MSO_Admin

On behalf of the MSO and all of the guests tonight, I would like to welcome Will Shortz. He has quite the list of accomplishments, including: New York Times Crossword Editor, Past Editor of Games Magazine, Founder, US Team Captain, Director etc. of the World Puzzle Championship, being the holder of the world's only degree in Enigmatology and being our esteemed guest tonight, among many other things. I would like to welcome you all here, and invite you to all take part in a somewhat orderly way. If the group gets too large, we will have to resort to a system to ensure things get asked and answered properly.

Will Shortz

Happy Easter, everyone!

Bollide

Hi Mr. Shortz...it's an honor. I certainly enjoy your crosswords and the Sunday puzzle.

Will Shortz

Thank you! Where are you from, Bollide?

Bollide

Maine

MSO_Admin

But for now, welcome, and I will let Mr. Shortz and guest continue as they have begun.

Bollide

Tell me, when do you usually record the puzzle sessions w/ Liane?

Will Shortz

The Sunday puzzle is usually recorded on Friday afternoon.

Bollide

I've entered several times, but never been chosen.

Will Shortz

Sunday puzzle on National Public Radio, that is.

Bollide

I see... great... I'll keep entering.

Will Shortz

The random selection of the winners on NPR really is done randomly... although I have nothing to do with it.

TheMazeMan

So we can't bribe you to choose us? (grin)

Will Shortz

Sure, I'll happily accept bribe money! It just won't help you get your entry selected!

Bollide

Yes, I realize that... just wondered if I was selected but then not reached by phone... are there others on the radio?

Will Shortz

No, my only radio puzzles are on NPR. I mentioned that just for the benefit of people here who didn't know what we were talking about.

rochmd

When the puzzle answers are randomly selected, how are the email entries represented in the pile of postcards?

Will Shortz

The random entry selecter for NPR figures out about how many entries come in by mail and how many by email and then proceeds accordingly. I don't know the exact process.

DavidSaslav

It would be helpful if you mentioned on the air whether a given winner submitted via email or by postcard.

steve

Can you talk about the basic way to construct a crosssword puzzle?

Will Shortz

Constructing a crossword: in the U.S., the first thing is to start with the theme. Most American crosswords have themes - a few long answers that have some humorous connection. Then the puzzlemaker plots the pattern of black squares. This generally means that if the grid is turned upside-down, the pattern will look the same as it did right-side-up. The constructor places the black squares so as to cordon off the grid into sections that can be filled with words.

daisy

Is the symmetry just to make it more challenging?

Will Shortz

Daisy, the symmetry requirement does make puzzle constructing more challenging. However, the reason for symmetry is to make the grid prettier or more aesthetically pleasing. Symmetry has been the rule in almost all crosswords since the 1920s.

steve

I think the inclusion of the last few words must be very difficult, especially to follow the theme.

Will Shortz

You're right, Steve!

rochmd

Though I enjoy the weekly word puzzles on NPR, I would like to see number puzzles be used more than they currently are used - any thoughts on this?

MSO_Admin

Good questions, daisy, steve, bollide, rochmd etc.

Will Shortz

The puzzlemaker should begin with the areas of the grid that look like the hardest to fill... and save the easier ones till later. For example, if the placement of theme entries and black squares means that you need a 5-letter words starting with O and ending with I... then you should start with that first, because there are so few possibilities. [How many such answers can you think of? I can think of OMANI and OKAPI off the top of my head!]

steve

So, Will, you just need to be clever and knowledgeable of many many words?

Will Shortz

And, yes, a puzzlemaker (and editor) has to be knowledgable about lots and lots of things. Of course, I have jillions of reference books as well, in which to look things up. But it helps to *know* stuff and verify it in a reference rather than just look for stuff.

steve

Thank you so much... I know there are many, many questions so I appreciate your spending time on my simple question.

Bollide

As editor of the NY Times crossword, how much "editing" do you do on each puzzle? Do they ever come to you with no need of editing?

Will Shortz

Bollide, you asked how much editing I do. I consider the most important part of my job working with the contributors, because they're the ones who create the Times puzzles. I get 8 to 10 puzzles submitted to me for every one that I can use. So my job is to review all the submissions, pick my favorites, and tell the contributors what I like and what I don't. I answer all submissions - most of them personally.

