Plagiarism Scandal In The Crossword World

[AB Editor]

I'm sure you've all seen this:

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/a-plagiarism-scandal-is-unfolding-in-the-crossword-world/?src=worldsbestever

The worlds "most syndicated puzzle compiler" has been caught plagiarizing...

Is this a big deal in the cruciverbalist community?

[AB Editor]

Sounds like a good project for a dedicated digital archivist.

Thank you for your detailed answers - it's all very enlightening!

[Lie-in King]

Apologies! That's what I get for starting an answer, stopping to make tea, answering the phone & then not refreshing the screen before submitting!

Back to bed I think...

[AB Editor]

No, it was a good read L-iK!

[anaxcrosswords]

An interesting aside to this. One of the articles states that Parker, through his puzzles and their syndication, has become a multi-millionaire.
I'd love to know how that works. Very unusually (such details are usually closely guarded) the NYT crossword fees are revealed. Give or take £50 or so, the daily and Sunday puzzle fees are similar to those paid for the daily and weekend jumbo Times cryptics over here – which is not a great deal. Only a small handful of UK setters are lucky enough to have sufficient work for it to be their sole income, and I can tell you none of those lucky few is anywhere close to being wealthy because of it. I'm one of the busier ones and if it wasn't for my mum helping out from time to time I'd be struggling.
Syndication must work differently across the pond but, even so, I can't see how crosswording would make anyone a multi-millionaire.

[AB Editor]

From the people article linked from fivethirtyeight:

"Within weeks, he offered his puzzles to seven newspapers for $10 a day. "My only requirement," he says, "was that they pay up front for a year," which they did, allowing the family to pay the bills. A year later, Parker's games caught the attention of Universal Press Syndicate, which now markets them. "
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20139892,00.html

I assume it was the distribution under the UPS that gave him leverage to make a million or two? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Press_Syndicate

I suppose it was possible across the whole of US in a time when publishing on paper wasn't coughing and spluttering in the gutter?

[Canary42]

Can you explain how "Related Questions" works please Ab Editor ?

The reason I ask is that I would expect an entry here for my satirical spoof of this thread posted under Jokes.

Not that I'm seeking publicity you understand ;-)

[Mamyalynne]

I shouldn't stick mt nose into Ed's thread, but I will anyway - I don't think related questions work with 'sticky' threads.


Very interesting read though , thanks to all.

[AB Editor]

Yes, I like these smart people we have round here Mamya.

Recent posts: based on title alone if I remember correct, they are also processed at intervals, not immediately.

[Canary42]

Thanks Ed.