For the record, I can easily be bought for a bottle of good Pinot!!! Where is your neck of the woods (or section of the vineyard). As it turns out I see you did solve it. Drat there goes that pinot....woozy wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2023 4:22 pmI'm not going to read it until I'm really really stuck. Just took a break and bottled 23 1/2 bottles of pinot noir and am now going to look at it with fresh eyes.DrTom wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2023 3:42 pmWell I am notoriously bad at rating metas but I never thought this one would play hard to get. I'll send a little nudge to see if you can see why I thought it would be a slam dunk,woozy wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2023 1:05 pm You know. With Cap'n Rick calling the SSS a "barely a ripple" and Ben's MGWCC being rated a week 1 (!) and you calling this a Kitten I propose a moratorium on crossword constructors ever declaring their puzzles easy.
EDIT: I will say your puzzle is a fun one for coming up with metanisms that you *know* won't work. It can't be a rabbit hole if you know it won't go anywhere. Now to find a hole that could go anywhere.... well, there's something I'm obviously supposed to do but... big blank in my thinking of anything that fits.
Sorry for the angst!
T
... although, I'm one of those people who *NEVER* see anything new with fresh eyes. I just feel like there must be some expression we never use in my neck of the woods. And I can't see what anything has to do with ... stuff.
MEOW #157 Tea Mascot
- DrTom
- Posts: 3872
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- DrTom
- Posts: 3872
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
Peobably a continent thing.
Thanks for persevering, I hope you were able to follow the instructions
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- DrTom
- Posts: 3872
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
Oh GREAT, my cats saw this and now they are "Dad, can you order us some, can ya huh????"
Sorry if I brewed up trouble.
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- DrTom
- Posts: 3872
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
Thanks "other Wendy", I do love me a well phrased turn...HeadinHome wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2023 3:39 pm De-bagged and back at work. Nobody does wordplay better. Thanks!
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- DrTom
- Posts: 3872
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
Well, it appears people are, in general, liking this one. I think there is a split opinion on difficulty. Some people find it playing a good deal harder than a KITTEN. but it has had a good response:
1 Cindy Weatherman
2 Hector
3 Chris Cochmanski
4 Pair O Ducks
5 DC Billy
6 Tom Wilson
7 Bird Lives
8 boharr
9 lbray53
10 Meg
11 Whimsy (T)
12 kurtalert
13 Jaclyn
14 Darth
15 HeadInHome
16 markhr
17 JM
18 woozy
19 Gutman
20 CPJohnson
21 Laura M
22 benchen71
23 KayW
We will see what happens once the WSJ drops tomorrow. I'm guessing the MGWCC will not be Friday this week, but hey, who knows.
Let me leave you with some levity:
1 Cindy Weatherman
2 Hector
3 Chris Cochmanski
4 Pair O Ducks
5 DC Billy
6 Tom Wilson
7 Bird Lives
8 boharr
9 lbray53
10 Meg
11 Whimsy (T)
12 kurtalert
13 Jaclyn
14 Darth
15 HeadInHome
16 markhr
17 JM
18 woozy
19 Gutman
20 CPJohnson
21 Laura M
22 benchen71
23 KayW
We will see what happens once the WSJ drops tomorrow. I'm guessing the MGWCC will not be Friday this week, but hey, who knows.
Let me leave you with some levity:
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- Cap'n Rick
- Posts: 1600
- Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:44 pm
- Location: Nahant, MA
Point taken, @woozy. We needed to turn this SSS around fairly quickly, and I only had time for two quick test solves - both of which indicated an easy-ish meta. In hindsight, I'd probably re-rate the difficulty at
Edit: Forgot to mention that I still haven't solved @DrTom's MEOW yet...
Last edited by Cap'n Rick on Wed Nov 29, 2023 10:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- BarbaraK
- Posts: 2642
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
- Location: Virginia
Very much not in my tea house, but I googled my way to free the cat.
If you want help with a meta, feel free to PM me. The more specific you are about what you have and what you want, the more likely I can help without spoiling.
(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
-
- Posts: 367
- Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:10 pm
- woozy
- Posts: 2254
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
I liked the SSS very much! And it wouldn't say it was frustratingly impossible. But it had a few (fun) challenging ripples. (I should have done better than I did though).Cap'n Rick wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2023 9:55 pmPoint taken, @woozy. We needed to turn this SSS around fairly quickly, and I only had time for two quick test solves - both of which indicated an easy-ish meta. In hindsight, I'd probably re-rate the difficulty at
Edit: Forgot to mention that I still haven't solved @DrTom's MEOW yet...
Stinky Pinkies!
My Entry to the May 2024 CrossHare Midi Contest
Not a meta, but, yeesh!, that was tough to create.
