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Subject: The Quiz and Crossword Contracts

Posted by: WesleyCrusher
Date: May 01 19

Sometimes a throwaway joke can inspire an idea. When explaining to a newer author how to best deal with challenge requirements in the edit process I mentioned, jokingly, that they had only become an issue since we had tasks like "Write a Fill the Blank quiz in a subcategory of Sci/Tech that you have exactly one quiz ranked worse than 50,000 in, featuring the name of a deceased actor from Bhutan in the title, using all 26 letters in the alphabet in each question and writing the info in limerick form". Then, about 20 minutes later, I was struck by the realization that, if this task were posted in the Lounge, someone would probably actually do it, sooner or later.

And that means we can make a game out of it, right?

So let's get creative - both in setting tasks and in solving them. Here are the current ten tasks:

Contract #312 - 22 points: Write a classic style quiz or photo quiz in the History category on the history of any one country that does not already have a history quiz on FT. (by BigTriviaDawg)
Contract #318 - 16 points: Write a quiz for the Sub-Sets Challenge. (by Kyleisalive)
Contract #320 - 14 points: Write a photo quiz about coronations. At least one question must be FITB, and one question 50/50. (by Reedy)
Contract #325 - 9 points: Write a quiz about Adrien Brody. (by VBookWorm)
Contract #328 - 6 points: Write a quiz about a Russian television series of your choice. (by VBookWorm)
Contract #329 - 5 points: Write a classification quiz where the categories are all related to ducks but are not in the animal or science categories. (by Ilona_Ritter)
Contract #330 - 4 points: Write a 15-question quiz with exactly six words in the title, without using the letter 'e' in the title. At least three questions must be FITB, and two T/F-Y/N questions. (by Reedy)
Contract #331 - 3 points: Create a crossword on the history of any country with no more than 20% fillers. (by Sam388)
Contract #332 - 2 points: Write a quiz containing the word 'Pizza' in its title that is exactly 15 questions long and is neither in Food (Hobbies), Sci/Tech, nor World. The quiz can be either a Photo Quiz or a Photo-Match Quiz. (by Ilona_Ritter)
Contract #333 - 1 point: Using COVID-19 as an example, write a quiz about epidemics that changed the course of history. (by 1nn1)


Once you have picked a task and written, please submit it with the entire contract stipulation (including the number) in the note to the editor.

Wait for the quiz to go online, then report it here to claim the contract. If it's good, you'll receive the task's point value for the leaderboard AND you get to set up a new contract, entirely of your choosing. Come up with an evilly convoluted challenge, set up an easy one in the hopes of it being snatched quickly or just use the opportunity to make someone write a quiz about THAT ONE topic you always wanted to play but never got the chance as all nineteen online entries about it are yours... anything goes as long as it is possible. ("Write a match quiz in which every answer is a pangram" would not work - answers that long would not be accepted in the format). You must provide a new contract stipulation in the same post as your claim or the claim is invalid.

Every time a new contract goes up, all others increase in value by one point. Thus, there will always be ten options and after the starting phase in which scores are a bit on the low side, there will be always be a task (the oldest one) worth at least 10, and possibly considerably more if no one has taken it for a while. Thus, the longer a contract sits there (and thus the harder it presumably is to fill), the more lucrative it will become. And at some point, even writing that Sci/Tech quiz named after a dead Bhutanese actor will sound like a really enticing proposition...

You can finish any unfinished quizzes/crosswords to fill a contract, no need to make a new template, as long as the template was never submitted by the time the contract went up. You can't claim your own contracts of course, although authors whose contracts go all too high in value are encouraged to prove that it CAN be done.

There is no reserving in this game - you need to be the first to claim a contract, by actually fulfilling it with a quiz that meets the requirement. There's also no double-dipping - if you submit a quiz, you fill one and only one contract with it (if it qualifies for more than one, you must indicate which one you want - it'll probably be the higher score).

Yes this counts for Pangalactic and while it is probably not the best idea to advertise what you are working on (someone else might feel encouraged to steal it from under your nose), bluffing and other tactics are perfectly legit in this game. The only thing we don't want to see is collusion - so don't post a contract specifically tailored to your best buddy.

As some authors may wish to request clarifications for a contract by personal message (to not immediately alert anyone to the fact they're working on), we ask that anyone who answers such a clarification request post the answer to the thread as well while preserving anonymity, so that everyone is on the same page regarding a specific task.

Also, importantly, please remember the editors are under no obligation to check your entry for compliance with the task. You will find that most are willing to send it back for fixes if they find an obvious, easily fixed, mismatch, but there are no guarantees. If your entry only almost qualifies and goes online, well, you have a good quiz online and a second opportunity to work on the contract, possibly even for a higher score.

