Times Crosswords Championships Discussion Thread

Author   vinyl1Posted on Categories Announcement
I was tied up all of yesterday, so I wasn’t able to follow what was going on too closely.   I see that Mark Goodliffe has won again, and that some of our bloggers and former bloggers did very well.   I would like to hear from those who were there, particularly if you were competing. 

As Ulaca has pointed out, please do not mention any of the clues from the prize puzzles, as we will be solving them and blogging them when they come around.

51 comments on “Times Crosswords Championships Discussion Thread”

  1. A nice day out as per usual. Good to see Tom Stubbs, Phil Jordan, Andy Wallace, Tony Sever, Pootle et al. Finished 51st of 90 in heat 2 after committing the cardinal sin of not checking the spelling of DESICCATE hence leaving me no chance of getting CARDIAC. Come along next year vinyl1. How come Jason withdrew from the grand final?
  3. I finished 52nd in heat 2, scoring 87/90. I’ve benefitted from some erroneous marking though, as I can certainly think of 4 that I didn’t get! I enjoyed the new format as it gave me something to aim for – with 88/90 proving to be the cut off in heat 2 it’s nice to know I was close. Also a nice touch this year was the giant 67 * 67 crossword in the reception area which encouraged a lot of interaction.

    It was good to be reacquainted with those I met last year and to meet several new people, both during the event and as is traditional, afterwards in The George.

    1. We double-check the marking in cases where it could make a difference, but didn’t do yours, evidently. I’ve just had another look and (depending on who you are) instead of being 52nd equal on 87/90, you should have been either 55th (86/90) or 59th equal (83/90). We won’t be updating the lists.
      1. Thanks for looking again. It would be nice to know exactly how I did if you could let me know please – I’m Neil Rapley.
        1. Your correct scores were 30+27+29 (55th) but the marker wrote down 30+27+30, despite having spotted that 19ac was left unfilled in the last puzzle.
  4. 27th overall, so I achieved all my personal goals, which were a) finish the puzzles put in front of me inside the time limit, b) do well enough to get invited back for free next year, and c) drink beer at the George with like-minded people, while meeting at least one more person from this neighbourhood in real life (in fact, I managed at least three on that one).

    I await other opinions, but I thought that while certain aspects of the new format could use a tweak, on the whole it worked; it isn’t the simplest, and the message hasn’t always been communicated well, but it makes sense once you see it in action. The bottom line was that the day had more of a structure to it, and felt more like An Event, which was presumably the idea; more people solved more crosswords, and more of those people were playing for a meaningful reward (let me take this opportunity to give warm applause to those people who literally stole my prize money were well-deserved winners in the various categories). Short version: I enjoyed it, even if I was undone in the actual solving bit by a variety of clues which I look forward to discussing over the next few Wednesdays.

    Anyway, it was nice to catch up with you (if I did) and I look forward to the big 5-0 next year, which we are told will be even more ambitious, even if I’m not.

  5. Well, I had probably my best performance ever this year. I was unlucky enough to come 15th in the preliminary so scraped into the ‘A’ semifinal. Overall I came 19th, which is my highest placing – the only time I reached the final in the old format I trundled in second last, 23rd of 24. But I finished ahead of two of the prizewinners from the ‘C’ semi, so feel like they at least owe me a pint!

    Unfortunately I was unable to go to the George afterwards, but did have a couple there at lunchtime after the first preliminary and met a few people.

  6. I came 20th in the afternoon preliminary, which got me into the B group in the semifinal. The slightly odd thing about the semi was that we were theoretically split into groups but then everyone solved the same puzzles, so the prizewinners from the various categories are randomly scattered through the field. I finished in 15th place overall (which I was very pleased with) but because that was the second best placing from the B group I won £200. As you might imagine I am absolutely fine with this situation but some of the faster finishers from the A group might feel a little miffed.
    It’s a bit of an odd format but all in all I thought it worked well, for the reasons Pootle and Tim have mentioned. And it was very nice to catch up with people in the pub afterwards.
  7. It was a very well-run event, with the 500-clue crossword a lovely touch, as well as a clue-writing competition for the word CONTESTANT, judged by Richard Rogan.

    Having got an answer wrong in the second preliminary round, I scraped into group B (just two of us with 89/90 made it from that prelim) and then was fortunate enough to win that group, coming 8th overall. A curious system of prizes, as I was awarded £250, which I wouldn’t have been if I’d got all the prelim answers right… hey, I’m not complaining. One person did ask if I’d made the error tactically, but I’m definitely not that devious.

    Good to meet a few new people, and I’m expecting even more exciting things for next year’s 50th anniversary.

