Internet Table-Top Rally Championship 2003
Round 1 - Five Diamonds Rally
Competitor's Comments

General

Having perused the results, cannot fault you ! - perhaps if I could count and had worked in a bit better light, I wouldn't have dropped the points I did ! ! !.
Contrary to some other competitors comments - the ability to send in route checks as and when and having the results posted as you go along is a great idea.  It gives you a chance to see that you on the same wave length as the organiser and if not a chance to regroup. (Apart from the fact it eases your task of marking ! !)
Perhaps, it could be made part of the regs that say, at least 3 of the routes must be submitted before the end of the third week. (If they are not, then a point is deducted from each of those not submitted - up to the maximum of 3).  Appreciate this could be a problem in the holiday period - but perhaps competitors could apply to opt out of this rule for one of the events only, and this must be done prior to the routes being made available.
The only other observation (not a criticism), is that there were rather a lot of either or answers, which leaves the possibility of getting the route wrong , but still getting the questions right.  Would be better if ambiguity was lost (especially with things like telephones) - but I know how bloody hard it is to organise these things ! ! !
Overall a very good event - roll on the next one
(Peter Smith)

Hi, and thanks for that .  At least I now know what it's all about - not sure whether I'm looking forward to the next one or not ;-)
(Bernard Northmore)

Don't think 18th was too bad with only four days and the wrong map. Great event, but I'm sure it was more difficult than I remember!!!  Roll-on the Cloverleaf!!!!
(Tony Widdowson)

Thanks for organising such a challenging !?*?! event. I'm afraid a bit too challenging at times! I just didn't get on the right wavelength for some of the RCs.
RC1 - Fairly happy with this one, it'll be interesting to see where I slipped up.
RC2 - Sorry, this one completely blew my mind.
RC3 - Thought I'd cracked it, initial letters of digits and all that, but I just couldn't get it to fit.
RC4 - Another one I thought I'd sussed, but again , couldn't get it to fit.
RC5 - Biggest surprise of all! I worked out it had to do with bridges and that there were 11 clues. So I worked out a route using 11 bridges. Some pretty accurate measuring required to compare Yellow through GS's 1852 & 1853 with Orange through 1952 & 1953. Still don't know the relationship of the clues to the route, but I ended up with a 10!!
RC6 - A little bit of thought and this one fitted into place nicely.
RC7 - Had me completely baffled until 7:15 p.m. on the Sunday night when it suddenly clicked.
RC8 - Well I saw a bit of a pattern, but that was about it! Absolutely stumped!
RC9 - Eventually saw a Base 3 Grid emerging, i.e 00-02 then 10-12, 20-22 etc but couldn't get it right, so again, I'll be interested to see the solution.
RC10 - Well I think I got all the correct locations but I think I slipped up on the shortest route for the 2nd part.
RC11 - Took a while to spot this one, but got there in the end. Initially thought 78 referred to Northing 78 until the route went past it right to the top of the Map. Then It clicked that it was the next map up.
RC12 - Fairly ok with this one, decimals were a bit crafty though, but well thought out.
Looking forward to the next one....I think!!
(Steve Skepper)

I would like to say that I really enjoyed this event.  Some of the cards were quite easy to solve and it took me the only a few days to do them in my lunch-hour at work, having done these, they got very much harder and I was very pleased when I finally figured out the solution having spend many lunchtimes and evenings doing my head in.  I did find Cards 8 and 9 impossible and was very interested to see how it was done. 
I have read other peoples' comments and I agree that the posting of everyone's results is a little off-putting but it is good to see your own results as soon as possible allowing you to go back and see where you should have been more careful. I also liked the fact that you could send in questions and see the Q's and A's.  This helped to confirm some of my uncertainties. 
Presentation of the Solutions and Answers was fantastic, clear and easy to follow and certainly put me right about several things.
Excellent,  Keep up the good work.  Here's looking forward to the next one!
(Steve Barber)

I'd just like to add my thanks to you for putting this event on. Despite the fact that I didn't manage to get round to actually submitting any answers, I did do about half the routes, I just didn't get round to answering the questions. I did enjoy the event however, which was (for me at least) much better than the last postal TT I did back in February last year, when I gave up in disgust at the idea of trying to work out anagrams of map references. Yours seemed to require intelligence and lateral thinking to solve, not just vast amounts of time for trial and error. I would really have liked to have done the whole event, though I also remain in awe of those achieving scores over 90. The only problem is a lack of time. If they're still running when I retire I'll probably enjoy them a bit more (though it's a while to wait until 2030!) I look forward to the rest of the championship, when I hope to redeem myself.
(Matthew Atkinson)

First, thanks for arranging such a mind-bending and well-organised event. Like a good crossword, the solutions are obvious when you know them, but impossible when you don't. I knew that I would kick myself when the answers were announced, and I've got the bruises to prove it. The best feature as far as I was concerned was the way that individual route cards could be submitted, and the scores viewed in realtime. Obviously, it's not good news when you get a poor score, but it's very motivating to get a ten. I didn't have any particular likes and dislikes on the RCs, and I'm looking forward to the next time.
(John Elkin)