Bollide

Wow! Busy guy!

Will Shortz

As far as editing goes, I do sometimes revise the grids. For example, if I got a terrific puzzle submitted to me that had a fly of Afghanistan in one corner, I would try to revise the grid to get rid of that, because that's not a word I think you should have to know. Finally comes the editing of the clues. The most important thing is that they be accurate, but they also have to be at the right level of difficulty - and fresh, fun, and interesting, I hope!

Bollide

They are!

Will Shortz

On average about half the clues in a Times crosword are my own.

Bollide

Do they ever present you with a puzzle that requires nothing from you?

Will Shortz

There are some constructors that I hardly edit at all. There are other puzzles in which almost all the clues may be mine.

Peter

Will: are there any primers for beginners on constructing crossword puzzles?

Gabby

(Aside to Peter- there are books available....

Peter

Gabby - can you lead me to one or two?

Gabby

... but mostly out of print. The one most likely to be reprinted, as far as I know, is the Random House Puzzlemaker's handbook.)

Peter

Thanks, Gabby.

DavidSaslav

Hey Will, How are you? My question is: Do the long answers to your NYT daily crosswords always conform to a theme?

Will Shortz

David Saslav, good question. The Monday to Thursday crosswords always have themes. Occasionally, the Friday and Saturday ones do, too, but not so often.

Whippy

Do you mean that the constructors build the grid, but you provide the clues?

Will Shortz

Whippy, the constructors do everything, but I edit. If a daily crossword has more than 72 answers, it must have a theme - that's my rule. If the grid has 72 answers or fewer, then it may have a theme, but doesn't have to.

Bollide

How far out do you work?

Will Shortz

Bollide, I usually work 4 to 6 weeks ahead, but I have a large supply of accepted puzzles on hand.

Whippy

Which is harder to accomplish; constructing the grid or providing the clues?

Will Shortz

Whippy, the harder part of constructing definitely is doing the grid. Writing good clues can be hard, too, but the grid is the most important thing.

Peter

Will: can you illustrate an interesting or humorous error that got past you?

Will Shortz

Hmmm. Errors. About 20 errors in the Times crossword get through each year. Most of them are small and not noticed by more than one or two people, but they're errors still.

rochmd

Is there any chance of getting more math (number) puzzles on the weekly npr puzzle?

DavidSaslav

Next question: I've never fully understood the NPR Sunday Morning challenge's winner selection process; to wit, if I submit an answer electronically to puzzle@npr.org, by when must it be received? At least I'm assuming that the on-air challenge segment is prerecorded, right? Otherwise, by what point do you know if your correct answer has been chosen?

Will Shortz

The NPR puzzle is taped on Friday afternoon. The winner is usually notified on Thursday afternoon or evening, although occasionally on Friday morning.

Puzzookies

Will: you say you have lost of books; what online tools do you use?

Will Shortz

Regarding references, my desk is surrounded by reference books. First, I have lots and lots of dictionaries: unabridged, abridged, slang, new words, etc. Then I have at least one reference book on almost any topic you could name: geography, biography, opera, movies, TV, rock and roll, Broadway, sports, the Bible, etc. etc. Every single clue in a crossword has to be verified for accuracy. If I'm not positive about something, I look it up. After a puzzle is edited, I typeset it - that's my job, too! Then the puzzle goes out to 3 testers. They actually solve the puzzle and one of these persons rechecks every fact after me. So not many mistakes slip through this exhaustive system.

DavidSaslav

Last question -- do you really (have time to) read all the puzzle ideas people send you? E.g., the very first idea I sent to puzzle@npr.org for an on-air challenge you used about three months later (N-I-C-E word challenge). You probably have a backlog of half a year's worth of challenges.

Will Shortz

I read every NPR idea that's submitted to me, but I respond only if the answer is yes. There'd be too much correspondence otherwise. And I'm afraid I don't have a secretary - every letter or response is from me.

Whippy

Will, thank you for your NPR puzzles. I am a runner, and I can't start my Sunday morning long run until I've got the listeners' challenge to bring with me!

Will Shortz

Thank you, Whippy!

verbena

Here's one for you, Will. Take the name of a grain, change one letter and you'll get the name of an entertainer.