  8. What a great day out. I enjoyed the new format, even though I missed out on having more beers at The George than previous years because I had to stay sober… After 2 years of being an also-ran, with the new format I had a target of being in the first 45 to get to the semi-final instead of the first 25 to get to go free next year or top 12 to get to the final. I was well chuffed to be able to raise my number for the first time with 8 1/2 minutes to go and get all correct to finish 24th in my morning prelim. A big wait till the semi-final and I failed to reboot my solving brain enough to get in the top 50 in the semi-final, but never mind. More details and some pictures to come on my blog Reinterred when I’ve written it up tomorrow.
  9. Got off to a good start by coming second in the afternoon prelim, a long way behind Magoo but just before last year’s winner Roger Crabtree, not bad for a jetlagged fool.

    In the semi-finals I got bogged down on a couple of clues and ended up submitting in 5th place, close but no cigar.

    In the final I was writing the answer in for the last clue at the same time as Mark was submitting, so in theory would have come a comfortable second and gone home L500 the richer had I submitted thirty seconds or so earlier in the semis. Them’s the breaks, see you all again there next year!

    Really enjoyed the event itself and I think people who weren’t there because it “sounds a bit complicated” should definitely turn up and compete next year. It’s on the up and up!

  10. I was already very late for a rehearsal for a concert I was singing in that evening. A pity because of course I would love to have stayed and taken part.

  11. Deliciously happy with completing the first prelim with a minute and a half to spare, finishing in 28th place. Conveniently, as adumbrated earlier, I had a rehearsal and concert to attend (it also went very well!) so didn’t have to find out whether my aging brain could handle another session. Maybe next year!
    I did do 1d on the “mammoth”, and helped demolish the supply of lunchtime sandwiches. A fine of event!

  12. I managed to go from my best ever showing last year (19th in the Grand Final) to my worst ever showing this year (49th in heat 2). I was OK for speed but had one wrong word and two non-words.

    Physically and mentally my head wasn’t in the right condition for competition but I had my reasons for wanting to take part and my excuses for not doing so well.

    The social side was most enjoyable and the likes of Verlaine, Keriothe and Topical Tim were as ever great company until late on in the George. Sorry I missed some of the other characters from here. We need to go back to having TftT name badges.

    Congrats to John, Colin and James for bagging prizes.

  13. My aim, as stated here when I initially booked, was not to finish last. Pleased to say that I managed 78th out of 90 in heat 2 scoring 54 out of 90.

    Found one of the prelim crosswords spectacularly difficult to get into, resulting in completing only three of its clues – a wavelength thing? Noted that several others near the bottom had fewer correct on this grid than either of the others. Did better on the others, more or less finishing one and a few short on the other.

    Fascinating how some can process clues so quickly, identifying the definition promptly and writing in the answer – I’m intrigued to know whether that aptitude comes from nature or nurture or a mix of both.

    Edited at 2019-12-09 09:02 am (UTC)

    1. I reckon a mix of nature and nurture. As evidenced by the fact that as I’ve practised my times have come down, but I’m never going to be regularly solving in under 10 minutes.
  14. Hello – does anyone know if the actual results listings for each Heat will be put up anywhere? I finished my first three but had to zip off as I was feeling a bit ill… would like to know if I got them right!
    1. Results are on the Crossword Club here and somebody with the relevant abilities usually adds a direct link from this page.

      (If this comment needs unspamming, I’d be obliged if the same sort of somebody could also do that).

      1. Thank you so much – and in fact, I just saw a picture of the scorecard in johninterred’s wonderful blog – thank you for that
  15. First time for me so I had nothing to compare it against but it worked pretty well, I thought.

    Scored 88/90 in the morning session with two unfilled answers in the second puzzle. I’d been staring at them for fully 15 minutes so if inspiration had struck (and it really should have done) I’d have had an OK time but as it was I’d done enough to qualify in the C group. I think I was nine answers short across the three puzzles in the semifinal, which put me in 61st place overall.

    I did, though, manage to win the clue-writing competition. So that was nice.

    1. It occurred to me later in the day that if you’ve only got one or two answers unsolved and time to spare it could be worth submitting anyway to secure a good time against others who end up with 88 or 89. However it’s always going to be a toss up between that and hoping for inspiration in the remaining time.

      Edited at 2019-12-09 12:11 pm (UTC)

      1. A look at previous results agrees with you. A fast 89 or even 88 points has always been good enough to be in the top 45 solvers, so under the new format, if there are 15 minutes to go (meaning you’ve already almost certainly missed out on being in the top band of qualifiers) you might as well stick your hand up and be among the fastest of the rest. Though as you say, it would be annoying if the penny then drops after you’ve handed in.

