Quizzes & Puzzles Rules

[AB Editor]

Good Morning All,

I hope everyone is well.

Currently we are drafting the new Quizzes and Puzzles posting rules for the new AnswerBank - we thought it might be best to ask everyone here what exactly they'd like to go in this document.

It will act as a set of posting guidelines for anyone posting in the Quizzes and Puzzles section - what do you need to help someone out with their Quiz or Crossword?

All the best,

Spare Ed

[QuizmasterG]

Name the quiz you are doing and always list number of letters involved (if any)

Try not to post questions too soon for quizzes, preferably not more than a month before the closing date

[redman41]

Good Morning Mr.Ed !
Which Quiz/Puzzle in Heading Title
Which Clue the Poster is stuck on, with as much info as possible i.e No of Letters in Answer required.
If the Question has been asked before and a Correct Answer given, then there should be some means of Reference to indicate when/where Answer was given.
Those receiving Answers should be courteous and indicate with Stars/Thanks ( Most people do)
Some people Post Questions throughout the Site on various Topics but when they receive Replies they never acknowledge the fact and you do not hear from them again.
Keep up the Good Work, Mr.Ed !!

[redman41]

I would also like to add. Could you Condense the Topics Section so that we get less Sub-Sections e.g Quizes & Puzzles and Crosswords could be just in one Section only and Riddles in another.
Other Topics could be Condensed as well to cut down on Sub-Sections.

[flicrat]

Continue to highlight newcomers, so others will be patient with woolly requests and re-explain the system if, the new questioners haven't followed or understood it.

[sarumite]

I would just like to endorse the proposal made by redman41 above in respect of the removal of the separate sub-section for crosswords.

It simply does not work as intended, and probably never will in that set-up.

Most crossword questions continue to be posted under the main "Q&P" thread.

[AB Editor]

Thanks for that - quite comprehensive.

I don't think condensing will be helpful - the number of questions whizzing past will be much quicker! It might be impossible to keep up with!

All the best

Spare Ed

[sarumite]

Sorry Spare Ed ... having used the Q&P section for several years now, I can say with a fair degree of certainty, that it is far simpler for the person answering to be able to see all of the questions posted under one umbrella.

Currently we have to continually transfer from one section to another, often to see identical questions posed, as those posting questions do not realise their query has already been answered on t'other section!! ;O)

[AB Editor]

Okay, we'll look into it.

So you want one quizzes and puzzles sections which shows crosswords too? And a seperate section for riddles?

Anything else?

All the best,

Spare Ed

[zita-green]

I would like to endorse the above proposal. When I was new to answerbank I kept losing my way, switching from one to the other. Can it really not be done?

[AB Editor]

How do we like half-finished clues presented?

c-ts/--d/d--s

for example? Or do we prefer capitals and underscores?

All the best

Spare Ed

[Goofy]

not fussed either way on that one Ed, but agree sub-sections don't work.

[Jumbuck]

If you could enforce people having to search through previous postings before adding yet another question about a clue that has been asked and solved umpteen times previously, then that would be most welcome.

[mazie]

I personally prefer question marks rather than underscores. Often with underscores it's difficult to see how many letters are required, especially if the posted hasn't stated how many letters are required for the answer.

i.e G--d M---ing Ed as opposed to my preference

G??d M???ing Ed

x

[grasscarp]

Give a guidance about thanking those who give answers in original thread. We get separate posts headed Thank you Lie-in King etc

[toalisi]

I think the blank letters in the clues should be shown by a ? as a dot or a line is difficult for us older solvers to read.


I agree that the Q&P and crosswords should be combined even though space will be at a premium at busy times, and that is why I propose you instructing posters to not start a new post with the sole purpose of Chatting.
The exchange of greetings is fine within the answers of the post but there are people , especially on Sundays, the busiest tim, who insist on making a separate post asking their friends what they had for lunch etc.
This type of correspondence should be on Chatterbank and not bunging up Q&P!
Thanks

[AB Editor]

Hi all,

We will make dashes and "?" acceptable.

We cannot force people to search, but we will ask nicely.

Any rules regarding the answering of questions?

Spare Ed

[poodledoo]

assuming that answers are not allowed to appear on AB until within a month of the closing date, the person posting the answer is required to give an appropriate answer, not another clue, or a "stupid" answer just for laughs.

[smouse]

Do not allow the heading local quiz

OK its local to them but it is probably a quiz that lots of people have so sticking to the correct name of the quiz and adding closing date would maybe also stop those whose only purpose is to answer as many as possible in day and say I dont care when it ends when some of us do

[grasscarp]

I think there should be a function of Report this answer as well as report this question (I thought it was there once upon a time).

[rogerr]

Some people ask for help on a quiz, but never say if there is a theme for it. An example answer would be help.