XWord Muggles Forum

I also don't think I'll solve this one in time. I haven't had a single idea that has led me anywhere. I guess it's weeks like these that make it feel so good to solve these puzzles!

Bird Lives wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:48 am

Joe Ross wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:27 am Read three posts in WSJCC SOUND OFF that will add two tools to my solving kit. They also seem to give me some traction, here, at last, but I can't follow through to the end.

There's 350 of them. Can you say which three? Or is that a public nudge?

I don't know which three he is referring to, but there was more than 1 reference to reading each clue and answer out loud, which is a general solving technique. That hasn't gotten me anywhere with this one, yet.

ky-mike wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:49 am

Bird Lives wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:48 am

Joe Ross wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:27 am Read three posts in WSJCC SOUND OFF that will add two tools to my solving kit. They also seem to give me some traction, here, at last, but I can't follow through to the end.

There's 350 of them. Can you say which three? Or is that a public nudge?

I don't know which three he is referring to, but there was more than 1 reference to reading each clue and answer out loud, which is a general solving technique. That hasn't gotten me anywhere with this one, yet.

See my latest post on SOUND OFF topic.

Well, and I am certain this is not a spoiler, here is another quote from Talk Like a Pirate Day - AAARRRGGGHH!!!!!!!!

Man do I ever feel incompetent. I've got nothing, this darn thing even woke me up at might thinking about it.

DrTom wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:18 am Well, and I am certain this is not a spoiler, here is another quote from Talk Like a Pirate Day - AAARRRGGGHH!!!!!!!!

Man do I ever feel incompetent. I've got nothing, this darn thing even woke me up at might thinking about it.

At least this one made it into your subconscious. I didn't make a single in-road, so I don't think my subconscious even knew there was a meta to solve. T-20 minutes to a learning experience.

Congrats to the solvers!

joequavis wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:40 am

DrTom wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:18 am Well, and I am certain this is not a spoiler, here is another quote from Talk Like a Pirate Day - AAARRRGGGHH!!!!!!!!

Man do I ever feel incompetent. I've got nothing, this darn thing even woke me up at might thinking about it.

At least this one made it into your subconscious. I didn't make a single in-road, so I don't think my subconscious even knew there was a meta to solve. T-20 minutes to a learning experience.

Congrats to the solvers!

Learning and humbling experience! I always an amazed at the cleverness of the constructor and the solvers. When people get these it makes me realize that my wife is entirely correct, I am NOT as smart as I think I am.

No last-second miracles this week. Week 5 wins.

I’d actually rather it turn out to be a Kas 4. With those, I can at least hope that someday I might get them all.

Oh LORD - July has 5 weeks as well, I don't know how much pain I can stand! I also noted my Birthday month (October) has 5, the fifth coming after my birthday so perhaps I'll be wise enough to solve (yeah AS IF).

Big Mac wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:52 am No last-second miracles this week. Week 5 wins.

And, for that reason, I’m out.

Sincere congratulations to & admiration of all who solved!

Looking forward to the solution.

[EDIT] That's EXCELLENT. Looking forward to next 5th week.

I failed!!

OK, so I just looked at Matt's site, there were as of 4 minutes ago 175 solvers, so low for a week. BUT, Jangler got the grid and meta in 10 minutes and he was SECOND!! How in the hell is that even physically possible to fill a grid of 70 plus words in 8-10 minutes AND figure out the META.This puzzle has to come out earlier somewhere or there are spirit solvers. If people can do that. what hope is there for folks like me.

No learning experience yet on crossword fiend. Looks like even Joon was stumped. Wow. Tough one

The themer clues have alternate four-letter answers with three identical letters: PAPP, OMOO, NUNN, DODD, EPEE, ARRR. PONDER.

Deep rabbit hole: NANCE LIEBERMAN BASKETBALL. (Nancy Lieberman was a very famous bball player.)

I thought for sure that the central entry SCORING had to be thematic, since it fits the title nicely. Apparently that was one of those words intended to deceive...

Never EVER would have gotten this. I need to be better about recognizing when the clues are written vaguely enough such that multiple correct answers are possible...even answers not found elsewhere in the grid.

Hector wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2020 12:04 pm The themer clues have alternate four-letter answers with three identical letters: PAPP, OMOO, NUNN, DODD, EPEE, ARRR. PONDER.

Deep rabbit hole: NANCE LIEBERMAN BASKETBALL. (Nancy Lieberman was a very famous bball player.)

I missed some of the alternates (KANE instead of Papp, GOLF instead of EPEE, ARGH instead of ARRR), leaving me scratching my head all weekend.

My rabbit hole: The grid is a pangram, except for Q and U. It's not unusual for a puzzle to not have a Q, but it's hard to make one without a U, so I assumed that was intentional. Especially with QU in the title. But what clinched it is the clue "Quinnipiac University product." QU product?! In a puzzle that is a pangram except for QU?! C'mon, Matt!

It was a hole I couldn't climb out of. Even when I was being spoon fed the mechanism, I kept waiting to see how QU would play into it.

Arrr! Giant head slap. Because I had the list of NAFTA senators, arranged by state. How did I not notice Nunn and Dodd!! I’d like to think that would have got my attention to google the rest.

Oh well, my solo solve steak ends at 25. New one starts next week. (Nice thing about MGWCC week 1s is that it feels safe to say that without risking the wrath of the meta gods.)

Three more metas now on tap - muggle meta Monday, MMMM, and Fill Me In - but I may have to save them for tomorrow and give my brain a chance to recover from all the rabbit holes I’ve been down.