Entering numbers solutions -- help needed!

[Debbi Flack]

Help needed.
I'm okay with the letters and conundrums, they make perfect sense. With the numbers, I entered my total and submitted it, fine, but when i tried to enter my workings it blocked me. do i have to enter my workings in a certain format?
Sorry to be so dense, it must be all the brain cells I used up in the studio!

[Charlie Reams]

Help needed.
I'm okay with the letters and conundrums, they make perfect sense. With the numbers, I entered my total and submitted it, fine, but when i tried to enter my workings it blocked me. do i have to enter my workings in a certain format?
Sorry to be so dense, it must be all the brain cells I used up in the studio!

Sounds like you ran out of time to enter your method. Did you see the Patience bar at the bottom? You have to start entering your method before it fills up (which is to stop people declaring optimistically and then dawdling while they work it out, not that any members of this forum would be so sneaky I'm sure.)

[Jon O'Neill]

Also try holding your mouse really still when you click the numbers!

[Howard Somerset]

I certainly need help on numbers too.
Just played my first game. Got two numbers solutions correct, and thought i'd typed them in correctly, but nothing came up. So zero points for them

[Charlie Reams]

Just played my first game. Got two numbers solutions correct, and thought i'd typed them in correctly, but nothing came up. So zero points for them

If this happens again, please make a note of the game and exactly what you typed and I'll look into it.

[Gavin Chipper]

I don't know what I'm doing, but when I was entering my solution I think the time ran out (10 seconds isn't enough time Jono!) and a separate box came up which threw me completely.

[Paul Howe]

I don't know what I'm doing, but when I was entering my solution I think the time ran out (10 seconds isn't enough time Jono!) and a separate box came up which threw me completely.

If you don't manage to enter the solution on the notepad on time, the separate box containing the numbers, the four operations and what you declared appears. Just use your mouse to click on a number, an operation and a second number, and a new number will appear, so clicking "50" "x" "3" will cause 150 to appear in the list of numbers. Continue building your solution in the same manner.

[Karen Pearson]

I have to admit that I'm still having trouble with the numbers. There is obviously a recommended way of entering your solution on the notepad but, so far, only twice has my notepad solution been picked up. On the other occasions I have had to try to use the pop-up box. This is fine as long as you remember how to start the equation. Sadly, I often start with the wrong number. To explain what I mean... say I have the numbers 50, 8 and 3 and I am initially trying to make 550. In my mind I go 50x(8+3) but, in the pop-up box, I need to do 8+3 first. I know this should be relatively simple but in my panic (with the blue bar hurtling towards the end!) I keep clicking on the 50 first (and there is no way to unclick).

This is not a criticism of Charlie's programme. I think it's excellent and am enjoying it immensely (to such an extent that my work has definitely suffered today). And I'm not bothered about losing to a few bots. But I am a bit concerned about losing in a tournament just because I clicked the wrong number first. So, I'd rather use MSN for tournaments for the time-being.

[Howard Somerset]

I know exactly how you feel Karen. Your experience almost match mine. I'm convinced it's a great system, but even with the help and encouragement of people around, i feel it'll take a while to get to grips with entering numbers solutions.

I'm not giving up, though.

[Julie T]

Just noticed this thread, after mentioning this problem elsewhere!
Glad it's not just me being thick.

Sounds like you ran out of time to enter your method. Did you see the Patience bar at the bottom? You have to start entering your method before it fills up (which is to stop people declaring optimistically and then dawdling while they work it out, not that any members of this forum would be so sneaky I'm sure.)

I see your point, Charlie, but, if so many of us are having this problem, would it be possible to increase the time available, please?
Also, since it's quite easy to press the wrong button, would it be OK to allow one reset? On the show, Carol allows a stumble if the contestant corrects quickly.

Sorry to sound picky - it's a great program.
Well you did ask for feedback!

[Charlie Reams]

I suggest practising in Friendly Mode, which disables the timers. That should probably be the default for new players, or something.

[Jon O'Neill]

The problem with increasing the timer length is that, especially in fast games, it encourages people (like Dinos) to just enter the exact solution and then have an extra 5/10 seconds to work it out whilst the bar ticks down.

I understand the concerns though.

[Julie T]

I suggest practising in Friendly Mode, which disables the timers. That should probably be the default for new players, or something.

Hi, Charlie,

Great idea, thanks!
How do I put it in friendly mode, though?
I am managing to input at leat one numbers round per game now, but I still think a bit of friendly practise will help.

Julie

[Charlie Reams]

I am managing to input at leat one numbers round per game now, but I still think a bit of friendly practise will help.

If you have fewer than 5 games played, the program will put you into Friendly Mode automatically. Looking at the database I see you have exactly 5 games played so you've now passed that hurdle. To enable Friendly Mode explicitly, click "Custom challenge..." then "Full custom" and change "Rated game" to "Friendly game (unrated)".

[Dinos Sfyris]

The problem with increasing the timer length is that, especially in fast games, it encourages people (like Dinos) to just enter the exact solution and then have an extra 5/10 seconds to work it out whilst the bar ticks down.

OY!

[Charlie Reams]

OY!

Are you claiming you don't do that, then?

[Paul Howe]

I have to admit that I do that a lot.

Speaking of rapid fire numbers games, could you change it so that the cursor's automatically focused in the declaration box?

[Dinos Sfyris]

OY!

Are you claiming you don't do that, then?

No I'm not claiming not to have done that It was just that Jono singled me out as the glorified Ambassador of Delay-town.

I also happen to be a slow typist so in 5/10 second games by the time I've figured out how close I am to the target, I have no time to write it down, so I have little choice but to click the target and wing it. I only do this in short games though.

[Julian Fell]

Don't give people ideas, Dinos, don't give them ideas...

[Julie T]

I am managing to input at leat one numbers round per game now, but I still think a bit of friendly practise will help.

If you have fewer than 5 games played, the program will put you into Friendly Mode automatically. Looking at the database I see you have exactly 5 games played so you've now passed that hurdle. To enable Friendly Mode explicitly, click "Custom challenge..." then "Full custom" and change "Rated game" to "Friendly game (unrated)".

Thanks, Charlie,

It even lets you put in brackets, which is useful if you've inputted the wrong number first!

[Kai Laddiman]

With the letters, if you type something in the box and the time runs out, you get time to finish the word. I think the same should apply for numbers.

[Howard Somerset]

Only improving very slowly with numbers. Missed out on the numbers round in yesterday's duel by pressing clicking + instead of x, and there's no way of recovering from that, as far as I can see.

[Howard Somerset]

Only improving very slowly with numbers. Missed out on the numbers round in yesterday's duel by pressing clicking + instead of x, and there's no way of recovering from that, as far as I can see.

Made up for that in today's duel by mistakingly clicking x instead of +. Pity the two errors couldn't have cancelled each other out.

[Maxine Silkstone]

Speaking of rapid fire numbers games, could you change it so that the cursor's automatically focused in the declaration box?

Just bumped this up, coz I agree, is it possible?
I have a technology addict husband and consequently a cordless mouse (that eats batteries and 'walks across the screen all by itself), and by the time I've finished jiggling it about to get the cursor in there and typed my declaration I'm too late.

Also I'm old with creaky fingers!