Mank(?) thanks for another enjoyable event, not sure how you do it but keep them coming. You asked for comments, here they are. 
In my opinion the best bit about your events is the ability to include comments and explanations on the answer form - there's nothing worse than 'solving' a route card and then coming up with more than one 'correct' answer to a route check.
Favorite section has to be route card 9 as I still haven't solved it. All the other route cards became straight forward after a little thought - I'm sure I'll be giving myself a right kicking when the solution is published. The clues on route cards 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11 and 12 very really helpful. I'm not sure that I would have solved 4 and 5 without the clue.
Least favourite route cards would have to be 1 and 2. I just don't like route cards like 1 and never will.
(David Bell)

Just a thank you for putting on the event which I am sure was excellent apart from the fact that I never got my brain into gear. I do hope that the solutions will be published before the next event gets underway, so that I can have a chance of finding my way round a little better. OTL at the start, and even more OTL at the finish!! 8-)
(Mick Clarke)

Sorry I was unable to devote the time I needed to this TT. As you can see I managed 8 of them, but the muse didn't have time to settle and allow me to read your devious mind on the others! The late start didn't help, but I don't know if it would have made any difference anyway!!!! Looking forward to part II, for two weeks of which I'll be on holiday in Rhodes, but I'll take it with me and if I can find time between the Amstels and the Moussakas and the swimming pool, I'll have a look at it there!! Thanks for your efforts.
(Alan Crabtree)

It was a good rally, I don't know how you managed to win the Cultivator, with all its closed gates, and then switch to setting this (or vice-versa). I particularly liked section 11 a mad romp up the highways.
In my student days I had a summer job driving around measuring all the potato fields in West Cumberland around Silloth, and I could probably have drawn the old one inch map from memory!
I think this route was quite high in 'iffy' decisions, particularly as map printing is more complex and not so careful these days.  It was nice to have the comments section on each answer form so that I could plead my case for clemency as per your invitation.
Like most Table-toppers I find it a lonely sport with few chances for feedback such as this.  I liked to read the ongoing questions and your responses.
After two weeks staring at the map  I still had not solved any cryptics, or managed to sort out any of the straightforwards (shades of a recent Ewan Hopes Pathfinder) and was totally disheartened by the publication of the scores to date. 
It did not seem worthwhile continuing to struggle with some people obviously so much better than me.  "Without hope all is lost."  I think that posting of the scores as they come in is a bad move and should never be repeated.  It takes away the feeling of 'I am the only one who has solved this, I bet the others haven't.' which is what keeps one going.  Don't forget that one is really competing against oneself. 
After Mike Biss's 99 I did not start again until Friday and decided to have a hectic weekend to support you, when I saw that only 36 scores had been posted. 
Thanks again for devising such a tricky, subtle, interesting yet ultimately VERY enjoyable rally.
(Peter Robertson)

Don't know if I should thank you but - Thanks for a mind numbing month, at least I've got a month to recover.
(Steve Pashley)

I have enjoyed the couple of hours that I have managed to spend on this event. Unfortunately work commitments have been extreem this month. I hope to have more time available for the next one. Thanks for putting the event on. I look forward to seeing the answers & thinking 'why diddn't I think of that!'
(Tim Hare)

Guess again & again.
(Mick Clarke)

I have totally failed to work out what the hell I am supposed to do with any more of the cards. Following are my remaining seven cards - it will take even less brain cells than I appear to have to work out how they were "derived" - however if they pick up 3 points between them its 3 more than I would have had!  (Pride, whats pride????)
(Tim Hassall)

I'm not sure I know what I'm doing -- curious to see how this turns out and whether I even have the right idea as to how this competition works.
(Shane Glynn)

Hi forgot about this till your reminder - pressure of work! Am struggling a bit - think I may be out of practice!
I'm making slow progress! Only got Internet 6pm to 8am! Am plotting on!
(Carol Moulton)

This is probably the only one I'll be able to do! I assume it'll take a while to understand how your mind works! It certainly passes the time on the train into work!
(Eric Richardson)

That is all for now. Managed not to press any more funny buttons on the mouse, and will now go off to have a quiet nervous breakdown. Excellent rally. Don't know how people get 99 percent. I would go nuts checking and rechecking bridges!
(Mitch Fielding)

Fought my way to the end at last. Thanks for a great rally, It has nursed the injury that the Massacre did to me.
(Don Clarke)

As with the previous partial answers. 50/50 guesses. I have enjoyed the couple of hours that I have managed to spend on this event. Unfortunately work commitments have been extreme this month. I hope to have more time available for the next one. Thanks for putting the event on. I look forward to seeing the answers & thinking 'why diddn't I think of that!'
(Tim Hare)

Many thanks for some interesting challenges.
(Mick Lowe)

Just not on your wavelength yet I think! Very enjoyable, many thanks, looking forward to the next one.
(Iain Tullie)

