But then US crosswords lack the cryptic challenge of the toughest UK ones. Get back to me when Dr Fill can solve a Listener in under 3 weeks (I usually struggle to understand the rubric).
Humans best crossword-puzzling computer
Officially, humans are the only ones who can enter the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, which was held in Brooklyn, New York over the weekend. But this time artificial intelligence expert Matt Ginsberg of On Time Systems has put his Dr Fill crossword solver to the test. As the results show, you don't have to throw out your …
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Tuesday 20th March 2012 02:52 GMT Charles 9
Re: Ok, but...
I was unfamiliar with the format of that clue (now I'll know in future what the numbers mean). That was the main reason I was tripped up. Just as Dr. Fill was likely tripped up by the nonstandard words (the backwards and diagonal words--your average crossword only runs the words to the right (across) and down.
Now, granted most US crosswords aren't that hard--they're not meant to be. They're meant to kill a half-hour or so on the kitchen table or on the train. Most papers typically publish their toughies on Sunday when people have more time to work on it (I know this is true for the New York Times crosswords--well-known for being particularly challenging among mass-printed crosswords).
The toughest crosswords (as well as their relatives like diagramless) are usually reserved for puzzle books so that hardcore solvers know where to look and casual solvers don't get frustrated.
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