Crossword Club FAQs

5.1 How do I enter competitions?
5.2 Which crosswords are competition puzzles?
5.3 How can I find out who won a competition?
5.4 I have completed a competition crossword. Why have my statistics not changed?

6.1 How do I comment on a puzzle?
6.2 How do I start a new thread in the Forum?
6.3 Where are the comments for competition puzzles?
6.4 What are the Forum rules?
6.5 Are comments that were posted in the previous Crossword Club forum still accessible?
6.6 When I comment, the name that is shown is different to my Crossword Club profile name. How do I make these the same?

7.1 Who do I contact if my question hasn’t been answered in the FAQs or I would like to give general feedback?

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1.1 What is the Crossword Club?

The Crossword Club is a website designed to enhance the experience of solving Times and Sunday Times crosswords. Digital subscribers of both newspapers are automatically enrolled as members.

The Crossword Club allows members to:
- Access all recent crosswords in one place
- Access an archive of over 16,000 crosswords
- Send your solving times to daily and monthly leaderboards, and compare yourself to other solvers
- Build up a personal profile recording your solving statistics
- Comment on puzzles and join in with discussions in our Forum
- Submit competition puzzles without having to enter your details each time or pay for postage
- Enter our exclusive Club Monthly Special crossword and Clue Writing Challenge

1.2 What has changed and why?

Although the site looks markedly different to its previous version, existing Crossword Club members will notice that much has remain unchanged. All the same regular crosswords are available (apart from the TLS crossword), leaderboards still work in the same way, user statistics have been transferred, the crossword archive remains intact and you can still air your views on our puzzles via the Forum.

However, we hope you’ll benefit from some of the improvements we have made:
- The site now works on both tablet and smartphone as well as desktop and laptop
- Quick Cryptic puzzles are available and have been incorporated into the leaderboard system
- Mephisto puzzles are available interactively as well as for printing
- General Knowledge Jumbo and Latin (O Tempora!) crosswords are available
- The crossword-solving interface has been refreshed such that it matches the interface on our main site. Additional features allow you to:

* skip over previously entered letters in the grid
* show word breaks and hyphens in the grid
* turn the timer display on and off
* auto-save the above settings, so they need only be set once
* see solutions on the day of publication (except competition puzzles) and receive instant feedback on submitted crosswords
* change the grid size

- The leaderboards are now personalised, so that you see the section of the leaderboard in which you are placed as well the top solvers
- The list of the top 100 solvers is now one scrollable page rather than a series of pages
- Average scores and times are provided against which to compare yourself
- Members can now opt to solve either as a Private player or a Leaderboard player (for more details, see “What is the difference between being a Private and Leaderboard player?”)
- The homepage has been revamped to allow easier reference to previous times and scores

This is the biggest change to the software underlying the Crossword Club since it launched in 2000, and the first update since 2010. Even since this latter date, we have seen wide-ranging changes to the technological landscape such as the rise of smartphones and tablets, as well as more local changes, like the creation of the Quick Cryptic crossword and the launch of our new website. This release brings the Club up to date, both technologically and aesthetically, and after an inevitable period of settling in, we hope you get as much enjoyment from this version of the Club as the old one.

1.3 What devices can I use?

The Crossword Club now runs on smartphone, tablet, desktop and laptop.

1.4 What is the difference between Private and Leaderboard play?

As a Private player:
- none of your solving times will be sent to the leaderboards
- you can use the Reveal and Check functions to help you complete any puzzle (other than live competition puzzles)
- you can comment on any puzzle (other than live competition puzzles)
- you can submit entries for competition puzzles
- you won’t be given a score for any of your puzzles
- only the Crosswords Played and Crosswords Completed statistics will be recorded

As a Leaderboard player:
- you can choose to send your solving times and scores to the leaderboards (you can also opt out of this by choosing the Submit Without Leaderboard option when you submit the puzzle)
- Reveal and Check functions are hidden for all puzzles in the Cryptic and Concise categories
- you cannot see the solutions for a puzzle until you have submitted that puzzle
- you cannot comment or see comments on a puzzle until you have submitted that puzzle
- all statistics in Your Profile will be updated

Once a puzzle is started as one player type, it can only be solved as that player type, regardless of whether you switch during solving.

