Crossword Tournament from Your Couch

A place to hang out, get to know other Muggles and discuss everything under the sun.
damefox
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Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2019 2:18 pm

Crossword Tournament from Your Couch

#1

Post by damefox »

I do not have a Facebook account, so I'm unable to comment on the livestream currently going on (https://www.facebook.com/CrosswordTourn ... 881197124/). Started this thread in case anyone else is in the same boat and wants to have any discussions during/after the event.
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BrianMac
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Location: Connecticut

#2

Post by BrianMac »

I'm watching the livestream, waiting for the tournament to start. :)
LesY
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Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 4:21 pm

#3

Post by LesY »

Good luck! This is my first contest of this sort, virtual or otherwise.
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BarbaraK
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Location: Virginia

#4

Post by BarbaraK »

I'm watching but not competing. Thought I'd be able to download the puzzles anyway, but apparently not - or at least not now, maybe later.

Good luck to all muggle competitors!! Hope to see some familiar names in the finals!
LesY
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#5

Post by LesY »

5:41 for the first one - I thought that was amazing, then the pros starting posting their times! Think faster solving will require taking a leap of faith and not checking every single word/crossing.
LesY
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#6

Post by LesY »

BarbaraK wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 1:35 pm I'm watching but not competing. Thought I'd be able to download the puzzles anyway, but apparently not - or at least not now, maybe later.

Good luck to all muggle competitors!! Hope to see some familiar names in the finals!
Barbara, not sure if you saw the post in the comments but they're posting the .puz files soon!
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FrankieHeck
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Location: West Virginia

#7

Post by FrankieHeck »

LesY wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 1:48 pm 5:41 for the first one - I thought that was amazing, then the pros starting posting their times! Think faster solving will require taking a leap of faith and not checking every single word/crossing.
You beat me by almost two minutes. But what fun!
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BrianMac
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#8

Post by BrianMac »

6:38 with two wrong squares :oops: Just like ACPT!! :?
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FrankieHeck
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#9

Post by FrankieHeck »

7:27 here lol
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BrianMac
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#10

Post by BrianMac »

10:03 on Puzzle 2 with no errors.
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FrankieHeck
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#11

Post by FrankieHeck »

Dang, you guys are good. This is a very humbling experience lol.
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BrianMac
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#12

Post by BrianMac »

FrankieHeck wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 2:20 pm Dang, you guys are good. This is a very humbling experience lol.
It's humbling for most. The folks who are really competitive at this are truly amazing. My first year at ACPT I sat next to Jeffrey Schwartz, who (unknown to me at the time) is a top solver. I went in super confident and cocky and was still in the NW corner of puzzle 1 when he stood up and walked out. And he wasn't even in the top 10.

Besides, you're the Queen of the Mini! :)
LesY
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#13

Post by LesY »

Lucky on the first two. The next 2 could get rough.

When does the meta division start? :)
damefox
Posts: 477
Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2019 2:18 pm

#14

Post by damefox »

I was 4:21 on the first one and 7:30 on the second, which for me feels pretty respectable. I think I would need to have a radical change in my solving strategy to be a top solver. It's kinda like the difference between going for a half hour run every day (which I usually do) and trying to be a world-class marathoner - drastic changes in diet and lifestyle would be required to get me from one to the other.
LesY
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#15

Post by LesY »

damefox wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 2:35 pm I was 4:21 on the first one and 7:30 on the second, which for me feels pretty respectable. I think I would need to have a radical change in my solving strategy to be a top solver. It's kinda like the difference between going for a half hour run every day (which I usually do) and trying to be a world-class marathoner - drastic changes in diet and lifestyle would be required to get me from one to the other.
That's more than respectable - it's amazing! Completely agree about changes required to be top-tier - I tried to solve only the acrosses in the second puzzle and fizzled out pretty quickly.
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BrianMac
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#16

Post by BrianMac »

LesY wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 2:28 pm When does the meta division start? :)
It would actually be very interesting to have a meta puzzle in a tournament. I might mention that to Brian Cimmet because he does Lolapuzzoola and that would be up their alley.
LesY
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#17

Post by LesY »

BrianMac wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 2:41 pm
LesY wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 2:28 pm When does the meta division start? :)
It would actually be very interesting to have a meta puzzle in a tournament. I might mention that to Brian Cimmet because he does Lolapuzzoola and that would be up their alley.
Awesome - thanks Brian. Also, I've heard sometimes the 4th/5th puzzles in these things can be almost meta-like in theme difficulty?
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BrianMac
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#18

Post by BrianMac »

At ACPT, Puzzle 5 is always a monster, with a very tricky theme. Many don't even finish it - I never have in 5 tries, and it's usually not being able to figure out the theme (for me). But you've got to get the theme to complete the grid. As opposed to a "tournament meta" where in addition to completing the grid, you would have to submit the meta solution. Might be fun, but lots of people would probably hate it. That's why it would probably be better for Lolapuzzola, where they're not so much "purists."
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Al Sisti
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#19

Post by Al Sisti »

I can generally hold my own filling a grid, but I am God-awful at doing them on-line; constantly overwriting answers I previously filled in because I don't know where the cursor is. I may not know where the cursor is, but I definitely know where the curser is...stay 6(00) feet away!
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BrianMac
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#20

Post by BrianMac »

Puzzle 3 - 12:07, 2 errors. :(
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