Web Paint-by-Number Forum
Topic #230: Is anyone solving our puzzles?
By Tom O'Connell (sensei69)

#1: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Jul 15, 2010

Why doesn't fellow solvers make statements or rate the puzzles very much?
#2: Deana L (ffswife) on Jul 15, 2010
I usually rate. I very rarely comment anymore. There are a some who simply aren't aware you can comment. And some who choose not to. Just the way it is. Take what you get with a smile.
#3: bugaboo (bugaboo) on Jul 15, 2010
sensei hover your mouseover any puzzle and then click on view information
you can see how many people have solved that puzzle and how many people have rated it
usually there are a lot of peiople who solve the puzzles but like ffwife said few rate and even fewer comment but you can see that many people solve your puzzles

i think most people just come here to solve puzzles
they dont care what the puzzle is rated and they dont come here to chat they just want to solve

a few others enjoy commenting and the social aspect part

to each his or her own
#4: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Jul 16, 2010
thx bugaboo ... wow, i thought only 3 or 4 peeps were doing my puzzles
Feed back encourages more puzzles, or well.. asi es la vida
#5: Byrdie (byrdie) on Jul 16, 2010
What bugaboo said - some people enjoy the social aspect of sites like this, some just come for the solving fix.

For me, it's rare that I don't at least rate a puzzle. When I first started solving I used to comment on nearly every puzzle. More recently I found that I sometimes don't have anything to add or feel like I might be too negative so I choose not to comment.
#6: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Jul 16, 2010
me thinks being ignored is worst than criticism
I usually find something good about a puzzle and comment
.... but thanks gang for feed-back :)
#7: Jen (LightVader) on Jul 16, 2010
well I enjoy your puzzles Tom. I just don't have a lot of time so I go with solving more than commenting :)
#8: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Jul 16, 2010
you're commenting now Jen :)
#9: susan doe (sudoe) on Jul 19, 2010
Tom, I don't rate or comment either, but I solve yours!- and enjoy them. Please keep them coming. Me gustan mucho.
#10: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Jul 20, 2010
muchas gracias, mi amiga
#11: Byrdie (byrdie) on Jul 20, 2010
Susan - you should at least rate. I always do and then look to see how my rating compared to the average. It helps me gauge where I think I am as a solver.
#12: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Jul 20, 2010
i believe what Martin said is important
#13: Merili (merilinnuke) on Jul 22, 2010
I've solved over 7000 puzzles here, but don't comment very often (rate probably even less). Lately I've fallen a bit behind on my solving, but I have certain users whose puzzles I save and solve as soon as I can - Teresa, Gator, Joe, Linda, Kai-Uwe, Jota, qwerty and of course you, Tom. (Naneki, Gypso and monkeyboy used to be my favorites too, but they haven't been around any more.)
Keep them coming :)
#14: Wombat (wombatilim) on Jul 22, 2010
I rate every puzzle I solve, regardless of whether I comment.
#15: Teresa K (fasstar) on Jul 22, 2010
As a puzzle creator, I really appreciate that, Wombat. A big thanks to all who rate each puzzle fairly and honestly.
#16: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Jul 22, 2010
ditto Wombat & T
#17: Joel Lynn (furface1) on Aug 11, 2010
I always enter ratings, but only comment if there's something special about the puzzle or I especially relate to it for some reason. I'm just not a real chatty person. Just go by the ratings to see if people like your puzzles!
#18: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Aug 12, 2010
thanks Joel Lynn
#19: Caroline Wiggin (caroline541) on Aug 16, 2010
Can anyone tell me if I have to do anything special to rate a puzzle after I choose the ratings in the drop down menus? Do I have to save? Or when I navigate away from the screen will the ratings automatically be saved? Thanks
#20: Joe (infrapinklizzard) on Aug 16, 2010
When you chose a rating, it is immediately saved. If there is server lag (as I always seem to be getting recently) you will see a "Saving..." appear next to the drop-down list until it is actually done. Many times it is too fast to notice.

If you want to change your rating, you can enter a different one right from that drop-down and it will save the new rating. (If for some reason you want to remove your rating, just choose "please rate this puzzle" and your rating will be removed.)

You can also change your rating from any listing page that shows the hover menu. Just choose "Rate Puzzle".
#21: Linda Martin (ilovethispuzzle123) on Aug 25, 2010
I appreciate every single comment and rating I get. I appreciate every person who gives my puzzles a try. This is such a busy world and people have to deal with jobs, kids, bills, random craziness, etc. Just the fact that someone takes some time out of their day to do a puzzle of mine makes me very happy, indeed.
#22: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Aug 25, 2010
thanks for that comment, Linda :)
#23: Kristen Vognild (kristen) on Feb 18, 2011
After about the first 6 months of solving, I noticed the "view comments" tab for the first time. Then for about the next 6 months I read all the comments, but I hadn't created an account, so I couldn't add to the discussion. These are likely two very typical situations. In that time, of course, I felt like I got to know all of you, so forgive me if my comments get a little too familiar. :)
#24: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Feb 19, 2011
you're forgivin...now summit some more entries :)
#25: Brian Bellis (mootpoint) on Feb 20, 2011
Back in Nov & Dec of 2010 I ran a couple of experiments before I knew about the view info trick. In 11168 I asked everyone to leave a comment just to let me know who's out there. I've gotten 71 to date (a few are mine in response) but 205 people have completed the puzzle.

I did something similar and asked people to get a stopwatch and time their solve of 11319. I got 60 comments out of 322 people who solved it.

As for the quilt, it is so easy to make a 5x5 I was afraid I would be inundated with hundreds of squares. I had to add a couple to bring it up to an even 80!

Just some data for the discussion.

There are alot of people who "lurk". Perhaps they don't want there words and name out there for everyone to see. Think of all the people who read the comments but never respond.
#26: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Feb 21, 2011
Sometimes the comments are the best part. Thanks for your imput, Brian.
#27: Susan Duncan (medic25733) on Mar 7, 2011
I have been trying to remember to enter a rating on puzzles I complete but most of the time I am so excited to finish and want to comment that I forget to put a rating on it. I am one of the social ones who really enjoy the comments back and forth and look forward to reading what other people have to say.
#28: Kit E. Katz (hello) on Jun 28, 2011
Like kristen said, I think a lot of solvers haven't yet joined the site and are using the random puzzle tab to find their next puzzle fix. Not being logged in, they can't comment. I don't know if they can rate a puzzle, though.

After reading a comment about solvers not rating puzzles, I have made a sincere effort to rate each puzzle after I solve it (about 95% of the time I remember to). I know most creators put a lot of time and effort into their puzzles and ratings are another way to acknowledge that. Personally, if I don't feel I can give the puzzle at least a rating of 3, I will usually skip quality rating and only rate the difficulty. But that's just me, I just feel bad about rating someones puzzle a 1 or 2.

I was wondering whether or not skipping the rating after solving affects the rating at all?
#29: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Jun 29, 2011
Thank you Kit for your imput. I don't believe a non rating affects the overall rating of a puzzle. I never rate a 1, but I do, however, rate 2's.

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