"Golden Years" - January 14, 2022
- woozy
- Posts: 2320
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
So.... no other mechanism to get the BETTY? Okay..... That was a *lot* of discussion.
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".
- BarbaraK
- Posts: 2661
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
- Location: Virginia
We humans really have an amazing ability to find patterns and connections out of randomness.
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.)
- Bird Lives
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- Contact:
I thought there might be something in the clues. Of all the Dottie West songs, Martin Short movies and so one, why the ones that were chosen? I couldn't find BETTY among them. But with all those songs and movies and TV shows and roles, I wonder if it would have been possible to plant a BETTY among them.
Jay
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I love the fact it is simply Betty White without any further explanation for Betty. All the theories were giving me a headache. But great job by all the serious thinkers out there. You really out did yourselves with this one!
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Sequence of BLACK trumped anagram...JoeS wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:37 amYes. But couldn't find any way to get to the two Fs. I tried for thirty minutes, then realized the truth of Black/White.florida_manatee wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:17 am Did anybody else consider "Ben Affleck" as an answer?
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Password clues were often opposites of the password.
eg if the p'word was tall, one might say shooooorrrrttt, to prompt a reply of tall...
As such, the puzzle design was clever.
eg if the p'word was tall, one might say shooooorrrrttt, to prompt a reply of tall...
As such, the puzzle design was clever.
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I was sold on Betty White being the answer after I realized Monday was her 100th Birthday.
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The slam dunk clue was that the 17th of January was her 100th birthday, imho.
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I considered that BW's B'day was Jan 17th.woozy wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:57 pmMy feeling/experience is they can be hints but not mechanisms (unless they are prominent as theme entries). But... yes, they certainly *are* hints. And this is a winter olympic year.
I can accept (although I feel unsatisfied) that it can be BETTY without any further mechanism, I don't think it can be SHAUN without a mechanism (more than hints) to distinguish it from BETTY. There sure doesn't seem to be a mechanism for BETTY but maybe there is one for SHAUN (I haven't looked as hard).
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On reading the "in the news; 10 letters" requirement i thought of him (he has been in the news)MikeM000 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:10 pmOk, how did you come up with Ben Affleck? I'm curious on this one....JoeS wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:37 amYes. But couldn't find any way to get to the two Fs. I tried for thirty minutes, then realized the truth of Black/White.florida_manatee wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:17 am Did anybody else consider "Ben Affleck" as an answer?
When I found b l a c and k using the opposites approach, i then saw that all 5 letters were in the name ben affleck
the other 5 letters were not rationalized, but char and ash(e) gave a missing e
the f's didnt fall in place...
i then abandoned this and looked at black as white using a continuation of the opposites approach that yielded black
i considered 2 more factors
-black on password tv show might yield white (an homage to bw's husband)
-1/17 is bw's 100th b'day
at which point I submitted betty white
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Based on the clue and the title, I assumed the meta was Betty White before I filled in the grid. I found White pretty quickly, but did not submit for a while as I searched for Betty to confirm my guess. Ended up going with Betty White by Saturday. Was a little disappointed not to find Betty in the grid, but love that she was the answer for this week!
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Isn't that how one solves metas?!
- BarbaraK
- Posts: 2661
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
- Location: Virginia
And creates them!
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.)
- Gman
- Posts: 358
- Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2020 2:47 pm
- Location: Encinitas CA
And spends the weekend chasing bunny holes to nowhere
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I have a friend in Alberta who is wondering whether or not she should submit answers, not being a US resident.
She does not submit per the rules.
How was this situation resolved?
She does not submit per the rules.
How was this situation resolved?
- boharr
- Moderator
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- Location: Westchester, NY
Why not ask Mike Miller @MikeMillerwsj ?
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
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- hcbirker
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- Location: Studio City, CA
Just a note for those that are interested. Betty White was a huge benefactor of the Los Angeles Zoo where I volunteer. The Zoo has raised over $79,000 dollars from more than 44 states and 11 countries! It’s all going to conservation initiatives. Bless her heart, she had a big one for animals.
