Christine Lovatt

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Christine Lovatt

Portrait photo of Christine Lovatt, the "Cryptic Queen"
Born London, United Kingdom
Occupation Puzzle publisher

Christine Lovatt (born Mary Christine Evans in London, United Kingdom) is an Australian crossword puzzle creator and co-founder of Lovatts Publications, an Australian firm that publishes crossword and sudoku puzzles. She was born to David Evans, a Welsh engineer, and Mary Sullivan, an Irish nurse, and spent the first 22 years living in London. By 1973 she had completed her nurses' training in Guy's Hospital.

In 1974, Christine travelled to Australia for a working holiday, and after several years working as a nurse in Queensland, decided to live Down Under. During this time, she met journalist James Lovatt, and they were married in 1978. Together, they started compiling crosswords for several newspapers and magazines, and it was then that they launched their own publishing company.

Lovatts Publications now produces 20 titles in Australia and New Zealand, 5 titles in the United Kingdom, and 1 in Canada. Among the Australian titles are: BIG, Colossus, Starhunt, Holiday Collection, Mega, and Super Sudoku. One of their most recent successful titles is called Addoku.

In 2007, the company created a casual games website entitled YouPlay. The website includes electronic versions of all the Lovatts puzzles, as well as a number of new games. One of the most popular of these new games is Sudoku Combat, a multiplayer version of Sudoku.

Christine has appeared on many Australian TV shows, including A Current Affair, 11am, and is frequently featured on radio talkshows, including ABC, 2UE, and 4BG (Brisbane).

[edit] References

  1. Lovatts Crosswords and Puzzles
  2. Lovatt, Christine, Creating Crosswords from Collins Soapbox, 7th December 2004, HarperCollins
  3. Rothfield, Mark, Candid Comment - Christine Lovatt, The Herald Weekender , January 15, 2005
  4. McCarthy, Joanne, With Never A Cross Word, The Herald Weekender (Feature Article), March 29, 2003
  5. Snapshot - Christine Lovatt, The Daily Telegraph - Money & You, 29 April 2003
  6. Stickley, David, Omega crossword, Sydney Morning Herald, 19 March 2007, page 19, clue 39 down - "Puzzle creators, with input from Lovatts originally, may be pioneers"

[edit] External links