, SCUBA 45 Chosen by entrants
- 46 BIRTHPLACE, CENOTAPH 46 LEGERDEMAIN, BARONESS
- 47 PATHOGEN, BEELZEBUB 47 Chosen by entrants
- 48 MISANTHROPE, SHANGRI-LA 48 Chosen by entrants
- 49 RATTLESNAKE, CHAFF 49 WOODSTOCK
- 50 GOLDEN, QUINQUAGENARIAN 50 SOLUTION
- 51 RUMPELSTILTSKIN, DOG IN THE MANGER 51 A set of five words
- 52 PARTICIPATE, RUSTLE 52 Chosen by entrants
- 53 RAVEN, WRITING DESK 53 Chosen by entrants
- 54 UNIMPORTANCE, NOTABLY 54 Chosen by entrants
- 55 BULLETIN, BOOMERANG 55 Chosen by entrants
- 56 CONGLOMERATE, MANIFEST 56 GRADE
- 57 FASCINATE, JOURNEY 57 Chosen by entrants
- 58 SUNFLOWER, CYCLONE 58 Chosen by entrants
- 59 CATACLYSM, JUPITER 59 Chosen by entrants
- 60 PERSIFLAGE, LECTERN 60 Chosen by entrants
- 61 EMPLOYMENT, CONTRACT
- 62 SMOKING, DISTINGUISHED
- 63 RESTRAIN, DERELICT
- 64 PASSIONATELY, APATHETIC
- 65 SPACECRAFT, SCREAM
- 66 DIAERESIS, VOLUME CONTROL
- 67 RERUN, KUMQUAT
- 68 MINISTRY, COLLECTED
- 69 SHANTY, GROG-BLOSSOM
- 70 TREPIDATION, ENIGMAS
- 71 DIAMOND, GALLERY
-
- (14) Who has won the above competitions?
-
- CWC winners
- -----------
-
- 1. Ross Beresford (ross@bryson.demon.co.uk)
- 2. Scott Marley (hudu@well.sf.ca.us)
- 3. Matthew Faupel (matthew@ntl02.decnet.nokia.fi)
- 4. Roger Phillips (roger@quantime.co.uk)
- 5. Peter King (prking@cs.UManitoba.ca)
- 6. Fletcher Gross (gross@math.utah.edu)
- 7. Anil Nair (nair@quintus.com)
- 8. Fletcher Gross (gross@math.utah.edu)
- 9. Tom Deneau (tom.deneau@amd.com)
- 10. Clark C. Presson (atccp@asuvm.inre.asu.edu) - won both legs
- 11. Roy Thearle (rt@ukc.ac.uk)
- 12. Jeremy Holden (jholden@netcom.com)
- 13. Roger Phillips (roger@quantime.co.uk)
- 14. Guy Jacobson (guy@ulysses.att.com)
- 15. Tom Deneau (tomd@cayman.amd.com)
- 16. Matt Hudelson (ghod@milton.u.washington.edu)
- 17. Paul Asente (asente@adobe.com)
- 18. Tovah Hollander (tovah@onion.salad.mssm.edu)
- 19. David Smith (dksmith@cen.ex.ac.uk)
- 20. Ilana Stern (ilana@ncar.ucar.edu)
- 21. Mark S. Manasse (msm@src.dec.com)
- 22. Ray Steiner (steiner@andy.bgsu.edu)
- 23. Ralph Kennedy (kennedy@asuvax.eas.asu.edu)
- 24. Mark Manasse (msm@src.dec.com)
- 25. Guy Jacobson (guy@ulysses.att.com)
- 26. Guy Jacobson (guy@ulysses.att.com)
- 27. Tovah Hollander (tovah@onion.salad.mssm.edu)
- 28. Roger Phillips (roger@quantime.co.uk)
- 29. Tom Deneau (tomd@cayman.amd.com)
- 30. Ralph Kennedy (kennedy@asuvax.eas.asu.edu)
- 31. Guy Jacobson (guy@ulysses.att.com) - won both legs
- 32. Roger Phillips (roger@quantime.co.uk)
- 33. Ilana Stern (ilana@ncar.ucar.edu)
- 34. Equal first Guy Jacobson (guy@research.att.com) and
- Ian Watson (ian@hpopd.pwd.hp.com)
- 35. Mike Holly (hollyma@cray.com)
- 36. Amitai Halevi (chr04ha@vmsa.technion.ac.il)
- 37. Guy Jacobson (guy@ulysses.att.com)
- 38. Tovah Hollander (tovah@onion.salad.mssm.edu)
- 39. Mark Oshin (care of tode@wally.uofport.edu)