And now have fun!

LEADERBOARD

bernie73 - 683 points
1nn1 - 411 points
RedHook13 - 257 points
leith90 - 236 points
Kankurette - 205 points
psnz - 183 points
reedy - 151 points
ramonesrule - 140 points
LadyNym - 107 points
zorba_scank - 78 points
Kyleisalive - 77 points
windrush - 68 points
Ilona_Ritter - 51 points
rossian - 48 points
Pollucci19 - 44 points
Lpez - 43 points
AcrylicInk - 38 points
fifiona81 - 35 points
Gracious1 - 34 points
VegemiteKid - 34 points
spanishliz - 33 points
WesleyCrusher - 26 points
CmdrK - 25 points
Saleo - 23 point
moonraker2 - 22 points
Rowena8482 - 21 points
Apathy100 - 20 points
BigTriviaDawg - 20 points
VBookWorm - 16 points
Sam388 - 9 points
Angikar - 4 points
Godwit - 4 points
Ceetee - 1 point

COMPLETED CONTRACTS
(For earlier contracts, please click here.)

Contract #301 - 1 point: Write a TRIC quiz (X, Y or Z, it doesn't matter) in a category you don't usually write in. - Bernie73
Contract #302 - 5 points: Write a quiz of any size or format in any category you like other than Celebrities. - Lpez
Contract #303 - 1 point: Create a symmetrical medium or large literature crossword focussing on a group or genre of authors, such as science fiction or the Lakes poets, or the Bloomsbury Group. The choice is up to you. No 2 letter words or IATA codes. - Psnz
Contract #304 - 5 points: Identify two words or phrases which meet these criteria: (a) 15-17 characters in length; (b) the same length; (c) connected in some significant way. Insert these words or phrases as the first and last lines of a puzzle and construct a symmetric crossword between them. No two-letter words or IATA codes, please. - Windrush
Contract #305 - 6 points: Write a 10 question, all multiple choice quiz on either Australian flora or fauna, then create a medium symmetric crossword on Australian flora and fauna. No two letter answers in the CW. Both Quiz and CW should have the same title. - Bernie73
Contract #306 - 8 points: Write a quiz with a title that contains the name of a country that starts and ends with the same letter. The quiz cannot go in the Geography category. - Ilona_Ritter
Contract #307 - 23 points: Write a classification quiz in the Entertainment category where all answer choices end with a vowel. - Reedy
Contract #308 - 21 points: Write a quiz with "Tom Hanks" in the title in any category except for Celebrities, Movies, People, or Television. - Ilona_Ritter
Contract #309 - 10 points: Write a large Religion crossword with at least 6 clues being 10 letters or longer, and at least 4 words relating to religious festivals (words can fit either or both criteria). No 2 letter words or IATA codes please. - Psnz
Contract #310 - 22 points: Construct a crossword with a least fifteen colors and then write a quiz using fifteen of the colors as names (first, last, or middle) for people (real or fictional) as the answers to the corresponding questions. - Ilona_Ritter
Contract #311 - 14 points: Write a quiz or crossword puzzle that is inspired by the work of another author on FunTrivia. - VBookWorm
Contract #313 - 13 points: Write a quiz from the "Old is New" list, using any of the 'new' quiz formats (order/label/classify), AND use an Author Challenge Title. - Bernie73
Contract #314 - 1 points: Write a quiz or crossword puzzle with a four word title where all four words begin with the same letter for either History or Humanities. Quiz must be a format other than MC. - Psnz
Contract #315 - 1 point: Construct a symmetric medium crossword puzzle whose answers do not contain any of the letters in "SKIN". No two-letter words or IATA codes, please. - Ceetee
Contract #316 - 5 points: Construct a symmetric medium crossword puzzle all of whose answers contain any of the letters in "SKIN". No two-letter words or IATA codes, please. - Windrush
Contract #317 - 1 point: Write a quiz or symmetrical crossword with a theme surrounding April Fools Day. - Kyleisalive
Contract #319 - 3 points: Create a symmetric medium or large crossword puzzle in which at least 60% of the clues or answers relate to loanwords commonly used in English. A minimum of six loanwords must be of Hungarian origin. No two-letter answers or IATA codes, please. - Windrush
Contract #321 - 2 points: Create a symmetrical crossword relating to important landmarks in Europe. These can be natural formations or man-made. - Psnz
Contract #322 - 9 points: Create a symmetric medium or large crossword puzzle in which at least 60% of the clues or answers relate to loanwords commonly used in English. A minimum of six loanwords must be of Italian origin. No two-letter answers or IATA codes, please. - Sam388
Contract #323 - 1 point: Construct a large symmetric crossword containing at least one word with consecutive double letters for 20 different letters (or more) of the English alphabet. The crossword title must include "double" or a variant of the word, such as "doubling." Please, no two-letter words, Roman numerals or IATA codes. - Leith90
Contract #324 (1) (2) - 3 points: Construct TWO crosswords, one large and one medium, to submit to the Brain Teasers category. Both puzzles should be in different sub-cats (eg, drop or add a letter, anagrams, cryptic etc) and the titles should reflect that they are a pair. Grids must be symmetrical with no two-letter words, IATA codes or Roman numerals please. - Psnz
Contract #326 - 2 points: Write a quiz that is meant to satisfy the Author's Gallery monthly challenge for at least one requirement. - VBookWorm
Contract #327 (1) (2) (3) - 6 points: Create a set of THREE linked crosswords (one small, one medium and one large) for either the Celebrities, History, Religion or Video Games categories. Titles should reflect that they are a set. Each puzzle grid must be symmetric, with no two-letter words, IATA codes or Roman numerals. - 1nn1

