MGWCC #734 - “Three-on-Three Matchup"
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
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- Location: Cincinnati
MGWCC #734 - “Three-on-Three Matchup"
MGWCC #734 — Friday, June 24th, 2022 — “Three-on-Three Matchup”
THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:
This week’s contest answer is one of the entries in this grid.
IMPORTANT NOTE ON MGWCC #734
Dear Solver,
7-Down in this puzzle is a nonsensical entry as you'd see in an "Anything Goes" or "Something Different" crossword.
This is not meta-related; I just needed to use this one strange entry to make the meta work. Please excuse the inelegance.
--Matt
Solve well, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive.
SOLO SOLVES VS. GROUP:
I’ve been asked to clarify what constitutes a Solo Solve vs. A Group Solve. My position is that receiving even the slightest bit of outside help classifies a solve as a Group Solve. I call this my “raised eyebrow” rule, where even a co-solver raising an eyebrow at a suggestion means you’re on a group solve. Obviously I lack the ability to police this and I think the vast majority of solvers are clicking the correct button, but that’s the official view of Group vs. Solo from the MGWCC home office.
WANT TO SUBSCRIBE TO MY CROSSWORD CONTEST?:
MGWCC is available only to subscribers at my Patreon page. A subscription costs $3/month.
THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:
This week’s contest answer is one of the entries in this grid.
IMPORTANT NOTE ON MGWCC #734
Dear Solver,
7-Down in this puzzle is a nonsensical entry as you'd see in an "Anything Goes" or "Something Different" crossword.
This is not meta-related; I just needed to use this one strange entry to make the meta work. Please excuse the inelegance.
--Matt
Solve well, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive.
SOLO SOLVES VS. GROUP:
I’ve been asked to clarify what constitutes a Solo Solve vs. A Group Solve. My position is that receiving even the slightest bit of outside help classifies a solve as a Group Solve. I call this my “raised eyebrow” rule, where even a co-solver raising an eyebrow at a suggestion means you’re on a group solve. Obviously I lack the ability to police this and I think the vast majority of solvers are clicking the correct button, but that’s the official view of Group vs. Solo from the MGWCC home office.
WANT TO SUBSCRIBE TO MY CROSSWORD CONTEST?:
MGWCC is available only to subscribers at my Patreon page. A subscription costs $3/month.
- Bird Lives
- Posts: 2836
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 6:43 pm
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ICYMI
Matt posted this on his site:
7-Down in this puzzle is a nonsensical entry ...
This is not meta-related; I just needed to use this one strange entry to make the meta work.
Matt posted this on his site:
7-Down in this puzzle is a nonsensical entry ...
This is not meta-related; I just needed to use this one strange entry to make the meta work.
Jay
- woozy
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- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
It's not meta related but it's required for the meta to work.... um..... okay.
I don't want to open that can up but I thought that was universally understood and not the issue. If you get any nudge no matter how slight it's a group solve. So far as I know everyone has been abiding by that.My position is that receiving even the slightest bit of outside help classifies a solve as a Group Solve
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
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Stay tuned for my future Meta of Madness series, where every entry will need to be strange for the meta to work.Bird Lives wrote: ↑Fri Jun 24, 2022 12:30 pm I just needed to use this one strange entry to make the meta work.
- MMe
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2021 11:27 am
I bet a ton of solvers missed that warning note. I sure did.
-
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Well, so far there haven't quite been a "ton" of solvers! Zero correct submissions after 3+ hours!
-
- Posts: 212
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- Location: Los Angeles
Is this one really a week 5 (or 6? 7?), 3+ hours in and NO solvers yet.
-
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2022 2:28 pm
After last week's meta haunted me all weekend, I decided to make a somewhat random guess this week. I figured I'd get the glory of number 1 if I was right, or the freedom of not having the meta rattling around in my head all weekend. Win-win. DM me if you want to know what my wrong guess was .
- woozy
- Posts: 2320
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
If I did, that'd count as a group solve. I'll wait.... but I *am* curious.dlonoff wrote: ↑Fri Jun 24, 2022 4:02 pm After last week's meta haunted me all weekend, I decided to make a somewhat random guess this week. I figured I'd get the glory of number 1 if I was right, or the freedom of not having the meta rattling around in my head all weekend. Win-win. DM me if you want to know what my wrong guess was .
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".
- Jeremy Smith
- Posts: 1031
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:45 pm
- Location: Tampa Bay area
Zero solvers and three incorrect submissions after 4.5 hours. Oh, goodie! Another Week 7!
- Bob cruise director
- Cruise Director
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And still zero after 4 1/2 hours
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
Cruise Director
- KayW
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- Location: Chicago
Well, dang. There goes my one lead so far (where's that tongue half-in-cheek emoji?)Bird Lives wrote: ↑Fri Jun 24, 2022 12:30 pm ICYMI
Matt posted this on his site:
7-Down in this puzzle is a nonsensical entry ...
This is not meta-related; I just needed to use this one strange entry to make the meta work.
Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 metapuzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related charities. It is available at CrosswordsForCancer.com.
- MikeyG
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If someone asks me how this meta is going:
- Bird Lives
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Is that a raised eyebrow?
Jay
- Jacksull
- Posts: 284
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- Location: Scottsdale AZ
To paraphrase one of our great thinkers:
I have lots of theories but no evidence.
I have lots of theories but no evidence.
Jack Sullivan
- boharr
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- BarbaraK
- Posts: 2661
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
- Location: Virginia
What if Matt can write a puzzle so difficult that no one can solve it solo. ((OK, no one except Jangler - I see he's still missing his group solve achievement.)
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.)
- ChrisKochmanski
- Posts: 2269
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:51 pm
- Location: Saline, Michigan
Like all here, I got nothin’ yet — but I’m having great fun distracting myself with Patrick Berry’s “Double or Nothing” at WSJ, and Will Shortz’s “Just Saying” at NYT!
- HeadinHome
- Posts: 1149
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- Location: Charlotte, NC
My theory is that Jangler is a test solver so when the puzzle comes out he just posts the answer within a few minutes.. waited this time because it was a harder one so didn’t want to look suspicious. He didn’t get it this week — Matt had to super-nudge him. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Whichever muggle solves it first will spend the weekend fielding nudge dm’s.
Whichever muggle solves it first will spend the weekend fielding nudge dm’s.
The other Wendy.
- woozy
- Posts: 2320
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
Hmmph.... I have something that's a guess but.... I have my reasons... and I thought "Maybe it's be zen for my ego to just guess (and if my reasons are right I'd be 2nd*) and if I'm wrong, it'll be good for me" but then I saw my current streak was 24 and I'm one from 25 so... that's not going to happen.
* Not that there's any bragging rights when you don't know why your guess worked.
* Not that there's any bragging rights when you don't know why your guess worked.
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".