DIY Clues typed or hand-written?

When compiling the DIY puzzle in the Christine’s BIG Crossword, is it acceptable to TYPE the list of clues rather than HAND WRITE the list of clues and then submit your answers together with the original completed grid?
Anne Baxter

Great to have bi-monthly cryptic

I was delighted to receive the new Cryptic magazine for which I have subscribed.

I am afraid I do have one gripe though – why on earth, in a magazine dedicated to cryptic crosswords, to you include dreadful acrostic and logic puzzles?  I do not wish to do such puzzles and, if I did, I would subscribe to your bi-monthly Puzzle Collection.  All they do is take up valuable space where a cryptic crossword could be!!!!!

Apart from that, it is great to have a bi-monthly cryptic crossword book instead of just having the odd one in your other magazines or waiting for your yearly Cryptic Collection.

Cynthia Rabet (Miss)

A puzzling journey

This week I had to travel from Newcastle upon Tyne to Aberystwyth on Tuesday and make the return journey the following day. The two trips totalled over 12 hours (I was thinking I could have flown from Newcastle to Faro, Portugal and back twice in that time!). So you can imagine how grateful I was to have my copy of BIG with me. It kept me fully occupied on the journey without distracting me enough to forget to change trains at Birmingham!

I love the Starhunts especially but would appreciate more prize cryptic crosswords.

Kind regards

Pat Gannon-Leary (Dr)

Active and energised

Thank you very much for “100 Ways To Boost Your Energy” book which I won for the Starhunt 1 Contest in Big No 201. At 75 your puzzles keep my brain active and I am hopeful this book will do wonders for my energy. Thank you again for the wonderful puzzles books for which I subscribe to three and I try to complete most of the contest ones. Best wishes to you all.
Corinne Lloyd
Windsor, Berks

Never without a puzzle book

I was so surprised and delighted to receive a cheque for £50 in the post, for winning the Colossus Crossword Puzzle.

I have been fan of Lovatts puzzles for many years – starting in Australia where I would look out for Lovatts Crosswords in magazines.

When I moved to the UK around 14 years ago, I was really excited to find that Lovatts had Crossword publications over here too. Over the years, I have taught myself how to do Starhunts and more recently have begun to work my way through Cryptics. I am never without a puzzle book, which faithfully accompanies me on all of my travels. A great way to while away time in airport lounges!

I am looking forward to the October Puzzle Collection, which will accompany me on my next trip the USA.

With best regards

Dani Bowhill
Bexleyheath, Kent

Mega prize for Mega Mix

Many thanks for the splendid prize of £100 for Mega Mix 01. I am quite stunned by this win as it’s the first time of crossword competing that I’ve won such a large sum. It was with some trepidation that I took out a subscription to Mega, as I found the sample I received rather tough going. However, I had enjoyed The Works for a number of years, with some successes along the way, so I thought “let’s go for it”. Now I’m thank you for a win from the first issue – how neat is that?
Many thanks.
John Burns
London

Researching or cheating?

Your crossword/puzzle books are the best I have ever found. They keep me amused, occupied and sometimes frustrated for days. When I truly can’t find an answer using my usual reference books, I will eventually succumb to using the Web to continue my research.

I used to think of the Web as just a contemporary encyclopaedia. You have to know where to look in the ‘index’ to start your search. I have, therefore, been surprised to see people actually asking for the answers to your crosswords on the Web. The latest being Puzzle Collection 64, especially the Stinker. They actually have the gall to state “Lovatts Stinker 64″, or such. They list the clues they are having problems with and quite openly ask people for the answers. They list the letters they ‘think’ they have correct with dashes for missing letters.

This isn’t researching for the answer to a question, it’s tantamount to cheating. It’s left a nasty taste in my mouth and I will strive never to use the Web again for this type of research. Surely, the enjoyment in completing a crossword, is all the effort involved, not just typing a few begging words in “Google”. I wondered if anyone else had noticed this and how they feel about it?

Denise Phoenix

Recovering with crosswords

Wow, this feels so good! To be sending off these competition crosswords plus the DIY and all my own thinking and ‘inking in’. Let me explain….

Earlier this year, I had a bad fall and broke my right wrist and hand and gave my head a substantial bash. An operation ensued to insert metalwork in wrist and hand and life slowed down to a series of small steps. Both my husband and I were suddenly aware of how different (and difficult) life can be when one of us is so dependant.

 We feel your books have played a major part in my recovery as immediately I was released from hospital, I began with Sudoku…using my left hand with a sprained thumb! Soon I was writing something every day with my right hand and always included crosswords and Sudoku in my daily ‘physio’ both for the hand and head injuries.

 Thankfully now life is resuming a semblance of normality. I am managing to use my right hand to do more tricky controlled actions…like chopping vegetables! Everything takes so much longer to do, but I have made an outfit to wear at my nephew’s wedding this week, I’ve completed two watercolour commissions and now all the competitions plus DIY in this month’s BIG…yes it does feel good!

Thank you for your excellent crossword books. We have recommended them to so many people and even the nurses and my surgeon in hospital!

Angela Allen
St Lawrence

Sleep solves cryptics

Why is it, when I do a cryptic crossword,
I get stuck on a word,
I go to sleep,
and when I awake, I can solve the clues very easily,
then I repeat it again the next night,
it works for me,
why is it?

Diana Saunders

A friend in Colossus

I live on my own but I am not lonely! Who can be lonely when you subscribe to The Works. The other day when Colossus dropped through the letter box, it was as though a friend had called to see me! As always, many thanks for hours of good puzzling.
Jill Kelbrick
Wilton

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