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Web Site Update History
05 February, 2012: Started new competition (#84) and published solution to #83. 29 January, 2012: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Made a small change to Problem 159, thanks to a suggestion by F.Y. Sing. Policy change: I'm now prepared to send solutions to archive problems, on request, in exchange for a small donation (GB£5), half to go to cancer research. See here. 22 January, 2012: Published results of #82, #82a, #82b, including list of leading solvers in 2011 (accidentally omitting Steve Bloom at first attempt). Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 08 January, 2012: Started new competition (#83) and published solutions to #82, #82a, #82b. 12 December, 2011: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 04 December, 2011: Started new competition (#82) and published solution and result of #81. 27 November, 2011: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. F Y Sing becomes first solver of Coffin's Problem 297. 22 November, 2011: Added Problem 515 to the main archive. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 13 November, 2011: Published result of #80. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 06 November, 2011: Started new competition (#81) and published solution to #80. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems—congratulations to Chaokai Cheng for being the first solver of Problem 271 in Coffin's collection. 23 October, 2011: No updates. (No solutions received to archive problems.) 09 October, 2011: Published result of #79 and added a couple of extra points to the solution. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 02 October, 2011: Started new competition (#80) and published solution to #79. 18 September, 2011: No updates. 11 September, 2011: Published result of #78. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 05 September, 2011: Started new competition (#79) and published solution to #78. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 29 August, 2011: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 22 August, 2011: Marked Problem 354 as a duplicate of Problem 18. Thanks to Leigh Matheson for spotting this. 22 August, 2011: Added Jean-Marc Bihl to the result of #77. Apologies to him for the accidental omission. 21 August, 2011: Published Result of #77. 14 August, 2011: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Result of #77 delayed—sorry about that. 07 August, 2011: Started new competition (#78) and published solution to #77. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems (apart from any submitted over the present weekend). 31 July, 2011: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Noted that Coffin Problems 51 and 269 are the same problem. (Thanks to Prahalad Rajkumar for spotting that one.) 17 July, 2011: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 04 July, 2011: Started new competition (#77) and published solution and result of #76 (sorry for the delay) and got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 12 June, 2011: Published result of #75 and added explanation of why a diamond at trick 2 doesn't work. 06 June, 2011: Started new competition (#76) and published solution to #75. 22 May, 2011: Modified the attribution of Problem 304, thanks to an observation by Leigh Matheson. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 15 May, 2011: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 08 May, 2011: Published result of #74. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 02 May, 2011: Started new competition (#75) and published solution to #74. Failed to get up to date with solutions to archive problems—maybe next time! (Sorry—too many holidays in UK recently!) 12 April, 2011: Late—sorry. Published result of #73. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 03 April, 2011: Started new competition (#74) and published solution to #73. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 28 March, 2011: No updates. 22 March, 2011: (Late—sorry.) Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 18 March, 2011: Added Ian Budden to result of #72. My mistake, apologies to him. 13 March, 2011: Published result of #72. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 06 March, 2011: Started new competition (#73) and published solution to #72. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 27 February, 2010: No updates were needed. 20 February, 2010: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 13 February, 2011: Published result of #71. Adopted a revision to Problem 323, suggested by Vincent Labbé. 09 February, 2011: Deleted extraneous first two paragraphs from solution to #71. They were accidentally left in when I copied the solution to #70! 06 February, 2011: Started new competition (#72) and published solution to #71. 30 January, 2010: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 23 January, 2010: Fixed several broken links in the Exchange and Win section (thanks again to Pavel Stříž for reporting these to me). 16 January, 2010: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Fixed problem with red suit colours in main archive problems. 09 January, 2011: Fixed several broken links, with thanks to Pavel Stříž for drawing these to my attention. The links to Eddie Kantar's problems were out of date, as was a link to Coffin's 88 "instant puzzles". 02 January, 2011: Started new competition (#71) and published result of #70. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Decided to invite donations, to be shared 50/50 with cancer research. 27 December, 2010: Added Problem 514 to the main archive. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 19 December, 2010: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 13 December, 2010: Published result of #69. Added biographical details for composer Paolo Treossi. Added Problem 513 by him and Luigi Caroli to the main archive (apologies to both for somehow managing to omit this one when I constructed that archive). 05 December, 2010: Started new competition (#70) and published solution of #69. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 28 November, 2010: No significant updates. 21 November, 2010: Assigned the obvious Difficulty Rating to #68. No other updates were needed. 14 November, 2010: Corrected Competition Problem #69 (South's minor suits were switched) and published result of #68. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 07 November, 2010: Started new competition (#69) and published solution of #68. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 31 October, 2010: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems and made a few additions to classification by theme. 