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Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:50 pm
by Cindy
boharr wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:45 pm
damefox wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:29 pm
Cindy wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:13 pm Looks like it might be subscribers only now. I can get it when logged in. When I click on it and am not logged in, it only gives me the subscription page.
boharr wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:55 pm Me too.
See my post above, and check whether you can access some but not all of the puzzles. Right now I can access Monday's (today's) puzzle, but not Tuesday's puzzle, which was posted at 4pm today.
I just went back to the WSJ. Not signed in, I can access the puzzles, including - now - Tuesday's (which I could not get earlier). I first get a box wanting me to subscribe; but once the box is dismissed, the puzzle shows up. Mind, I did not try making entries. But whatever they have done truly sucks. However, I did save the puzzle as a .pdf as before. That at least allows seeing all the clues. I hope they don't eliminate access to the .puz files.
I can access now without logging in as well.

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:56 pm
by Hector
Swan, swan, hummingbird, hurrah
We are all free now!

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 10:14 pm
by Meg
Some small improvement, and 29 comments on the wsj board by super ticked off subscribers.

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 1:40 am
by Joe Ross
Workaround on android phone using Firefox & Edge browsers (which may or may not work on iPhones):

- sustained-press on font size (AA) above online/interactive grid

- in pop-up menu, choose "Open link in new tab"

- switch to new tab

Screenshot_20200901-020942.png

Note: It makes no difference whether signed-in as WSJ subscriber, or not, except for prompt to sign-in.


Tips for Playing the Interactive Crossword

Here are a few tips to get you started. Please email puzzles@wsj.com with any additional questions.

...

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:26 am
by BarbaraK
I did get an email back from WSJ that putting the puzzle behind the paywall was just a mistake that they’ve fixed. Didn’t address any of my actual complaints, but at least we’re not going to lose our non-subscriber muggles.

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:35 am
by BarbaraK
Joe Ross wrote: Tue Sep 01, 2020 1:40 am Workaround on android phone using Firefox & Edge browsers (which may or may not work on iPhones):

- sustained-press on font size (AA) above online/interactive grid

- in pop-up menu, choose "Open link in new tab"

- switch to new tab


Screenshot_20200901-020942.png


Note: It makes no difference whether signed-in as WSJ subscriber, or not, except for prompt to sign-in.


Tips for Playing the Interactive Crossword

Here are a few tips to get you started. Please email puzzles@wsj.com with any additional questions.

...
Thank you, Joe! This does indeed work on my iPhone SE.
63A7C359-9D2E-4304-939F-E77714F35559.png
This is what it looks like on my phone on the regular page. Thought maybe they were only going to have puzzles that didn’t need any letters from the bottom row of the keyboard.

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:49 am
by Joe Ross
To download PDF on phone, click on the Settings gear to right of AA, then Print.

The PDF should open or allow you the option to save it.


[EDIT1: as follows] While using Edge on Android phone, clicking on the daily puzzle link attempts to open the puzzle using the WSJ app, which does not open the interactive puzzle. If you have that issue, sustained-press on the puzzle link, then Open in new tab (or window).

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 9:34 am
by Annabelle
I discovered if you click the settings icon (little cogwheel), that page offers a print option. I print the puzzles, so I'm happy. There also was a note from the puzzle editor in the discussion posted just now (c. 9:30 EDT) that their planned edit went awry and the eds at WSJ are on the case.

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 10:32 am
by BarbaraK
It’s now back to the old format, and all the comments, including any from WSJ, have disappeared.

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 8:23 am
by Stukmn
Meg wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:34 pm I am a non-subscriber. All WSJ puzzles are available in Acrosslite from:
https://www.fleetingimage.com/wij/xyzzy/20-wsj.html

From Acrosslite, a puzzle can be emailed as a pdf if so desired. Acrosslite works on iPads.
Is this site working for you? It keeps coming up as unavailable for me. This is where I typically go to download the puzzle and I’m not sure what happened. 😬

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 8:37 am
by Joe Ross
Acrosslite is working for me in Windows on Firefox & Edge. "Try clearing your history cache & cookies," he sad, tritely.

alphacross is a phone app that opens .PUZ files and works for me on Android. IDK if it is available or works on iPhones.

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 10:02 am
by boharr
Joe Ross wrote: Fri Sep 04, 2020 8:37 am Acrosslite is working for me in Windows on Firefox & Edge. "Try clearing your history cache & cookies," he sad, tritely.

alphacross is a phone app that opens .PUZ files and works for me on Android. IDK if it is available or works on iPhones.
Acrosslite works fine on my iMac, just as it has been. The FleetingImage site is still down however. I got a .puz file for this week from
herbach.dnsalias.com/wsj/wsj200904.puz.webloc -- which someone noted in the forum. Don't know if that will continue to work in the future.

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 10:13 am
by Joe Ross
boharr wrote: Fri Sep 04, 2020 10:02 amAcrosslite works fine on my iMac, just as it has been. The FleetingImage site is still down however. I got a .puz file for this week from
herbach.dnsalias.com/wsj/wsj200904.puz.webloc -- which someone noted in the forum. Don't know if that will continue to work in the future.
alphacross automatically downloads .PUZ files from free sources you select, albeit an hour or two after they drop, including from WSJ.

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 10:14 am
by Meg
Stukmn wrote: Fri Sep 04, 2020 8:23 am
Meg wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:34 pm I am a non-subscriber. All WSJ puzzles are available in Acrosslite from:
https://www.fleetingimage.com/wij/xyzzy/20-wsj.html

From Acrosslite, a puzzle can be emailed as a pdf if so desired. Acrosslite works on iPads.
Is this site working for you? It keeps coming up as unavailable for me. This is where I typically go to download the puzzle and I’m not sure what happened. 😬
The site works just fine on my pc. Not on my iPad. An Apple thing?

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 10:18 am
by boharr
Joe Ross wrote: Fri Sep 04, 2020 10:13 am
boharr wrote: Fri Sep 04, 2020 10:02 amAcrosslite works fine on my iMac, just as it has been. The FleetingImage site is still down however. I got a .puz file for this week from
herbach.dnsalias.com/wsj/wsj200904.puz.webloc -- which someone noted in the forum. Don't know if that will continue to work in the future.
alphacross automatically downloads .PUZ files from free sources you select, albeit an hour or two after they drop, including from WSJ.
Never used alphacross. Web site or app (not in Apple's store)? FleetingImage would have .puz files only minutes after the WSJ. I hope it goes back up>

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 10:26 am
by Joe Ross
boharr wrote: Fri Sep 04, 2020 10:18 am Never used alphacross. Web site or app (not in Apple's store)?
Android - https://github.com/0xe1f/

alphacross Android.png

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 11:01 am
by Cindy
You can always get the puzzles as soon as they are released by googling "wsj blog puzzle" and then choosing crossword contest. Unless of course like yesterday when they posted it under the regular crossword.

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 11:08 am
by Joe Ross

Re: New Format for WSJ Crossword Puzzles??

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 11:09 am
by boharr
Cindy wrote: Fri Sep 04, 2020 11:01 am You can always get the puzzles as soon as they are released by googling "wsj blog puzzle" and then choosing crossword contest. Unless of course like yesterday when they posted it under the regular crossword.
That's where I got it yesterday -- under the regular crossword. And it wasn't even marked "contest," but it was there. I always go to WSJ first to get a pdf, but it's the .puz file I would like to get as well.