1.5 How do I switch between Private and Leaderboard play?

You can switch between player types at any time by going to Your Profile and then selecting Edit Your Details

1.6 When completing a puzzle, why am I being told that I am a Private player when I am a Leaderboard player (or vice versa)?

This is probably because you started that puzzle as one type of player then swapped to the other type at some point during the solve. Once a puzzle is started as one type of player, it can only be solved as that type, regardless of whether you switched during solving.

2.1 What do the options alongside each crossword do?

Pen — when this option is selected, answers appear in black type. Use this when you are sure of an answer

Pencil — when this option is selected, answers appear in grey type. You may want to use this when you are unsure of an answer. Before submitting to the leaderboard, you should ensure that all answers in pencil have been retyped in pen

Zoom In — magnifies the grid

Reset — clears the grid. If you are a Leaderboard player, your time will not be reset. If you are a Private player, your time will be reset to zero

2.2 Where can I find more options when solving puzzles?

Selecting the cog icon in the top-right of every puzzle will open a menu with the following options:
- Print — opens a printable PDF version of the puzzle
- Resize — resizes clue text
- Clues — toggles between a single and double clue column
- Pause — allows you to pause, and then save the puzzle
- Prize info — displays details of competition puzzles
- Timer — toggles the timer on and off
- Skip Filled Squares — means that you do not have to retype letters already entered in crossing answers
- Show Demarcation — shows word breaks and hyphens in the grid

2.3 Why is there no option to print in grey ink?

We recognise that this has been a popular feature of the Crossword Club, but regrettably we are no longer able to offer separate black and grey print options. Instead, all crosswords print out in 70% black, which will save ink while retaining a strong contrast between white and non-white squares. Club members who wish to save further ink should be able to do so by using the “ink saver” or “print grey” option that should be present in your printer settings.

2.4 Why can’t I print some archive crosswords?

Printing is currently available before the below dates for the following crosswords:
- Times Cryptic, Times Concise: November 2014
- All Jumbos, all Sunday Times crosswords: April 2016

We are working on a solution that will allow printing of all archive puzzles.

2.5 How do I see the solution for yesterday’s puzzle?

For all puzzles (other than competition puzzles), solutions are now available on the day of publication

In Leaderboard mode, once you submit a puzzle to the leaderboard, you will be shown which of your answers were correct (green) or incorrect (red). You can see the full solution by selecting the ‘Solution’ option on that puzzle’s panel in the Home page

Private players can use the Reveal and Check options to see and verify solutions

For all competition puzzles, solutions will become available once the closing date has passed

2.6 I am having trouble viewing a crossword — what should I do?

We recommend you try the following:
- Refresh the page
- Ensure your browser is up to date
- Try using a different browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge
- If none of the above has worked contact our Customer Services department using the details at the bottom of these FAQs

2.7 How do I save my answers if I want to leave the puzzle?

The safest way to save your answers is to:
- click the Cog icon in the top-right of every puzzle
- Select the Pause icon
- Select Save for Later

Puzzles are saved periodically during solving, but you may lose your most recent answers if you simply close the puzzle without pausing and saving.

2.8 How does pausing a puzzle affect my time?

Pausing a puzzle now halts the timer until you reopen the puzzle.

You can pause a puzzle by selecting the Pause icon in the cog menu at the top-right of every puzzle.

2.9 How does the In Progress percentage on the homepage work?

The In Progress percentage displays the percentage of filled squares in the grid, regardless of whether they have been filled correctly. The percentage will only display correctly if the puzzle has been paused and saved.

