#709 - “Permutation Situation”
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
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- Location: Cincinnati
#709 - “Permutation Situation”
MGWCC #709 — Friday, December 31st, 2021 — “Permutation Situation”
THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:
This week’s contest answer is a well-known American university.
Solve well, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive.
–Matt
Join MGWCC.
Send a PM with Your UNIQUE nickname: to receive a link to each week's MGWCC Excel file.
THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:
This week’s contest answer is a well-known American university.
Solve well, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive.
–Matt
Join MGWCC.
Send a PM with Your UNIQUE nickname: to receive a link to each week's MGWCC Excel file.
- Cindy
- Posts: 1263
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:39 pm
- Location: Matthews
- Cindy
- Posts: 1263
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:39 pm
- Location: Matthews
- woozy
- Posts: 2320
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
Got something. But it's *not* a 5. A three maybe. Or from what I heard a common week one mechanism. And it doesn't have the lock-cynch feel. But it *is* a legit answer.... So do I dare enter? Only been in this three weeks so I don't want to lose my winning streak but .... if 5s are tough I have to lose it some time....
.... Refresh, refresh, refresh....
How often does it refresh?
.... Refresh, refresh, refresh....
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".
- Wendy Walker
- Posts: 1757
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:44 pm
- Location: Unionville, PA
A truly masterful puzzle! Now ... do I take a nap in preparation for our midnight celebration (a giant lighted mushroom gets lowered from a crane in the middle of town) or do I stay awake long enough to see if I'm beamed up? Rhetorical question, obviously.
BEAMED UP! #31!
May the glowing mushroom bring health and happiness to all Muggles:
BEAMED UP! #31!
May the glowing mushroom bring health and happiness to all Muggles:
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Last edited by Wendy Walker on Sat Jan 01, 2022 11:17 am, edited 2 times in total.
Good luck, fellow Muggles!
- woozy
- Posts: 2320
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
It's refreshed and.....
I'm not in it! There goes my streak.... *sob*.... I knew it didn't feel right.
EDIT: Oh! I'm SUCH an idiot... I didn't....
Oh, this hurts. This *REALLY* hurts. I'm going to be drinking my sorrows away all night.... and it's barely 2 in the afternoon on this coast.
I'm not in it! There goes my streak.... *sob*.... I knew it didn't feel right.
EDIT: Oh! I'm SUCH an idiot... I didn't....
Oh, this hurts. This *REALLY* hurts. I'm going to be drinking my sorrows away all night.... and it's barely 2 in the afternoon on this coast.
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".
- TMart
- Posts: 824
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:13 am
- Location: Malvern, PA
- ChrisKochmanski
- Posts: 2269
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:51 pm
- Location: Saline, Michigan
I’ve submitted. Hope I’m right. Nervous. Streak on the line!
UPDATE: I’m on the board!
UPDATE: I’m on the board!
- AnswerPfinder
- Posts: 122
- Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 9:49 pm
- Location: Hadley, MA
Beam me up! Enjoyed this one a lot - had a great a-ha moment!
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.
-
- Posts: 368
- Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2021 8:53 pm
- Location: Houston
Beamed up! Happy to have a week five.
He says it's the last puzzle of 2021, but the "This Year" tab is already on 2022.
He says it's the last puzzle of 2021, but the "This Year" tab is already on 2022.
- Conrad
- Posts: 129
- Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2019 2:16 pm
- Location: Peaks Island, ME
- Contact:
Beam me up!
Happy New Year, everyone!
Happy New Year, everyone!
Check out my meta crossword writeups on Crossword Fiend: https://crosswordfiend.com/author/conrad/
- HunterX
- Posts: 1200
- Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2020 9:17 pm
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
Haven't even started on the WSJ weekly contest meta-puzzle yet. (Waiting for kids.) So I did the grid for #709, and have now fallen into one of the deepest rabbit holes I've ever seen. Wow! It falls into the "This can't be a coincidence" bucket as well as the "This is way too involved to be it" bucket.
I can see a smaller, perhaps more likely rabbit hole. But do I dare?
I can see a smaller, perhaps more likely rabbit hole. But do I dare?
