Clever Clues Clobber Crossword Computer

Hugh Pickens writes "Steve Lohr reports that an impressive crossword-solving computer program called Dr. Fill matched its digital wits against 600 of the nation's best human crossword-solvers, finishing only 141st at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in New York. 'I wish it had done better,' says Dr. Matthew Ginsberg, the creator of Dr. Fill and an expert in artificial intelligence. Dr. Fill typically thrives on conventional crosswords, even ones with arcane clues and answers; it solved one of the most difficult puzzles at the tournament perfectly. But the computer does poorly with clever clues based on puns or jokes, because humans and machines solve the crosswords very differently. Humans recognize patterns based on accumulated knowledge and experience, while computers make endless calculations to determine the most statistically probable answer. The computer program is literal minded, and tends to struggle on puzzles with humor, and puzzles with unusual themes or letter arrangements. Take this clue from a 2010 puzzle in The Times: Apollo 11 and 12 (180 degrees). The answer is SNOISSIWNOOW, seemingly gibberish. A clever human could eventually figure out that those letters, when rotated 180 degrees, spell MOON MISSIONS. Humans get the joke, while a literal-minded computer does not. 'Occasionally, Dr. Fill just doesn't get it,' says Ginsberg. 'That's my nightmare.'"

Comments

My favourite "not real" crossword clues

[whyloginwhysubscribe]

If I see someone doing a crossword I usually say "I was stuck on a crossword the other day - the clue was 'very busy postman'". Eventually (sometimes it takes a while) they ask "how many letters" at which point you can say "hundreds!"

I'm such a funny guy...

Oh - another one is to say "seven up is lemonade"...

I'd luck to congratulate

[mapkinase]

I'd luck to congratulate submitter on a clever title. Does not happen very often here.

Re:Poor example?

[dkf]

Nor is it a word in any conventional sense, nor comprised of words. The only place it ever appears is in relation to discussion of this particular clue. The correct clever human response to such thing is to punch the setter in the face; they have broken the formal compact of crossword setting by using a non-word/non-phrase as an answer.

Redundancy

[Hentes]

Not being able to guess a few words might not be a problem, skip it and solve the other ones, once there are enough letters in it a computer can easily look up the available words, and if there are more than one even use a nonlinear approach. Even without any clues, a few words can't be that hard to bruteforce.

Re:Poor example?

[bws111]

Here is one that just appeared this week (LA Times, I think):

Clue: Hail Answer: DANTESINFERNO
Clue: Poe Answer: FLATBROKE
Clue: What you need to get the above two answers: SOUTHERNDRAWL

Not sure how you make a routine to come up with those answers.

Re:When is a moon mission not a moon mission?

[grandpastackhouse]

*HSOOM*