iIts just a passing thought but.....

[col craddock]

as everyone on here posting requests for crossword answers (Im thinking mos in particular as thats the puzzle I do) has full access to the internet , why dont you do a little research and find the answers for yourselves.I promise you its much more fun and rewarding than simply having the answers given to you.For example if I google - german baritone+schubert - the very first line tells me Fischer-Dieskau.Like I say its just a thought..

[ash24]

NOT wanting to start a flame war ... but maybe your excellent suggestion has never occurred to those whose delight is restricted to the Daily/Sunday Mail.
Just a thought - but an excellent suggestion nonetheless.

[1234567billy]

i dont do the mos - but having watched the requests every week for answers you could do the whole crossword without using your brain.

[JoJ]

For some of us this is a last resort after searching the internet.

[shardlake]

Another passing thought... I might have taken a little more notice of your posting had the spelling been correct and the apostrophe not forgotten.

[1234567billy]

i agree joj - but some people are too lazy to search internet like us

[Chopswick]

I agree with you col craddock. I try to first solve the crosswords with the use of books, Encarta, crossword solver etc. If I cannot solve a clue I then go onto the Internet and google. Finally I use AB. I find it much more rewarding to have to look things up than just be given the answers.

[col craddock]

Im not saying I never use AB of cause I do but as some of you say only as a last resort.Oh and by the way Shardlake if correct spelling and grammer were a criteria for posting, AB would not exist

[col craddock]

....and punctuation....

[woodhamgirl]

just to say i do agree with most of the comments. For myself I get satisfaction having found the answer by research, inc. sites recommended by some of AB users. i only ever use AB as a last resort.
but what annoys me more than anything, and i know this has been talked about many times, it is those who just ask for answers without giving any clues, letters etc.. maybe we should just ignore those who do it!!

[angiejoy]

What amazes me is that so many people are so happy to impart their wisdom, thus reducing their chances of winning.
I've been slogging out the MOS crossword for as long as I can remember (and that's a lonnnng time), before I ever thought of buying a PC, with the good old reference book trick. Still haven't won though!

[sambro]

why is it some people always stick their nose in,when its not wanted?

[yogasun]

I agree. I like the challenge of trying to find the answer out myself only asking as a last resort but, there you go, some people don't seem to know where to look on the internet.

I would come to the conclusion that if I can find the answers anybody can. I agree that some cryptic clues are hard to work out and an explanation on how the answer is arrived at is useful for further puzzling clues. ABers such as JUNKMAN are so great at that type of answer.

[JoolsTwo]

This argument as be going for as long as I've been a member of AB. A lot of people are just too lazy to search and are too lazy to put all the clue and letters in. The only way to stop it is to stop answering them. But then you will always get someone who will answer regardless. So you're fighting a losing battle, as we have found in the past. And at the end of the day does it really matter - people enjoy trying to help and that is a good thing - Isn't it?

[col craddock]

many thanx to all,a nice little discussion

[Caribeing]

I agree, I use the reference books I have first then the internet as you say much more rewarding and good exercise for the brain. You get more satisfaction knowing that you have conquered the puzzles through your own work.I do use ab but only if I am really really stuck which is very seldom

[winebuyer]

Part of the answer may be this ...

If you turn to your trusty computer for a crossword answer, you will find it. But ...

... do you Google it, and find the answer on your own?

... or do you AnswerBank it, and find the answer from other people, with a little bit of interaction (albeit in a virtual way) and the possibility of a few witty (!?) postings along the way?

[bimbo123456]

How can two things be a criteria? And it's "of course" not of cause. I too do the google thing but there are some questions that defeat even the googlemeister.

[sannox]

I think col craddock will now have got the point - most of us enjoy spending time first trying to complete the crossword using only our grey matter, then books, then encarta, then the internet and FINALLY the very excellent Answer Bank. As regards Ash 24's comment maybe he needs to try answering the MOS crossword using only his own very superior grey matter! I was lucky enough to win the MOS crossword a few years ago before the advent of the computer - not much chance now though, expect I'm only keeping the Post Office going buying stamps!