Will Shortz

Verbena, I don't know the answer to your question! Of course, I'm a little busy here!

verbena

Well, it's pearl barley that becomes Pearl Bailey.

Will Shortz

Ah. Thanks!

Bollide

Good one, Verbena!

Puzzookies

Will, did you ever consider being on Jeopardy!?

Will Shortz

I would consider going on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" - only I know 3 or 4 of the writers/researchers, so they'd never let me on the show. As you might guess, I'm a "Millionaire" addict - I rarely miss it!

MSO_Admin

I believe that rochmd has the next Q.

Will Shortz

Meanwhile, here's a puzzle for anyone who'd like to try it... the word INFERNO contains 4 consonants (N, F, R, and another N, in that order). Can you name a familiar phrase in 13 letters that has only those 4 consonants in that order?

rochmd

Any chance of more number puzzles on the weekly puzzle?

Will Shortz

Sure, I'll consider that. As you might guess, I'm a little better at word puzzles than math ones myself, but I enjoy all types.

rochmd

Thanks!

Gabby

(Solved the Inferno puzzle.) :)

Will Shortz

Bravo, Gabby!

Gabby

(blushes)

Puzzookies

What online (computer) toools do you use?

Will Shortz

Generally, I find it easiest to use books rather than the computer to verify facts and spellings. But if no book answers my question, I usually do a search on AltaVista.

Puzzookies

How about for anagrams?

Will Shortz

I know there are some good anagram programs out there, but I start with my own head and then use an anagram reference or the Franklin Crosswords Solver to help.

Gabby

Puzzookie, I can provide a list of internet puzzle resources if you like... there are on-line dictionaries at www.dict.org, www.m-w.com, www.infoplease.com and www.lycos.com/referenceroom. www.bartleby.com is an online version of Bartlett's familiar quotations plus has other works available as well. www.bibliomania.com also has a number of useful references on it, including Brewer's dictionary of phrase and fable. I don't have room for those references on my shelves, and if I'm solving, the internet is a quicker place to look it up much of the time (when 100% accuracy doesn't matter). For word-searching, there are several sites I have bookmarked. The ones at www.puzzlers.org/krewe get visited a fair bit by me, in part because there are some specialty searches available there.

Will Shortz

Fortunately, Gabby, I have print versions of almost all the references you've named.

Gabby

There are also some specialty searches at www.interlog.com/~cfaj/xword/wf.cgi; one more before I clam up: www.oneacross.com handles individual clues very well (and has a real good cryptogram solver to boot).

Peter

Will: What languages are you fluent in?

Will Shortz

English, somewhat! I can also read French. I also have about 20 foreign-language dictionaries, so if I'm desperate to translate something from, say, Romanian or Dutch, I'll do a word-for-word translation using a reference. Anybody want the answer to the INFERNO puzzle? Tell 'em, Gabby! I'll have some more puzzles in a few minutes.

steve

What is Will's basic attack plan for solving word ladders?

Will Shortz

My main dictionary of reference is the Random House Unabridged, 2nd edition. For a small dictionary, I use Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th edition. Webster's Third New International, the huge unabridged, is great for obscurer terms. When the answer was I'M OUTA HERE, I wasn't sure if OUTA needed two T's or not - that's how *I* would have spelled it. Unfortunately, no dictionary has OUTTA or OUTA in it, so I went onto AltaVista and ran a search on OUTTA HERE and OUTA HERE. I found that both are common ... although the two-T version is much commoner.

DaveSaslav

Verbena, what's the answer to INFERNO? All I can come up with is "In for a penny" which is no good.

verbena

Dave, I haven't cracked it yet. Ask Gabby...

DaveSaslav

Got it -- an eye for an eye!

Will Shortz

Yay!

MSO_Admin

I think that steve's question about your plan of attack for word ladders is still open, then Puzzookies is next.

Will Shortz

Steve, I'm a huge fan of word ladders from way back. I usually can do them in the minimum number of steps. If the two end words don't have the same vowel/consonant pattern, the key to solving is align the vowels and consonants. That's the tricky part.

verbena

Are you a fan of wordplay in fiction, such as Nabokov?

Will Shortz

Verbena, I'm afraid I haven't read Nabokov. Wordplay in fiction isn't something I'm really drawn to; I get so much wordplay in real life, that I don't need even more in my fiction!

