Eyona Isiqingatha Udliwanondlebe no-Evan Birnholz, iWashington Post's New Crossword Constructor

Udliwanondlebe no-Evan Birnholz, iWashington Post's New Crossword Constructor

Yeyiphi Imovie Ukubona?
 
U-Evan Birnholz ngumakhi wegama eliphambeneyo elitsha IWashington Post . ( Ifoto: UVicki Jones )



Xa umakhi wegama eliphambili uMerl Reagle wasweleka ngo-Agasti, washiya ngasemva abahleli bamaphephandaba kwilizwe lonke ababethembele kwipuzzle yakhe yeveki nganye yokugcwalisa amaphepha abo angasemva. Umnumzana Reagle wayeyindoda yase Falstaffian eyaziwayo ngobukrelekrele obungapheliyo kunye nokudlala, kwaye i-21 nge-21 grid yapapashwa kwiindawo ezininzi, kubandakanya neli phephandaba kunye Inkqubo ye- Washington Post ’ Iphephancwadi leCawa. Kwangoko kulenyanga, Thumela kwaziswa ukuba u-Evan Birnholz, oneminyaka engama-32 ubudala we-cruciverbalist ohlala e-Philadelphia, uya kuthatha indawo njengomakhi wegama elitsha lephepha. Umnumzana Birnholz ebesenza amagama aphikisayo malunga neminyaka emithandathu, kwaye kude kube kutshanje upapashe igama eliphambili leveki kwiwebhusayithi yakhe, Umnqamlezo kaMtyholi . Uqala ngoDisemba 6. Kudliwanondlebe ngomnxeba osandula ukwenziwa, saxoxa ngento emtsaleleyo kwiiphazili, ikhonkco phakathi komculo kunye namagama aphambili, kunye nendlela acinga ngayo ukuba uza kuphuma kwisithunzi eside sikaMerl Reagle.

Ungene njani kwiiphazili?

Utata wam ubekek 'ityala ngayo. Uya kuyisombulula INew York Times iphazili yonke imihla, xa ndandimncinci. Kwaye ndiza kuzama ukumnceda aphume, kodwa esemncinci andinako ukwenza kakhulu ngayo. Kodwa ekugqibeleni ndangena ekusombululeni ndaza ndacinga, Kutheni ungazami ukuyenza? Kwaye ndaye ndasilela kakubi okokuqala ndakuzama ngoJanuwari 2009, kodwa ndafumana okuninzi kokuziqhelanisa kwaye ndaqhubeka ndiyenza kwaye ekugqibeleni ndanobuchule ngokwaneleyo kwaye ndithembile ngokwaneleyo ukuba ndiziva ngathi nayiphi na iphazili endiyenzileyo iya kuvela. Leyo yinkcazo yamathambo angenanto, kodwa ndiyathanda ukucinga ukuba ndinoluhlobo olunzulu lwenkcazo, oluvela kwimvelaphi yokwenza izinto emculweni.

Ngaba ungacacisa oko?

Amagama aphambeneyo kunye nomculo zinokufana okuninzi. Xa ndandisemncinci, ndandidlala ipiyano kakhulu, kwaye ndacwangcisa umculo xa ndisekholejini. Ndacula kwiqela le-cappella kwaye ndenza amalungiselelo omculo wabo kule minyaka mibini idlulileyo. Ukuba ucinga ngesiqwengana somculo waseNtshona, unezinto ezininzi ezikunyanzelayo xa uyidibanisa, kodwa zizinto esizixelela ukuba zenze iqhekeza lokuyila: ine tempo kunye nesingqisho, a Utyikityo lwexesha, utyikityo oluphambili, ukuba lunamazwi omculo kuya kufuneka ubuze ukuba baya kwenza isingqisho. Kwaye ndicinga ngamagama aphambili njengoko kusenziwa kuseto lweengxaki ezifanayo. Zahlukile kodwa eneneni zizithintelo zokoqobo, njengobungakanani begridi, uhlobo lwamagama owasebenzisayo, ubude bamagama owasebenzisayo, apho ubeka khona izikwere ezimnyama. Kodwa nkqu nalawo mithintelo, njengakwisiqwenga somculo, unganako ukuyila kunye nokuyila kunye nabo-basebenza nje ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo. Andicingi ukuba le ndiyenzayo ngoku yahluke mpela ekucwangciseni ucezu lomculo. Ndicinga nje ngegama eliphambeneyo njengolunye uhlobo lobugcisa.