24 October, 2010: Sorry, I've got behind. Apologies to those waiting from responses to solutions. Hope to catch up this week. 17 October, 2010: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 10 October, 2010: Published result of #67. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 03 October, 2010: Started new competition (#68) and published solution of #67. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 23 September, 2010: Belatedly got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 12 September, 2010: Published result of #66. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 06 September, 2010: Started new competition (#67). Next day, added the solution to #66. 30 August, 2010: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 25 August, 2010: In the solution to #65 corrected the introductory paragraph of line B. The solution had previously shown an exact copy of the introductory paragraph of line A here. 22 August, 2010: Added Steve Bloom to list of solvers of #65 (apologies to him: his solution was indubitably correct but I just forgot to add his name). Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 04 August, 2010: Published result of #65 and added Wim van der Zijden, on appeal, to result of #64. 01 August, 2010: Started new competition (#66) and published solution of #65. 25 July, 2010: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems and made further consequent updates to Problems by Theme. 19 July, 2010: Updated result of #64. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 18 July, 2010: Published result of #64 and corrected the last sentence of the solution. Failed to get up to date with solutions to archive problems. 12 July, 2010: Almost nothing. Apologies. I'll try again next weekend. 05 July, 2010: Moved the web site to Free Virtual Servers. Started new competition (#65) and published solution of #64. Got almost up to date with solutions to archive problems. 20 June, 2010: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems and made further updates to Problems by Theme. 14 June, 2010: Published result of #63 and added further explanations to the solution. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems and made further consequent updates to Problems by Theme. 06 June, 2010: Started new competition (#64) and published solution of #63. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 23 May, 2010: Got up to date with lots of solutions to archive problems and made further consequent updates to Problems by Theme. 15 May, 2010: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems and made a few consequent updates to Problems by Theme (which remains very incomplete). 10 May, 2010: Published result of #62 and added some text to the solution to cover the case where North wins the opening lead. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 02 May, 2010: Started new competition (#63) and published solution of #62. 14 April, 2010: Published result of #61 and got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 07 April, 2010: Published solution to #61 (sorry for the delay--I forgot I was going away for a few days on Sunday). 28 March, 2010: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 14 March, 2010: Published result of #60. 11 March, 2010: Published solution to #60 (sorry for the delay--I forgot to do this on Sunday!). 28 February, 2010: Published result of #59 (sorry for the long delay--I've been busy). Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 07 February, 2010: Started new competition (#60) and published solution of #59. 31 January, 2010: No updates. No archive problem solutions received. 24 January, 2010: Published result of #58. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 15 December, 2009: Sorry for the delay. Published result of #57. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. More additions to the list of problems categorised by theme. 06 December, 2009: Started new competitions (#58 and #59) and published solution of #57. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Made some further additions to the list of problems categorised by theme. 29 November, 2009: Published biography of W.H. Whitfeld, the earliest composer of double dummy problems known to me. Many thanks to Wolf Klewe for providing me with the material. Also added biographical information for the C.D.P. Hamiltons Sr. and Jr., in connection with Problem 288. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems and made a few additions to the still nascent list of problems categorised by theme, thanks to some suggestions from Leigh Matheson. 15 November, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 08 November, 2009: Published result of #56. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 03 November, 2009: Added the missing ♥A to competition problem #57. Sorry for any inconvenience. 01 November, 2009: Started new competition (#57) and published solution of #56. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 18 October, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 11 October, 2009: Published result of #55. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 04 October, 2009: Started new competition (#56) and published solution of #55. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 27 September, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 20 September, 2009: Changed DR of #54. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 15 September, 2009: Revised the result of #54, with apologies to Wim van der Zijden for misreading his solution. 13 September, 2009: Published result of #54. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 06 September, 2009: Started new competition (#55) and published solution of #54. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 25 August, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Sorry for the delay. 16 August, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 08 August, 2009: Published result of #53. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 03 August, 2009: Sorry for the delay. Started new competition (#54) and published solution of #53. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 19 July, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 13 July, 2009: Sorry for the delay. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 05 July, 2009: Started new competition (#53) and published result of #52. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 28 June, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 21 June, 2009: Published result of #51. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Connection problem resolved. 14 June, 2009: Sorry, I've got behind again due partly to having a lot of Real Work to do and also Internet connection problems (under investigation by my ISP). 