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Hi folks,

I am off work tomorrow and will be doing the wordplay stuff for AB so it will be sorted out soon if AB is up for it too.

I was thinking about a possible change to the usual presentation of the wordplay and wondered if you would give some feedback on my idea.

As you've probably noticed I don't get to spend as much time on the forum or at home for that matter now with work commitments and I've been getting behind with preparing the Joint Effort wordplay file stuff in order for AB.

So, would it be a good or bad idea to run things as normal with everything to do with the preparation of the actual grid and clues, but when it's time for the solution, I will post this as usual a week or so after publication and then start a thread for everyone to post their own wordplays to clues that may have 'question marks' from other setters, OR just post them without mentioning they have question marks to save any awkward upsets between setters and solvers.
Then when all the clue wordplays have appeared on the thread, AB or maybe anyone who wants to, could produce a wordplay file for others to print off or save for future reference.

If this sounds a good idea, we could try it out next month as a pilot scheme or if it's a bad idea then let me know.
All opinions are welcome with no offence taken.

Cheers, Les40

I for one would have nothing against your suggestion, les: it would certainly save you a lot of work. I agree it might be better for every setter to explain every clue on principle, in order to avoid even just apparent animosity or whatever. If most people agree, let's just try it out next time.

Sounds OK.

I thought about collaboration on a file at Google drive, but that might be tricky with 20 people. I haven't tried that function & not sure how updates would work if several parties are accessing the file at the same time.

Additional note re wordplay presentation:

http://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-WQdeO9wXEHRUptc2NTZTQ4T2c/edit?usp=sharing

Any thoughts?

Thanks for that Syzygy, it's a good way to present the wordplay
But,
It's not a problem of how to present the wordplay, AB has it back to me in no time at all and it's good to go. What I'm on about is the time it takes for me to prepare it, obviously, I have to get all the wordplay to AB in some sort of order that is comprehendable and anonymous and I have maybe a hundred emails with messages, tweaks, feedback and suggestions for clues, sometimes me and a setter may correspond many times before a clue is ready to go in. What I do is copy and paste all the relevant information needed and leave out all the chat and the setters personal details like real name and email address because that is confidential and not for me to share without the members consent (no offence to AB).
It takes ages to do all this and it's the only part of the JE I dislike having to do.
HOWEVER,
now I've written all that, a thought has come to me. I use the private google email only for the Joint Effort with only the regulars having access to the email address, would it be outlandish to suggest that me and AB share this email (I mean give AB the password so that access can be made by AB too for the use of the wordplay file) This would mean that AB would be privy to the same information as me but also this would maybe be an extra help to me with difficult clues where I sometimes struggle to make decisions whether part of a clue would be deemed fair, it would be great to get a second opinion sometimes because I am by no means the expert, because, believe it or not, I have had a couple of (nearly serious) disagreements with regulars (NO NAMES MENTIONED)

More feedback would be welcome on this and I do appreciate if anyone disagrees with the sharing, I will honour their decision and respect their wishes.

Thanks all, Les40

No problems with that. I assume AB is a reliable member & won't sell my address to the Nigerians, (-; though they still manage to contact me occasionally. What am I waiting for? I could be making millions.

Started testing the Google Drive collaboration function & it seems quite effective. If that works out it would take a load off both Les & AB.

I'll keep you posted.

Whatever is easiest for you and AB, les.

btw do you know if any non-contributors attempt the crossword?

Not a problem Les :)

Hi Les,

I'm happy to go with whatever route gives you the least work.

I'd be perfectly happy with setters adding their wordplay to a later thread, on request or otherwise. That's what happened when the JE first started, I seem to recall.