- Guffman
- Posts: 198
- Joined: Tue May 18, 2021 10:02 am
- Location: Prairie Village, Kansas
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- Posts: 212
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:51 pm
- Location: Los Angeles
As someone who got this relatively easily, and who did not get the week 3 or 4 puzzle, I would rate this a week 3. Although I did not solve "Word for Word" last week, I thought it was an excellent puzzle. Glad to close out the year with a solve. Happy New Year everyone!
- Meg
- Posts: 2211
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
- Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Happy New Year!! Bring on more metas!! And beam me up.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
- BarbaraK
- Posts: 2661
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
- Location: Virginia
Beam me up, please.
And this officially ends my last year of being obsessive about solo solving. I tried to get off the wagon with an (unsuccessful) group solve early this year but soon found myself back dreaming of solo medals and resisting collaboration and nudges. So this is my commitment device; I've said it publicly and you all may remind me if I forget:)
And this officially ends my last year of being obsessive about solo solving. I tried to get off the wagon with an (unsuccessful) group solve early this year but soon found myself back dreaming of solo medals and resisting collaboration and nudges. So this is my commitment device; I've said it publicly and you all may remind me if I forget:)
I believe @Alex Boisvert is the current webmaster. Perhaps he'll see this and fix it.
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- Posts: 367
- Joined: Thu Apr 18, 2019 7:56 pm
Beamed up. I thought I knew most of Matt's tricks, but this one seemed pretty fresh. Exceptional construction here.
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
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- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
- Location: Cincinnati
@Darth, welcome Barbara to the dark side, please.BarbaraK wrote: ↑Fri Dec 31, 2021 9:25 pm Beam me up, please.
And this officially ends my last year of being obsessive about solo solving. I tried to get off the wagon with an (unsuccessful) group solve early this year but soon found myself back dreaming of solo medals and resisting collaboration and nudges. So this is my commitment device; I've said it publicly and you all may remind me if I forget:)
I believe @Alex Boisvert is the current webmaster. Perhaps he'll see this and fix it.
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024
PLATELET 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 ENORMOUS 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲:
𝟰𝟬% 𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰,
𝟯𝟬% 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰,
𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 & 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮. 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘!
PLATELET 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 ENORMOUS 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲:
𝟰𝟬% 𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰,
𝟯𝟬% 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰,
𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 & 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮. 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘!
- HeadinHome
- Posts: 1149
- Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2020 9:06 am
- Location: Charlotte, NC
Well you people are not helping me decide whether to submit my tenuous answer or not… one or two “unsure but submitted, YES it worked” and at least one who did the same but got HEARTBREAK.
I see what’s going on, and after laboring over it (for reasons which will be obvious to you if you know what the mechanism is), I have come up with something that could maybe be construed as a good solution, but it’s problematic and certainly not a ringer.
Not sure what to do… I may just hold on to this and see if anything further/better hits me.
(If anyone’s willing to hear my thinking/guess and give me a gentle steer, that would be swell. 2022 may be the year of not obsessing… agree with @BarbaraK! )
UPDATE: submitted one. Ne’ermind.
I see what’s going on, and after laboring over it (for reasons which will be obvious to you if you know what the mechanism is), I have come up with something that could maybe be construed as a good solution, but it’s problematic and certainly not a ringer.
Not sure what to do… I may just hold on to this and see if anything further/better hits me.
(If anyone’s willing to hear my thinking/guess and give me a gentle steer, that would be swell. 2022 may be the year of not obsessing… agree with @BarbaraK! )
UPDATE: submitted one. Ne’ermind.
Last edited by HeadinHome on Sat Jan 01, 2022 12:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
The other Wendy.
- BarbaraK
- Posts: 2661
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
- Location: Virginia
FWIW, perhaps just to further add to your indecision, I considered this one a no-doubter.HeadinHome wrote: ↑Sat Jan 01, 2022 9:11 am Well you people are not helping me decide whether to submit my tenuous answer or not… one or two “unsure but submitted, YES it worked” and at least one who did the same but got HEARTBREAK.
I see what’s going on, and after laboring over it (for reasons which will be obvious to you if you know what the mechanism is), I have come up with something that could maybe be construed as a good solution, but it’s problematic and certainly not a ringer.
Not sure what to do… I may just hold on to this and see if anything further/better hits me.