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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 34 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
gracious1 star


player avatar
I would like to claim Contract #258: Write a quiz in the Animals category where all the correct answers have two, and no more than two, repeating letters. For example, kookaburra would be acceptable (2 of letters a, k, o and r) but cockatoo would not be (2 letters c, but 3 of o).

link https://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/Animals/Random-Animals-Could-Be-382651.html

New contract: Write a quiz in the category in which you have the fewest quizzes written. If there's a tie, the winner is the category which has the fewest quizzes overall.

Reply #661. Jan 03 22, 9:20 AM
leith90 star


player avatar
I would like to claim Contract #252: Create a symmetric crossword about Crosswords. No two-letter words or IATA codes.

link https://www.funtrivia.com/crossword/play.cfm?gid=8986

New challenge is Virus-free. Construct a symmetric crossword that contains none of the letters found in VIRUS. No two letter words or IATA codes please.

Reply #662. Jan 08 22, 4:41 PM
reedy star


player avatar
I'd like to claim Contract #273 - 2 points: Write a quiz in the category in which you have the fewest quizzes written. If there's a tie, the winner is the category which has the fewest quizzes overall.

I had five categories to choose from, but Sci/Tech won the tie-breaker.

link https://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/SciTech/Essential-Elements-407728.html

For the next contract - Write a quiz using one of the new formats that is a re-imagining of one of your first ten published quizzes.

Reply #663. Jan 11 22, 10:30 AM
reedy star


player avatar
I would like to claim Contract #266 for 10 points: Write a quiz with only one vowel (A, E I, O or U) in the title. (by Kankurette)

link https://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/Literature/Genres-407827.html

For the replacement contract - Create a quiz in any main FunTrivia category, but you must use an Author's Challenge title that begins with the same letter as the title of the subcategory that you choose. Lastly, it must also qualify as a TRIC quiz.

Reply #664. Jan 13 22, 8:51 PM
kyleisalive


player avatar
This might need a call from Kankurette to confirm if it was meant that only one letter in your title could be a vowel or if you could use the same vowel more than once.

Reply #665. Jan 14 22, 1:18 AM
reedy star


player avatar
I checked with Kankurette beforehand:

"Definitely. You can use the same vowel more than once, you just can't use any others, so 'Genres' is fine."

Reply #666. Jan 14 22, 11:13 AM
kyleisalive


player avatar
Excellent! I’ll make the list change shortly (just getting my booster!). :)

Reply #667. Jan 14 22, 11:32 AM
gracious1 star


player avatar
I would like to claim Contract #275: Write a quiz using one of the new formats that is a re-imagining of one of your first ten published quizzes. (by Reedy)

link https://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/History/Sorting-the-Second-Wave-of-Feminism-407835.html

New contract: Write a quiz in one of the subcategories of Entertainment except Comics, Wrestling, or Entertainment by Themes. Title must contain no articles ("the", "a", or "an").

Reply #668. Jan 15 22, 2:42 PM
1nn1


player avatar
I would like to claim the following contract:
Contract #274 - 4 points: Construct a symmetric crossword that contains none of the letters found in VIRUS. No two letter words or IATA codes please. (by Leith90).

The recently accepted crossword "Oh The Irony! The VIRUS-free Crossword" (#9001) fits the criteria.
link https://www.funtrivia.com/crossword/editcross.cfm?gid=9001

New Challenge: Construct a symmetric crossword that contains none of the letters found in RECOVERED (ie R E C O V D). No two letter words or IATA codes please. (This challenge has been tested and whilst not easy is do-able).

Reply #669. Jan 16 22, 2:20 AM
LadyNym star


player avatar
Nick, I believe the link you posted is an editing link. I clicked on it, and I got the message that I don't have permission to edit that crossword (which is not surprising :D).

Reply #670. Jan 16 22, 6:48 AM
psnz star


player avatar
I think the appropriate link for 1nn1's CW is:

link https://www.funtrivia.com/crossword/play.cfm?gid=9001

Reply #671. Jan 16 22, 12:00 PM
gracious1 star


player avatar
I would like to claim Contract #264 for 15 points: Write a quiz about something Australian. (by Kankurette).

link https://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/Geography/Mapping-Australia-407897.html

New contract: Write a Standard quiz in the Family Life subcategory of General. Quiz title must be exactly five words long. At least one question must use the 50/50 question type and one must be FITB.

Reply #672. Jan 16 22, 2:02 PM
riverboatqueen
Has anyone here ever worked for a publishing company proofreading crosswords?

Reply #673. Jan 16 22, 3:45 PM
riverboatqueen
Bravo to all of you for volunteering to make all these crossword puzzles!

Reply #674. Jan 16 22, 3:51 PM
spanishliz


player avatar
I'd like to claim contract #277 for 2 points:

"Contract #277 - 2 points: Write a quiz in one of the subcategories of Entertainment except Comics, Wrestling, or Entertainment by Themes. Title must contain no articles ("the", "a", or "an"). (by Gracious1)"

with this quiz, in the Entertainment Word Play subcategory:

link https://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/Entertainment/Entertaining-Anagrams-407900.html

Reply #675. Jan 16 22, 7:22 PM
spanishliz


player avatar
Ah, yes the new contract:

Write a quiz that qualifies for the Transit Maintenance challenge, that is NOT in Geography, and using one of the new quiz formats.

Reply #676. Jan 16 22, 7:23 PM
windrush star


player avatar
Riverboatqueen: Has anyone here ever worked for a publishing company proofreading crosswords?

When I worked for a city publisher, I proofread a number of periodicals in my long-ago youth. The task included checking the crossword for errors. As a crossword addict from childhood, not much got past me then.

Why do you ask?

Reply #677. Jan 16 22, 8:16 PM
windrush star


player avatar
I have to add that those were pre-electronic times, and everything was written, typeset and proofread manually.

Reply #678. Jan 16 22, 8:19 PM
psnz star


player avatar
I checked with windsw... er windrush who assures me that my crossword puzzle "Today in History: January 1" meets the requirements of the following contract:

Contract #268 - 13 points: Construct a medium or large crossword, symmetrical UNLESS the white or black spaces form a topical image. Topic to be based on the holiday season (Christmas, New Year or Diwali, Hanukkah, etc.) (by Windswept)

Crossword Link: link https://www.funtrivia.com/crossword/play.cfm?gid=8947

New Contract
Alphabetical Animals: Construct a symmetric crossword which contains at least 26 animal name answers, one for each letter of the alphabet (eg: ... Xerus, Yak, Zebra). No two-letter words or IATA codes, please.

Reply #679. Jan 16 22, 9:02 PM
bernie73 star


player avatar
psnz,

For your newest contract, does the answer on the grid have to have the starting letter we are trying include to cover the alphabet? In other words,

If I am trying to include an animal that includes the letter "H" and I have the clue "Attended the tea with the Mad Hatter: ____ Hare", would that cover the H answer for this contract or not? Thanks.

Reply #680. Jan 19 22, 9:01 AM


807 replies. On page 34 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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