The Guardian's crossword editor, Alan Connor, has revealed that a new novel by Tony White, "Phantom at the Feast," incorporates solutions from Guardian Quick Crosswords published in 1985. The novel's foreword states that words emboldened in the text correspond to successive Guardian Quick Crosswords that appeared over sixty days, from 3 April to 1 June 1985. Connor notes that this is a rare occurrence and that it immediately captured his attention.
AI in Crossword Creation: Reader Responses
Connor also addressed reader feedback regarding last month's assurance that all Guardian crosswords are created by human beings. One reader, identified as Kazoom, expressed appreciation for the clarification, stating, "Glad you've posted this. The 'created by AI' comments, often supported by zero evidence, have become quite tedious to read. It's OK to fail, or just not get into the groove on a particular day, but just accept that's a you problem."
Additionally, Connor referenced an article from Gizmodo that tested large language models with cryptic crosswords, providing further context on the intersection of artificial intelligence and puzzles.
Genius Puzzle with a Musical Twist
In the latest update, solvers of Glyph's Genius puzzle for August discovered that the preamble indicated a SOAP OPERA THEME. The grid itself was secretly a piece of sheet music, adding an extra layer of complexity. Connor highlighted that this month's Genius puzzle, number 278, is by Turnstone and is now available for solvers. He encouraged those who have not attempted a Genius puzzle before to consider this one as a potential entry point.
Clue-Writing Competition Winner
Connor also announced the results of the clue-writing competition for the word EERIE. The audacity award went to Wellywearer2 for the clue: "Becoming cheerier, then sneerier, then leerier, when getting beerier? It's time to find the weird commonality within!" Runners-up included Mr_Rob_T's "Weird European TV show Naked" and 10FootClaudicant's "Sinister eyes raised oddly." The overall winner was the clue "Headless beer that is chilling," submitted by Batteredmullet.
Connor invited readers to leave clues for the word THEME below the article, along with any favourite clues or puzzles they have spotted. Alan Connor is the Guardian's crossword editor, and his book "What Would Reacher Do? The Official Jack Reacher Puzzle Book" is published by Transworld, priced at £16.99.
