XWord Muggles Forum

They certainly do.

PDF and PUZ

Crosshare

Meta fans of the universe, unite!

I'm going to be trying to post a mini-meta around halfway through each month to supplement my end-of-the-month ones, at least through 2022. My only constraint is that the grid must be smaller than 15-by-15. (So 14-by-15 is a mini in my book!)

Thanks to @madhatter5 for being a great test-solver! I'm thinking Level 2 for this one, maybe 2.5.

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The answer to the meta is six letters long.

Deadline: February 21 at noon Eastern

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Leaderboard of Destiny

1. madhatter5*
2. Frankie
3. Meg
4. oldjudge
5. boharr*
6. RPardoe
7. Hector
8. ChrisK*
9. whimsy
10. DJB
11. Abide
12. DrTom*
13. Tyrpmom

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Mikey G

Nice puzzle, Mikey!! I got stuck for a bit and then had a lovely Aha!

Really good bounce back puzzle—great job Mikey!

oldjudge wrote: ↑Sat Feb 12, 2022 7:12 pm Really good bounce back puzzle—great job Mikey!

A setback just prepares you for a comeback!

oldjudge wrote: ↑Sat Feb 12, 2022 7:12 pm Really good bounce back puzzle—great job Mikey!

Bounce back?? From what? See? I had already forgotten about that puzzle which shall not be named!

Meg wrote: ↑Sat Feb 12, 2022 7:32 pm

oldjudge wrote: ↑Sat Feb 12, 2022 7:12 pm Really good bounce back puzzle—great job Mikey!

Bounce back?? From what? See? I had already forgotten about that puzzle which shall not be named!

The dog in your profile pic is looking at me like he (or she!) remembers.

Got it. But needed help. Exceedingly clever puzzle. Thank you.

I gave up and revealed the answer on Crosshare. Now I want to know how that answer is obtained!

Solved, submitted, confirmed via Crosshare.
Did need a minor course correction to get there, clever puzzle!

Loved it! Though I needed a bit of help, so, Mikey, please don’t include me in the prize drawing (if any). Thanks!

I was determined to get this and so happy when I finally did -- after a few mistaken entries!
Terrific puzzle!

ChrisKochmanski wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13, 2022 2:05 pm Loved it! Though I needed a bit of help, so, Mikey, please don’t include me in the prize drawing (if any). Thanks!

But you still join the leaderboard for bragging rights! We'll let an asterisk be a group solve.

Embarrassed to have submitted two incorrect answers on Crosshare! One stupider than the other, but both from an apparently mistaken idea :-) At this point I'll just wait for the reveal, but it was a good puzzle for as far as I got with it!

I see what's happening but have three possible sets of alphabet soup garbage that aren't helpful.

Fantastic “small space” meta. Looks like MikeyG is back on track!

I am embarrassed to say that I never got further than I should have with this MARVELOUS puzzle. I needed way too much coaching to cross the finish line. BUT I have to say that this was certainly a superb "bounce back" and easily Gaffney level puzzle construction.

I doff my rather plebian constructor's hat to you MikeyG!

benchen71 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13, 2022 5:23 am I gave up and revealed the answer on Crosshare. Now I want to know how that answer is obtained!

I went the same route. I finally figured out that I made a mistake with one of the mistakes. Message me if you want a nudge to help with the back solve.

Happy Birthday MikeyG!

Abide wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 10:24 pm Happy Birthday MikeyG!

Thank you! I turn 29 for the 6th year in a row!

No drawings for the "mini-metas," so your prize is the satisfaction of the job well-done - or possibly coming close!

Meta answer: WHOOPS



If I may flex for a tad, my grid-making skills are forever in development, so the fact I could get 12 relevant entries in a 13-by-13 was A-OK by me!

Six entries have clear problems with them in the cluing, off by a letter. Note the correct word in bold.

SOB - "Really dry" (CRY)
MAGI - "...many a lift" (GIFT)
EMILY - "Past, for one" (POST)
DOVE - "Brand of soup" (SOAP)
ACE - "Fail, as a test" (NAIL)
DEN - "...catch a cab" (CUB)

Each of those six words can also be followed by another word somewhere else in the grid to make a common two-word item or phrase. The order listed below is the order of which the initial letters of the second word appear in the grid:

CRY WOLF
GIFT HORSE
SOAP OPERA
POST OFFICE
NAIL POLISH
CUB SCOUT

The first letters of each of these words spell out WHOOPS, the meta answer - and something I've definitely said before in all facets of life, hahaha.

Happy solving until next time!!

Mikey G