Ngaba ukhe wathetha omnye umntu kwihlabathi elinamagama malunga nolo nxibelelwano? Ndiyamazi uBen Tausig, umhleli we Iklabhu yamaxabiso aseMelika , yingcali kwezomculo.

Le kuphela kwento endiyicacise ngokwam. Kodwa unyanisile, uBen Tausig ngunjingalwazi we-ethnomusicology eNew York, kwaye ngekhe afumane intsingiselo nakuleyo.

Ngaba uye wafunda umculo?

Ndenza umculo ngandlela thile phantse bonke ubomi bam. Ndiqale ukudlala ipiyano xa ndandineminyaka emi-5, kwaye ndadlala malunga neminyaka eli-15. Kwaye bendicula, hayi kwiqela le-cappella kuphela, kodwa ndicule kwiikwayara ezimbalwa emva kwekholeji. Okwangoku ndikwi Iqela leMendelssohn lasePhiladelphia , eyenye yeekwayala ezindala elizweni.

Ndiyazi ukuba ungumntu fan enkulu kaMerl Reagle . Ngaba uziva njani ukuba amagama akho aphakathi ayokuma ngaphandle kwakhe?

Wayelunge kakhulu ngokuthatha nje naliphi na ibinzana kwaye aliguqulele ekubeni likrelekrele elincinci okanye elihlekisayo. Kwaye ndifuna ukuqiniseka ngalo naliphi na ixesha ndizama ukuguqula ibinzana libe yipun eza kukrelekrele okanye ihlekise. Inye kuphela into endizama ukuyenza kukuthatha ukuziqhenya okukhulu ngokuqinisekisa ukuba iigridi zam zigudile kwaye zicocekile. Kwaye xa ndisebenzisa amagama agudileyo kwaye acocekile, ndizama ukuqinisekisa ukuba onke amagama am aqhelekile ngokufanelekileyo okanye amagama abantu abawaziyo nabawasebenzisayo. Kungaba yinto enzima, kodwa ngokwenene ikhona ngaphandle kwenkcubeko eyaziwayo-iyafikeleleka. Andifuni ukulayisha iipuzzle zam ngolwazi olufihlakeleyo, okanye amagama angekhoyo naphi na ngaphandle kwamagama aphikisayo.Ndiyicinga ukuba iya kuba yindlela yam, nangona andinakutsho. Kuyathakazelisa ukusebenza kunye nohlobo oluprintiweyo lwe Thumela iipuzzle, kufuneka ndibhale ngokufutshane ngakumbi kunokuba ndiqhele ukuba kwiwebhusayithi yam, ngenxa yokuxinana kwendawo. Kwaye ke ndigqibile ukwenza ukuba imikhondo yam ibe lula kancinci kunokuba bendicinga ukuba ndingazenza, kuba ungakhohlisa kakhulu xa unamagama amathathu oza kusebenza nawo.

Ngeminyaka yoo-1980, uMerl Reagle wayese-indie ye-indie crossword world- ethe, mhlawumbi njengepunk rock, yaba yinto ephambili kwinkcubeko namhlanje. Ngaba uziva ngathi uzisa uluvo lwe-indie ngakumbi kwilizwe eliqhelekileyo lephazili, kuba uvela kuhlobo olutsha lwe uluntu oluku-intanethi lwabakhi be-indie?