My Entry to the May 2024 CrossHare Midi Contest
Not a meta, but, yeesh!, that was tough to create.
-
- Posts: 787
- Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2020 11:57 am
- Location: Atlanta, GA
Cat has been set free, but only because Dr. Tom untied the string for me and helped lure the kitty out. Not in my wheelhouse at all, but a very nice puzzle (once you see it). Thanks Tom!
Matthew
- DrTom
- Posts: 3872
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
Apparently this is a kitten but a Lynx kitten and it is a lot more ferocious than it looked to me. I mean I am getting "you call that a kitten" from some good solvers and even other constructors. Therefore maybe a nudge or two are in order? (three more tomorrow if these do not help)
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- DrTom
- Posts: 3872
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
Port, storm, any old....I seem to have underestimated the ferocity of this little kitty. Apparently my testers were all lion tamers!
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- Cap'n Rick
- Posts: 1600
- Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:44 pm
- Location: Nahant, MA
Finally! This was a bear! No lyin'!
- DrTom
- Posts: 3872
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
OK, but of course neither of those would play.....
Thanks for keeping the rudder straight and finally reaching port.
TB
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- DrTom
- Posts: 3872
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
CALLING ALL CONSTRUCTORS! (and of course anyone else)
If you value Crosshare as much as I do, and I DO, consider this a challenge to get your name in Bold on the contributor site. It is really minimal, as low as a $9 monthly pledge, which is less than you spend on a lunch or a couple of coffees in most places. It helps Crosshare, AND as a recurring donation they can plan their finances a lot better.
I know all the Muggles are generous people, and this gives us a chance to do something nice AND help ourselves by keeping Crosshare around. You may not get a tote bag or coffee cup like for Public TV, but the drama of metas is as good as "Downton Abbey", as funny as "Are You Being Served" and as instructive as "Nova"...plus I hear Ken Burns is planning a 25 night, 3 hour each special called "The Mind of the Meta Constructor, Brilliant or Blighted"
If you value Crosshare as much as I do, and I DO, consider this a challenge to get your name in Bold on the contributor site. It is really minimal, as low as a $9 monthly pledge, which is less than you spend on a lunch or a couple of coffees in most places. It helps Crosshare, AND as a recurring donation they can plan their finances a lot better.
I know all the Muggles are generous people, and this gives us a chance to do something nice AND help ourselves by keeping Crosshare around. You may not get a tote bag or coffee cup like for Public TV, but the drama of metas is as good as "Downton Abbey", as funny as "Are You Being Served" and as instructive as "Nova"...plus I hear Ken Burns is planning a 25 night, 3 hour each special called "The Mind of the Meta Constructor, Brilliant or Blighted"
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- DrTom
- Posts: 3872
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
Day two and we are still going pretty strong. New to the list:
24 BarbaraK
25 Berto
26 Merlininmue
27 MatthewL
28 LarsCaine
29 DIS
30 Sharkicicles
31 LB800
32 Carolyn
33 Cap'n Rick
34 Mr Tex
35 Katiedid
24 BarbaraK
25 Berto
26 Merlininmue
27 MatthewL
28 LarsCaine
29 DIS
30 Sharkicicles
31 LB800
32 Carolyn
33 Cap'n Rick
34 Mr Tex
35 Katiedid
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- SamKat9
- Posts: 282
- Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2023 7:45 pm
- Location: Southeast Florida
Cat is out of the bag with nudges! Thanks DrTom!
Shannon
PS: If you want help with a meta, PM what you have so I can help without spoiling too much. I've received lots of help in the beginning and I love to pay it forward!
PS: If you want help with a meta, PM what you have so I can help without spoiling too much. I've received lots of help in the beginning and I love to pay it forward!
- DrTom
- Posts: 3872
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
Well nudges are helping declaw this kitten so here are some more:
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- DrTom
- Posts: 3872
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
-
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2020 7:22 pm
Thanks for another great puzzle and thank you for the shout out DrTom! If anybody has any questions about Crosshare please give me a shout. For some reason I don't seem to get email notifications from this forum so mike [at] crosshare [dot] org is probably a safer bet. Thank you all for your support!DrTom wrote: ↑Thu Nov 30, 2023 4:43 pm I know all the Muggles are generous people, and this gives us a chance to do something nice AND help ourselves by keeping Crosshare around. You may not get a tote bag or coffee cup like for Public TV, but the drama of metas is as good as "Downton Abbey", as funny as "Are You Being Served" and as instructive as "Nova"...plus I hear Ken Burns is planning a 25 night, 3 hour each special called "The Mind of the Meta Constructor, Brilliant or Blighted"