Cool, I should get to it in a few months... Nah, I'll just solve it when my copy arrives. John Samson is going to send me comps (though my debut isn't until #8), maybe because I'm the only person in the world solving every single puzzle in the series... :)
Congrats, Joon! Recently picked up #6, but haven't gone through it yet. So I'll be on the lookout for that one, for sure!
Also congrats on the puzzle, Dan! Solving, I'm a few hundred puzzles behind you there on S&S (#5), I think. Schedule right now doesn't allow even a speedy trip through the current issues.
Sounds like you're ahead of me, Howard (and I'm not the only completist)... I'm just now tearing out the contents of #5 to staple into backpack-friendly packets!
OK, too weird. I'm looking through my completed Mega 4 puzzles for markings indicating I should check the answer key. Big "??" on puzzle 212... next to the word SPANG. (And it crosses GEE!) Did I remember this last Saturday? Maybe vaguely.
al, the S&S megas are great values, of course. 300 quality puzzles for $12 is pretty great. but one puzzle for $12 isn't so hot... if you really just want to check out that one puzzle, i'll send it to you.
Whoops, misread your post in haste there Dan, sorry. That's the trouble with the immediacy of blog posting. A good reminder to always check your work ;).
Joon, not a problem, I do the S&S books anyway. I'm just about to polish off #2, so I've got a long way to go. I like to do the S&S' because they have a different style than most of the other's I do, plus there are multiple sizes. So I think they are good for training.
To elaborate on Al's comment, also keep this in mind as you go through the S&S books: I've found that in each one so far, there are anywhere between 1-3 'Maleska-style' puzzles which prove to be unsolveable without a large puzzle dictionary due to crossings of bizarro names, geographic places, etc.
This is bad because: - Those puzzles are unfortunately painful and not fun to solve (in my opinion, of course. Other solvers likely love this style). - You never know when choosing a puzzle when you will run across one of these until you're knee-deep into the solve.
This is good because: - You learn some 'new' old-school crosswordese, and you never know when that may come in handy later on. - It's a humbling experience, even for experienced solvers. - Personally, it reminds me how much more fun many of the modern constructions are in comparison, no offense meant to any of these constructors.
Just my personal preference, and something to keep in mind. The variety of puzzle styles varies greatly, so keep an open mind, of course.
12 comments:
got my S&S mega 6 in the mail yesterday. and there we are at 206! woot.
Congrats! Who's 'we'? I don't have this one yet. Just finished #4...
matt matera and myself. it's the first, and i think still best, 21x i've ever constructed.
I'm falling hopelessly behind on the S&S's, but I'll have to pick up #6 just for Joon's puzzle!
Cool, I should get to it in a few months... Nah, I'll just solve it when my copy arrives. John Samson is going to send me comps (though my debut isn't until #8), maybe because I'm the only person in the world solving every single puzzle in the series... :)
Congrats, Joon! Recently picked up #6, but haven't gone through it yet. So I'll be on the lookout for that one, for sure!
Also congrats on the puzzle, Dan! Solving, I'm a few hundred puzzles behind you there on S&S (#5), I think. Schedule right now doesn't allow even a speedy trip through the current issues.
Sounds like you're ahead of me, Howard (and I'm not the only completist)... I'm just now tearing out the contents of #5 to staple into backpack-friendly packets!
OK, too weird. I'm looking through my completed Mega 4 puzzles for markings indicating I should check the answer key. Big "??" on puzzle 212... next to the word SPANG. (And it crosses GEE!) Did I remember this last Saturday? Maybe vaguely.
al, the S&S megas are great values, of course. 300 quality puzzles for $12 is pretty great. but one puzzle for $12 isn't so hot... if you really just want to check out that one puzzle, i'll send it to you.
Whoops, misread your post in haste there Dan, sorry. That's the trouble with the immediacy of blog posting.
A good reminder to always check your work ;).
Joon, not a problem, I do the S&S books anyway. I'm just about to polish off #2, so I've got a long way to go. I like to do the S&S' because they have a different style than most of the other's I do, plus there are multiple sizes. So I think they are good for training.
To elaborate on Al's comment, also keep this in mind as you go through the S&S books:
I've found that in each one so far, there are anywhere between 1-3 'Maleska-style' puzzles which prove to be unsolveable without a large puzzle dictionary due to crossings of bizarro names, geographic places, etc.
This is bad because:
- Those puzzles are unfortunately painful and not fun to solve (in my opinion, of course. Other solvers likely love this style).
- You never know when choosing a puzzle when you will run across one of these until you're knee-deep into the solve.
This is good because:
- You learn some 'new' old-school crosswordese, and you never know when that may come in handy later on.
- It's a humbling experience, even for experienced solvers.
- Personally, it reminds me how much more fun many of the modern constructions are in comparison, no offense meant to any of these constructors.
Just my personal preference, and something to keep in mind. The variety of puzzle styles varies greatly, so keep an open mind, of course.
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