Crossword Puzzle(r)

Tuesday's paper, Jan. 2, 1996 was finally received along with Wednesday's. It is assumed that the senior editorial staff enjoyed their New Year celebrations to the extent that this edition of the paper did not get out on time to be distributed to the outlying areas.

Then to my surprise it was found that you had changed the Crossword Puzzler as you call it. Admittedly your previous series of crossword puzzles (no "r" is required) was a bit trite and repetitious. However the new version is an extremely sorry substitute.

It is easy to understand why some editor made the decision to change. In fact he is probably quite proud of himself. D.H.L is now paying to have this puzzle series published for their advertising, whereas the previous puzzles were purchased.

Someone from the advertising department of D.H.L plus someone from the staff of The Jakarta Post, both of whom are familiar with crossword puzzles, should examine what is being sponsored and printed at present. It is amateurish and ridiculous.

In a true crossword puzzle, the clues to each word, whether across on down, should be given in both directions. In the presentation in the Jan. 2, 1996 edition there are 74 of the 196 spaces where there are clues in one direction only, that being the direction of the word itself. When one deducts the 70 black squares, there are only 52 spaces where the letters are common to the words in both directions.

Comparing the new with the previous crossword series, using the puzzle for Saturday, Dec. 30, 1995 as an example, there are 169 squares of which 33 are black leaving a total of 136 squares. The letters that go in the blank white spaces may be determined from the word that satisfies both the "across" and "down" clues. Not one space has a single space letter.

Come on D.H.L. Get it together and come up with something that is worthy of your good service as a "World Wide Express" courier. Also the Post should make an effort to be a little more professional.

GORDON M. BUTLER

Cilegon

West Java