The New Sudoku Players' Forum

by **Homer** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 6:41 pm

I don't think much of the Times Chamionships format. I got a letter today, saying that I had "qualified" for the chamionships

. Apparently they want me to go to Cheltenham & do just one timed puzzle. Then the top 6 quickest solvers do another puzzle. And that's it! A long way to go, just to do one puzzle - or maybe two if I am really quick (doubt it!). Also, have I missed it, but what's the prize?

Am I too cynical?

by **PaulIQ164** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:22 pm

Yes, I couldn't help feeling a little jaded about it too. The prize is £1000, which is good, but of course they're raking in £7500 in entry fees. Anyhow, you get to meet Countdown's Carol Vorderman and Susie Dent! Maybe you'll even run into Salman Rushdie!

by Pi » Thu Jul 28, 2005 3:28 pm

I got put on the reserve list although i thought i was quite quick with the qualifying puzzles, the quickest of my times being 18 min something, what kind of times did you get if you don't mind me asking

by **Homer** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 3:58 pm

Yes, I would be interested in knowing how long people took on these puzzles. I dubbed the puzzles into the Pappocom software, then solved them on the computer (without any hints, etc). The times I took to solve the problems varied widely, from 34 minutes for the first one (after I made a mistake & had to start all over again

) to a little over 12 minutes for the one on the 7th July (maybe I was lucky that problem suited my solving technique?). Most of the others took between 15 - 20 mins to solve. I suppose to be honest it would have taken me longer with pencil & paper, as I take longer rubbing the small numbers out, etc. Seeing as how using a computer rather pencil & paper (soooooooo old fashioned eh?) may be considered as cheating, I won't be taking up my place in the championships. So, Pi, if you are on the Reserve List, there will be at least one place spare!

by **PaulIQ164** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 4:35 pm

I messed up the first one and didn't actually finish it. I think I did Tuesday's and Friday's in about twenty-five minutes, but my best ones were Wednesday and Thursday, which I did in 14"26' and 14"2'. (Have I got the minutes-and-seconds symbols correct? I can never remember them.)

by **Homer** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 4:43 pm

Paul, did you use Pencil & paper or computer (spreadsheet or Pappocom dubbing)? If your handle indicates your IQ (14 points higher than mine :!:

), I would have thought you should be quicker than me on a like-for-like basis. Mind you though, I am 55 & my grey cells are slowing down

by **PaulIQ164** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 4:45 pm

I did it in the paper.

by **Enigma** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:28 pm

I didn't think the puzzles that week were that fiendish... I did 14, 12, 13, 10 and 16 minutes or thereabouts from memory. I didn't enter them as I didn't fancy a trip to Cheltenham - usually slightly busy doing things with my family at weekends !

Paul

by **PaulIQ164** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 12:00 am

Yeah, there've been Difficult ones since that I've found tougher.

by **Ross_J** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 12:43 pm

Hey people, I received a letter telling me I'd qualified for the 12 to 16 finals, so I hope to see some of you there!

If anyone else has and would like to discuss it and stuff, add me to MSN - john_rossstone@hotmail.com

Also, what's the prize for the "junior" competitions?

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