CHICAGO — I am a first-time responder to a newspaper, and never thought my first letter would be for something so innocuous, but please reconsider your discontinuation of the Jumble Crossword in the Tribune’s Tempo section.
I have enjoyed this simple puzzle since becoming a Tribune subscriber last summer, and save the Tempo section each day just so I can work on it during my daily commutes. If you must replace something, I’d rather see you remove the regular Jumble cartoon instead.
I’m also curious about how you gauge reader interest in comic strips and puzzle sections in general. If there is a poll or survey you use, I’d be happy to participate in future reviews.
— Mark Smithivas
A daily train wreck
CHICAGO — I am astounded that anyone has complained of “Fred Basset’s” removal. I used to cut out and paste the really bad ones to my wall as a joke because I could not believe that a strip so horrible was actually in print.
“Fred Basset” is the complete opposite of humor — a daily train wreck. I’ve seen funnier items on stock pages. “AmbacF98 — no change today.” That’s hilarious compared to Fred.
Thank you for ridding the Tribune of a hound that should be put to sleep, much as he does to anyone that reads him.
— Ryan Stone