        There’s certainly room for a lot more game theory under the new rules…

    2. Ben
      It was a pleasure to meet you at lunchtime in the George and congratulations.
      What was your winning clue-writing entry??
      1. Hi Sawbill. Great to meet you too and I’m sorry I missed that question earlier. The clue was “Barbarian team’s first to involve international player”.
  16. Congrats from me to all the TFTT stalwarts. There are some whose non-crossword names I don’t know (Penfold, Pootle et al) but it’s nice that the rest of us were so well represented by you. Kudos to Verlaine for solving while jet-lagged.
  17. As ever it was great to meet up with the non-participating solvers and the crowd from The Telegraph. We met a few contestants (sic) from Heat 1 who,as John says above, were on alcohol-free beer and coffee.
    But greater stamina than I possess would have been needed to hang on until after the final. We would have developed into drunken ice sculptures by then.
    Sorry to have missed the Heat 2 crowd.
    The patio heaters at The George can heat three.
    David
  18. For planning for next year, about what time did the Heat 1, Heat 2, etc finishers get to the George? A couple non-competitors (me included) left there around 5pm not knowing if we should have waited another 15 minutes, or would have had to wait a couple hours for arrivals.

    1. I can’t remember exactly what time we got there but it was well after that. Sorry to have missed you.
  19. I only attempted a cryptic crossword for the first time 20 months ago, but, thanks to the realisation that they aren’t as impregnable as I had once thought and to the education that TffT provides, I have been slowly improving ever since.

    I entered the championship hoping not to come right at the bottom and managed 59/90 clues in the afternoon for 76th place in Heat 2. I was delighted both to complete as many as I did within the time and to find out how friendly the crossword community is in the flesh. I will certainly be back next year with, I hope, the ability to solve a little more quickly than I can manage at the moment.

    Huge thanks to all the contributors for the work they put in to making this blog the invaluable resource that it is.

    Edited at 2019-12-09 08:09 pm (UTC)

    1. Well done at being brave enough to give it a go. I’m glad you enjoyed it… as I did 2 years ago at my first attempt just for the fun of it… and I came back. You don’t have to be a potential champion to enjoy it and the new format really makes the whole thing more inclusive. I think there may be a few more around here who would be pleasantly surprised by following your example.
      1. Thank you – I should also say that I very much enjoyed reading your blog about the day.

        And in my comment above I of course meant TfTT…

  20. Please spare a thought for the setters of the championship puzzles, of whom I am one. And I enjoy setting the puzzle! THe Times likes us to attend adn mingle with solvers, but makes little or no effort to introduce us, and will not pay travelling expenses. But they are hugely generous in paying us an extra £20 for a championship puzzle that they can also print subsequently in the paper.
    1. Please be assured that many of us spared you more than a thought on Saturday! (Also, thank you for an excellent set of puzzles). Meeting setters as well as other solvers has always been one of the big pluses of Finals Day for me, and I observed that they seemed thin on the ground this year. This may, of course, mean simply that they were present but I didn’t see them; if so, the reason why is one of the things that should perhaps be considered ahead of next year’s event.

      Of course, my first thought was to worry that we must have been unnecessarily mean to you all just recently 🙂

    2. It sounds like setting is largely a labour of love. But as Tim says, the puzzles are also well loved by us solvers. For my part, despite many years of solving I still get a childlike sense of excitement when I load the day’s crossword wondering what challenges will face me today. And I very much enjoyed the three puzzles I faced on Saturday too – to me they seemed just the right level to stretch us over the course of an hour.

      Thanks setter!

      Edited at 2019-12-10 06:52 pm (UTC)

  21. I was lucky to get 6 puzzles in a row that all flowed smoothly but the 7th was very much a stop-start affair for me, resulting in a gap to Mark that I think might only have been a bit less than the gap to him over the 3-puzzle semi. I normally do well with that particular setter so it was a slight downer to not be on her wavelength when it mattered, though it’s a sign of Mark’s brilliance that he’s never seemingly off the wavelength, whoever the setter is. Back to the drawing board, I guess. Was pleased to meet some more TftTers and put faces to names, as well as renew acquaintances from past years. Well done to all the prizewinners as well as those who exceeded their expectations. Commiserations to those who didn’t do as well as they’d hoped – better luck may await in 2020!
  22. Has there been any mention of the Championship this year?

    I presume, for obvious reasons, that it won’t be going ahead.

  23. Is there any historical information about finalists in 1970? I believe my mother-in-law Joan Mahood (now deceased) was there that year?
  24. I recently had a book published about the actor Guy Standeven. I’ve only just heard that he was a finalist in the 1970s. Is there any way of finding out what year, where he was placed etc?

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