New York Times announcement

I’ve been scooped by The Times!  This announcement was posted in the Today’s Puzzle forum on the nytimes.com website today:

 

wshortz - 11:32 AM ET September 12, 2008 (#61909 of 61922)

Announcement

The Times has asked me to make an important announcement about something starting next month -- an official New York Times crossword blog.

This new blog will feature daily commentary on the puzzles by Jim Horne, whom many of you already know from his website www.xwordblog.com. Jim will continue his lively, insightful, amusing writeups on the Times puzzles, with bonus information and occasional contributions from yours truly. The blog will incorporate Jim's database of crossword stats (currently at www.xwordinfo.com) in addition to having many new features.

The existing problem-riddled forum will be discontinued when the new blog begins. Besides the addition of official commentary, probably the most noticeable change for you will be your ability to read and write comments about specific puzzles via threaded discussions, rather than all the comments appearing linearly. And behind the scenes, the Times promises that the technical performance of the blog will be much more robust than that for the forum. No more "Service Unavailable" messages, we hope!

The exact start date of the blog is still to be decided.

I hope this official new blog will make the Times' crosswords more enjoyable, answer questions better, be more informative, and help bring the Times' online crossword community even closer together.

--Will Shortz

 

So, yes, I’m moving to a slightly more upscale web address. This current blog will remain here as a kind of archive.

I’ll have lots more to say about this as I wrap up XWord Blog. This evening I’ll be running my last constructor interview and I have another interview to run over the next few days. Then there will be an official announcement appearing sometime in the next week or so.

Along the way, there will be some time for reflection and some thoughts about the future. I’m excited about the change. I hope you’ll join me at my home.

-- JimH

Comments

[joon]

jim, you've hit the big time! congratulations!

I’m excited about the change. I hope you’ll join me at my home.

what time do you want us to come over? i'll bring chips & salsa.

[Myles Callum]

Wow, fantastic news. Congratulations, Jim! Thrilled to hear it.

[John]

nice work jim!

[PondGirl]

I'm carpooling with Joon and will bring the beer.

Congrats! This is well-deserved. Your daily essays and assays are a delight, Jim Horne.

[ArtLvr]

Oh dear -- Very happy for you, Jim, but will you still post as early as before? I guess we'll have to wait and see! All best wishes, from a Big Fan...

[hazel]

I'm absolutely thrilled that your insights and commentary will still be available to us. I'm not much of a commenter, but I come here every day after solving the puzzle to read your thoughts. Congratulations on your move!!

[PhillySolver]

Congratulations xwordmeister. I am sure the crossword community is going to benefit greatly. That Will Shortz is one smart (oreo) cookie.

[Harold Haddick]

Congratulations, Jim.

I don't comment very often but I visit here every day. You are my first stop.

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

[Bill from NJ]

Congratulations. Jim.

I've been reading you every day for quite some time and really enjoy your observations.

[Anna Southward]

Congratulations, Jim,
from one of your faithful lurkers. This is the first place I come each night after solving the puzzle. I enjoy your commentary very much.

[Wendy]

Jim! I sure wasn't expecting this to be your news, but it's huge! Wowie zowie! Far out! Very exciting news, to say the least! I'm overcome, as you can probably tell ... I'll slink off now.

[Dan]

Wow, Jim, that's going to be fantastic! As long as you're the web designer, and not whoever was responsible for the NYT Forum. Congrats and thanks for all the great work at this site...

[Linda G]

Jim, I'm absolutely delighted that my favorite blogger has made the big time! Your blog has been unique from day one, and you've developed quite a fan base. I'm glad Will took notice of your talent and snagged you for the Times. Look forward to the new you ; )

[susangra]

This is fabulous. Congratulations, Jim. I've enjoyed reading your reports every day and look forward to continuing when you move to your new digs. Are you going to retire from your "real job" now? :-)

[Patricia]

Congrats, Jim. Now I can say that I live next to a "star".

You are well-suited for the job. You add humor, wit and kindness to all of your commentaries. Even though I am a struggling novice at crossword solving, I am inspired by your passion for the "art".

[QBParis]

All the blog that's fit to print!

Hoo-ray and congratulations!!

[JimH]

Thanks for all the kind words.

I'm away from a computer for a few days. My final interview will post later today, and my special guest is still to come so check back in a bit, and then the new blog starts next month. I'm looking forward to the new adventure.

[Kat]

Congratulations! I guess I'll now be reading a NYTimes blog ... never thought it would happen.

[Ashish]

Echoing all the congratulations!

On a more serious note, I am sure you have seen that the simultaneous closing of the NYT Crossword Forum is causing some angst and here's hoping that you are a "Uniter"!

Again, congrats and look forward to more ..

Ashish

[Howard B]

That's great news, congratulations!

[SethG]

Well, guess my guest-services won't be needed so much anymore, but if you ever need anything...

I look forward to following you over, and congrats!
sg

[pb2q]

Congratulations, and no surprise here: your site is the best of a small group of really good crossword blogs. Not to mention the tools you've contributed to the community.

[Jim in NYC]

Um, I'm almost a month late to this party. Congratulations, Jim. I enjoyed meeting you at the ACPT and it couldn't happen to a nicer programmer. Now I'm off to the NYT site to see if you've appeared yet.