07 June, 2009: Started new competition (#52) and published solution to #51. 31 May, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 24 May, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 17 May, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 11 May, 2009: Added Vincent Labbé to list of solvers of #50. Apologies to him for my mistake. 10 May, 2009: Published result of #50. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 03 May, 2009: Started new competition (#51) and published solution to #50. Failed to get up to date with solutions to archive problems (there are a lot coming through right now and I'm preoccupied with real work). 26 April, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 19 April, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 12 April, 2009: Published result of #49. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 05 April, 2009: Started new competition (#50) and published solution to #49. Didn't quite get up to date with solutions to archive problems. 29 March, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 22 March, 2009: No updates. 15 March, 2009: Published result of #48. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Fixed wrong-coloured suit symbols in problems 401-512 (again!-see 22 Feb update). 08 March, 2009: Started new competition (#49) and published solution to #48. Fixed wrong-coloured suit symbols in problems 351-400. 03 March, 2009: Sorry for the delay. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Fixed wrong-coloured suit symbols in problems 300-350. 22 February, 2009: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Fixed wrong-coloured suit symbols in problems 400 onwards. 15 February, 2009: Published results of #46 and #47 and annual competition for 2008 (see result of #46). Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Several of the older files have been suffering from black suit symbols for the red suits in the North hand. I have checked problems 100-199 for this problem and corrected them where necessary. Thanks to Steve Dunn for alerting me to such problems and prompting me into action. 08 February, 2009: Resumed normal service after absence and domestic upheaval caused by plumbing accident. Started new competition (#48) and published solutions of #46 and #47 (results to follow next week, I hope). Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 14 December, 2008: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 09 December, 2008: Corrected a minor error in the solution to #45, concerning the "minor dual" mentioned at the end. 08 December, 2008: Started new competitions (#46 and #47) and published result of #45. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 23 November, 2008: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 16 November, 2008: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Fix a few random minor problems on certain pages. 02 November, 2008: Started new competition (#45) and published result of #44. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 19 October, 2008: Made a minor alteration to Competition Problem #1, at the suggestion of Vincent Labbé. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Corrected the solution to #43. 05 October, 2008: Started new competition (#44) and published result of #43. 28 September, 2008: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 15 September, 2008: Amended result of #42 (with apologies to Rajeswar Tewari). 14 September, 2008: Published solution and result of #42. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 08 September, 2008: Started new competition (#43). Solution and result of #42 delayed because I discovered my own solution to be, well, not exactly wrong, but not suitable for publication. Apologies to solvers and to composer Steve Bloom. 24 August, 2008: No updates. 17 August, 2008: No updates. 11 August, 2008: Published result of competition #41. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 03 August, 2008: Started new competition (#42) and published solution to #41. I hope to catch up on solutions submitted to this and other problems next Sunday. 27 July, 2008: No updates. 20 July, 2008: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 13 July, 2008: No updates. 06 July, 2008: Started new competition (#41) and published result to #40. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 29 June, 2008: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 22 June, 2008: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 15 June, 2008: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 08 June, 2008: Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 01 June, 2008: Started new competition (#40) and published result to #39. Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 25 May, 2008: Got up to date with solutions. 11 May, 2008: Published result of #38 (sorry for the delay). Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. Added Steve Bloom's bio to the Composers page. 04 May, 2008: Started new competition (#39) and published solution to #38 (result to follow later). Got up to date with solutions to archive problems. 27 April, 2008: Got up to date with solutions. Sorry for missing last Sunday's scheduled update--forgot I would be on a plane that day. 06 April, 2008: Started new competition (#38) and published result of #37. Stayed up to date with solutions. 23 March, 2008: Got up to date with solutions. 16 March, 2008: Got up to date with solutions. 09 March, 2008: Updated result of #36 (some solvers' names were missing). Got up to date with solutions. 02 March, 2008: Started new competition (#37) and published result of #36. Got up to date with solutions. 24 February, 2008: Published result of competition problem #35. Got up to date with solutions. 13 January, 2008: Last update until February 24. Early inauguration of competition #36. Got up to date with solutions. 06 January, 2008: Started new competition (#35) and published result of #34 (and of annual competition, 2007). Got up to date with solutions. 31 December, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. Sorry for the slight delay, occasioned by a surfeit of seasonal festivity. 23 December, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 16 December, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 09 December, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 03 December, 2007: Added Rajeswar Tewari's name to list of solvers of #34. Apologies to him¾I had misread his solution. 02 December, 2007: Started new competition (#34) and published solution to #33. Got up to date with solutions. Finished correcting the red suit colours in North (I think). 25 November, 2007: Got up to date with solutions and corrected the red suit colours in a large number of problems in the Coffin collection (still more to do I think). 