Puzzlebrains

Dear Scurra, Gill, Bunnylump and all the others who write and test these puzzles:-

Just wanted to say Thank you and I think you are doing a wonderful job and it's about time you were told. Yes we moan and groan when we can't get an answer, but without the puzzles there would be no forum and without the forum there would be no friendships and for myself that it as important as the puzzles.

So come on you lot give praise where it due.

Can I second this

I have extended my knowledge on haircuts, james bond, words, learnt a new type of alphabet, learnt more about films - I now have a list of films i would like to watch when I get a moment, (including highlander) to name but a few. I have sat and tried to explain the amazing complexity of the puzzles to my children's friends and am now known as "the mum who likes those puzzles". I have sat and got the whole family, the girls boyfriends etc involved in helping me solve some of the puzzles so much so they wanted to know the answers once we had worked them out.

I always need a lot of help but am hopeful that this is a learning curve and I can perhaps help rather than be helped so much as we continue.

Also I have lost the arguement of why my son shouldn't spend so much time on his steam games. He just smiles and says "puzzlebrains"

THANK YOU.

Biscuit

Hear hear!

I love the puzzles. (I have moments when I hate the puzzles, but those are usually short lived and usually followed by some help and a solution. )

and where would we be without the forum. When you have a good day and just have to share it, or a bad day and need to rant. (Sorry Gill, for last weeks earful )

The meet was great, thank you again to everyone involved in organising it.

Ditto.
Yes, we do moan about the puzzles to start with. We wouldn't be human* if we didn't do so. But gradually we chip away at the puzzles and find the chinks and cracks that enable us to break them down. Suddenly realising the InSiCoQua in a 3am moment, or getting a pointer in the right direction which leads to finally breaking the puzzle, is what this sort of puzzling is about. We may be working on the puzzles separately, but the Forum enables us to collude. All of the 'Fun of the Fair' puzzles seem to have been solved now, with different people having different parts of the set.
These puzzles are the mental equivalent of intensive areobics - our minds have to twist and stretch in many new directions, and though it hurts (hence the moaning), we generally feel better for it afterwards. Cracking a scurralous puzzle is like being in a boxing match. The setter will eventually lose, but not without a fight.
After all, this is supposed to last us two months, so if we found it too easy then it would be boring. Even though I got the final answer to 'Playing the Fool' very quickly, I still felt the need to tackle the other puzzles I hadn't finished.

*well, I'm mostly human...

And a HUGE thank you from me.

I love the puzzles (even when I'm hitting my head against a brick wall when I cant see the way forward) and then usually hitting it harder still when I suddenly see the light (and think - so why didnt I get that earlier).

The originality of the puzzles is what really makes this work for me - and I cant say how much admiration I have for all of you that are setting (and testing) these puzzles - and keeping the variety going.

And finally - what would we do - without our lifeline into Hints? It must be hard to know how much info you feel you should give - without spoiling the puzzle for the solver - but you have always provided me with the right level of support.

Many many thanks

Chazzie

I would like to add my thanks to all that have been named and Paulman too! We don't appreciate enough all the hard work you put into making this mag.

Thank you so much!

Me too please!
The puzzles are great and you guys are amazing for all the work you put in producing them for us. There will always be some that we find it hard to get started on or can't get to work but others that are such a joy it is a real feel-good moment when we solve them. The skill and ingenuity behind them is phenomenal and really impressive. And I am becoming knowledgeable about all sorts of things, some of which I never even suspected existed.

Not to mention all the friends to keep in touch with and to help/be helped along the way.

May the good work keep up for ever! (Don't groan too loudly at that thought Scurra!)

Looks like "The Management" have got some messages, and I'm glad to see that a lot of people think along the same lines as I do.... which is why we probably all get along so well (in real life as well as this virtual world).

I've got myself a twin sister here, and a potential adoptive family, not to mention a whole bunch of people I feel safe being cheeky to I know I'm not the greatest puzzler (by a LONG way), but on the level playing field of SUMS I was pleased to see that I have my place in the puzzling world [that's right... off at a strange angle that might be handy at times ] and that is all down to having this magazine and this forum to enjoy.