Puzzookies

You never commented on Jeopardy!; I like it better than Millionaire. Did you ever think about being on it?

Will Shortz

Puzzookies, I know one or two of the writers there, too ... so they'd never let me on.

Puzzookies

There is always Celebrity Jeopardy!

Will Shortz

Here's a puzzler for everyone ... I used it on NPR about 3 1/2 years ago. Think of a common word that contains the letter V. Change the V to ATH (in that order) and you'll get a new word that means the opposite of the original. What is it?

verbena

Got it!

Will Shortz

Oooh, you're sharp.

steve

Unfortunately, I remember the answer...

Gabby

Got it.

DaveSaslav

LOVE --> LOATHE

Will Shortz

Bravo!

DaveSaslav

What's weird is that I called over to my wife to think of a word that contained a v and she immediately said "LOVE" - so I kind of cheated!

rochmd

How do you determine the exclusivity or uniqueness in your word puzzles?

Will Shortz

I test all my NPR puzzles on 2-3 people before they air. These are sharp people, so if they don't think of alternative answers, I'm probably okay - but even if an alternative answer is proposed, that's okay.

DaveSaslav

Here's one for the assembled luminaries; can you think of two homynyms (words that sound the same) which are opposites of one another?

Will Shortz

I know, I know!

Dave, that puzzle gets rediscovered and resubmitted to me all the time.

DaveSaslav

My dad first turned me onto it about thirty years ago, so I'm not surprised by that one bit!

steve

Dave...does it begin with r?

DaveSaslav

Yes.

cjr2000

Why are word puzzles more interesting than math puzzles, if you think so?

Will Shortz

CJR, I don't think word puzzles are inherently more interesting than math puzzles. Any puzzle that's based on an original *idea* is good.

Puzzookies

If you're an infomonger try www.refdesk.com, it is amazing.

steve

Will, if you like altavista, you may enjoy www.google.com as a wonderful search engine.

Will Shortz

How does it differ from AltaVista, Steve?

DaveSaslav

I agree -- google groups links by website.

Will Shortz

(Thanks, I'll try it.)

DaveSaslav

But Ask Jeeves is great for folks who don't "get" search engines.

Puzzookies

Try www.infind.com for a different view of things.

steve

Google sorts on the number of times that a page is referenced by other sites; it seems to bring better sites to the top of its list and it is extraordinarily fast.

Will Shortz

I just started using Britannica.com. That's useful for information that you know is in an encyclopedia but can't find. For example, last week I was looking for the name TSEN. Britannica found it for me.

DaveSaslav

Because it is "NEST" backwards, perchance?

Will Shortz

Well, *that* we wouldn't allow in crosswords!

Gabby

(more likely Fri-Sat. crosswordese, I'd guess)

Will Shortz

Is everyone in this chatroom from the United States? Or is there anyone from Europe? (Besides PeterWPF, of course, who's from the Netherlands!)

cjr2000

Europe :)

Will Shortz

Ah, good!

book

Europe

Will Shortz

Great Britain?

MSO_Admin

Some of us are Canadian too.

Will Shortz

Gotcha

cjr2000

Sweden

Gabby

Canuck ditto.

DaveSaslav

Blame Canada!

Will Shortz

Gabby, you're formerly Gab-F? Hello, mathpuzzlecom!

Gabby

Yes, but now you've thoroughly confused everyone else. :)

Will Shortz

You're from Colorado, right?

mathpuzzlecom

How'd you know that? :)

MSO_Admin

If Puzzookies does not have a question, then Gabby is next, followed by pegasus.

Will Shortz

Questions, questions!

DaveSaslav

I think the main distinction between math and word puzzles is that math wouldn't exist if not for the symbolic relationships it describes. Word/Letter relationships are more "incidental" to the reason they exist - which is to convey meaning, IMHO.

mathpuzzlecom

_ _ _ E _ _ A _ S _ _ T _ _ E _ _ R _ _ _ -- fill in the blanks

Puzzookies

A good, but obscure, anagram generator is http://www.mi.uib.no/~ingeke/anagram/index_eng.html.

Will Shortz

One word, mathpuzzlecom?

mathpuzzlecom

Two words. It's an item you might have in your house.