18 November, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 11 November, 2007: Published result of #32 but didn't find time to process solutions to archive problems. 04 November, 2007: Started new competition (#33) and published solution to #32. Got up to date with solutions other than those received today. 28 October, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 21 October, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 14 October, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 06 October, 2007: Started new competition (#32) and published result of #31. Got up to date with solutions. Added bio for Vincent Labbé. 23 September, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 11 September, 2007: Delayed update promised for the 9th. No updates! 02 September, 2007: Started new competition (#31) and published result of #30. Got up to date with solutions. 19 August, 2007: Updated result of #29 to accept Wim van der Zijden's solution (which I had misread--apologies to him). 12 August, 2007: Published result of #29. Added link to Eddie Kantar's problems at the ACBL Unit 559 web site. Got up to date with solutions. 06 August, 2007: Started new competition (#30) and published solution to #29. Fell slightly behind on solutions. 30 July, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 22 July, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 15 July, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. Vincent Labbé becomes the first person ever to solve Problem #423. 08 July, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 01 July, 2007: Started new competition (#29) and published result of #28. Got up to date with solutions. 25 June, 2007: Added promotion announcement to result of #27. Added DRs for #24 and #27. 24 June, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 16 June, 2007: Published result of #27. Got up to date with solutions. 03 June, 2007: Started new competition (#28) and published solution of #27. Broken computer means I can't be sure when I'll catch up with solutions and the result of #27. New computer is on order. 27 May, 2007: Got up to date with solutions again. 20 May, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 13 May, 2007: Published result of #25 and got up to date with solutions. 06 May, 2007: Started new competition (#27) and published solution of #26 (result to follow shortly, I hope). Didn't quite get up to date with solutions, either. 22 April, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 15 April, 2007: Published result of #25 (and added some words to the solution). Got up to date with solutions. 08 April, 2007: Sorry, no updates, and I can't promise any next week either. If I can find an opportunity to do the result of #25 before 22 April, I'll do so. 01 April, 2007: Started new competition (#26) and published solution of #25 (sorry, the result is delayed). Got up to date with solutions. I think I have now corrected all the problems that showed North's red suits in black. Let me know if you find an exception! 25 March, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 18 March, 2007: No real updates (no correct solutions received this week) but I have corrected the colour of North's red suit symbols in a large number of the pages where these were black. No doubt there are still more for me to unearth but I'm afraid finding the bad pages and making the necessary corrections is a rather tedious process. I've also corrected the layout of Problem #241, which was missing a couple of cards in the South hand. 11 March, 2007: Revised the solution to Competition Problem #24 to include an important line that I hadn't noticed myself. Thanks to Steve Bloom for mentioning this to me. It is where declarer crosses on a club at trick 3 and leads a trump. Correct defence now culminates in a rather spectacular second duck in hearts by West, such that the ♥10 and ♥9 win the first two rounds of that suit! 04 March, 2007: Started new competition (#25) and published result of #24. Got up to date with solutions. Added Wim van der Zijden (apologies to him) to list of solvers of Competition Problem #22. 18 February, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 11 February, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 04 February, 2007: Started new competition (#24) and published result of #23. Got up to date with solutions. 28 January, 2007: Got up to date with solutions. 23 January, 2007: Added Helge Leonhardsen to the list of solvers for competition problem #22 (apologies to him for misreading his solution). Got up to date with solutions. 15 January, 2007: Started new competition (#23) and published result of #22. Got up to date with solutions. Added problem #512. 03 December, 2006: Started new competition (#22) and published result of #21. Got up to date with solutions. Added problem #511 (my own favourite among my own compositions). 26 November, 2006: Got up to date with solutions. 12 November, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #292 to #304, thereby completing that section. Phew! This very nearly completes the entire archive, but I think I can add a few more to the main section. Got up to date with solutions. Added Ian Budden and Wim van der Zijden (apologies to them) to the list for Competition Problem #20. 05 November, 2006: Started new competition (#21) and published result of #20. Added Coffin's Collection problems #289 and #290. Got up to date with solutions. 29 October, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #287 and #288. Got up to date with solutions. 22 October, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #283 to #286. Got up to date with solutions. 15 October, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #276 to #282. Got up to date with solutions. 08 October, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #274 and #275. Corrected the entry for Pietro Bernasconi (date of death). Got up to date with solutions. 01 October, 2006: Started new competition (#20) and published result of #19. Added Coffin's Collection problems #272 and #273. Got up to date with solutions. 24 September, 2006: Again I have been unable to do much on the web site this week. I've added just Coffin's Collection problem #271 (a nice one) and made some headway on the solution backlog. Oh, and I had to make a further correction to Problem #510. 20 September, 2006: Sorry I missed the promised update last Sunday. Today all I've done is to correct Problem #510 and Coffin's Collection #263. 03 September, 2006: Started new competition (#19) and published result of #18. Added Coffin's Collection problems #263 to #270. Got up to date with solutions. Added link to Richard Pavlicek's collection of all sorts of bridge diversions, including some nice D.D. problems (click on "Bridge puzzles" and look for "mind bogglers"). 