Many thanks for putting on the event, I know it must take a lot of time, so it is appreciated. I am impressed by some of the scores that have been posted. I now know what I need to aspire too.
(Martin Moore)

I've really enjoyed this TT, very well set out and very accurate too. Looking forward to seeing where I've gone wrong. Not looking forward to herringbones though, I hate them!
(Francis Tindall)

Route Card 1

A comparatively easy one to start. Having looked at the others, can I do this one another nine times?
(Alan Jones)

Made a total horlicks of Route Card 1 and on checking have found where I went wrong. Such is rallying.
(Keith Cunningham)

Route Card 2

A bastard to plot! Great accuracy needed.
(Malcolm Heymer)

Difficult to measure, but blew map up [not literally I hope] and thought shortest distance was round the left of the circle.
(Keith Cunningham)

Hopefully not too tricky... By it would have helped if I'd remembered my romer on the plane!
(Jeremy Rodgers)

Route Card 3

Note: I have followed your convention of spreading the 'w' at GS 1550 across the F line as wFF not wFwF, and used this to access white loop near TP in GS 1348 wFEwFNw (not wFEwwFNw)
(Peter Robertson)

Route Card 4

Quite easy to get muxed ip!
(Alan Crabtree)

Route Card 5

This might be my best Route Card yet! But then again...
(Clive Hodgson)

This was the easiest clue to solve....
(Jeremy Rodgers)

Just one comment - surely route card 5 should've been entitled "egdirB ehT paG", as you reversed each clue individually, rather than the whole route ???  I had been trying to make sense of 1.38 1.68 0.24 etc.  Not that it would have made the slightest bit of difference - the two marks I did get for that one were solely as a result of a total guess - just any old route including 11 bridges!
(Bernard Northmore)

Route Card 6

This was a bit of an eyesight test. Number of ETLs kept changing each time I counted!
(Clive Hodgson)

I liked this clue, although my printout had it spanning 2 pages and wrapping which made it less obvious!!
(Jeremy Rodgers)

Route Card 7

24 clues, 30 possible GS and I still haven't a clue! Seeing the scores its obviously a good 'kickself' question.
(Peter Robertson)

I don't think I have got anywhere near solving this section. Your first "nul points"?
(Graham Gardner)

Phew! I spend ages going round and round this one, and I'm sure I tried the 2 bits of the final solution many times, but couldn't get them to work.....
(Jeremy Rodgers)

Route Card 8

Well, my score on this one could be anything between 0 and 10. After many hours I've found a way of cracking the code to give a route but it maybe not the route that was intended !
(Stephen Daniel)

A complete guess!
(Iain Tullie)

Route Card 9

Nice idea for route 9 - finally sused it out on the bus into work this morning.
(Ian Buxton)

Please ignore my answers to RC 9 sent in a couple of minutes ago. It seems that when I press one of the side buttons on my mouse it sends the form with any blank questions filled in from the previous form. So you have a load of rubbish on the previous form as I got out of sysc somewhere and didn't answer all the questions as I was trying to correct the out of sync problem. The answers on this form are OK.
(Mitch Fielding)

I think this is a case of plot a route that looks good and just drive it - Impossible!!!!!!! Can't wait to see the answer for this one!!!!
(Tony Widdowson)

Route Card 10

Simple but tedious and ranked 13th on entertainment value - even the one's I don't understand are more fun, as is reading the Legend section.
(Alan Jones)

Arghhhh! Must have taken me half the flight across the Atlantic!! Of course a black and white printout didn't help...
(Jeremy Rodgers)

Route Card 11

Whew! I'm exhausted after driving all that way! Seriously, though, it was very difficult to count and check over such a long distance, especially as a crucial part of the route (blue/green changes) was right on the centrefold. And you know how I feel about routes that cross the centrefold anyway!!!
(Alan Crabtree)

The title had me worrying that I had made a mistake somewhere until I folded the map cover side out to finish.
(Peter Robertson)

Very imaginative!
(Malcolm Heymer)

Potentially a complete dog's breakfast! Not sure about the route or the counting ... my eyesight is definitely getting worse!
(Clive Hodgson)

Love the clue! Bizzare route....
(Jeremy Rodgers)

Whew! I'm exhausted after driving all that way! Seriously, though, it was very difficult to count and check over such a long distance, especially as a crucial part of the route (blue/green changes) was right on the centrefold. And you know how I feel about routes that cross the centrefold anyway!!!
(Alan Crabtree)

Route Card 12

I thought the 15.9 was a bit cheeky! Did you actually have some means of measuring it, or was it just a bold guess? Just a couple of comments - At RC6, my answer includes passing under the M6 in GS 4349, where I have convinced myself that I can see a bridge sign, but my eyes being dim with age could be misleading me! Also, RC5 would be 48, as the spot was on the road on an older version of the map (before the cyclepath was added) However, the green spot now covers it, and since spot heights only count where the spot is actually on the carriageway, (and it now isn't) I have ignored it and gone for the next one.
(Alan Crabtree