Gabby

If a puzzle is sent to you and is not something rediscovered, and works correctly, how likely is it to be used on NPR? (Thinking of sending something along. :)

Will Shortz

Gabby, if a puzzle is terrific, then I use it. Today's NPR puzzle was submitted by someone I do not know and had never heard from before.

Gabby

OK, then I'll send it along to the NPR puzzler address. And cross my fingers. :)

ptomaine1

Ahem... homonyms, please?

Will Shortz

RAISE, RAZE

ptomaine1

Ah, thanks!

Will Shortz

Ptomaine1, I like your screen name!

ptomaine1

I didn't know until this morning that the word started with P!

DaveSaslav

Ptomaine1, did you choose your screen name because of this morning's on-air puzzle?

ptomaine1

Right!

mathpuzzlecom

Ptomaine, Tom Paine is a famous example of a Word Deletion.

Will Shortz

Famous American in history. Stick his first name inside his last name to get a word. I used that on NPR years and years ago.

mathpuzzlecom

More wordplay of this type at puzzlers.org, the homesite of the National Puzzlers League.

Will Shortz

mathpuzzlecom, what is the dividing point between the 2 words?

mathpuzzlecom

Between the T and E.

pegasus

Any tips or tricks for constructing crosswords?

Will Shortz

My suggestion for new crossword constructors would be to take an easy crossword grid from your daily newspaper and see if you can fill it in. And by "easy," I mean a grid that lots of short words, like a Monday New York Times crossword, usually. If you enjoy it and are pretty good at it, then see if you get better. There's an online forum for crossword constructors: www.cruciverb.com. It's free and the people there will be happy to help you and answer your questions. The site also has crossword style sheets for the New York Times and other publications.

pegasus

I can do that. Any ideas for avoiding "garbage words" when trying to fill in blanks around your theme?

Will Shortz

"Garbage words", that's a good term for these. As a solver, it's very easy to get annoyed by all the ARIAs, OREOs, and that sort of thing - but as a constructor, you'll find that they're pretty darn useful!

DaveSaslav

How about grid constructors for CRYPTIC crosswords, Will?

Will Shortz

What do you mean, Dave? Constructing grids for cryptic crosswords is much easier than for American-style crosswords, but there's still an art to it.

DaveSaslav

Right; I'm wondering if any websites capture this "art".

Gabby

DaveSaslav, there is an area of the NYT forums site devoted to cryptic crosswords which would also be a good place to ask that question. (http://forums.nytimes.com/comment/ then follow the link.) It's moderated by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon.

Will Shortz

Yes, Gabby, that's good.

DaveSaslav

Cox and Rathvon are gods to me! I have their "Random House Guide to Cryptic Crosswords" (c 1995) which I have savored for five years - still about ten puzzles left to go!

Will Shortz

Budding composers of cryptic crosswords post their original puzzles there, and Emily & Henry (as well as regular solvers) comment on them. There's also a newsgroup, rec.puzzles.crosswords . They discuss cryptic crosswords a lot.

mathpuzzlecom

My favorite link for cryptics is http://home.freeuk.net/dharrison/puzzles/.

Puzzookies

A list of crossword is at http://www.refdesk.com/crosswrd.html; I am sure you folks have other lists.

Will Shortz

There's a great list of crossword links at www.crosswordtournament.com .

cjr2000

Do you play any two-player games or is it just puzzles for you?

Will Shortz

CJR, I'm a big player!

cjr2000

Any particular games?

mathpuzzlecom

Working at Games corrupted him!

Will Shortz

But usually not chess, bridge, and the standard stuff. I like more unusual games; I guess my favorite game is Boggle.

DaveSaslav

Do you like Cribbage, Will?

Will Shortz

Sorry, I don't play cribbage.

book

Who, when and where invented the crossword puzzle?

Will Shortz

The crossword puzzle was invented by a man named Arthur Wynne. The first one appeared in the old New York World on Sunday, December 21, 1913 The U.S. Post Office issued a stamp to commemorate this milestone two years ago! I'm the only person (outside of a library) known to have an original copy of this puzzle. The world's first crossword puzzle book appeared in 1924. Within a few months it was a national bestseller, and by the start of 1925, most newspapers in the United States were publishing crosswords.