28 August, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #260 to #262. Got up to date with solutions. 20 August, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #249 to #259 (#256 is of significant historical interest). Got up to date with solutions. 15 August, 2006: Corrected Coffin's Collection problems #247 and #248. Revised the solution to competition problem 17. 06 August, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #246 to #248. Started new competition (#18) and published result of #17. Got up to date with solutions!--including many from Yunfeng Zhu, who has helped me by discovering more duplicates or near-duplicates. Added some more information about myself to my own entry on the composers page. 30 July, 2006: Added Robin Adey to list for Competition Problem 16. Added Coffin's collection problem #245 and interesting information about its composer. Sorry, I've been very short of time again and so I am badly behind with checking solutions that have been sent in lately. 16 July, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #243 and #244. Got way behind with solutions. 02 July, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #241 and #242. Started new competition (#17) and published result of #16. Got up to date with solutions. 25 June, 2006: Sorry, no problems added. Got a bit behind with solutions too. 11 June, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #239 and #240. Got up to date with solutions. 04 June, 2006: Added problems #509, #510 (a real beauty!) and Coffin's Collection problems #237 and #238. Started new competition (#16) and published result of #15. Got up to date with solutions. 28 May, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #233 to #236. Got up to date with solutions. 21 May, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #229 to #232. Got up to date with solutions. 14 May, 2006: Completed result of #14. Sorry--got a little behind with other solutions and didn't add any problems. Hope to do better next time! 08 May, 2006: Started new competition (#15) and started to publish result of #14. Added Coffin's Collection problems #227 and #228. Got up to date with solutions. 30 April, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #225 and #226. Got up to date with solutions. 19 April, 2006: Added Wim van der Zijden to the solvers list for competition problem #13. Got up to date with solutions. Sorry for the delay and lack of new problems. 09 April, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #222 to #224. Added Leigh Matheson to the solvers list for competition problem #13. Got up to date with solutions. 02 April, 2006: Started new competition (#14) and published result of #13. Added problem #509 and Coffin's Collection problem #221. Got up to date with solutions. 19 March, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #208 to #220. Noted that #199 and #206 in Coffin's Collection are duplicates. Got up to date with solutions. 12 March, 2006: Added problem #508 and Coffin's Collection problems #205 to #207. Got up to date with solutions. Corrected errors in Problem #311 and Coffin's Collection #182 (thanks to Vincent Labbé). 05 March, 2006: Started new competition (#13) and published result of #12. Got up to date with solutions. Added Coffin's Collection problem #204. 26 February, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #201 to #203. Got up to date with solutions. 19 February, 2006: Added Steve Bloom to list of solvers of Competition Problem #11 (apologies to him). Added Coffin's Collection problems #199 to #200. Got up to date with solutions. 12 February, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #196 to #198. Got up to date with solutions. 05 February, 2006: Started new competition (#12) and published result of #11. Got up to date with solutions. Failed to add any problems to the archives (sorry, but I gave you quite a lot last Sunday). 29 January, 2006: Added problem #507 and Coffin's Collection problems #188 to #195. Got up to date with solutions. 22 January, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #185 to #187. Got up to date with solutions. 21 January, 2006: I think I have solved the problem with the font for the suit symbols that has been bothering some readers who, like me, don't use Internet Explorer. Many thanks to Nicolae Mihalache for showing me how to fix this. Added Coffin's Collection problems #182 to #184. Got up to date with solutions. 15 January, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #178 to #181. Got up to date with solutions. 08 January, 2006: Added Coffin's Collection problems #175 to #177. Got up to date with solutions. Acknowledged almost correct but not 100% perfect solution to #414. 01 January, 2006: Started new competition (#11) and published result of #10 and annual competition, 2005. Got up to date with solutions. Added problem #506 and Coffin's Collection problem #174. 18 December, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problem #173. Got up to date with solutions. 11 December, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problems #169 to #172. Got up to date with solutions. Updated result of #9 (apologies to Dick Yuen). 04 December, 2005: Started new competition (#10) and published result of #9. Got up to date with solutions. Added Coffin's Collection problems #167 and #168. 27 November, 2005: Got up to date with solutions. Added Coffin's Collection problems #157 to #166. 20 November, 2005: Got up to date with solutions. Added Coffin's Collection problems #153 to #156, reaching the end of the first of Coffin's two books (in which 156 out of 201 have turned out to be sound, in some cases after minor modifications). Next week I'll be starting on the second book, which has 300 problems. Some of these are already here in my main collection because they appeared in Bridge Magazine. 13 November, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problems #150 to #152. Got up to date with solutions. 06 November, 2005: Started new competition (#9) and published result of #8. Added Coffin's Collection problems #145 to #149. Added problem #505 (a beauty). Got up to date with solutions. 30 October, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problem #140 to #144. Got up to date with solutions. 23 October, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problem #135 to #139. Got up to date with solutions. 09 October, 2005: Started new competition (#8) and published result of #7. Added Coffin's Collection problems #133 and #134. 02 October, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problems #131 and #132. Got up to date with solutions. Corrected error in layout of Coffin's Collection problem #120. 