The Times Crosswords - Vol. 1 & 2 and 3 & 4
The Sun Crosswords - Vol. 1 & 2 and 3 & 4
Typed by Belgarath


How to use the program

To startup the program, insert the disk and reset. Then double click on puzzles disk, 
then double click on volume required.

Each volume of crosswords contains 60 puzzles. When you are asked to select a puzzle, type in a
number from 1 to 60 (Times Jubilee volume: type in a year from 1932 to 1987), and then press
<ENTER> or <RETURN>.

You can try the crosswords alone or in competing teams. The computer will ask you to press 1 or 2
to select a solo puzzle or team game. In the team version, teams take turns to attempt a clue, and there
are two separate scores - one for each team.

The computer will ask you if you want sounds or not. Press N if you prefer silence, S otherwise.

The Puzzle will appear on the screen.


Solving a clue

Type in the number of the clue you want to solve, and press <ENTER> or <RETURN>. You may
have to type 1A to distinguish from 1 across from 1 down; if there is any doubt, the computer will ask you
to choose A (across) or D (down). You will see the clue at the bottom of the screen.

If you don't want to solve this clue yet, you can cancel it and choose another by pressing C.

At the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, the computer is asking you if you want help. Don't start
typing in the answer yet; the computer will not recognise any letters but C (cancel), Y (yes I want
help) or N (no I don't want help). Press one of these first.


Level One: championship level - 50 points per clue

Select N (no I don't want help). You will be asked to type in your solution on the bottom line of the
screen. If you get it right, your answer will appear on the crossword grid, and your score will go up by
50 points. But if your answer is wrong in any details, you get nothing - no points, no help.

If you select Y (yes, I do want help), you step down to


Level Two: marker level - 40 points per clue

The question Marker (Y/N)? appears at the bottom right of the screen. Select Y yes for level two, and
you will be asked to type in your solution on the bottom line of the screen. There are still no marks for
a solution which is wrong in any detail, but at this level (and lower levels), each letter of your answer
will be marked. Correct letters appear on the grid in CAPITALS; incorrect letters are displayed in
lower case. So, for example, if the correct answer is AIRLINE and you type in AIRMAIL, your
answer will appear on the grid as AIRmail.

If you can only guess part of the solution, you can try out your guess by filling up the rest of the
answer with > marks.

If you answer N to marker level, you step down to


Level Three: convention indicator - 30 points per clue

a two-letter coded hint appears after the clue, indicating what kind of clue this is - An indicates an
anagram for instance.

The Help (Y/N)? question reappears, if you need no further help, and are ready to enter your solution,
answer N. If you answer Y, you step down to


Level Four: coffee time clue (SUN crosswords only) - 20 points per clue

There isn't a coffee time clue on Times or Sunday Times crosswords, so they skip this level. SUN
crossword solvers get a less cryptic clue, and again the Help (Y/N)? question. Choose N (no more
help) to try your answer at level four, or Y to step down to


Level Five: first letter of solution - 10 points per clue

If the first letter of your solution has not yet been filled in, you can 'buy' it by stepping down to level
five. If the first letter is already there, you skip past it to the last question:


Solution desired (Y/N)?

If you answer Y (yes) the correct solution will be shown in the grid and thirty points will be deducted
from your score. The computer will pause; when you are ready to continue, press any key.

If you answer N (no) the computer will ask you to type in your solution.

Typing C (cancel) to any of the questions allows you to cancel this clue and choose another.


Trying again

You can have as many tries as you like at each clue. Obviously, once you've had help with a clue at
one of the lower levels, you are restricted to the lower score - you can't go back and solve it at
championship level for 50 points.

If for any reason you find the computer is asking you to type in a solution and you don't know what
the solution is, just press <ENTER> or <RETURN> without giving an answer; you can always come
back later and try again.


Finishing

The program finishes, and gives you your final score, when the last clue is solved. Alternatively, you
can give up whenever the Insert clue number prompt appears by pressing <ENTER> or <RETURN>
WITHOUT a clue number. You will be asked to confirm that you want to quit.


Typed by Belgarath