Ndingathemba njalo. Wonke umakhi uvela kwimvelaphi eyahlukileyo; bonke bazisa amazwi ahlukeneyo kunye nabo. Umzekelo, ndikhule phakathi kwe-80s kunye nee-90s zakuqala, kwaye ndadlala imidlalo emininzi yevidiyo xa ndandisemncinci, njengabantu abaninzi abakwelo qela leminyaka, ngenxa yoko ndithanda ukuba neevidiyo ezimbalwa ezinxulumene nomdlalo. imikhondo kwiipuzzle zam ekunokwenzeka ukuba ayinguye wonke umntu oya kwazi ngayo. Kodwa ndiyonwabile ukuyenza loo nto ukuba nje ndinokuwelela loo magama ngokufanelekileyo kwaye abantu baya kuhlala bewafumana.

UHenry Hook, olunye uhlobo lomakhi wegama elingumnqophiso, Usweleke kutshanje, naye . Ngaba ubungumlandeli womsebenzi wakhe?

Uyazi, khange ndisombulule iipuzzle zakhe ezininzi kwi IBoston Globe . Ndicinga ukuba uninzi lwazo, okwexeshana, lwalusemva kwe-paywall. Ke andinalo ulwazi oluninzi ngeephazili zakhe njengoko ndenzayo kwabanye abenzi bephazili, kodwa ndiyazi ukuba wayenguvulindlela wepuzzle ebizwa ngokuba yinto eyohlukileyo, eluhlobo lwewacky, iphazili yegonzo, apho uninzi iimpendulo zenziwe nje. Ungayisombulula njani loo nto? Kungenxa yokuba iimpendulo ezininzi ezimfutshane zisemthethweni-ngamagama okwenyani. Uqala apho kwaye amanye amagama avele avuleke. Ndiyakhumbula ukuba, kwenye ye-Something Differents, i-tautology oko kuthetha ukuba i-milliners iya kuqhubeka nokwenza izembozo entloko kwaye andikhathali. Kwaye impendulo yayikukuba, iintshaba ziya kuthwala umnqwazi.

Ngaba uyenzile eyakho yokuqala Thumela iphazili?

Ewe.

Kukude kangakanani kuwe?

Okwangoku andikho kude njengoko ndingathanda ukuba njalo, kodwa ngoku ndisebenza kwiiveki ezintathu ngaphambi kweshedyuli. Ndizama ukujolisa ukubhala iipuzzle ezimbini ezilingana ngeCawa veki nganye.

Kuthatha ixesha elingakanani ukwenza iphazili?

Kuxhomekeka ekubeni kunzima kangakanani umxholo endisebenza nawo. Ukuba kuye kwafuneka ndibeke uqikelelo malunga nokuba kuthatha ixesha elingakanani ukwenza enye yazo, ndiyathetha ukuba ukubhala igridi kungathatha naphi na kwiiyure ezingama-6 ukuze kube lula, ukubeka oonobumba kwigridi, kunye nokubhala imikhondo iya thatha iiyure ezininzi kuba ndihlala ndikhetha kakhulu malunga nokubhala imikhondo yoqobo. Ukuba igridi enzima ingandithatha iintsuku ezimbalwa, ke luhlobo lwenkqubo eguqukayo.

Ngaba uza kwenza iiphazili zemeta?

Kumnandi ukuzenza ezo zinto, kodwa ngekhe ndizenze kwangoko. Ndiyazithanda ezo phazili apho kukho umngeni ongaphezulu wokufumana ibinzana okanye igama elidibanisa yonke into kunye. Kwaye ndibhale ezinye kwiwebhusayithi yam. Rhoqo ndiyenzile iphazili enobungakanani bangeCawa, nangona ndenze enye eyayiyirhafu kuMerl Reagle. Isenokuba yenye yezona zinto zinzima endakha ndazenza, ke siza kubona.

Ngaba unayo nayiphi na ingcebiso kubanqweneli begama eliphambili?