25 September, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problems #126 to #130. Got up to date with solutions. Corrected error in layout of problem #504. 11 September, 2005: Started new competition (#7) and published result of #6. Added problems #503 and #504. Added Coffin's Collection problem #125. Got up to date with solutions. 04 September, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problem #124. Got up to date with solutions. 28 August, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problems #122 and #123. Got up to date with solutions. Added Wim van der Zijden to solvers list for Competition Problem #5. 14 August, 2005: Started new competition (#6) and published result of #5. Added Coffin's Collection problems #118 to #121. Got up to date with solutions. 08 August, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problem #117. Got nearly up to date with solutions. Failed to start new competition. 29 July, 2005: Added problem #502. Added Coffin's Collection problems #112 to #116. Got up to date with solutions. 10 July, 2005: Added problem #501. Added Coffin's Collection problem #111. Got up to date with solutions. 03 July, 2005: Closed Competition Problem #4. Added Coffin's Collection problems #109 to #110. Got up to date with solutions. 26 June, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problem #108. Got a little behind with solutions, sorry! 19 June, 2005: Sorry. No updates after all, but caught up with solutions on Tuesday, the 21st. 12 June, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problem #107. Stayed up to date with solutions. 05 June, 2005: Major changes caused by inauguration of new annual competition. Competition rules drafted. New section of archive prepared for previous competition problems. Added problem #500 and Coffin's Collection problem #106. Stayed up to date with solutions. 29 May, 2005: Added problem #499 and Coffin's Collection problems #103 to #105. Stayed up to date with solutions. 22 May, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problem #102. Stayed up to date with solutions. 15 May, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problem #101. Stayed up to date with solutions. 08 May, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problems #89 to #100. Stayed up to date with solutions. 01 May, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problems #85 to #88. Stayed up to date with solutions. 24 April, 2005: Added problem #498 and Coffin's Collection problems #82 to #84. Got up to date with solutions. 17 April, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problems #78 to #81. 10 April, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problem #77. Got slightly behind with solutions. 03 April, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problems #74 to #76. Caught up with solutions. 27 March, 2005: Added Coffin's Collection problem #73. Got behind with solutions again! 20 March, 2005: Added problem #497 and Coffin's Collection problem #72. Caught up with solutions backlog. 13 March, 2005: Added problem #496 and Coffin's Collection problem #71. Sorry that I was not able to study all solutions received last week. I should be able to catch up this coming week. 06 March, 2005: Added problem #495 and Coffin's Collection problem #70. 27 February, 2005: Caught up with backlog of solutions. Added problem #494 and Coffin's Collection problem #69. 20 February, 2005: About Double Dummy Corner updated. No additional problems because of the huge backlog of solutions submitted while I was away. I'm still working through this backlog. So far I have processed all solutions submitted before 28 January, 2005. 09 January, 2005: Addition of Coffin's Collection problems #66 to #68. Sorry for so few additions, but I'm beginning to discover that many problems in Coffin's Sure Tricks are unsound. For example (if you happen to have a copy), numbers 77-83 are all cooked. PLEASE NOTE: No more updates now until 20 February, 2005. 02 January, 2005: Addition of problem #493 and Coffin's Collection problems #61 to #65. 27 December, 2004: No new problems this week, sorry again. But lists of solvers are updated. 19 December, 2004: No new problems this week, sorry. 12 December, 2004: Addition of problem #492 and Coffin's Collection problems #35 to #60. 05 December, 2004: Addition of Coffin's Collection problems #24 to #34. Completed the links to the By composer section on composers' names. 28 November, 2004: Addition of Coffin's Collection problems #10 to #23. Started putting links to the By composer section on composers' names. Corrected errors in links in the Ernest Pawle entry in that section. 21 November, 2004: Addition of Coffin's Collection problem #9. (Sorry, pressed for time this week.) 14 November, 2004: Addition of Coffin's Collection problems #3 to #8. Massive tidy-up of the little tables of links that appear at the bottom of each page. There were quite a few incorrect links (to "next problem", etc.), and the table was badly formatted in many cases. 07 November, 2004: Started a new section, George Coffin's Collection. Updated the introduction to the main archive. 31 October, 2004: Front page problem changed. 24 October, 2004: Addition of problems #476 to #491. This brings me to within a year of the present day, as far as problems from my solving competition magazine column go. From now on I'll add one problem per month from that column, to stay always a year behind. But I'll turn to other sources (from ancient history) as well, so there'll be other problems as well as those from my column. 03 October, 2004: Addition of problems #471 to #475. 26 September, 2004: Addition of problems #467 to #470. 19 September, 2004: Addition of problem #466. Sorry, no time for any more this week. 12 September, 2004: Addition of problems #464 and #465. 06 September, 2004: Addition of problems #462 and #463. Retraction of #445. 30 August, 2004: Addition of problems #460 and #461. 23 August, 2004: Addition of problems #456 to #459. Sorry for slight delay. 15 August, 2004: Addition of problems #449 to #455. 26 July, 2004: Addition of problem #448. Sorry for paucity and infrequency of updates. Will speed up soon, I hope! 11 July, 2004: Addition of problem #447. 20 June, 2004: Addition of problems #443 to #446. 13 June, 2004: Changed the front page. Taking a short rest from adding new problems, to allow solvers to catch up a little, but added #442 later. 09 May, 2004: Addition of problems #440 and #441. 18 April, 2004: Addition of problems #438 and #439. 04 April, 2004: Addition of problems #435 to #437. Also Mistake #7. 28 March, 2004: Addition of problem #434. Still very pressed for time! 21 March, 2004: Addition of problem #433. Sorry, pressed for time again. 