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Re: "Dropouts" - May 2019
Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 7:55 pm
by BarbaraK
sheilaco wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2019 7:43 pm
I finally got it a few hours ago. I know that you can only submit one answer for the monthly meta. Is that also the case for the mega meta? This is my first year doing these.
You can submit as many guesses as you want for the mega meta, but each time you're wrong, you lose a point on your score for the year.
If anyone has any doubt whether Pete is a true nerd, read all the scoring rules for the mega meta - you'll be sure
Re: "Dropouts" - May 2019
Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 10:57 am
by BarbaraK
I wonder if the Washington Post deal is going to change any of the mechanics of MMMM. Any subscribers seeing how it works? If they're going to publish the puzzle in the Tuesday paper, it will be available earlier than usual. Or maybe they'll print it Wednesday?
I expect the number of solvers will be going up, and thus the odds of winning the mug will be going down. Come on, meta gods, better get it to me soon!
Re: "Dropouts" - May 2019
Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 12:40 pm
by sheilaco
I subscribe to the Post. I'll look for it this week.
Re: "Dropouts" - May 2019
Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 5:01 pm
by sheilaco
sheilaco wrote: ↑Sun May 12, 2019 12:40 pm
I subscribe to the Post. I'll look for it this week.
Duh! That should have been next month. I still had this past week's newspapers and I looked at Tuesday and Wednesday and didn't see the puzzle in it. Possibly, it will just be on their web site.
Re: "Dropouts" - May 2019
Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 9:29 am
by BarbaraK
I realized that you could "drop" a letter in certain words before I noticed that the new word also worked for the clue. It helped greatly in finding them that Pete had placed them all symmetrically - I only had to find half and then look at their partners. Also working from the ends, once I had MIS...YOU, I had a pretty good idea what other letters I should be looking for.
I have one nit though with 35A. Are debits entered in red? Can't they be either positive or negative depending on which side of the accounting equation they're on? In fact, aren't they positive on the asset side? Cindy???
Cindy wrote: ↑Sat May 11, 2019 5:30 pm
Re: "Dropouts" - May 2019
Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 9:34 am
by sheilaco
BarbaraK wrote: ↑Mon May 13, 2019 9:29 am
I realized that you could "drop" a letter in certain words before I noticed that the new word also worked for the clue. It helped greatly in finding them that Pete had placed them all symmetrically - I only had to find half and then look at their partners. Also working from the ends, once I had MIS...YOU, I had a pretty good idea what other letters I should be looking for.
I have one nit though with 35A. Are debits entered in red? Can't they be either positive or negative depending on which side of the accounting equation they're on? In fact, aren't they positive on the asset side? Cindy???
Cindy wrote: ↑Sat May 11, 2019 5:30 pm
Yes, debits can be positive or negative but most people associate debit with banks debiting their accounts which is negative.
Re: "Dropouts" - May 2019
Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 9:44 am
by Leslie
Yay! I got the email from Pete this morning saying that I had won the random drawing for the mug for this month! It was my first time trying the MMMM, and what a great introduction -- a really fun meta puzzle and a mug too! I had been sad when I realized that I started too late in the year to be eligible for the grand prize drawing, but now I'm happy. Makes up for my mugless state after 50 correct submissions to WSJCC. I do feel bad for the many muggles who have yet to win a mug or other prize after much longer streaks in WSJCC, MGWCC, and MMMM, but your day will come!
Re: "Dropouts" - May 2019
Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 10:00 am
by Leslie
Also, I got the mega meta! Too bad I'm not eligible for the grand prize since I didn't start until month 5.
Re: "Dropouts" - May 2019
Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 11:42 am
by FrankieHeck
Leslie wrote: ↑Mon May 13, 2019 9:44 am
Yay! I got the email from Pete this morning saying that I had won the random drawing for the mug for this month! It was my first time trying the MMMM, and what a great introduction -- a really fun meta puzzle and a mug too! I had been sad when I realized that I started too late in the year to be eligible for the grand prize drawing, but now I'm happy. Makes up for my mugless state after 50 correct submissions to WSJCC. I do feel bad for the many muggles who have yet to win a mug or other prize after much longer streaks in WSJCC, MGWCC, and MMMM, but your day will come!
That's awesome! I just did the MMMM for the first time this month, too, and wish I had discovered it sooner. I was lucky enough to win the MGWCC drawing this week, with just a few entries under my belt, and I have enough crazy luck that I believe I will one day get a WSJCC mug!
Re: "Dropouts" - May 2019
Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 12:05 pm
by BarbaraK
Leslie wrote: ↑Mon May 13, 2019 9:44 am
Yay! I got the email from Pete this morning saying that I had won the random drawing for the mug for this month! It was my first time trying the MMMM, and what a great introduction -- a really fun meta puzzle and a mug too! I had been sad when I realized that I started too late in the year to be eligible for the grand prize drawing, but now I'm happy. Makes up for my mugless state after 50 correct submissions to WSJCC. I do feel bad for the many muggles who have yet to win a mug or other prize after much longer streaks in WSJCC, MGWCC, and MMMM, but your day will come!
Wow! Congratulations!!
I think you're still eligible for the grand prize if you solve all the rest this year. You missed January-April - 4 out of 13, so you can still solve the required 9.
Re: "Dropouts" - May 2019
Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 12:51 pm
by Leslie
BarbaraK wrote: ↑Mon May 13, 2019 12:05 pm
I think you're still eligible for the grand prize if you solve all the rest this year. You missed January-April - 4 out of 13, so you can still solve the required 9.
I just looked again and you're right! It's 9 out of 13, not out of 12. But it's not like there's any chance I'll actually get all (or any of) the rest, since I gather they're going to get much harder. But it's nice to know there's a theoretical possibility!