Umsebenzi wokwakha amagama aphambili ayisiyiyo le nto ndivakalelwa kukuba ndikulungele ukunika iingcebiso malunga nokuba yile gig yam yokuqala kuyo. Kodwa ndiza kuthi, okokuqala, ukuba undibonile xa ndandisengumntwana, ubungacinga ukuba umbono wokuba ndenza amagama aphambeneyo wawungenangqondo. Xa ndandisemncinci, ndandikhe ndaya koochwephesha bokuthetha abahlukeneyo, kwaye bafumanisa ukuba ndinento abayibiza ngokuba yiSemantic Pragmatic Disorder; kukuphazamiseka kolwimi apho unengxaki yokuqonda amabinzana kunye namaqhalo kwaye kutheni isiqhulo sihlekisa. Kwakunzima kakhulu kum ndisemncinci. Kwaye ndibone abanyangi bokuthetha okwethutyana ukundinceda ukuba ndiqonde iintsingiselo ezahlukeneyo zamagama kunye namabinzana-kwaye ndicinge ukuba laa mntwana mnye ukhule ekwazi ukubhala amagama aphikisayo veki nganye kwaye ngoku unomsebenzi wokuwenza IWashington Post , Ndicinga ukuba yinto ephambeneyo leyo. Ke abantu bazakuthi, kunzima kakhulu, kunzima kakhulu. Ndiyathetha, akukho lula, kodwa ndakwazi ukuyenza. Kwaye ndingathi ukuba yinto oyithandayo ukuyenza, kufuneka ubeke amandla akho kuyo.

Wenze ntoni kwangaphambili?

Ndiye kuyo yonke imephu. Xa ndandisekholejini, ndandiyingcali enkulu yekhemistri, kuba ndandicinga ngelo xesha mhlawumbi ndiza kwenza umsebenzi we-pre-med. Kodwa ndatshintsha ingqondo ndaza ndafumana isidanga sempilo kwezoluntu kwiDyunivesithi yaseDrexel, ndasebenza kumzi mveliso wamayeza kunye nophando lwezonyango iminyaka embalwa, kodwa ndaphinda ndatshintsha ingqondo. Ndagqiba ndaya kwisikolo segrad ukufumana isidanga kwimbali. Yayiyinkqubo yobugqirha. Ndizamile izinto ezininzi ezahlukeneyo ndingasoloko ndingazi ukuba kanye kanye bendizakwenza ntoni xa ndingena kwiinkqubo. Kodwa ngalo lonke ixesha bendineepuzzle nam njengoluhlobo lwenye into ebendiyenza. Ekuqaleni yayiyinto oyithandayo, kodwa ngaxa lithile yaba ngaphezulu kakhulu kunoko; yaba yinto endiyithandayo ngokwenene. Kwaye kwafuneka ndifunde ezo zinto ngam, kwaye bekungasoloko kulula, kodwa ekugqibeleni ndiyifumene into endifuna ukuyenza, kwaye silapha.

Ngaba uyawafunda amaphepha kakhulu ukuze ufumane i-trivia yakho? Okanye ngaba yinto oyaziyo esekwe kwisakhelo sakho se-epistemological?

Lowo ngumbuzo olungileyo. Ndingathi le yenye yeendlela apho uqeqesho lwam kwisebe lembali lunceda. Uhlobo lokufunda ukukhangela uninzi lwemithombo eyahlukeneyo yolwazi. Xa ndizama ukwakha iphazili, uhlala usiya kuGoogle kwaye uzame ukufumana ii-angles ezahlukeneyo zemikhondo eyahlukeneyo; ujonga izixhobo ezininzi ezahlukeneyo ukufumana izinto. Kwaye kwanokusombulula iiphazili, uninzi lwazo kukuqhelana neempendulo ozibona kaninzi-ninzi. Andizithathi njengomntu omkhulu we-trivia, kodwa ukuba undinika iileta ezimbalwa, ndihlala ndikwazi ukuziqonda.

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