- 40. Amitai Halevi (chr04ha@vmsa.technion.ac.il)
- 41. Kevin Tschetter (tsch0011@student.tc.umn.edu)
- 42. Equal first Ryan Harding (rkh2@ukc.ac.uk) and
- Jake Bergmann (bergmann@boston.sinet.slb.com)
- 43. Tovah Hollander (tovah@onion.salad.mssm.edu)
- 44. Brian Spollen (bcs@sc.harris.com)
- 45. Clay Colwell (clayton@austin.ibm.com)
- 46. Tom Deneau (tom.deneau@amd.com)
- 47. Ben Zimmer (ben.z@bonair.Stanford.EDU)
- 48. Bob Gregory (bobg@cullen.demon.co.uk)
- 49. Dirk Laurie (wskdpl@puknet.puk.ac.za)
- 50. Bob Gregory (bobg@cullen.demon.co.uk)
- 51. Brian Spollen (bcs@sc.harris.com)
- 52. Tom Deneau (tom.deneau@amd.com)
- 53. Robert L Rosenberg (rrosenbe@mason1.gmu.edu)
- 54. Jake Bergmann (bergmann@april.hq.ileaf.com)
- 55. Bob Rosenberg (rrosenbe@mason1.gmu.edu)
- 56. Brian Spollen (bcs@sc.harris.com)
- 57. Todd McClary (toddm@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu)
-
- ACC winners
- -----------
-
- 1. David Corne (dave@aifh.ed.ac.uk)
- 2. Roger Phillips (roger@quantime.co.uk)
- 3. David Corne (dave@aifh.ed.ac.uk)
- 4. Warren Usui (aardvark@snap.la.locus.com)
- 5. Guy Jacobson (guy@ulysses.att.com)
- 6. John Dalbec (dalbec@cs.cornell.edu)
- 7. Richard Chamberlain (richard@ssd.intel.com)
- 8. Roger Philips (roger@quantime.co.uk)
- 9. Tom Deneau (tomd@cayman.amd.com)
- 10. Scott Glazer (glazer@cs.cornell.edu)
- 11. Tom Deneau (tomd@cayman.amd.com)
- 12. Ralph Kennedy (kennedy@asuvax.eas.asu.edu)
- 13. Tom Deneau (tomd@cayman.amd.com)
- 14. Ralph Kennedy (kennedy@asuvax.eas.asu.edu)
- 15. Guy Jacobson (guy@ulysses.att.com)
- 16. Viresh Ratnakar (ratnakar@tortilla.cs.wisc.edu)
- 17. Rhys Price Jones (rhyspj@occs.cs.oberlin.edu)
- 18. Peter R. King (prking@silver.cs.umanitoba.ca)
- 19. Equal first Guy Jacobson (guy@research.att.com) and
- Bob Gregory (bobg@cullen.demon.co.uk)
- 20. Equal first Guy Jacobson (guy@research.att.com) and
- Mark Manasse (msm@src.dec.com)
- 21. Siddhartha Chatterjee (sc@riacs.edu)
- 22. Siddhartha Chatterjee (sc@riacs.edu)
- 23. Ian Watson (ian@hpopd.pwd.hp.com)
- 24. 'Flee' alias Felix Lee (flee@guardian.cse.psu.edu)
- 25. Tovah Hollander (tovah@onion.salad.mssm.edu)
- 26. Brian C. Spollen (bcs@sc.harris.com)
- 27. Bob Gregory ((bobg@cullen.demon.co.uk)
- 28. Alan Waldock (ajw@ornews.intel.com)
- 29. Tovah Hollander (tovah@onion.salad.mssm.edu)
- 30. Amitai Halevi (chr04ha@vmsa.technion.ac.il)
- 31. Tom Deneau (tomd@cayman.amd.com)
- 32. Ilana Stern (ilana@kiowa.scd.ucar.edu)
- 33. Greg Lawler (jose@math.duke.edu)
- 34. Alan Waldock (ajw@ornews.intel.com)
- 35. Brian C. Spollen (bcs@sc.harris.com)
- 36. Tovah Hollander (tovah@onion.salad.mssm.edu)
- 37. Tom Deneau (tom.deneau@amd.com)
- 38. Ryan Harding (rkh2@ukc.ac.uk)
- 39. Noam D. Elkies (elkies@zariski.harvard.edu)
- 40. Andrew Solnick (solnick@leland.stanford.edu)
- 41. Ray Steiner (steiner@andy.bgsu.edu)
- 42. Pat Breene (No address known??)
