Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Yes, it's a problem that crops up every now and again. When too much information - ie 'the answer to 6 Down is Banana and you've to enter it backwards, using the Cyrillic alphabet' - was given away, other Forum users would be reluctant to look at the thread in case they saw any spoilers. For a while, there were two threads, one titled 'Listener, May Contain Answers', but this too upset some solvers. My preference is for a thread with hints and nudges, both for the clues and maybe for the theme too.

If people are really stuck and need, want, an answer, maybe they could start a 'Listener, May Contain Answers If Anyone Will Help Me' thread.

We're still not sure, Malone, about whether it's ok to post a link. You'd think that anyone who doesn't want to click on it wouldn't. Does the site have any list of rules to make it clear ? Thanks, Esther.

I'm sure the link you want to post has been on here before - many of us found it sad and dispiriting as well as being the antithesis of this very Forum. I have no idea as to the list of rules, but you could always contact Norah, the site administrator, if you're keen to supply such info.

Colin... sorry, I forgot to address you by name. Yes, I know people don't HAVE to click on a link, but knowing it's there might tempt some people, some who're struggling, some who just want to be given the solution without putting in any effort. I have never enjoyed doing any puzzles in a crossword book (the Telegraph used to do them) because I knew the answers were at the back!

HW7, thanks. Have to say 'about' is a pretty slack indicator. There are other clues I thought were a little loose too, so all a bit curates egg for me. I do agree that hints and tips are better than 'this is the answer and this is how it's arrived at' on day one. Anagram was just the job.

Yes Malone, but forgetting to use a name is better than using the wrong one. We'll content ourselves with giving an e-mail postbox which is monitored daily, for the benefit of anyone who disagrees with you, and wishes to have further assistance this week or any week.

Note from Admin - Esther/Colin, we do not recommend posting personal email email addresses In the Forum and anyway I am of the opinion that posting it goes against the spirit of the Forum.

Previous practice has been to have a separate thread headed “May Contain answers” which has sufficed in the past.

Ester/ColinEsterHaze,

I'm sorry if my normal habit of using the username disappointed you, but it's just what usually happens on here.

Anyone who disagreed with me could have responded to your posts, it's always good to have a varied selection of views. I notice a few other Forum users are happy with hints and nudges, but I don't think I saw any saying 'we'd like all the answers'.

Malone, you might have read comment 62 a little more thoroughly, then you would have known my name. But it doesn't matter, disappointment is a question of comparison between actual and expected.

Granama1, at 19.02, I too found a couple of loose parts - I struggled to put some bits together, and thought I was simply missing things!

Just completed it and come to see if I could ascertain the relevance of the Title. I'm totally with malone here and was the person who originally suggested two threads - one for hints/nudges and one for answers and detailed discussion. That was because of a couple of people who insisted on giving detailed answers (sometimes in BLOCK CAPITALS) which hadn't even been asked for. The two thread idea has fallen by the wayside but it's been great to see how people have been happy to give what was asked for - usually just a nudge to get someone going again. And people have been pretty 'creative' in how they discuss themes without actually giving anything away. I don't recall anyone in recent weeks asking for answers. I know people talk about 'policing it' - it's only my opinion, but I'd prefer to keep anything explicit off here (including links to the full solution) so that we don't slip back to the way it used to be.

ps. 'yellow card' for a couple of pretty explicit replies earlier ;-)