prizewinning quiz request for answers

[quizmouse]

i notice time & time again the heated discussions about those asking for help with answers on here for prizewinning comps. There must be a solution to this, and as you're all so quick to give correct answers to those asked I find it hard to believe no one has come up with some sort of answer.
I agree that this site is for questions, and these are just questions, but as a setter sometimes I spend days setting questions only to find the answer published here within another few days...
On an earlier posting someone suggested that we ask entrants to state on the form if they have had help??? not sure that would work, could we ask them to give their AB name then perhaps there would be a way (I dont know how) to check to see what help they have had?
Having said that there are no doubt other answer sites available that I dont know about...
I'm sure one of you out there can come up with a way to sort this out and hopefully put a stop to some of the bad feeling caused by this problem.
I think what we have to accept is that asking on here is really no worse than asking around friends and neighbours apart from the fact that it is here for everyone to see if they choose to.
Anyway happy quizzing folks
quizmouse

[Rollo]

This topic appears with monotonous regularity.

People need to be realistic. There is no way that people are going to be stopped from asking for answers to such questions, and there is no way that people are going to be stopped from answering such questions - unless the questions are not set in the first place.

There is no point in "banging your head against a brick wall".

There is no "solution" to this that is going to happen.

[Tallulah!]

There was an article in the paper this week about Sudoku Spoilsports.
If all the ABers who object to the answers being posted for all to see wrote to The Daily Mail to inform them that no one actually has to submit their own work any more perhaps the Quizzes and Puzzles section of AB would get closed down. But all the Quiz cheats would migrate to to the other forums and google would still direct us to them.
Or perhaps the dreaded "Ask what you like however outrageous" bit could be removed which is so often quoted for it being ok to be spoilsports.
All the other AB topics are very useful and make interesting reads.

[Rollo]

There are a number of Sudoku sites where you can input a grid and get the solution.

I doubt the DM care. Why should they?

[quizmouse]

Oh well I tried.
Just have to keep going and think it through myself but makes the comp entry a draw. Maybe we just dont worry about right answers we just ask everyone to return their sheets in whatever state of completion and chuck them all in a hat and pick one out. At least those who dont come on here stand the same chance as everyone else that way.... or when we send off the new quizzes we enclose the answers too so those that dont 'cheat' still wont and those who do can do more easily?

[oddboddy]

Well its the reason I gave up and there was a past thread announcing another setter ken48 had given up for the same reasons and I know others that have too, Alot of quizzers have given up over the draw issue too so it does seem a shame that some form of compromise cant be reached.I did think picture quizzes held the answer but they seem to be asked just as often now if cinnamons anything to go by but If you ever find a solution quizmouse let me know.

[ken48]

Rollo is spot on.

However many times have threads like this developed over the last few months?

And nothing changes.

For setters who object to their quizzes being �ruined� (Tazmac�s word) � and I am one of them - there is only one solution � give up setting them.

I have now given up, but have been persuaded instead to host local quiz sessions � I don�t like pure General Knowledge quizzes, but I can still work in some 'cryptic type' rounds for variety, to keep my compiling skills fresh. Last week�s quiz for a local church group raised �290, and I didn�t need to worry about duplication of quiz sheets, banking small cheques/lost coins, etc, or do all the marking. The church was delighted, and I enjoyed the interaction with the audience.

Could it be that AB has done me a favour in pushing me in a different direction??

[quizmouse]

i do run local fundraising quizzes regurlarly as well but there are lots of charities who need these fund and if i stopped they would suffer. i suppose i raise about �800 a year via this site, so it is worth it, but dont like the bad feelings

[oddboddy]

Best of luck with the quiznights both of you. I do go to one locally and they are great fun.
We are looking at murder mystery nights as a fundraiser for our group so I guess theres always other avenues to go down.

[jessiedog]

I think that perhaps the 'just clues' only approach would be a suitable solution to this problem. I realise that if you already know the answer, then the clue is going to look easy, however, if someone is asking for a clue it may still leave them without an answer, but does give another avenue of enquiry.

I remember asking for a clue to a quiz a long time ago and Magyar very kindly supplied it for me... I puzzled over that for several days before the penny dropped!

As a quiz setter I would like to see this approach taken up. My quizzes usually involve pictures and this means the members of AB who have not purchased it do not really have a chance to solve it inadvertently as with GK or cryptic clues.

This is my feeling and possible solution to this question.

I should just add that I love seeing all the wrong answers that are posted to my questions/pictures and the discussions that arise from those pictures/links that are put in to upset the applecart. I also know of another setter who must have gloried in watching us all getting the wrong answer - really putting the CAT amongst the pigeons, not one for the BLONDIE's amongst us!

[quizmouse]

I think this is a fair suggestion and at least you and a few others have taken the problem on board I repeat tho' its a shame this problem causes so many to show their nasty side and is not thought through and perhaps there could be a simple solution so we can all continue doing what we enjoy without the hassle