"NOT A MATTER OF CHANCE"

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21940, 14 November 1936, Page 4

"NOT A MATTER OF CHANCE"

COMPILER OF CROSSWORD PUZZLE CHARGED (PRESS ASSOCIATIOE TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, November 13. “The true solution of the puzzle is not a matter of chance; the solution depends on skill,” said Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, when Archibald Evans Whiteford appeared on summons, charged with beginning the lottery “Better Times Crosswords No. 2," by which prizes of money were competed for by means of chance. Walter John Bishop, English master at the Auckland Grammar School, said he had examined the crossword puzzle of which defendant was the compiler, and which had appeared in a publication. The puzzie gave 12 clues, for which there were alternative answers. For the clue A shrill cry” the solution required was “screech,” whereas an alternative answer was *‘scritch,” The required solution for “Put to death” was slew, and an alternative was ‘slay. Either word, he thought, would fit the clue. To Mr Slipper, who appeared for defendant, witness admitted that some of the difficulties were dispelled by tne interlocking words giving clues m the cases where alternatives were claimed to occur. Referring to the argument whether “bleach” or “blanch” was the correct solution to the clue “whiten, the magistrate said that the required answer “blanch” was better than “bleach.” To bleach did not necessarily mean to whiten. Bleaching might mean merely the lessening of colour in some cases. William Arthur Sewell, professor of English at Auckland University College, giving evidence for the defendant. said the general solution of the puzzle was not arbitrary, but it did depend on intelligence. Mr Slipper submitted that the required solution was the best that could be devised. Any element of chance in this particular case was eliminated by allowing competitors to submit more than one solution. Unsuccessful competitors fell short of the basis of ability, and not of chance. The magistrate said the prosecution must fail. The operation of chance in the finding of the correct solution had not been established, and the information would be dismissed.