2.10 How far does the archive go back?

The earliest puzzle for each crossword type is as follows:

Cryptic
- Times Cryptic: October 16, 2000 (No 21548)
- Times Quick Cryptic: March 3, 2014 (No 1)
- Times Cryptic Jumbo: September 15, 2001 (No 364)
- Sunday Times Cryptic: May 27, 2001 (No 3914)

Concise
- Times Concise: October 16, 2000 (No 2162)
- Times Concise Jumbo: January 3, 2004 (No 22)
- Sunday Times Concise: June 24, 2001 (No 693)

Specialist
- General Knowledge Jumbo: December 27, 2015 (Christmas 2015) (followed by No 1 in the regular series, on April 17, 2016)
- Latin (O Tempora!): October 10, 2015 (No I)
- Listener Crossword: July 21, 2001 (No 3627)
- Monthly Club Special: July 27, 2001 (No 20011)
- Sunday Times Mephisto: July 28, 2002 (No 2188)

3.1 Where is the Listener crossword?

The Listener crossword is now located in the Latest Crosswords section of the Specialist page. New puzzles will be available in PDF format and should print out on one page of A4. Older puzzles are available via the Crossword Search and will remain in the format in which they were originally published online (usually requiring printing on two pages of A4).

3.2 Where is the TLS crossword?

We regret that we can no longer offer the TLS crossword as part of the Crossword Club. Members who would like online access to this crossword will need to subscribe separately to the TLS at: tlssubs.imbmsubs.com

4.1 How do the leaderboards work?

We have two types of leaderboard on the Crossword Club:
- Individual puzzle leaderboards — which rank members by the speed and accuracy with which they solved a particular crossword
- Monthly leaderboards — which rank members by combining scores from the individual leaderboards over the last 30 days. Separate monthly leaderboards exist for Cryptic and Concise puzzles.

You need to be a Leaderboard player (rather than a Private player) to use the leaderboards. You can switch your status in Your Profile, accessible from the link at the top-right of the screen.

When you have completed a crossword to your satisfaction, select the Submit option and then confirm by selecting Submit on the pop-up that appears.

A score will be calculated based on your speed and accuracy (see “How does the scoring system work?”) This will be sent to the individual puzzle leaderboard and the Cryptic or Concise monthly leaderboard.

Each individual puzzle leaderboard simply ranks solvers by the score they achieved on that puzzle (in effect, the fastest solvers with no errors, followed by the fastest solvers with one error and so on)

The monthly leaderboards rank solvers using an average of all their scores achieved on Cryptic or Concise crosswords published within the last 30 days. You need to have solved at least ten Cryptic or Concise crosswords to appear on the leaderboard.

4.2 How does the scoring system work?

Only puzzles within the Concise and Cryptic categories are applicable for scoring.

Any correctly solved puzzle will score a minimum of 600 points.

On top of this, a time bonus of up to 300 points will be added for any puzzle solved more quickly than the following times:
- Times Quick Cryptic = 20 minutes
- Times/Sunday Times Cryptic = 60 minutes
- Times Cryptic Jumbo = 120 minutes
- Times/Sunday Times Concise = 20 minutes
- Times Concise Jumbo = 80 minutes

The time bonus received depends on how quickly the puzzle was solved. For example, a Times Quick Cryptic solved in half the allotted time (ie 10 minutes) will attract half of the available time bonus (ie 150 points). This will then be added to the base score of 600 points to give the overall score (750 points in the example).

A correctly solved puzzle completed more slowly than the allotted time will always score 600 points.

A puzzle submitted with errors will lose points in proportion to the number of incorrect answers in the puzzle. For example, if a puzzle has 30 clues, and 10 answers are incorrect, the score will be reduced by one third of the available 600 points for a final score of 400 points.

4.3 Why have my scores for the Concise and Concise Jumbo crosswords changed?

We have tweaked the scoring system for Concise and Concise Jumbo crosswords, so that they fit more coherently into the overall scoring system. The time bonus for Concise crosswords is now available for puzzles completed in under 20 minutes. For Concise Jumbo crosswords, the time bonus is available for puzzles completed under 80 minutes. For consistency across all puzzles, we have converted historical scores for Concise and Concise Jumbo to the new system.

4.4 How are the average times and scores calculated?

The “average time” for a puzzle is the average completion time for solvers who have completed that puzzle correctly (this is to prevent puzzles completed very quickly with numerous errors biasing the average)

The average score for a puzzle is calculated in the same way as for average time. We are monitoring whether all scores should be included in the average score, regardless of the number of errors.

5.1 How do I enter competitions?

You are automatically entered in a competition when you submit a competition puzzle, regardless of whether you submit to the leaderboard or not.

