Urban Familiarity
- woozy
- Posts: 2320
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
Urban Familiarity
So my third serious attempt (I haven't published my second yet). The grids are a little (very) weird but I think the meta is clever, solid, and original.
These two puzzles have the exact same meta answer and mechanism. I felt to fit it all in I needed a 21x21 grid but then it seemed the meta rattled around in empty space. To fit it into a 15x15 grid I had to really hammer things in thickly with no wiggle room and as a result the grid has a lot of absurdly contrived entries.
Well, try and compare.
The answer to the metas is the theme of the puzzle(s).
First: 21x21 https://crosshare.org/crosswords/lc5Fgn ... amiliarity
Second: 15x15 https://crosshare.org/crosswords/f0kb90 ... amiliarity
These two puzzles have the exact same meta answer and mechanism. I felt to fit it all in I needed a 21x21 grid but then it seemed the meta rattled around in empty space. To fit it into a 15x15 grid I had to really hammer things in thickly with no wiggle room and as a result the grid has a lot of absurdly contrived entries.
Well, try and compare.
The answer to the metas is the theme of the puzzle(s).
First: 21x21 https://crosshare.org/crosswords/lc5Fgn ... amiliarity
Second: 15x15 https://crosshare.org/crosswords/f0kb90 ... amiliarity
So I just plain couldn't get my meta based on "Up the Down Staircase" to work.
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
- MikeyG
- Posts: 1456
- Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 2:52 pm
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
I look forward to solving this and your previous ones (without peeking at the answer)! I sometimes also have that question - I always try to start with a 15-by-15 if possible, but sometimes, it becomes hard to put all in that's necessary sometimes. So striking a balance can be hard.
Super excited to see you getting into constructing! Look forward to this!
Mikey G
Super excited to see you getting into constructing! Look forward to this!
Mikey G
- woozy
- Posts: 2320
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
Edit: for 39D of the 15x15 I just realized there are well of 60 different plants called Ironwood and the one I had in mind (from Sri Lanka) isn't even in the top 40. I had hoped to have a single word clue (I have my reasons) but I figure I need something more specific. So edited it.
So I just plain couldn't get my meta based on "Up the Down Staircase" to work.
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
- whimsy
- Posts: 2875
- Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:51 am
- Location: Hopkinton MA
Well, I've managed to complete the 15x15, ... well, with a couple of "Reveal Squares." (Ya know, SHEOLSERF. )
On to big brother, with hopes for double the enlightenment!
On to big brother, with hopes for double the enlightenment!
- woozy
- Posts: 2320
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
If you liked SHEOL SERF just wait til you get to 58D of the big brother!
So I just plain couldn't get my meta based on "Up the Down Staircase" to work.
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
- whimsy
- Posts: 2875
- Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:51 am
- Location: Hopkinton MA
Just met up with her --
Only able to complete that one by remembering certain things from the first!
Next step...
Only able to complete that one by remembering certain things from the first!
Next step...
- whimsy
- Posts: 2875
- Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:51 am
- Location: Hopkinton MA
Yippee! Got it!
Whew! De-woozied in a big way!
Very interesting, @woozy. And to think that you did that to yourself twice! After all that effort on your part, I just had to commit to solving.
Whew! De-woozied in a big way!
Very interesting, @woozy. And to think that you did that to yourself twice! After all that effort on your part, I just had to commit to solving.
Last edited by whimsy on Mon Aug 01, 2022 5:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- woozy
- Posts: 2320
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
Wow... I didn't expect it to be that hard!
Okay... nudges.
Okay... nudges.
So I just plain couldn't get my meta based on "Up the Down Staircase" to work.
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
-
- Posts: 1628
- Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:26 pm
I actually got 58D of the big brother. 34A and 45D, on the other hand... and the meta, oh the meta... :/
- woozy
- Posts: 2320
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
34A is a legitimate word... Albeit it thechnical... I get to the point where if I'm trying something "Is that a word? No? Is that a word? It is?!!? It's a tiny villlage in Northern Turkmenistan with a population of 200? Great! I'll use it!" Although to be fair my wife knew that word.
45D was a paint myself into a corner and make up a joke out of two unrelated words. I guess in hindsight it's not apparent that it is a joke. If you've never heard of the island chain I guess there is not reason to know that the *don't* have any species of large flightless birds.
So I just plain couldn't get my meta based on "Up the Down Staircase" to work.
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
- woozy
- Posts: 2320
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
Anyhoo.... off the Merry-go-round: whimsey, Gutman.
So I just plain couldn't get my meta based on "Up the Down Staircase" to work.
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
-
- Posts: 1628
- Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:26 pm
- woozy
- Posts: 2320
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
Answer:
By 27D (Big Brother) or 61A (Big Brother) we have PHILADELPHIA, CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA, NEW YORK CITY, ATLANTIC CITY, NEW ORLEANS, LOS ANGELES = Meta Answer
And by Urban Familiarity (the title) we know
PHILADELPHIA = The City of Brotherly Love
CHARLESTON = Chucktown or The Chuck
NEW YORK = The Big Apple
ATLANTIC CITY = America's Playground
NEW ORLEANS = The Big Easy
LOS ANGELES = The City of Angels
Looking at clues and entries we have
CITY = Metropolis
OF = Environed
BROTHERLY = Trusting
LOVE = Romance
CHUCK = Oust
BIG = Notable
APPLE = Idared
AMERICA'S = Country's
PLAYGROUND = Kiddy park/Kindergarten
BIG = Notable
EASY =Apparent
CITY = Metropolis
OF = Environed
ANGELS = Seraphim
The the meta answer is METRO NICKNAMES which is the theme of the puzzle.
By 27D (Big Brother) or 61A (Big Brother) we have PHILADELPHIA, CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA, NEW YORK CITY, ATLANTIC CITY, NEW ORLEANS, LOS ANGELES = Meta Answer
And by Urban Familiarity (the title) we know
PHILADELPHIA = The City of Brotherly Love
CHARLESTON = Chucktown or The Chuck
NEW YORK = The Big Apple
ATLANTIC CITY = America's Playground
NEW ORLEANS = The Big Easy
LOS ANGELES = The City of Angels
Looking at clues and entries we have
CITY = Metropolis
OF = Environed
BROTHERLY = Trusting
LOVE = Romance
CHUCK = Oust
BIG = Notable
APPLE = Idared
AMERICA'S = Country's
PLAYGROUND = Kiddy park/Kindergarten
BIG = Notable
EASY =Apparent
CITY = Metropolis
OF = Environed
ANGELS = Seraphim
The the meta answer is METRO NICKNAMES which is the theme of the puzzle.
So I just plain couldn't get my meta based on "Up the Down Staircase" to work.
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
- benchen71
- Posts: 2561
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
Welp, I didn't have a hope! But it's an impressive construction. I also enjoyed the smaller grid with the strange grid entries. It reminded me of some of the harder themeless crosswords that some people really love.
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta!
- woozy
- Posts: 2320
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
Thanks. I feel like when you construct grids ... sometimes the entries play you.
So I just plain couldn't get my meta based on "Up the Down Staircase" to work.
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".