- 43. Phil Jensen (pjensen@csi.compuserve.com)
- 44. Tom Deneau (tom.deneau@amd.com)
- 45. Greg Lawler (jose@math.duke.edu)
- 46. Bob Rosenberg (rrosenbe@mason1.gmu.edu)
-
- PCWC winners
- ------------
-
- 1. Ralph Kennedy (kennedy@asuvax.eas.asu.edu)
- 2. Tom Deneau (tomd@cayman.amd.com)
- 3. Mark S. Manasse (msm@src.dec.com)
- 4. Greg Lawler (jose@duke.edu)
- 5. Chris Quinn (quinn@ee-cf.stanford.edu)
- 6. Brian Spollen (bcs@sc.harris.com)
- 7. Uday Rajan (urajan@leland.stanford.edu)
- 8. Ilana Stern (ilana@kiowa.scd.ucar.edu)
- 9. Ralph Kennedy (kennedy@asuvax.eas.asu.edu)
- 10. Edward Carney (carneye@boystown.org)
- 11. Matt Hudelson (hudelson@math.washington.edu)
- 12. Guy Jacobson (guy@research.att.com)
- 13. Alan Waldock (ajw@guardian.intel.com)
- 14. Guy Jacobson (guy@research.att.com)
- 15. Bob Gregory (bobg@cullen.demon.co.uk)
- 16. Beacon (beacon@ccit.arizona,edu)
- 17. Tom Deneau (tomd@cayman.amd.com)
- 18. Paul Asente (asente@adobe.com)
- 19. Felix Lee (flee@guardian.cse.psu.edu)
- 20. Chris Solnordal (solnorda@dmpe.csiro.au)
- 21. Greg Lawler (jose@math.duke.edu)
- 22. Ilana Stern (ilana@niwot.scd.ucar.edu)
- 23. Dirk Laurie (wskdpl@puknet.puk.ac.za)
- 24. Ilana Stern (ilana@niwot.scd.ucar.edu)
- 25. Greg Lawler (jose@math.duke.edu)
- 26. John Bryan (jbryan@ssd.intel.com)
- 27. Merlyn LeRoy (merlyn@digibd.com)
- 28. Suspended for now.
- 29. Rock Pereira (rockp@gibbs.oit.unc.edu)
-
- The results and some comments for most runnings (except ACC1, and
- PCWC8) of all three competitions are available in the crossword
- archive.
-
- If anyone has any information on ACC1 and/or PCWC8, especially the
- results of either competition, I'd appreciate a mail containing the
- details?
-
- --
-
- Many thanks goes to the following who helped either wittingly, or
- unwittingly, in the compilation of this FAQ.
-
- Ian Gent (ipg@aisb.edinburgh.ac.uk)
- Ross Beresford (ross@bryson.demon.co.uk)
- John Hutchinson (hutch@ilmen.lanl.gov)
- Guy Jacobson (guy@ulysses.att.com)
- Toby Howard (toby@computer-science.manchester.ac.uk)
- Danial A. Asimov (asimov@nas.nasa.gov)
- Marc Branchaud (marcnarc@binkley.cs.mcgill.ca)
- Chris Long (clong@remus.rutgers.edu)
- Bob Gregory :-) (bobg@cullen.demon.co.uk)
- Gordon Lessells (lessellsg@ul.ie)
- Kijin Jung (kxj6@po.cwru.edu)
- Eric J. Anderson (eja@cs.duke.edu)
- Judith Underwood (under@cs.cornell.edu)
- Doug Butler (bidlb@gamgee.cc.flinders.edu.au)
- Roy Treadle (Roy.Thearle@uknet.ac.uk)
- Roger Philips (roger@quantime.co.uk)
- David M. Tuller (tulled@rpi.edu)
- Michael Phelps (aspengld@cscns.com)
- Scott Stansbury (scott@nmc.cit.cornell.edu)
- John P. Dalbec (dalbec@cs.cornell.edu)
- Jonathan Kamens (jik@gza.com)
- hcsarruK reteP (kurrasch@ecn.purdue.edu)
- Andy Spooner (spooner@informatics.wustl.edu)
- Brad Friedman (brad_friedman@cville.win.net)
- Ilan Berker (berker@ivy.wpi.edu)
- Ray Steiner (steiner@andy.bgsu.edu)
- Robert A. DeLisle (rad@crl.com)
- Phelps Gates (phelpsg1@aol.com)
- H Asobi (asobih@aol.com)
- Steve Johnson (johnson@cs.wmich.edu)
- Jake Bergmann (jbergmann@bbn.com)
- Antony Lewis (aml1005@hermes.cam.ac.uk)
- Mike Hamilton (mikeh@bbs.ausom.oz.au)
- Dan Sachs (dansachs@panix.com)
- Jenn Turney (jenn_turney@king.mathcs.wilkes.edu)
- Ilana Stern (ilana@niwot.scd.ucar.edu)
-