2015 USPC and Sudoku Team Qualifying Test

[sknight]

The email went around today.
The USPC will be Saturday, Sept 5 and the US Sudoku Team Qualifying Test will be Sunday Sept 6.
Both tests are at 1pm EDT
The actual website will be updated on 8/31.
Once the site is updated, the links will be:
USPC: wpc.puzzles.com/uspc2015
Sudoku Test: wpc.puzzles.com/ussq2015

[detuned]

Better late than never

[PuzzleScot]

I asked Nick if the window would be extended for international participation.
The answer is yes, but only by an hour or so. The scheduled start 6pm, so anything much after 7pm start probably won't appear on the list.

[sknight]

Preview instructions are available for the USPC.
A lot from Serkan this year, which sounds promising.

[tamz29]

Wow. that was fun!
I think I might have a few points slashed away from the very nitpicky answer keys.
But this is still one of my favourite puzzle tests lately.

How did everyone do?

[sknight]

Provisionally about 167, which is respectable but 1-2 puzzles short of what I was hoping for.
Incidentally, that's 2 on the STD, not 7, because I just ignored it until I finished the big Masyu-Crossword
thing with 3 minutes to spare, and was thinking "Well, I don't really have time to start another ... STD!!"
and snagged a couple extra points in the last minute or two. Felt like I made pretty good use of time,
except I managed to break the sheep/wolves the first time I tried it (erased and redid it pretty quickly),
and after spending maybe 3 minutes on the Sudoku decided that despite some early progress it was
taking a turn for the nasty and I should just come back to it later (if at all -- which I didn't).

[PuzzleScot]

Started, and got 4 or 5 done before realising Scotland were playing France (RWC warm-up). So, you know, priorities...
Puzzles were a lot of fun though - will attempt the rest at a later date - Not tonight if I decide to do the LMI.
Nice to have these choices at this time of year

[kiwijam]

0 points.
Slept blissfully through the whole thing due to time-zone incompatibility.
Will have a look later.

[sf2l]

reasonably happy about my 178 but kicking myself for a tiny mistake on the masyu crossword which costed me 30 further points. When will I learn.

[PuzzleScot]

Well done Tom and Heather on the USSC! Tom would have made the US A-team, and Heather would be in the US B-team.

[detuned]

Yes - quite pleased with that result considering I had a relatively bad round. I'd have been more satisfied getting closer to 300, but the general chit-chat on facebook suggests that quite a few people were struggling with the test, so I won't complain