Puzzle Rejiggering: Here's What's Coming
Hey, Gang,
We’re gonna try going back to Old School Tanga, or at least a new version of it. Here are the changes:
Only Three Featured Puzzles a Night
A Cryptopix
A One Word Wonder
A Hypercross
Not sure yet about the Hypercross schedule, it’ll probably stay like it is now – Mon, Wed, Fri – but we might be able to bump it up to every other day, especially if people keep making them like they seem to be doing these days. We’re actually getting a good number of Hypers, and though they’re slower to Moderate due to the number of “moving parts” they have, we’re certainly willing to put out one a day as long as good ones keep being submitted.
One Word Wonders Will Not Be Labeled
Getting rid of the EASY and HARD title tags.
Yeah, these were sometimes helpful, letting you know, for example, on an Easy, not to overthink a puzzle… or that there was maybe an extra step you needed on a Hard… but they were pretty subjective – Easy or Hard for whom?
I often used them as relative terms: This “Hard” puzzle is harder than the “Easy” tonight. And even then, I mislabeled for some… or occasionally, many :) And with only one OWW a night, there’s nothing to compare to anymore.
So… Old School Tanga, Baby!
Besides, there are always plenty of good Comments on each puzzle to guide you.
Tanga Ponts for Puzzlemakers
150 for a Cryptopix
250 for a One Word Wonder
500 for a Hypercross
50 for an Unfeatured
No more points given per number of solves
It’s kinda like the flat tax we hear about every election year. Puzzlemakers will simply get a set number of points for having their work published… regardless of how many people solve it.
The solving points, though, will stay the same, including the bonus points for being one of the first 100 to solve.
Puzzlethons and Contests
Oh, they’re coming.
Unfeatured Puzzles?
Dunno yet. We’re toying with the idea of blowing them out on a set schedule, like maybe the first Saturday of every month… or twice a month on, say, the 1st and 15th? What do you guys think?
Ideally, of course, we don’t have any Unfeatured puzzles :) Everyone just submits great stuff. And if not, the Mods nudge them into being things of beauty.
To that end, we might pick up a few more Mods. Not sure yet.
But this is what’s going on backstage here at Tanga Puzzle Central. Stay tuned.
Sounds awesome!
The points re-vamp is great!
For unfeatured's, I like the first Saturday of the month idea. It is easier to participate in an unfeatured "blow out" of the puzzles on a weekend day rather than a weekday.
Thanks for the info Arnott!
This is excellent news! Really looking forward to it. Now, to get back to the 3 hypers I have floating around in my brain!
One question... Does the "no more points given per number of solves" apply to puzzles already published?
I'm sure I'm not the only constructor who was hoping to eventually earn at least a few token points on old unfeatured puzzles that have so far earned 0 points for the constructor. For example, I have one puzzle currently with 97 solves, another with 96 solves, and a third with 90 solves.
[3] I'm gonna guess... probably. I can't imagine the programming for this won't be global. Or rather, I'd assume it'd be more trouble for Joe than it's worth to make this separate.
But remember, there's some sense of balance, in that you've also received the same "number of solves" points for your Featured puzzles. For example, the 599 solves on this Cryptopix of yours:
http://www.tanga.com/puzzles/2867-7-9-2008
In fact, better to get one more solve on that one, than to try and round up 10 people for your Unfeatured puzzle with 90, right? It's the same "number of solves" bonus for you.
Under the new system, you would have gotten nothing extra for those 599 solves. Though I'm betting my adding this link here will get you that 600th :)
Is Picathon ever coming back?
[4] Thank you! Most likely due to your post, four people did solve that puzzle this evening. Thank you solvers!
Maybe posting here will help with the three puzzles I mentioned in [3]...
97 solves: http://www.tanga.com/crossword_puzzles/1071-9-16-2008
96 solves: http://www.tanga.com/puzzles/2856-6-8-2008
90 solves: http://www.tanga.com/puzzles/2456-6-1-2008
And here are two more that are only 3 solves away from a bonus:
http://www.tanga.com/puzzles/3940-10-1-2008
http://www.tanga.com/puzzles/1928-4-27-2008
When does the new 3-featured-per-night start?
...and these are all on the edge of x00th solves:
http://www.tanga.com/puzzles/2644-8-2-2008
http://www.tanga.com/puzzles/4007-10-22-2008
http://www.tanga.com/puzzles/3602-8-17-2008
:)
[7] Yeah, of course someone would ask that question :)
Could be as soon as Monday. I think Joe has most of the work done.
Hey everyone,
I have a few that never earned me any creation points as well:
http://www.tanga.com/crossword_puzzles/1025-9-12-2008
http://www.tanga.com/puzzles/1744-7-20-2008
http://www.tanga.com/crossword_puzzles/932-8-26-2008
http://www.tanga.com/crossword_puzzles/631-9-14-2008
http://www.tanga.com/crossword_puzzles/551-9-14-2008
http://www.tanga.com/crossword_puzzles/949-8-17-2008
http://www.tanga.com/puzzles/3541-8-13-2008
http://www.tanga.com/crossword_puzzles/816-4-3-2008
Go solvers! :)
I think the new changes are going to be great! As far as when to do unfeatured, I like the idea of a consistent twice a month schedule. Something like 1st and 3rd Saturdays. Then it will always be on the weekend, and my work day won't be as affected ;). I am also looking forward to more theme days, which are really fun. On that note it would be nice to know those way ahead of time, in order to think up puzzle ideas, and also Threehojos should be limited to ten puzzles a theme :> JK!!!
[7][8] Monday, indeed!
[10] We could also try it every Saturday. Sure, some Saturdays would be lighter than others - empty, even - but doing it once a month could mean some months have, like, 20-30 puzzles that day... or maybe more.
[11] That makes sense. Better to maybe have a light saturday instead of the overload of puzzles.
[10] re: Advanced notice (US dates)
Election Day -Nov 4
Veteran's Day-Nov 11
Thanksgiving -Nov 27
Christmas-Dec 25
New Year's -Jan 1
Martin Luther King Day-Jan 19
Inauguration Day (US)-Jan 20
Valentine's Day- Feb 14
President's Day-Feb 16
St. Patrick's Day- March 17
April Fool's Day-April 1
Easter-April 12 -hide those Easter Eggs, Tanga!
Mother's Day- May 10
Memorial Day-May 25
Father's Day-June 21
Independence Day-July 4
Labor Day -Sept 7
International Talk Like a Pirate Day -ar, it be Sept 19.
OK-you've been given notice! Get busy creating puzzles! My guess would be that the next day for A LOT of theme puzzles would be Christmas -or at least over the course of December we see lots of holiday puzzles. In the past, St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, Christmas and International Talk Like a Pirate Day are all very popular puzzle theme days.
how 'bout an answer for [5]?
Glad to hear about the change for points. I admit that I was uninspired to make more puzzles when I didn't accumulate enough solves for my first one to get any credit for making it.
[10] Funny! :)
(the zombies are on their way to your house...)
[14] Dunno. I'm not in a position to say for sure.
I will say that rendurdson has a kinda cool alternative idea that sort of uses the same system... but is different... ish :) So maybe that's what's on the drawing board instead..?
[16] Zombies noooooooo!! I hate those things! Ignore what I said Arnot and please call back the Zombies.
Oh, rejiggering, is that where you are Arnott? Where exactly is that? I ask cuz it doesn't seem to be on Tanga in July 2010.