Changes to Spelling Bee frustrating. Only puzzle I do, not worth another monthly fee. Subscribe to Sunday only delivery so can access in magazine on Sunday morning. But... Saturday morning ritual and out of luck when traveling. Online access of some sort important to me.
Hi RP,
You know you can find the Spelling Bee puzzle online on the web, right? It's part of the "A Little Variety" suite of puzzles, which is located about halfway down this page:
https://www.nytimes.com/crosswords/index.html?page=home&_r=0
You know you can find the Spelling Bee puzzle online on the web, right? It's part of the "A Little Variety" suite of puzzles, which is located about halfway down this page:
https://www.nytimes.com/crosswords/index.html?page=home&_r=0
But have you stopped printing the list of possible answers?
No answers and link or app does not work on iPad/iPhone after pressing print. I did download IOS version and tried as well. Need to enter through google, hit print then shows on screen. Irritated I have to pay extra when I'm a home delivery subscriber.
Fun; less challenging than I had anticipated. Not as much fun as a Diagramless (very little is!), but still worthwhile, and I feel that I've practiced useful Scrabble skills.
The reality is that, in the sad fortnights between Acrostics (which I love), I'm often flummoxed or disappointed. This was better than that.
The reality is that, in the sad fortnights between Acrostics (which I love), I'm often flummoxed or disappointed. This was better than that.
I really yearn for diagramless. Was hoping this would be the day. They are favorite. This puzzle is certainly not
Missing Links was more difficult than I thought it would be but it still wasn't the challenge of a good Cryptic or Diagramless nor was it as much fun as the 3-D Word Hunt. That being said, it was still better than many of the Acrostics that appear every other week. Why not make those monthly and create opportunities for variety puzzles like Missing Links?
2
Huge vote in favor of Missing Links. (Sorry,, was too busy to drop by yesterday.) It was only moments ago that I abandoned BLEWART in the second puzzle, which left me with an extra WE to play off. (I hated BLEWART in the first place, because they said "common ... words" and BLEWART is not common. It's a variant spelling of BLAWORT, which is already an uncommon name for the blue-flowered plant known more commonly as a HAREBELL. Anyway, I finally spotted TABLEWARE, which gave me a chance to make WAS for a grand and glorious finish. I love love love Mr. Disch's Missing Links. More, please.
copied the puzzles into an excel spreadsheet so I could neatly do trial and error. I got dishonest as the key to the first puzzle as well as blathers and unbridled.
Tableware was the key to the second. The third I was done except for u and p. I finally saw cellulose and kneepad!!
Tableware was the key to the second. The third I was done except for u and p. I finally saw cellulose and kneepad!!
Here are the available online Missing Links puzzles, all by Gary Disch:
June 14, 1998
March 2, 2003
January 28, 2007
June 15, 2008
Just click on the "More" link on the main page to access the Archives, then click on Variety and find the appropriate date.
June 14, 1998
March 2, 2003
January 28, 2007
June 15, 2008
Just click on the "More" link on the main page to access the Archives, then click on Variety and find the appropriate date.
1
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The Missing Links puzzles were amusing enough, I guess. I'll be able to comment much better when I see the answer key.
But from when I read the intstructions until I finished the 3rd Scrabble board, I just kept thinking, "This took a LOT of constructing work considering the payoff." We all seem to have liked the 3 Scrabble exercises to some degree, but does anyone think they were worth the effort that it took to construct them?
I'd rather see that time spent creating more Split Decisions and Cryptics, honestly. And I know Diagramless fans are probably wondering why Missing Links are considred more worthwhile than those former regulars.
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The Missing Links puzzles were amusing enough, I guess. I'll be able to comment much better when I see the answer key.
But from when I read the intstructions until I finished the 3rd Scrabble board, I just kept thinking, "This took a LOT of constructing work considering the payoff." We all seem to have liked the 3 Scrabble exercises to some degree, but does anyone think they were worth the effort that it took to construct them?
I'd rather see that time spent creating more Split Decisions and Cryptics, honestly. And I know Diagramless fans are probably wondering why Missing Links are considred more worthwhile than those former regulars.
2
Funny you feel that way, because after I finished Missing Links, which I enjoyed, MY first thought was that these were probably very quick and easy to construct.
I thought they were challenging and fun! You have to look for long words first and really think about your placement.
Once I figured out it was like Bananagrams in a square, it was a fun challenge. I still ended up with an extra letter or two before I decided to sneak a peek.
Where are the Spelling Bee answers?