MSO_MazeMan

The very first puzzle is posted at http://www.crosswordtournament.com/more/wynne.html.

mathpuzzlecom

You might mention you are a collector, Will.

Will Shortz

Yes, mathpuzzle, I'm a pretty serious puzzle collector; I have more than 18,000 puzzle books and magazines dating back to 1545 plus thousands of puzzle advertising cards, broadsheets, records and miscellaneous puzzle things.

mathpuzzlecom

1545?

cjr2000

Why did crosswords become popular so quickly?

Will Shortz

CJR, crosswords were popular from the start because they satisfy several basic human needs: solving a mystery, playing with words, testing oneself. And the pattern of black-and-white squares is very compelling - puzzle people almost *have* to fill them in; it's hard to turn a page in a newspaper or magazine and *not* fill them in! Plus, crosswords are a great diversion; Margaret Farrar, the first crossword editor for the NY Times, used to say that you can't worry about where your next rent check is coming from when you're trying to solve 1-Across and 1-Down!

cjr2000

Do you think playing with words really is a basic human need?

Will Shortz

CJR, maybe playing with words isn't a basic human need ... but it's certainly fun.

cjr2000

I agree with that :)

Will Shortz

Hello Jaime.

DaveSaslav

Well I gotta go, thanks for the fish -- and "SHEEP AT PRAY" (2-wd anagram)

pegasus

Happy Easter!

DaveSaslav

Well done pegasus!

Will Shortz

Hurray!

mathpuzzlecom

How much are you willing to tamper with the 15x15 standard? Any chance you might have a 14x16 one day? Or a hexagonal grid? How fearful are you of complaints?

Will Shortz

Mathpuzzle, it's easier to interlock words in grid that have odd-square dimensions. There's more flexibility in the middle area of a grid that's an odd number x an odd number, so I think odd-square grids will always be the norm. Most other countries use them, too, at least in the countries that use symmetrical crossword grids.

pegasus

I think the occasional grid with symbols instead of letters is enough tampering. I think I recall a NYT puzzle or two that had a few letters outside the grid.

book

What is the longest time so far you have used trying to solve a puzzle without success?

Will Shortz

Book, if I can't solve a puzzle, I leave it and come back to it later. I'm sure I have unsolved puzzles from 20 or 30 years ago or more! According to the Guinness Book of Records, someone submitted a solution to a Times of London crossword about 50 years after it originally appeared!

mathpuzzlecom

You never look at the answer?

Will Shortz

No, mathpuzzle, I almost never look at the answer. The only time I would look is if a river of Romania were crossing a stone glyph in Zimbabwe, something like that - in other words, something that I'd have no hope of finishing on my own.

mathpuzzlecom

TIMIS - river in Romania.

Puzzookies

We'll put them in your grave with you!

Will Shortz

Thanks, Puzzookies! I put a date on every puzzle that I solve so I can flip through old puzzle books and see when I actually solved the puzzles in it. Does anyone else do that?

cjr2000

Sure, usually put time taken too, especially on the WPC puzzles.

pegasus

I do it with books of crosswords.

Will Shortz

CJR, are you competing in the World Puzzle Championship this year?

cjr2000

No, I can't, I think; I am from sweden :( but I did pretty good on the ones I tried so far.

Will Shortz

Right. Well, the World Puzzle Championship doesn't have a team yet from Sweden.

MSO_Admin

Thank you all for your questions. Will, can you give us a little bit of information about the World Puzzle Championships please?

Will Shortz

Nice to hear that I'm not alone about the dates! Anyway, there will be an international online qualifying test for the WPC on Saturday, June 17, starting at 1:00 in the afternoon New York time.

mathpuzzlecom

Visit http://www.worldpuzzle.org/ for info.

Will Shortz

Thank you, mathpuzzle. The test will last for 2 1/2 hours. You'll answer as many of the puzzles there as you can and email them to contest headquarters before time runs out. Part of the U.S. and Canadian WPC teams will be chosen this way; also, this test will be used to select part of the teams from Great Britain, Israel, Hungary and India. The event is free, and anyone is welcome to participate.

cjr2000

I think you should include some new puzzles this year, the last US qualifier really had a lot of "classics".

mathpuzzlecom

If you have new puzzle types, CJR, the puzzle community would love to see them.

cjr2000

I do have new puzzles; inspiration mainly comes from new puzzles and playing games; inspiration comes from new and interesting two-player games.

pegasus

What type of puzzles are presented?

