Enigmatic Varations 809

[Rapparee]

Yet another from a popular setter -

T2 by Dimitry

[cruciverbali]

Thanks Rapparee - definitely another old favourite who always manages to lead us a merry dance !

[Rapparee]

I quite agree, Cruciverbalist.

What a pity, however, the EV series seems to spoiled by its very short time-frame for submissions. Published on a Sunday to be in by the Thursday. The Inquisitor and Listener series allow a full extra week!

I think EV's policy in this is counterproductive and it seems to have the effect of discouraging would-be solvers from having a proper go and therefore from becoming regular readers of their paper.

Shooting themselves in the foot, I'd say.

See Midazolam's thread .

[cruciverbali]

I agree. My understanding is that the 'powers that be' disliked the fact that winners names couldn't be published until 3 weeks after the crossword appeared ( as is the case with Inquisitor and Listener crosswords) with the 8 day submission deadline (even this was 3 days less than the other two puzzles!). As a result, the Friday deadline was introduced, soon afterwards brought forward to the Thursday. It does seem a daft price to pay just in order to have the solution published in 2 rather than 3 weeks !

[midazolam]

I have often thought that because of the short timeframe until the deadline, annual statistics and an all correct winner for the EV would be interesting.
I started the EV on 796 and since then I was unable to do one and got a further 2 wrong. Compare this to the listener (over the same time frame) I have got them all right.

Any comments?

[cruciverbali]

Are you offering to be the EV statistician midazolam ? With an e-mail solution to yourself you could calculate the 'best' deadline to allow competitors to submit eg 90% of puzzles 'on time'. Twelve month's worth of data might even persuade the 'powers that be' to review their deadline. I could share the task with you if you'd prefer, though it might take a while to 'spread the word' across a spectrum of EV solvers.

[midazolam]

not a bad idea c regarding an emailed solution, however spreading the word would be awfully difficult as this site is outlawed by the majority of crossword sites

[cruciverbali]

Maybe so, but I'll bet plenty of folks still take a look 'over here' from time to time - it would only take one to 'spread the word'.

[Malcolmd]

Just picking up on the thread on the EV. I have been doing the EV for the last 10 years or so and from a selfish point of view I much rather have a short submission date for the EV (even though there seems to be an editorial policy to make the puzzles more difficult) so that I can look at the Listener (which is a more interesting puzzle) at the end of the week. Work expands to fill the time available.