Entry information, including prize details and closing dates, can be found by selecting the Prize Info icon in the cog menu at the top-right of competition puzzles.

Full terms and conditions can be found on the pop-up box that appears after pressing the Submit icon.

Competition puzzles will not be entered in the prize draw if they are started before the closing date, but submitted after the closing date.

5.2 Which crosswords are competition puzzles?

- Times Cryptic on Saturdays
- Times Cryptic Jumbo
- Times Concise Jumbo
- Sunday Times Cryptic
- Sunday Times Mephisto
- Monthly Club Special
- Listener Crossword (postal entries only)

5.3 How can I find out who won a competition?

We publish a list of winners at the beginning of every week, which can be accessed from the Crossword Articles page or from the strip of articles at the bottom of the main pages.

5.4 I have completed a competition crossword. Why have my statistics not changed?

Statistics related to competition crosswords are not updated until the competition is closed. After the closing date, statistics may take around an hour to fully update

6.1 How do I comment on a puzzle?

You can reach the comments section of each puzzle either by scrolling down to the bottom of the page or by visiting the Forum pages

In Leaderboard mode, commenting is disabled on a puzzle until you have either submitted that puzzle or you use the ‘Continue to Comments’ option, which will prevent you from submitting that puzzle to the leaderboard.

Once a puzzle is eligible for commenting, click the ‘Add a Comment’ button under the grid, type your comment in the box that appears and press ‘Post Comment’

Competition puzzles are not eligible for commenting until the competition is closed

6.2 How do I start a new thread in the Forum?

New threads can now only be started in the General section. Threads in the Cryptic, Concise and Specialist sections are created automatically when each puzzle is generated.

To start a thread in the General section, go to the General section and select ‘Create Thread’. Enter your subject and message, and then select ‘Create’.

6.3 Where are the comments for competition puzzles?

Comments on competition puzzles are disallowed until the competition is closed

6.4 What are the Forum rules?

Apart from those run as competitions, puzzles may be freely discussed by Private players from the moment of publication, including discussion of answers. Leaderboard players cannot view or add comments on a puzzle until they have submitted it; thereafter, they may comment freely

We ask that you discuss puzzle answers only within the threads automatically generated for that puzzle. This will ensure that Leaderboard players cannot accidentally view answers before solving

Threads for competition puzzles will appear shortly after the closing date.

All comments are subject to The Times community guidelines, which can be viewed here: bit.ly/2uRNUjm

If you see a comment that you think breaks any of our community guidelines or discusses a live competition puzzle then please use the ‘Flag’ option that appears when your mouse pointer is placed over comments. Your complaint will be assessed, and the comment removed if the complaint is upheld.

6.5 Are comments that were posted in the previous Crossword Club forum still accessible?

At present, comments that were posted on the old Crossword Club forum have not been transferred to the new site. We are hoping to make old comments available as part of a future release.

6.6 When I comment, the name that is shown is different to my Crossword Club profile name. How do I make these the same?

The name that is shown when you comment in the Crossword Club is the same name that is shown when you comment in the main site. You can change this as follows:
- go to the main site
- select the My Account drop-down menu at the top of the screen
- select Manage Account
- in Your Details, find Screen Name and select Edit
- type in your desired name
- select Save at the bottom of the screen

7.1 Who do I contact if my question hasn’t been answered in the FAQs or I would like to give general feedback?

You are welcome to start a thread in the General section of the Forum if you would like to send us feedback on the site. We will respond as soon as we are able.

If you have a specific technical issue then please email Customer Services at help@timesplus.co.uk or:

- if you’re in the UK please dial:
From your mobile: 0207 711 1527
Free from your landline and mobile phone: 0800 018 5177

- if you’re in the Republic of Ireland please dial:
From your mobile: 015360818
Free from your landline: 1800949687

- if you’re calling from outside the UK and Ireland please dial:
+44 207 711 1527

- Alternatively, you can speak to one of our online advisors here: bit.ly/2tVtJhd

If you have general feedback and you do not wish to share it on the Forum, or if you have a query about a live competition puzzle, please email us at one of the following addresses:
- For Times puzzles: puzzles@thetimes.co.uk
- For Sunday Times puzzles: puzzle.feedback@sunday-times.co.uk