Saturday Telegraph GENERAL????? Knowledge Crossword

[boingboing]

Hi, never thought I'd actually be saying this but I am considering giving up on the Saturday Telegraph General Knowledge Crossword which appears in then Weekend section of the paper. I've done it or at least attempted it for many years and always send the crossword off. Is it me or is the crossword becoming so specific knowledge wise that it is no longer enjoyable. I used to enjoy pitting my wits against it and was always happy if I only needed the internet for a few clues. Lately I have been finding I need to use the internet for well over half the clues. This clearly lessens the enjoyment, any others finding what was once a brilliant and manageable GK crossword somewhat disappointed at the current situation? Maybe I am just getting thicker, sorry to whinge but I really used to love doing this crossword (the weekend used to revolve around it) but now I just find it a little tiresome.

[shaneystar2]

Arm yourselves with Anne Bradfords brilliant dictionaries (lists and crossword solvers ) a Chambers and a Bloomsbury .These are the most thumbed tatty books in my collection :)

[oxburgh2]

Cancelled the paper today, agree with comments made over not enjoying crossword now.

[Celticv11]

I cancelled my 7 day subscription to the telegraph paper weeks ago, i agree the gk has become too specialised, i like to feel i have a chance, on a good day of completing, for some time now that has not been the case, i am now on the i pad edition and that is perfectly adequate, although one downside of not doing the gk is i have time to look in here:(

[Gavmacp]

I do the Observer Everyman on a sunday which I used to be able to do a third to two thirds before I would start to cheat. Now I am bloody lucky if I get one clue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Captain2]

I can't afford to take a paper everyday now. Used to take the Telegraph on Mondays to Saturdays and the Mail on Sunday.
Used to enjoy DTGK - in fact that is how I came to find AB I think!
Just love 'helping' on here now and with the odd hours I keep I see most parts of the day throughout the week.
I keep trying to 'improve' myself up to the Spectator or Azed, etc by printing off the puzzles, keeping them for a fortnight and then running through when I have the answers to parse - but not getting far. I intend to persevere though.

[Celticv11]

I was given a gift of a years subscription to the I paper , six days a week, works out at less than 15 pence a day, very good cryptic crossword and other puzzles

[ClareA]

As many posters here, I and friends who are solvers down the pub acknowledge that these days STGK is not so much 'General' as 'Obscure' knowledge. Sunday's GK is usually worse! However, I'll persist with my wealth of cheats (which I call merely being resourceful), just so they don't get the better of me. Those cheats are, roughly in order:

Hamlyn Crossword Dictionary [this is thematic]
Collins gem Quiz Survival
Collins gem World Atlas
Oxford Crossword Solver [electronic device]
A decent dictionary [unfortunately, current pub one a bit inferior, so have to wait 'til home again]
Other good folk in the pub
Equally good folk on The Answerbank
General internet

That's my battery of information sources - along with the occasional use of a Dictionary of Quotations - with which I usually manage to make a completed grid to send in. Whether I remember to do so in time is quite another matter!

[Mellyju]

We totally agree, and we're just saying the exact same thing.