Asking For Answers

[roopower]

I know I'm going to upset some people but has anyone else noticed that there are a lot of requests for answers for new quizzes. The WIN TER and PROS and CONS quizzes don't close until the middle of March. I thought it was general practice not to ask for help (clues) until a week or two before closing date - or am I just being grouchy? !!

[sir.prize]

General practice? What's that? And no, you aren't being grouchy.

The following seems to be the sensible approach for a Q&A website . . .

In Quizzes and Puzzles we occasionally have users decrying the posting of questions from a Quiz which has not been out very long or where the setter has asked those entering not to use site such as this . . . however, we will not remove the question. This is a Q&A site after all. It is suggested that those wishing not to know the answer simply do not read the question.

Thanks for your time. Spare Ed
12:46 Thu 04th Feb 2010

[chorley9]

Same old chestnut Sir Prize not everyone wants to read the answers.

[DSJ]

It's very annoying to us quiz setters but I don't think we're ever going to stop it, roopower.

[factor-fiction]

So do you have a suggestion as to what should be done, chorley9?
I just come on and answer whatever questions are asked if I can.

[chorley9]

Yes I think there should be a reasonable time from when a quiz comes out and it being OK to ask. I understand a lot of people who give answers and don't have the quiz can't know when the closing date is. Perhaps there should be a rule that the name of the quiz and the closing date should be stated.

[sir.prize]

///Same old chestnut Sir Prize not everyone wants to read the answers. ///

Chorley - you may note that the Ed's comment covered that ie:

It is suggested that those wishing not to know the answer simply do not read the question.

PS: It's not MY old chestnut. Please keep up!

[QuizmasterG]

I cannot understand the absolutely desperate need to finish a quiz within days of it being received.

Perhaps the potential answerers should ask theselves why the quiz name is not mentioned in the frst place - perhaps the askers are hoping that no-one will notice.

chorley9's suggestion that the quiz name and closing date should always be mentioned is a very good one but getting the "serial askers" to abide by this would be impossible.

[starone]

I love doing quizzes, in fact I am obsessed. I usually have a few all going at the same time (Yes sometimes it is difficult to keep them apart). I only ask for answers when I am desperate. However, I must say this roopower, if I could not ask for answers occasionally I would not buy the quizzes and so the charities would suffer - maybe only by a small amount but I expect there are others like me, which would make it a larger amount. Also, quite often I buy via email and so do not pay until I return the answered quiz, so again if I could not answer the questions it would not be returned. Incidentally, I have never won anything so I do not gain by this, it is just my way of amusing myself. I would think I have never sent one which was completely right, but what does that matter, I had fun doing it and fun coming on to AB to help me.

[QuizmasterG]

It is not a question of asking, it is the inconsiderate action of asking so soon after quizzes are issued which is being questioned.

Keep quizzing!

[Mamyalynne]

It is indeed the never ending discussion, a resolution I feel will never be found to suit everyone.

I agree that a clear honest heading with the actual quiz title and preferably the closing date would allow people to make their own minds up.

On a personal level - I do approx 20+ quizzes a month so do not open threads which are obviously ones I have (unless I have completed it), I have not asked a quiz question for a few years now and will gladly send in with a guess or a blank space.

[chorley9]

I actually won a quiz that I sent in with 4 blanks so its not vital to answer every one.

[Mamyalynne]

Exactly Chorley.

[smouse]

Still quoting the Ed from 2010 when I said recently that the Ed had removed questions asked on a quiz that said no asking. We really need that update of their opinion but agree if they gave it the proper title eg not local or the subject rather than the name and the closing date then maybe those who just like to answer and not actually ever buy a quiz might at least wait till nearer the closing date.

[Prescott]

Quite right, so it should be !!

[fiftyplusfive]

I also didnt like a recent posting where someone had given an answer and the quiz setter came on to say thats not right.Quiz setters are like children best seen but not heard

[sir.prize]

Very true fiftyplusfive.

The thing that 'bugs' me is the user who asks over 600 questions and doesn't return to acknowledge all the other users' answers.

[margaretrae]

I agree wholeheartedly with Starbuckone. If you do not want to see the answer don't open it up. I will not now enter a quiz where a quiz setter orders us not to ask for clues or answers. It is only the same as asking your friends for help. I don't enter quizzes if I can't answer all the answers. Sometimes it is also to put me out of my own agony that I ask for an answer and we won't get rich winning a quiz, let's face it. £10.00 to £50.00 is the range of prizes and you can't retire from work on that. It is more the enjoyment of trying to find the answers and that includes asking for answers.

[smouse]

I am astounded that people dont pay and enter if they dont get all the answers surely even if you only do half you have had the enjoyment so the charity deserves the money. People are starting to offer quizzes as pay on entry and if they feel people wont actually pay every time that will stop and with the price of postage it is good to be able to get quizzes like this

[boxtops]

Trouble is, sometimes you don't know you are opening a thread on a quiz you're doing, because not all posters put the quiz title...

[quinie]

With respect,margaretrae.I don't see it as an order from the setter-it's usually a request and I think that request should be respected.Surely a quizzer can wait until a few weeks before the closing date to ask for help.I can see the problem from both sides but just can't understand why some people ask for help just days after receiving the quiz.Saying that I think the closing date is sometimes too far ahead.