Please don't take moans and groans to heart - I like the 'exercise' analogy above - and bask in the positive comments that usually get posted about 5-minutes after people solve the puzzles and say "That's Fantastic - how did you think of that???"

Well, you know what I think. I know people think the same as me, it's just sometimes we need to remember to say it. And as a special dispensation I'll even refrain from being horrid to the jester for a couple of days.

I love the magazine and the forum and would miss both if they were to cease. Thankyou for a unique puzzling experience and I hope that this is only the beginning, not the end.

Bunnylump wrote: I'll even refrain from being horrid to the jester for a couple of days.

Sorry Bunny, but I don't think you'll manage that!

but yes, I echo everyone else's comments - even though I haven't been able to even start the latest issue (well, I'm now back at work I've had a look at a couple, only a look mind you, not start them!), this is still the first forum I check when I switch my computer on, and the only one I sneak onto from here!

Just wanted to say I do appreciate all the hard work that goes into making of PB.

We all like to rant and rage when we can't get any ideas on where to begin, but, as strep says, without the puzzles there would be no forum and without the forum there would be no friendships and that it as important as the puzzles.

eirian wrote:

Bunnylump wrote: I'll even refrain from being horrid to the jester for a couple of days.

Sorry Bunny, but I don't think you'll manage that!

I've ALMOST managed it today. (Not sure he's knowing what to do with me being nice though!! I suspect he's a little creeped out).


And Kathlyn, yes, the friends are one of the best bits.

I want to echo all the sentiments - I have had a great year learning all new types of puzzles. I marvel and the deviousness of the puzzles and how they can be disguised as simple - then I realise that it is me that is putting in the barrier. Gill and Scura have commited such a lot to this sit - I wonder that they have any time for a normal life - Also hintylump.
I hope the puzzles continue to develop and just want to say a huge Thank you

Tricia

add my thanks too
everyone above has said everything

Sorry Paulman I should have mentioned you in dispatches as well. Thank you for these puzzles (I think )

Definitely thank you for these puzzles, Paulman. I might change my mind when I've done magician

I would just like to add my thanks to everyone involved with the mag & forum. I do as many of the puzzles as I can and enjoy doing them. I do read the forum but don't post as much as I used to, but I still feel I have a lot of friends that I could call on.

As Scurra, Gill, and Boingy already know; My appreciation of their "craft" is boundless. I now have to seriously include PaulMan in this sentiment. I simply cannot comprehend how these puzzles are concieved, constructed and subsequently put to paper. I wish I could do it, but I don't think I will ever be able to.

What I do know is, that without the dedication of these people, I suspect there are also some others "in the wings" creating some puzzles, my (limited) spare time would be all the less entertaining. My bedtime would be well before midnight, my days would be filled with quite a bit more "real" work, and I would not have the pleasure of "enlightening moments" while driving up the M1 past Sheffield (yes, it gets that bad). Moreover, I would not have had the pleasure of having known everyone involved in this whole thing (from DVP, through Runes, to PB).

PB. Keep it coming. Keep us puzzled. Keep us infuriated when we get our "Doh" moments. PLEASE.

BB.

Now its my turn to say thank you - and thats from all of us.

Despite not asking for feedback it would seem most of you couldn't resist

We have had 100% yes from every one of our subscribers. I have had 75% yes from our regular bi- monthly purchasers. The other 25% couldn't be bothered to offer a yes or no. So I can safely say we have had absolutely no negative replies to date.

We have had responses from people who I thought were long gone- all non posters but subscribers - all saying that they want PB to carry on and that they will be renewing their subscriptions.

It looks like you lovely lot won the day- I'll put you out of your misery.

There will be a price increase- but nothing TOO drastic- and PB will be here, with another guarantee, to at least Issue 12.

We have listened to you- we always listen even though you may not think so- and we are working on your comments.

Gill