Will Shortz

Because the WPC is an international event, with participants who speak many languages, it has no crosswords or other word puzzles. Instead, the puzzles incorporate numbers, logic, observation, and spatial relationships, so everyone can participate on an equal basis, no matter where they're from. Puzzles from the 1999 WPC qualifying test are still available at www.puzzles-usa.org, and there's more information about the world event at www.worldpuzzle.org. Anyway, CJR, you should try the test. You've got nothing to lose! If anyone else here is interested in non-word puzzles, you should go to www.mathpuzzle.com - lots of great stuff there.

mathpuzzlecom

Thank you, Will. And msoworld.com ... but perhaps that one is obvious in context.

Will Shortz

Of course.

MSO_MazeMan

The weekend articles at (www.msoworld.com/puzzles) make for interesting reading, too.

pegasus

Can people actually make a living constructing crosswords? I see some authors very frequently, or is it just a hobby?

Will Shortz

Pegasus, most crossword constructors have other, full-time jobs. Only about half a dozen Americans actually make their living from constructing puzzles.

MSO_MazeMan

I've been thrown by a few of the daily puzzles. If only we could make a living solving them.

Will Shortz

Wouldn't that be nice, Admin?! If the U.S. government can pay farmers not to grow corn, how about paying me to solve puzzles!

Puzzookies

Nice work if you can get it.

pegasus

Me too, indeed!

MSO_Admin

What is the favourite puzzle in your collection, Will?

Will Shortz

Admin, I'm thinking.

MSO_MazeMan

What if they offered to pay you NOT to solve puzzles? (I bet you wouldn't take it!)

Will Shortz

You're right, MazeMan!

mathpuzzlecom

You could follow in Trip Payne's footsteps, Will.

Will Shortz

I guess cryptic crosswords are my very favorite puzzles to solve. I love the ones in the Atlantic Monthly, for example.

Puzzookies

Could you define 'cryptic' in this context?

Will Shortz

"Cryptic crossword" is the standard term for the British-style crossword. Instead of straightforward clues to the answers, every clue contains an anagram, homophone, or some other form of wordplay, very artfully woven into a misleading clue to the answer. Great fun to solve. When I was growing up, Sam Loyd was my hero. Any British publication will have a cryptic crossword: The Times of London, the Guardian, the Independent, the Financial Times, the Daily Telegraph, etc. Here in the U.S. you'll find good cryptics in The Atlantic, Harper's, Games magazine, and every 6 weeks or so, on the bottom of the Sunday New York Times puzzle page.

Puzzookies

Can you point me to a website?

Gabby

Do you have Across Lite, puzzookies?

Puzzookies

No.

Gabby

You can download it free from www.litsoft.com . Then you can go to world.std.com/~wij/puzzles/cru and download those puzzles for solving. They're star-rated, which is helpful for picking out easier puzzles when you're just starting.

Will Shortz

Just a few minutes left, so how about I give you all a puzzle?

MSO_MazeMan

Definitely. Also, I'm curious: are you thinking about having more puzzles with double answers like you did for Election Day 1996?

Will Shortz

I'll get back to you on that, MazeMan.

MSO_Admin

Please!

Will Shortz

Every answer here is a familiar word, name, or phrase that contains *two* double-L's. For example, if I gave you the clue "City in SE Washington," you would say...

WALLA WALLA.

Will Shortz

#1...

Legendary Swiss archer. Just type in your answer.

pegasus

Will Tell.

Will Shortz

Yes, Pegasus! #2...

What people answer "Here!" for.

Gabby

Roll call.

pegasus

Roll call.

Will Shortz

Yay, Gabby! With Pegasus right behind. #3...

Breakfast pastry. Full of calories.

mathpuzzlecom

Jelly roll.

MSO_MazeMan

Groan.

Will Shortz

That's it, math puzzle! #4...

Slang term for a coward.

daisy

Yellow belly.

Will Shortz

Bravo! #5...

Olympic sport with 6 players on a side.

Gabby

Volleyball.

ronaldo

Volley ball.

pegasus

Volley ball.