807 replies. On page 11 of 41 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41
1nn1


player avatar
Also speaking with my Editor's hat on I would like to support SpanishLiz's view on proportion of crosswords that make up the ten challenges. While I do not believe there needs to be a fixed ratio, nor something so strict as must replace a crossword challenge with a crossword challenge, i would like to see more than one of two CW challenges at any time. Kyle has said 36% of challenges are CWs (though this is a much lower percentage if you look at contract points per challenge) si I would support a roster that has a minimum of 3/10 CWs from the 10 available challenges. At least once, I have completed a quiz challenge and pointed the next challenge back at CWs to get a reasonable CW proportion.

Reply #201. Jun 14 19, 11:57 PM
rossian


player avatar
Personally, I have little to no interest in crosswords. I find them difficult to write and rarely play them. This is primarily a quiz trivia site, so I'd expect most challenges to be quiz related.

I haven't taken much part in this challenge, due to lack of time, but if it was all crossword related I wouldn't even look at it.

Reply #202. Jun 15 19, 1:21 AM
kyleisalive


player avatar
Exactly. Setting any sort of required minimum or ratio instantly turns me off the idea; I’m thinking more about having to meet that expectation instead of actually doing the contract. I honestly think it should come down to the contractors making the decisions based on what they want. They’ve earned it.

If it turns into ten crosswords, as I’ve said, then that’s the way the thing lays out. I’ll just sit aside and wait for something I’m more interested in; the people who want crosswords are free to enjoy.

Reply #203. Jun 15 19, 2:01 AM
angikar
I believe we should allow the quiz/crossword ratio to evolve naturally. I mean, there was a time I remember there were five/six crossword challenges. In fact, when I complete another contract, the next challenge I have in mind is crossword-based.

Reply #204. Jun 15 19, 2:16 AM
moonraker2 star


player avatar
rossian said: "Personally, I have little to no interest in crosswords. I find them difficult to write and rarely play them. This is primarily a quiz trivia site, so I'd expect most challenges to be quiz related."

I would just like to add that crosswords may also be 'quiz related'. I make considerable effort to ensure that the majority of clues in my CW puzzles contain questions equally, if not more, interesting and demanding than many of the quizzes on FT.

Reply #205. Jun 15 19, 4:47 AM
spanishliz


player avatar
I didn't mean to start a great debate, or to suggest that we ever should reach the state where every contract is a crossword :) I just felt a bit concerned that we were heading toward zero crossword contracts. I've identified how this can be avoided in an earlier post.

Reply #206. Jun 15 19, 7:26 AM
Kankurette star


player avatar
I rarely write or play them, so that's why I've not done any CW contracts. I admit I only want to write music ones.

Reply #207. Jun 15 19, 10:50 AM
1nn1


player avatar
I would like to claim Contract #56 - 15 points: Write a 10 question multiple choice quiz on the Aussie band 'Sherbet'.

http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/Music/Sherbet---A-Quintessential-Australian-Pop-Band-397968.html

New Challenge: Write a quiz about either mixed celebrities with animal names or animals that have a species named after a famous person

Reply #208. Jun 15 19, 1:23 PM
Kankurette star


player avatar
I'd like to claim Contract #68: Think back to a quiz where you sent a correction note and/or gave a quiz rating of poor or very poor. Write a quiz in that same category.

My quiz: http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/Music/Origin-of-the-Spicies-397973.html

My challenge: write a medium-sized crossword about food.

Reply #209. Jun 16 19, 3:12 AM
RedHook13 star


player avatar
I'd like to claim Contract #60 - Write a quiz in the category in which you least like writing.

