XWord Muggles Forum

Please see below for the latest puzzle PCC#32 - "This Puzzle Sucks"

[Level 1] Meta prompt: The answer to the meta is a video game character

Note: the level is the intended difficulty I had in mind when I designed the puzzle, but may play differently since every solver has their own area of expertise... what one person may find easy, another may find difficult.

Have fun and keep in mind if you're ever lost at sea, google is your best friend (actually, I don't know if you'd get internet service in the middle of the ocean)
-Phil

This Puzzle Sucks
crosshare
PUZ
PDF

NOTE: In the Crosshare version of the puzzle, there is a bar at 27-Down. No need to overanalyze this bar... it is NOT part of the meta... I simply couldn't find symmetric theme answers to use, so I was lazy and decided to go with it. Like the title says, this puzzle sucks...

Since .puz files do not support barred grids, I reworked the puzzle a bit to remove the bar. The SW corner changed a little and the grid is asymmetric.
Note that this does NOT affect the meta.

You may solve either version, the Crosshare version (with the ugly bar) or the asymmetric .puz/.pdf version


Nudges below:

Hint #1: There are 5 entries with a parenthetical number in their clues... these are the 5 theme entries

Hint #2: Can you figure out what they have in common? If you've done household chores before, it might be easier

Hint #3: They all contain vacuum cleaner brands

Hint #4: Consider the nth letter of the vacuum cleaner brand where n = number in parenthesis

Hint #5: If you circle the five letters, the answer can be read out in grid order

Solution below - SPOILER ALERT:

Answer explanation: Answer explanation: EUREKA MOMENT, ANDY MIELE, HOOVER DAM, DJ ROOMBA, and FREEMAN DYSON all have vacuum cleaner brands in them: Eureka, Miele, Hoover, Roomba, Dyson. The parenthetical number tells us which letter to extract: K I R B Y... and so the meta answer is Kirby, a video game character whose signature ability is sucking up his enemies and copying their abilities.

There is a vacuum cleaner brand called Kirby as well and one might guess that the Nintendo character is named after it due to its sucking power but the name Kirby was chosen to honor American lawyer John Kirby, who defended Nintendo in the Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd. case (the lawsuit was about Nintendo using the name "Donkey Kong" for its gorilla which Universal argued was copying "King Kong")

"Be Kind to Lawyers Day" is celebrated on the second Tuesday of April. This occasion first came to light when a non-lawyer found himself surrounded by lawyer friends who felt underappreciated. Consider showing appreciation for the lawyer(s) in your life

Turned the corner - and learned a tiny bit more about video game characters in the process. But I beg to differ with the puzzle title - it was fun. Thanks Phil!

Fun puzzle! thanks Phil!

Turned the corner. Fun concept!

Proudly Correct Cruciverbalist!

Fun. Thanks, Phil!

Turned the corner for these all-day suckers -- Good fun -- Thanks, Phil!

Phun one, Phil!