Will Shortz

Gabby's first! Bravo! #6...

Waste time.

Gabby

Kill milliseconds. :)

Will Shortz

Hmmm... not what I had in mind, Gabby!

XXXword

Dilly dally.

Will Shortz

Yes, XXX! [also SHILLY SHALLY, by the way] #7...

Resentment.

Gabby

Ill will.

Will Shortz

Yes!!! #8...

Outside the bounds of law.

book

Illegal call.

Gabby

Illegally.

Will Shortz

That's it! I'll give you each a half-point for that. #9...

Host of the old "The Price Is Right".

steve

Bill Cullen.

XXXword

Bill Cullen.

Will Shortz

Super! Good going. #10...

Cigarette once advertised with the slogan "I'm particular".

pegasus

Pall Mall.

XXXword

Pellmell.

ronaldo

Pall Mall.

Will Shortz

Yes!! #11...

Boring place, in '50s slang.

Gabby

Hell hall?

book

Dull mill.

Will Shortz

Almost, Book!

ronaldo

Dulls ville.

XXXword

Dullsville.

Will Shortz

That's it, Ronaldo! #12...

1960s Broadway musical starring Carol Channing.

Gabby

Hello Dolly.

Will Shortz

Way to go, Gabby! #13...

Fill in the blank: Oct. 31st is ___ Eve.

pegasus

All Hallows'.

Will Shortz

Hurray! #14...

Very revealing, as an unauthorized biography.

steve

Tell all.

Gabby

Tell all.

MSO_MazeMan

Tell all.

pegasus

Tell all.

Will Shortz

Steve gets it! Yay! #15...

Operator-assisted telphoning.

steve

Collect call.

Gabby

Collect call.

Will Shortz

Two in a row for Steve! #16...

Grammy-winning pop group caught lip-synching their songs.

Gabby

Milli Vanilli.

daisy

Milly Vanilly,

mathpuzzlecom

Milli Vanilli.

XXXword

Milli Banilli.

Will Shortz

Yay, Gabby! With Daisy right behind. #17...

1863 Civil War battle site, in Virginia.

mathpuzzlecom

Killing Hill?

Will Shortz

Nope - the name of a town in Virginia.

book

...valley?

Will Shortz

Nope.

mathpuzzlecom

Battle of Little Round Top has two double t's!

Will Shortz

Won by the Confederates, Lee and Jackson; starts with a C, second letter H...

book

Chilling Hill?

XXXword

Charlotte?

Will Shortz

You Canadians and Europeans are excused on this one!

XXXword

...sville?

MSO_MazeMan

Chillicothe something (just picking straws)!

Will Shortz

It does *end* in -ville!

mathpuzzlecom

Chillhillville Valley!

Will Shortz

Third letter A.

XXXword

Charlottesville?

Will Shortz

No Civil War buffs here, I see.

Sorry, XXX, that's got only one double-L

Gabby

Chapellsville? (Wild guess!)

Will Shortz

Oh, I'll just tell ya - CHANCELLORSVILLE. And #18, your *last* one...

Popular political survey.

MSO_Admin

Gallup poll.

XXXword

Gallup poll.

Will Shortz

Yay, Admin gets it! Well, it's been fun, kids.

mathpuzzlecom

One for you, Will...

Heartily informal.

steve

Will... you're the best, thanks.

MSO_MazeMan

Definitely.

MSO_Admin

Thanks for being here, Will.

MSO_MazeMan

Thanks for coming!

daisy

Thanks so much, Will!

pegasus

This was great fun!

MSO_Admin

Glad that each one could be here too.

Will Shortz

I enjoyed it. See you all around.

MSO_Admin

I hope that Will will be back soon.

mathpuzzlecom

And my EASTER puzzle... any solvers?

Will Shortz

Oh, yeah. What's the answer, math puzzle?

mathpuzzlecom

Videocassette recorder.

Will Shortz

Very cool! Remind me of that one *next* year, mathpuzzle!

mathpuzzlecom

Okay.

Will Shortz

That would make a great NPR challenge.

MSO_Admin

So thanks again for being here, Mr. Will Shortz, and all of the rest of you for your participation.

Will Shortz

Bye, all!

cjr2000

Thanks! I hope to be in the WPC some time! :)

Gabby

Bye, Will...