The Stickler Weekly 90 Solution

As a former full-time professional crossword setter, I was in an elite bunch (bunch might be overstating it). Very few people around the world, let alone Australia, make their living writing crosswords alone. Opportunities arose occasionally that required an expert in the field, and I was targeted a number of times to get involved with crossword-related projects.
In 2003 I was approached by a farmer from SA who had thought up a crossword board game while convalescing in hospital after an accident. He and his brother wanted to meet me in Sydney to discuss my involvement and possibly (if I passed muster) show me a mock-up of the game. Our meeting went well and, after signing a non-disclosure agreement, I saw the game and was taken through the rules and how the gameplay was supposed to work. This was exciting and I could see immediately how I could contribute in a number of different areas. The game designers essentially wanted me to create grids and clues that were appropriate for how the game worked, but it was clear my ongoing expertise would be needed so we came to an arrangement where I would be paid at a reduced rate for the crosswords and I would also receive a share of profits. The game designers engaged an Australian game developing company through the internet to take the game to a prototype stage that could be used as a template for manufacturing. The whole process was planned to take a number of months and cost a significant amount of money.
Although I was kept in the loop regarding rules and gameplay changes etc, I wasn’t involved with the interaction between the designers and developers – my main focus was the crosswords and clues to be used in the two planned versions of the game targeting different age-groups. There was a lot to do – specially-designed grids with non-standard numbering and clues that were crucial to how the game worked, all to be delivered in a format that was easy to understand and assemble.
I had no idea things weren’t going well until I was notified that development had stalled due to a disagreement over the amount of progress for the money spent. Basically the prototype was nowhere near finished, and what had been done was of average quality.
My emails of the period show this all took place in 2003 and what followed was claims and counter claims between designer and developer first via email then the lawyers got involved. In 2005 an independent report was commissioned by the designers to examine the project. In 2006 the report was completed which favoured the designers, claiming they had paid three times the going rate and had received substandard prototypes. It was hoped that this would be enough to get some resolution. Some time later I received a phone call informing me that the designers were cutting their losses and closing the door on the crossword game for good.
This is a sad story – everyone missed out but the developers – me, the designers and the crossword-solving public and a really good idea went by the wayside. I perhaps should have charged my full fee at the beginning, but I believed in the game and wanted to be part of it.
Unfortunately this isn’t the only crossword venture that has come to nought. More in coming weeks.