14 March, 2004: Addition of problem #432. Sorry, I've not had much spare time this week. 07 March, 2004: Addition of problems #426 to #431. 29 February, 2004: Addition of problems #424 and #425. 22 February, 2004: Addition of problems #421 to #423. 15 February, 2004: Addition of problems #419 and #420. 09 February, 2004: Addition of problems #417 and #418. 01 February, 2004: Addition of problems #415 and #416. Front page problem changed. 25 January, 2004: Addition of problems #411 to #414. 18 January, 2004: Addition of problems #405 to #410. Apology added to front page. Master Points page updated. 11 January, 2004: Addition of problems #403 and #404. 04 January, 2004: Addition of problems #396 to #402. 28 December, 2003: Addition of problem #395. Apologies for being behind with checking solutions. At Christmas time I am preoccupied with social activities with family and friends. 21 December, 2003: Addition of problem #394. 14 December, 2003: Addition of problems #392 and #393. 07 December, 2003: Addition of problems #388 to #391. 30 November, 2003: Addition of problem #387. Sorry, but I'm getting a lot of solutions to mark at the moment and so I don't have enough time left to make multiple additions. 23 November, 2003: Addition of problem #386. Front page problem changed. Just about got up to date with solvers' names after my return home from a long absence. 12 October, 2003: Addition of problems #384 and #385. Sorry, short of time again. 28 September, 2003: Addition of problem #383. Sorry, short of time this week. 21 September, 2003: Addition of problems #378 to #382. Addition of a link to a site of interest to readers in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. 31 August, 2003: Addition of problems #372 to #377. 24 August, 2003: Addition of problems #370 and #371. 17 August, 2003: Creation of new section, Problems Categorised by Theme. Addition of problems #368 and #369. 12 August, 2003: Problem 358 was a duplicate of #14 and has been deleted. Solvers of the original #358 have been added to the list for #14. Problems 359 to 368 have been renumbered as 358 t0 367. Entries here from 13 July to 10 August have been changed accordingly. 10 August, 2003: Addition of problems #362 to #367, including several DR8s. Front page problem changed. 03 August, 2003: Addition of problems #360 and #361. 20 July, 2003: Addition of problems #358 and #359. 13 July, 2003: Addition of problem #357. 06 July, 2003: Addition of problems #351 to #356. Includes some gems by Cass and Bernasconi. 29 June, 2003: Addition of problems #349 and #350. 15 June, 2003: Addition of problem #348. Sorry, but that's all I have time for. At least it's a DR8, and I think you'll agree with that rating if you have a go at it. 26 May, 2003: Addition of problems #346 and #347. Front page problem changed. 25 May, 2003: Addition of problem #345 only, but I hope to add some more tomorrow, 26 May. 18 May, 2003: Addition of problems #343 and #344. 11 May, 2003: Addition of problems #340 to #342. 20 April, 2003: Addition of problems #338 to #339. 06 April, 2003: Addition of problems #335 to #337. 30 March, 2003: Front page problem changed. Addition of problem #334. 23 March, 2003: Addition of problems #330 to #333. 16 March, 2003: Addition of problems #325 to #329. 09 March, 2003: Addition of problems #321 to #324. 02 March, 2003: Addition of problem #320. 23 February, 2003: Addition of problems #318 to #319. 16 February, 2003: Addition of problem #317. Sorry, no time for any more this week. Will catch up with solutions from solvers soon. 09 February, 2003: Addition of problems #311 to #316. Front page problem changed. Got up to date with solutions received from solvers. 12 January, 2003: Addition of problems #301 to #310. 1987 was another bad year, but not quite as abysmal as it might seem, for two of the problems published that year, composed by Leslie Cass and Saul Cass, were placed here some time ago. 05 January, 2003: Addition of problems #296 to #300. We are now in the era of maestro Leslie Cass. Watch for more masterpieces by him. And, by the way, he is still contributing regularly to my monthly competitions, now in Bridge Plus! Please consider subscribing to this magazine (just click on its name) and entering my monthly solving competitions. By doing so you will help to keep DD problems alive and in the public eye! Currently, numbers of entrants are very low and would easily be trebled if a reasonable number of followers of this web site would join in. In case you are wondering why so few problems are dated 1985, that was a terrible year for me. Not only were many of the problems found to be cooked at the time, but I now realise that several others had dual solutions we had all overlooked in 1985. 29 December, 2002: Addition of problems #293 to #295. 22 December, 2002: Addition of problems #288 to #292. Front page problem changed. 06 December, 2002: Addition of problems #281 to #287. 01 December, 2002: Addition of problems #277 to #280. 24 November, 2002: Addition of problems #273 to #276. 17 November, 2002: Addition of problems #266 to #272. 03 November, 2002: Addition of some very difficult problems: #259 to #265. 20 October, 2002: Front page problem changed. Got up to date with solutions sent in by readers. Addition of Problems #255 to #258. 06 October, 2002: Addition of Problems #247 to #254. Some solutions to problems in the Mistakes from The Media section await examination by me. 15 September, 2002: Addition of Problems #244 to #246. #243 corrected. I'm going to be away for a while. I won't be able to update the site while I'm away. I see a chance on 06 October. If I miss that, the next chance is 20 October. 10 September, 2002: Addition of Problems #242 and #243. Sorry for the delay. I've still been very busy. 01 September, 2002: Addition of Problem #241. Front page problem changed. Sorry, it's been a very busy week. 26 August, 2002: Addition of Problems #236 to #240. 18 August, 2002: Addition of Problems #233 to #235. Statistics of visits since August 16, 2002, set up via small icon at bottom left corner of front page. 11 August, 2002: Addition of Problems #225 to #232. 21 July, 2002: Addition of Problems #221 to #224. #222 is possibly the most difficult problem ever composed. Front page problem changed. 15 July, 2002: Sorry, a day late. Addition of Problems #219 and #220. Difficulty ratings for problems 201 to 212 (thanks again to Jean-Marc Bihl). 07 July, 2002: Addition of Problem #218. Sorry , too busy for any more. 30 June, 2002: Addition of Problems #215 to #217. 23 June, 2002: Addition of Problems #213 and #214. Not a great step forward, perhaps, but I think these will keep you busy. I've started showing Difficulty Ratings with the problems and I've fixed a few incorrect links (arising from a sometimes losing struggle with the somewhat dreadful software I use for composing these pages). 