This is my first Literature quiz: http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/Literature/Astrophysics-for-People-in-a-Hurry-397906.html

New contract: Write a 10 question quiz in any category that centers around the origin/inspiration for your screen name?

For example: my screen name "RedHook13" is an homage to the WWE wrestler known as Tazz.

Reply #210. Jun 16 19, 2:34 PM
bernie73 star


player avatar
It's cool to see so many new quizzes and crosswords getting online that meet the various themes.

As a side note, i've been inspired by Contract #67 to write a crossword puzzle that has many answers in the Hawaiian language. I can't claim any significant knowledge about Hawaiian as I'm heavily using a website. Still for those who were worried that many of the contracts were quiz based, this is a crossword puzzle that is "sideways" inspired by the contracts.

Reply #211. Jun 16 19, 4:39 PM
spanishliz


player avatar
I would like to claim Contract 69: "Write a symmetrical large crossword puzzle in a category for which less than 100 have been written for FunTrivia" with this crossword, http://www.funtrivia.com/crossword/play.cfm?gid=6514 which is the 46th in the History category.

Reply #212. Jun 17 19, 11:48 PM
spanishliz


player avatar
Oh, yes, the new contract:

Write a crossword of any size in a category in which you have not yet written one. If you have written in every category, then write in the one you have the fewest crosswords online.

Reply #213. Jun 17 19, 11:50 PM
1nn1


player avatar
I would like to claim the following contract:

Contract #53 : Construct a 10 question quiz that is a sequel to the quiz for Contract 29, but focuses on 10 Art Deco buildings in your country or region of the world. (If you live in the US, you need to write about 10 other Art Deco buildings in the US.) (by Bernie73)

With:
http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/Humanities/Art-Deco-Architecture-Down-Under-397986.html

Thanks to Bernie73 for the excellent topic. I have always been fascinated with this style of architecture and built road trips to Southern NSW and another from Detroit to DC (visiting Fallingwater near Pittsburgh) just to take photos of Art Deco architecture

New Challenge:
Write a quiz about any event that occurred within a larger historical event where the 'smaller' event does not have its own quiz on Fun Trivia.

Reply #214. Jun 18 19, 7:03 PM
pollucci19 star


player avatar
Claiming Contract #70 - with a music quiz on songs that contain boats.

http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/Music/Motorboating-Maniacs-398006.html

New contract: Write a Humanities crossword, any size but symmetrical, that focuses on gods. No fillers.

Reply #215. Jun 19 19, 5:28 PM
CmdrK star


player avatar
I would like to claim Contract #72: Write a medium-sized crossword about food.

http://www.funtrivia.com/crossword/play.cfm?gid=6523

New contract: Create a diagonally symmetrical Crossword puzzle with at least 75% white space in the Children category and not include any two-letter words or any animals for clues or answers.

Reply #216. Jun 20 19, 8:50 AM
kyleisalive


player avatar
Updating this today.

Reply #217. Jun 22 19, 9:47 AM
1nn1


player avatar
I would like to claim the as yet unnumbered contract proposed by CmdrK on Children's crosswords

http://www.funtrivia.com/crossword/play.cfm?gid=6531

New challenge to follow.

Reply #218. Jun 22 19, 5:03 PM
1nn1


player avatar
New Challenge:
The modern Maori language only has 15 characters:
A E H I K M N O P R T U W NG and WH. (where the NG sound is like the 'n' in 'onion' and WH sounds like a soft 'F')
Construct a medium diagonally symmetrical crossword with at least 70% white cells using only the 15 letters of the Maori alphabet. (Substitute 'F' for 'WH' and 'N' for 'NG'. However in the latter case the use of 'N' for 'NG", the "n' in any chosen word must have the same sound as 'ng'.
Each of the 15 letters must be used at least once in the crossword.

Reply #219. Jun 22 19, 5:19 PM
1nn1


player avatar
I would like to claim the following contract:
Contract #64 - Write a 10 question, multiple choice quiz in the mixed human body category. Then create a small, symmetrical, 75% filled (at least) CW in the sci-tech category featuring the 10 answers from the quiz.

Quiz:
http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/SciTech/Quiz-and-Crossword-Combo-2-Body-Parts-398001.html
Crossword:
http://www.funtrivia.com/crossword/play.cfm?gid=6518

New Challenge:
Write a mixed Sports quiz about teams that have the same colour(s) uniform (eg Manchester United, Kansas City Chiefs and Sydney Swans all wear red and white as their primary colours)

Reply #220. Jun 23 19, 2:28 PM


807 replies. On page 11 of 41 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41
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