Heidi
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First time poster
I believe the Betty solution was too long to print in the paper, so here goes for those whose need is unfulfilled.
To find the answer, we should consider the mechanism to be used.
1. The solution should be encoded in the 5 main theme answers not the random word answers in the grid. 2. Since the complete meta answer is a 10 letter name and 5 letters have been used for "White", then the remaining name has to be 5 letters. Therefore only 1 letter can come from each theme answer. 3. The first part of the solution used a word pointer to give a single letter solution at the beginning. This word-pointer method should be similar but maybe not exactly the same. 4. Since the idea of "opposites" is used, maybe the solution letter could be at the end of the word-pointer not the beginning. 5. The order of the letters may be place in the grid, order of solution, or due to construction constraints, merely an anagram. (Used in other puzzles).
So lets begin. If we suspect the answer is BETTY, We need to examine all the letters B-E-T-T-Y in the theme answers. Then we need to find a B. It is at the beginning of the pointer word Bowen (eliminate the E). The 3rd theme answer only contains 2 Ts and so we have to pick one and eliminate the other. The T is at the end of pointer ShorT. We need another T so go to theme answer 1 which has 3Ts. Use the T is at the end of pointer WesT (eliminate other 2 Ts and both Es). We now need an E and Y. They are both found in theme answers 4 and 5. E is found in theme answer 5 at the end of pointer CharliE and Y is found in theme answer 4 at the beginning of pointer Young. We now have B-T-T-E-Y which is the anagram of BETTY.
So there is the answer to the Anomalous Betty Conundrum (ABC, Pat. Pending).Yep, plain as day.
Of course I used the logic from the St. Olaf philosopher herself which is fuzzier than the south end of a north bound rabbit that was sitting in pile of dryer lint. My advice is always free, and you get what you pay for. Cheers.
PS. Betty White's time on earth was limited, but the smiles and laughter I get thinking of her is limitless. God speed.
I believe the Betty solution was too long to print in the paper, so here goes for those whose need is unfulfilled.
To find the answer, we should consider the mechanism to be used.
1. The solution should be encoded in the 5 main theme answers not the random word answers in the grid. 2. Since the complete meta answer is a 10 letter name and 5 letters have been used for "White", then the remaining name has to be 5 letters. Therefore only 1 letter can come from each theme answer. 3. The first part of the solution used a word pointer to give a single letter solution at the beginning. This word-pointer method should be similar but maybe not exactly the same. 4. Since the idea of "opposites" is used, maybe the solution letter could be at the end of the word-pointer not the beginning. 5. The order of the letters may be place in the grid, order of solution, or due to construction constraints, merely an anagram. (Used in other puzzles).
So lets begin. If we suspect the answer is BETTY, We need to examine all the letters B-E-T-T-Y in the theme answers. Then we need to find a B. It is at the beginning of the pointer word Bowen (eliminate the E). The 3rd theme answer only contains 2 Ts and so we have to pick one and eliminate the other. The T is at the end of pointer ShorT. We need another T so go to theme answer 1 which has 3Ts. Use the T is at the end of pointer WesT (eliminate other 2 Ts and both Es). We now need an E and Y. They are both found in theme answers 4 and 5. E is found in theme answer 5 at the end of pointer CharliE and Y is found in theme answer 4 at the beginning of pointer Young. We now have B-T-T-E-Y which is the anagram of BETTY.
So there is the answer to the Anomalous Betty Conundrum (ABC, Pat. Pending).Yep, plain as day.
Of course I used the logic from the St. Olaf philosopher herself which is fuzzier than the south end of a north bound rabbit that was sitting in pile of dryer lint. My advice is always free, and you get what you pay for. Cheers.
PS. Betty White's time on earth was limited, but the smiles and laughter I get thinking of her is limitless. God speed.
- John77
- Posts: 161
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 12:09 pm
- Location: New Jersey
For once being simple-minded and lazy enabled me to get this without doing the grid. I submitted based on the title and hint.
Wir sind zu früh alt und zu spät schlau.