16 June, 2002: Addition of Problems #208 to #212. Front page problem changed. And thanks to the sterling effort of Jean_Marc Bihl, to whom many thanks, I have added a new page giving Difficulty Ratings for Problems 1-200. This might help you decide which problems you would most like to look at. 09 June, 2002: Addition of Problems #205 to #207. 26 May, 2002: Addition of Problems #203 and #204. I have managed to complete the composers section. 19 May, 2002: #157 was showing the wrong contract (two spades instead of four spades). #198 had an incorrect setting, too. Two duplicate problems have been found. I'm struggling to catch up with all the solutions that are coming in at present, so only one new problem this time, #202. 21 April, 2002: Front page problem changed. I have started to build a new section listing all the problems in the archive by composer. What's more, when I create a section for a composer, I add new links to that composer's problems allowing you to go to the next or previous problem by that composer. It was a big job, collecting all of Ernest Pawle's problems together. I added one other composer (Robert Darvas) just to establish the format for the entire section. Problems #198 to #201 added to archive. 14 April, 2002: Addition of Problems #196 and #197. Sorry, I'm being slowed down by a (welcome) spate of solutions. 07 April, 2002: Addition of Problems #194 and #195. 01 April, 2002: Addition of Problems #189 to #193. 24 March, 2002: Sorry, no new problems, but I have changed the front page problem (have a go - it's a great one!) and I have made a significant under-the-covers change to the entire web site, thanks to an html trick that I have only just been made aware of. Whenever you click on "click here", now, to send me an e-mail, you should find that the Subject line of your e-mail is already filled in appropriately. Please do check that the problem number is correct, though. It was a very laborious process and I wouldn't be surprised to find I made a mistake here and there. 17 March, 2002: Addition of Problems #185 to #188. 03 March, 2002: Addition of Problems #183 and #184. Sorry again. I've been very busy of late. 24 February, 2002: Addition of missing Problem #159. Sorry I didn't find time for anything else. 27 January, 2002: Problems #176 to #182 added to archive. Front page problem changed. 20 January, 2002: Problems #172 to #175 added to archive. 13 January, 2002: Problems #168 to #171 added to archive. Front page problem changed. 09 December, 2001: Problems #154 to #167 added to archive. E&W problem #17 added. Front page rearranged, featuring E&W problem #17. 02 December, 2001: Problems #148 to #153 added to archive. E&W problem #16 added. 25 November, 2001: Front page redesigned. Problems #144 to #147 added to archive, bringing us to a certain landmark. E&W problems #14 and #15 added. 18 November, 2001: Problems #137 to #143 added to archive. #117 amended (thanks to Vincent Labbé for the suggestion). E&W problem #13 added. 11 November, 2001: Problems #133 to #136 added to archive. E&W problem #12 added. 04 November, 2001: Problems #126 to #132 added to archive. Try #127! #129 is a special one for me, personally, being my first ever composition. Hinden (fellow student and bridge partner at the time) and I spent a whole night putting it together. We wanted to find out what composing a double dummy problem is like. I was vaguely aware of what I later learned to call seesaw squeezes, and that was the theme I suggested for us to work on. E&W problems #10 and #11 added. 07 October, 2001: Problems #121 to #125 added to archive. E&W problems #8 and #9 added. 30 September, 2001: Problems #119 and #120 added to archive. E&W problems #6 and #7 added. 23 September, 2001: Problems #113 to #118 added to archive. E&W problems #4 and #5 added. Front page further improved. 16 September, 2001: The promised collection of Exchange & Win Problems is now officially started. Nos #111 to #112 added to archive. Front page redesigned to give more immediate access to links. 27 August, 2001: Only a couple of additions to the archive because I have been working on the production of a new section to be devoted to "Exchange and Win" problems. I hope to open this section in my next updated, scheduled for September 16th, 2001. Nos. #109 to #110 added to archive. Difficulty ratings assigned for competition problems #1 and #2 (8 and 7, respectively). Andrew Prothero's promotion to Life Master Problemist announced. 22 August, 2001: Mistake #6, contributed by Paolo Treossi, added to "Mistakes From The Media". 19 August, 2001: Mistake #5 added to "Mistakes From The Media". Problems #101 to #108 added to archive. #104 and #108 are among my own all time favourites, and at the time when #102 was first published, Pawle thought it was the most difficult problem he had composed. 21 July, 2001: Just continuing to build the archive from #97 (especially recommended) to #100. 08 July, 2001: Sorry, only one more problem, #96. I might manage something in a week's time but cannot guarantee. Note that the announcement about Bridge Plus has been clarified: my solving competition starts in the very next issue. 23 June, 2001: The archive creeps towards 100 problems. We are now up to #95 and the latest batch, starting at #91, includes some real gems. I'm going away yet again, returning on July 4th, 2001. I hope to able to make a small update on July 8th, followed by some more extensive additions later in July. 09 June, 2001: Only one more problem, I'm afraid, #90. Now I'm going to be away for a while and I'll probably only have time to add one more on 23 June. 03 June, 2001: I added three splendid contributions to Mistakes From The Media, two submitted by Paolo Treossi and one by Damien Lescot. Also added some more problems from the 1950s, starting with #86. 26 May, 2001: I added this page and a few more problems from the 1950s, starting with #78. I especially recommend #85, by S.M. Nuttall. 20 May, 2001: Not much, I'm afraid, as it has taken me over a week to get my head above water again after a long absence on business. I have at last added the solution to Bridge Magazine's last competition problem, in unfinished business. I hope to add some more problems to the archive later this week. 15 April, 2001: I've started a new feature! It's a collection entitled "Mistakes From The Media". It's not a very big collection yet, but everything has to have a beginning. I've added 15 more early problems, too, starting with #63. They are not all by Commander Pawle.
© Hugh Darwen, 2004 Date last modified: 04 February, 2012
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