4
You can find words made from those letters at:
http://www.litscape.com/word_tools/words_made_from.php
Give the availability of that sort of thing, I think it's not so important to know which words Mr. Longo puts on his own list (he always adds that other legitimate words are fine, too).
http://www.litscape.com/word_tools/words_made_from.php
Give the availability of that sort of thing, I think it's not so important to know which words Mr. Longo puts on his own list (he always adds that other legitimate words are fine, too).
2
I enjoy having answers to the Spelling Bee that I can compare to my own. I hope you continue to post them.
1
Hi. You have always posted the spelling bee answers on Saturday, so we could check our efforts since Thursday. Where are the answers? Thanks.
1
Slow to start but once I got going, I was on a roll. The first one I solved was #3, then #1. The vertical line with BLEW in it was the last solve for me. Very nice.
Saturday, about 5:15 here in the East
I finally finished #2.
(Think of plates, cups, etc.)
#3 only has the M not placed.
I chose SOFA/FA (the musical note) over
SODA/MA because a name that a person is called
is normally capitalized.
#1 still has quite a few letters not placed.
I finally finished #2.
(Think of plates, cups, etc.)
#3 only has the M not placed.
I chose SOFA/FA (the musical note) over
SODA/MA because a name that a person is called
is normally capitalized.
#1 still has quite a few letters not placed.
The M finds its proper placement
in the middle of a 7-letter word...
Does your solution to no. 1 include a gemstone? If not, look for treasure.
in the middle of a 7-letter word...
Does your solution to no. 1 include a gemstone? If not, look for treasure.
1
Oh, thanks!
I had already gotten that 7-letter word, but it looks like I forgot to cross out the M from my written list of the letters to be added.
I had already gotten that 7-letter word, but it looks like I forgot to cross out the M from my written list of the letters to be added.
Missing Links proved to be entertaining and challenging, especially Puzzle 3.
Winding Down was easier, but not a breeze.
Capsules is tougher than usual due to the paucity of givens.
Winding Down was easier, but not a breeze.
Capsules is tougher than usual due to the paucity of givens.
1
PS to Caitlin - Missing Links is not a debut - it comes up every now and then. Also, the cool thing about the Missing Links puzzle is that it is a _complete_ Scrabble layout both before and after you add the letters from the letter bank.
Thank you! I stand corrected. I searched for posts about it in our system but I realize I didn't got back far enough. It was new to me :-)
Nothing untoward intended, CL. It just shows that this delightful exercise is too rarely encountered. (Along with Will's SPIRALS and 3-D WORD SEARCHES *ahem* *hint, hint* *cough.*)
2
I agree strongly about the Spirals, and about the apparently discontinued annual 3-D Word Hunt.
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About the “middle” puzzle in “A Little Variety”:
(The separate blog for "A Little Variety" has been discontinued.)
[MAJOR SPOILER ALERT]
This “Winding Down” was more challenging to me than it usually is, despite the gimmes WALKS, GEEK and LAWYER.
My childhood comic book memories failed me at first, and I remembered those little ducks as “Hughie, Dewey and Louie”. So I had DEWEY instead of HUEY, and that was messing me up for a while.
Also I somehow knew it that TRUCK was too easy to be correct. I went to Wikipedia for “18-wheeler”, and found SEMI, later to be extended into SEMI-TRAILER.
Wiki was also where I had to go for Christina’s last name.
I remembered only snatches of the Greek alphabet, so I needed a Yahoo search to find a complete list of it.
(The separate blog for "A Little Variety" has been discontinued.)
[MAJOR SPOILER ALERT]
This “Winding Down” was more challenging to me than it usually is, despite the gimmes WALKS, GEEK and LAWYER.
My childhood comic book memories failed me at first, and I remembered those little ducks as “Hughie, Dewey and Louie”. So I had DEWEY instead of HUEY, and that was messing me up for a while.
Also I somehow knew it that TRUCK was too easy to be correct. I went to Wikipedia for “18-wheeler”, and found SEMI, later to be extended into SEMI-TRAILER.
Wiki was also where I had to go for Christina’s last name.
I remembered only snatches of the Greek alphabet, so I needed a Yahoo search to find a complete list of it.
1
Spelling Bee:
U + A C H O R T
scores: 9, 15, 21.
Tougher than usual, at least for me.
Capsules also nice and challenging this time.
U + A C H O R T
scores: 9, 15, 21.
Tougher than usual, at least for me.
Capsules also nice and challenging this time.
1
THANK YOU!
Yes, it was neither quick to get the 3-pointer, nor quick to finish up, for me. Is the name of a liqueur in the official answers?
