The Times Computer Crosswords

[Dave_E]

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone out there has any of these games apart from the Volume 1 and the Jubilee Puzzles. There were apparently five volumes available, and there even seems to have been a collection of The Sun Crosswords too, although I don't know if these were ever available for the BBC and Electron. I get the feeling that someone, somewhere might just have them, particularly because they seem to have been released on multiple formats, i.e. I've seen Atari ST versions of Volumes 2 and 4 on eBay before.

It might also be possible, if they cannot be found, to 'recreate' them, if somehow the data could be unpicked from a different version (i.e. the Atari ST one) and then ported to the format used by Volume 1. I suspect that they were probably created like that in the first place.

However, I was just wondering whether or not anyone reading this happens to have them, or at least one of the volumes that hasn't been preserved yet. As they were available for the Electron, they scratch my 'missing Electron games' itch which needs a scratch.

[leenew]

This advert states they were definitely available for the Beeb and the Electron:

Lee.

[BeebMaster]

I seem to remember seeing these advertised, possibly in The Times, or The Sunday Times which we were taking in the 1990s, rather than in a computer magazine. But my recollection is that they weren't doing a BBC (or Electron) version at that point, so it could have been quite a bit later than this advert, maybe getting on for the mid 1990s.

This recollection however conflicts with another recollection I am having that I did have some sort of crossword related software at some point during this era, though I am wondering whether that might have been a crossword solver or crossword layout generator rather than an actual computerised crossword puzzle as such.

[Simon]

It might also be possible, if they cannot be found, to 'recreate' them, if somehow the data could be unpicked from a different version (i.e. the Atari ST one) and then ported to the format used by Volume 1. I suspect that they were probably created like that in the first place.

I took a quick look at comparing the BBC and Amiga versions and the puzzle data is identical between both, I was able to transplant Puzzle 1 from the Amiga Volume 2 into the BBC volume 1 and it works.

Edit: attached is the volumes 2,3 and 4 converted this way, using the Amiga data and the BBC version from https://bbcmicro.co.uk/game.php?id=2958

[vanekp]

I have a disk with this one on Computer Crosswords Vol1(TheTimes)

ComputerCrosswordsVol1(TheTimes)(F00)40t_hfe.ssd

(100.13 KiB) Downloaded 10 times

[Simon]

I have a disk with this one on Computer Crosswords Vol1(TheTimes)

ComputerCrosswordsVol1(TheTimes)(F00)40t_hfe.ssd

that's a flip disk! half the puzzles are on the other side.

[Pernod]

that's a flip disk! half the puzzles are on the other side.

I'd suspect the other side to be the same but 80 track.

[Simon]

that's a flip disk! half the puzzles are on the other side.

I'd suspect the other side to be the same but 80 track.

The 80 track version has 60 puzzles split across both sides ~ 140kb total This version does prompt to flip the disk for the higher number puzzles

[BeebMaster]

I tried that disc, and I am not sure if it is what I remember or not. The first thing that struck me was, "This is a blue and white crossword, not a black and white crossword" and I think I would have remembered that from all those years ago if it's what I used then.

[billcarr2005]

The 80 track version has 60 puzzles split across both sides ~ 140kb total This version does prompt to flip the disk for the higher number puzzles

I guess the two sides were only required due to the 31 file limit, as I removed the 40 empty tracks on the SSD
https://www.stardot.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9576

I tried that disc, and I am not sure if it is what I remember or not. The first thing that struck me was, "This is a blue and white crossword, not a black and white crossword" and I think I would have remembered that from all those years ago if it's what I used then.

It could be that the older version in the other thread is black and white?