Country Life Crossword Prize Reduction
Crosswords2 mins ago
Listener 4190 by Oyler
65 Answers
Another great puzzle from the mathematical master ! Solved all the down clues first, then the acrosses. Then it was great fun cutting and glueing little "dice" to get the answer - thanks Oyler ! Enjoy all the great sport this weekend folks !!
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Alekhine: "Not sure why people post before completion, but hey ho!"
I sometimes check in to gauge how difficult folks are finding the puzzle to give me a clue as to how much of a struggle I might find it. In this instance with talk of 'programs' and 'excel' I thought I would chip in my t'uppeny worth that it is possible to get to the fun part by application of logic to perhaps encourage some who might otherwise be put off.
If we are questioning posts - why post simply to say you have finished ?
I sometimes check in to gauge how difficult folks are finding the puzzle to give me a clue as to how much of a struggle I might find it. In this instance with talk of 'programs' and 'excel' I thought I would chip in my t'uppeny worth that it is possible to get to the fun part by application of logic to perhaps encourage some who might otherwise be put off.
If we are questioning posts - why post simply to say you have finished ?
tenflags,
Not really 'questioning' the posts, just expressing my lack of understanding.
I suppose I regard completion as a milestone worth sharing ... and with it some inference of the degree of difficulty and enjoyment experienced. Partial successes can be significant, of course, but where do we draw the line?
Not really 'questioning' the posts, just expressing my lack of understanding.
I suppose I regard completion as a milestone worth sharing ... and with it some inference of the degree of difficulty and enjoyment experienced. Partial successes can be significant, of course, but where do we draw the line?
Can someone tell me what the answer to 4 across is (to [email protected]) - I'm looking at my checked numbers in the grid, and my numbers I have worked out for the letters, but my answer seems not to end with the same two digits.
Well that was fun - sorted the grid this afternoon & then had a Blue Peter evening in front of the football.
Numericals were the first ever Listeners I actually completed (may moons ago now), but I have come to cordially dislike them over the years. This was an exception - no grinding away with spreadsheets, just some logical deduction and then an entertaining endgame - thanks Oyler.
Numericals were the first ever Listeners I actually completed (may moons ago now), but I have come to cordially dislike them over the years. This was an exception - no grinding away with spreadsheets, just some logical deduction and then an entertaining endgame - thanks Oyler.
I've always been impressed by the people who can use a spreadsheet to crack these - I wouldn't know how. But, I have to say, if you have the logic required to do that, I suspect you could solve the puzzle in half the time without one! Anyway, I quite enjoyed this, and even managed with a few sketches (and a lot of trial and error) rather than a full on Blue Peter approach. Love the idea that it's all going on though!
Mrs Contendo thought I'd finally lost it when she found me trying to assemble cubes using minute bits of Sellotape. Anyway, as I lack the necessary computer skills I found phase 1 of this one a bit of a chore but eventually arrived at a complete and coherent grid. However I've assembled 7 cubes, but cannot quite construct a cube out of what's left. Anyone else have the same problem?
I see Oyler is reading the posts so I had better be a bit careful with what I say! The grid fill could be accomplished for me by just focussing on the acrosses and applying the limitations, then fill in the blanks using the downs. Didn't need to work out all the downs but did just to make sure of the entries. This did not take very long. Spotting the shapes again was very straightforward. Then a fiddle with bits of paper to make the cube, no way could I do that in my head - could anyone? Not my favourite, but maybe if I had not used exel it would have been better, but as I was brought up on exel that feels equivalent to saying I'll see if I can do it without a calculator. Sorry Oyler for me it was a clever idea, well constructed but all fell out too quickly to make very interesting.
That seems unlikely, as the only way 5 and 2 can't be on adjacent faces of the larger cube is if they are opposite each other, and this would only be possible if none of the nets had 5 and 2 on opposite faces. In fact a quick inspection of opposite faces of each cube net does indeed provide a 'better' way of completing the final step Alan.
As Oyler seems to reading the posts I would like to say to said setter that I liked this for a numerical one. In particular I appreciate it when logic has to be applied with a modicum of a struggle to unlock. I don't like trudging through endless combos that those with programming skills (not me) can simply attack and resolve with brute force.
I did consider trying to resolve the large cube in my head (probably not wise with my simple brain), or applying some other maths based approach, but thought actually I fancy playing with little cubes and that was fun. Especially when the dog knocked over my completed pile before I noted the result.
So Oyler with respect to AndrewG-S et al who may have wanted a longer fight with the grid, and I have some sympathy with that point, please don't take that feedback 'tooooo' much to heart and create a marathon combo fest next time up. I'm also up for a challenge but at the end of the day it should also be about fun and this certainly was.
I did consider trying to resolve the large cube in my head (probably not wise with my simple brain), or applying some other maths based approach, but thought actually I fancy playing with little cubes and that was fun. Especially when the dog knocked over my completed pile before I noted the result.
So Oyler with respect to AndrewG-S et al who may have wanted a longer fight with the grid, and I have some sympathy with that point, please don't take that feedback 'tooooo' much to heart and create a marathon combo fest next time up. I'm also up for a challenge but at the end of the day it should also be about fun and this certainly was.
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