I can't say, because I have never checked the official list. First, it's hard to find. Second, it never includes all the words that should be on it. In puzzles where the 3-pointer(s) elude me, I just cut out the square of paper and put it by the bed for continued rumination...
Speaking only for myself, I sure hope we never see this one again. This was one of those rare times when I could not go beyond barely making a dent in it, even though it did not LOOK difficult.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Not counting the crossings, in #2 I got only CLAPBOARD and NAPKIN, and in #1 only DISHONEST.
#3 seems to be full of red herrings. I first used the only C to make RAVES into CRAVES, but I eventually realized that the C was needed to make CELLULOSE.
I came up with KNEEPAD, but that left me with the impossible crossings ACK (in the dictionary only as an abbreviation) and DLE.
As of this writing, the only other word that I’ve been able to add to #3 is TENDS.
How did everybody else do?
[SPOILER ALERT]
Not counting the crossings, in #2 I got only CLAPBOARD and NAPKIN, and in #1 only DISHONEST.
#3 seems to be full of red herrings. I first used the only C to make RAVES into CRAVES, but I eventually realized that the C was needed to make CELLULOSE.
I came up with KNEEPAD, but that left me with the impossible crossings ACK (in the dictionary only as an abbreviation) and DLE.
As of this writing, the only other word that I’ve been able to add to #3 is TENDS.
How did everybody else do?
1
I understand your feelings, Jerrold, but I loved seeing Missing Links come back. I think the best thing to do is to consider each row / column in terms of how to turn it into a bigger word - using the letter bank to supply the possibilities so you're not just free-roaming. Usually there are one or two words that make a whole row or nearly a whole row (in #1, unbridled, automaton, dishonest). The reason I recommend starting with looking for those big words is to eliminate the letters used for them and then consider the remaining letters and how they might fit into the rest of the grid. All three of the puzzles were a good challenge for me, and I really love these.
In the case of ACK and DLE (kneepad is correct!), you just need to add a letter or two in front of them and they will turn out to be right. (cement is the last part of a whole-row word...).
In the case of ACK and DLE (kneepad is correct!), you just need to add a letter or two in front of them and they will turn out to be right. (cement is the last part of a whole-row word...).
1
OK, thanks for the hints.
Thanks to Caitlin also for UNBRIDLED.
Thanks to Caitlin also for UNBRIDLED.
Now what about the fragment OTE?
And it is possible that TENDS is supposed to be
MENDS or FENDS instead?
And it is possible that TENDS is supposed to be
MENDS or FENDS instead?
Those were fun, but not very challenging. I will certainly do more of them when they appear. (Unlike Sam, I prefer to print out puzzles, including Thursday through Sunday crosswords. The only puzzles worth doing online are the Acrostic--I was forever mixing up the letter from the clue with the letter I wanted to enter; the program enters the letters automatically. whew!)
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Although I don't print out any puzzle [see one of my other Replies], I too refuse to do a PDF-based Acrostic. The cross-entering is just too tedious.
Some people like the writing-implement-plus-paper feel, some want to save paper and ink. So some print the PDFs and some do them onscreen. I do print them if I need something to do in a place where I can't have a device.
Although I don't print out any puzzle [see one of my other Replies], I too refuse to do a PDF-based Acrostic. The cross-entering is just too tedious.
Some people like the writing-implement-plus-paper feel, some want to save paper and ink. So some print the PDFs and some do them onscreen. I do print them if I need something to do in a place where I can't have a device.
Hey everyone! I want to make sure you know, this post is still scheduled to run at noon eastern on saturdays. We had a system outage that made us late today, my apologies. I hope you enjoyed the puzzle!
Caitlin
Caitlin
2
I really like and miss getting the Spelling Bee on Sat. morning. Prolly cuz I do well with it and it's very portable. Keep it coming, luv.
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If Chet is saying he wants to have a link to a jpg file showing the "official" Spelling Bee answers, I'm in agreement.
My reasoning is the same as it was a year ago. Print subscribers pay for puzzles (as part of the print subscription) and get the spelling list on the same weekend the Spelling Bee is published. Digital puzzle subscribers pay for puzzles. Digital subscribers have to wait until Thursday 10pm (at the earliest) to get the answers to a SPelling Bee they may have filled out a week earlier.
If the spelling list is already in the Magazine, I see no benefit to nytimes.com to withhold that list from site users for a week. We do, after all, pay whatever the going rate is for puzzles.
If Chet is saying he wants to have a link to a jpg file showing the "official" Spelling Bee answers, I'm in agreement.
