Croydon Guardian, 1881

The announcement added that some minor prizes would be announced later. In the revised announcement of 1881-08-06, which added two weeks to closing dates for contributions from Europe and North America, no mention of additional prizes was made. On 1881-09-24 it was reported that a donation for a prize for the best #2 had been accepted.

A solution tourney was held for the published problems.

Twenty-seven problems were published, of which eight were found to be unsound, either as having multiple solutions, or as being practically unsound, by duals in the main variation, or by an author's solution that included an impossible variation, but excluded a possible one. (Three problems were reported as withdrawn as unsound on 1882-01-14, and for that reason not published.) Of the remaining 17 problems, 13 were considered good enough to consider for awards.

The names of the competitors were not published, except for the award-winners.


Croydon Guardian reprinted the sp. pr. problem on 1881-02-18 with the motto Elder Smith. This must be a mistake: the report and the original printing both have the motto Deacon Jones; another problem by an unknown competitor was identified by the motto Elder Smith.