My reasoning is the same as it was a year ago. Print subscribers pay for puzzles (as part of the print subscription) and get the spelling list on the same weekend the Spelling Bee is published. Digital puzzle subscribers pay for puzzles. Digital subscribers have to wait until Thursday 10pm (at the earliest) to get the answers to a SPelling Bee they may have filled out a week earlier.
If the spelling list is already in the Magazine, I see no benefit to nytimes.com to withhold that list from site users for a week. We do, after all, pay whatever the going rate is for puzzles.
I agree with this. We get home delivery, and have a puzzle subscription as well. Although we can get the answers on Sunday morning, why can't you post them anyway on Saturday! Thanks
1
Why do some of the variety puzzles, like this one, have to be printed out? The whole purpose of a digital subscription is to do puzzles online. Is there a timeline for fixing this problem?
Thank you.
Thank you.
1
Greetings from an undisclosed location, Sam,
This is what we call a feature and not a flaw. The reason some puzzles appear as 'print only' is because they simply might work better on paper.
Also, we're a small team, and developing a digital format for a print puzzle takes a long time when you're short-handed. It's on our roadmap to develop more games in the digital realm, but our priority is to make the current games work as well as possible before moving on to puzzles that only appear once in a while.
This is what we call a feature and not a flaw. The reason some puzzles appear as 'print only' is because they simply might work better on paper.
Also, we're a small team, and developing a digital format for a print puzzle takes a long time when you're short-handed. It's on our roadmap to develop more games in the digital realm, but our priority is to make the current games work as well as possible before moving on to puzzles that only appear once in a while.
1
First of all, Deb, I hope that your absence is NOT because of illness.
Now, it would be a very good idea to make it possible for the Split Decisions to be done online.
The last time that it appeared, it printed out more faintly and therefore much more difficult to read than in the past.
That is something that makes a major difference with people like me who have a visual handicap.
Now, it would be a very good idea to make it possible for the Split Decisions to be done online.
The last time that it appeared, it printed out more faintly and therefore much more difficult to read than in the past.
That is something that makes a major difference with people like me who have a visual handicap.
1
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I can't be certain I've mentioned this before [once per month] but in the strange, odd, alien world I inhabit, I do each and every variety puzzle without printing anything. In fact, my computer now fails to recognize my printer as being a wireless device in my network. (Instead, it shows me a different printer.)
I use the same method with The Nation crossword (c/o Henry Picciotti and John [surname]), the wsj.com weekend variety puzzles, and puzzles from other websites.
How, you ask?
On my laptop, I downloaded the free Acrobat Reader DC. On other devices, I downloaded a free app whose name I can't recall.
Whatever app you download, it should be an app that DISPLAYS PDF files AND allows a user to type/write on them.
If you can see Little Variety, you already have an app that allows you to see PDF files. The file is in PDF form, and without a "PDF reader", you wouldn't be reading it. So the only thing you need is a very similar app letting you type or write onto the PDF.
So having downloaded such a thing, I tell nytimes.com to "open" the puzzle in my software (this option appears after clicking "Print" on the main puzzle page, although you do have to look for it for the "Open in" command). Then, the software opens ... with the puzzle there. Then, I tell the software to activate my ability to type/write on the puzzle (I never do the handwriting thing). Then, I fill in the grid onscreen.
I have some PDF puzzles saved up in case my internet won't work.
I can't be certain I've mentioned this before [once per month] but in the strange, odd, alien world I inhabit, I do each and every variety puzzle without printing anything. In fact, my computer now fails to recognize my printer as being a wireless device in my network. (Instead, it shows me a different printer.)
I use the same method with The Nation crossword (c/o Henry Picciotti and John [surname]), the wsj.com weekend variety puzzles, and puzzles from other websites.
How, you ask?
On my laptop, I downloaded the free Acrobat Reader DC. On other devices, I downloaded a free app whose name I can't recall.
Whatever app you download, it should be an app that DISPLAYS PDF files AND allows a user to type/write on them.
If you can see Little Variety, you already have an app that allows you to see PDF files. The file is in PDF form, and without a "PDF reader", you wouldn't be reading it. So the only thing you need is a very similar app letting you type or write onto the PDF.
So having downloaded such a thing, I tell nytimes.com to "open" the puzzle in my software (this option appears after clicking "Print" on the main puzzle page, although you do have to look for it for the "Open in" command). Then, the software opens ... with the puzzle there. Then, I tell the software to activate my ability to type/write on the puzzle (I never do the handwriting thing). Then, I fill in the grid onscreen.
I have some PDF puzzles saved up in case my internet won't work.