#574 - "Search Party" - May 31, 2019

[BrianMac]

Dreaded Week Five is here! This week’s contest answer is an eight-letter name.

The last 5-Friday month we had was March 2019, however, that was "Gentle March" and that puzzle was geared to be a week 2. Therefore this is the first true week 5 puzzle we have had since November 2018 ("Shell Game") -- 25 weeks?

Good luck, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive, unless those words are TERI GARR, in which case go for it!

[Thurman8er]

Week 5. Good luck, everyone!

[itsgioyall]

Finally finished the grid... No idea where to start with this one

[TMart]

Got it! Followed a solid path to get there but still wasn’t sure when I submitted. Definitely a week 5.

[Anita]

Grid finished. Am nowhere on the meta. Not even a divot to suggest a rabbit hole, let alone any actual furry creature.

[hcbirker]

I'm still in a black hole. Lots of time left though! (Heidi)

[Leslie]

I made it through two steps (to somewhere,at least) pretty quickly, but then got stuck. I now have a defensible answer -- but "defensible" really isn't the adjective you want for a meta answer! Send out the search party!

[Laura M]

I found something that is either step one or a really elaborate red herring (which I wouldn't put past Matt on a week 5!). But it seems like if a meta has more than one step, I'm doomed--I'm only good for one "aha" per puzzle!

[ChrisKochmanski]

I too have taken a step or two. Now where does this lead? Following rabbit holes, but not seeing it yet.

[ChrisKochmanski]

Ah, another step along! But not yet to the meta solution. More thinking ahead!

[Toby]

I got part way there, but now am lost and need my own search party. I have a guess but am missing some steps so it's probably wrong.

[Leslie]

I got part way there, but now am lost and need my own search party. I have a guess but am missing some steps so it's probably wrong.

I was foolishly excited at making what seemed to be rapid progress on Friday, but then stalled and went nowhere. I wonder if your guess is the same as mine? Pretty busy this weekend, but at least I have a Hail Mary to submit if nothing else comes to me by Tuesday.

[Toby]

I got part way there, but now am lost and need my own search party. I have a guess but am missing some steps so it's probably wrong.

I was foolishly excited at making what seemed to be rapid progress on Friday, but then stalled and went nowhere. I wonder if your guess is the same as mine? Pretty busy this weekend, but at least I have a Hail Mary to submit if nothing else comes to me by Tuesday.

Hail Mary pass (which I had up my sleeve too) is probably wrong, now that I see the answer. When I got to the point where I was stuck, I made the error of overthinking it. When you get it, everything will work, even the title.

[Cindy]

Solved. Keep looking. It is not the Hail Mary that you think.

[ChrisKochmanski]

Got it! With a slight nudge from a friend at the end. I was so close; just wasn’t seeing something for what it was. If you feel you’re in that same “I’m so close” place, keep looking. That last revealing piece is there.

[Thurman8er]

Like some of you, I got excited at some very quick progress on Saturday...and have come to a standstill since then. Looks like I'll spend today staring at the finished grid.

BrianMac: Our streaks are at stake!

[BrianMac]

Like some of you, I got excited at some very quick progress on Saturday...and have come to a standstill since then. Looks like I'll spend today staring at the finished grid.

BrianMac: Our streaks are at stake!

My streak ended last week with a failure to solve Week 4, and it does not look like it will be revived this week!

Rooting for you, though!

[FrankieHeck]

I have been staring at this all weekend and I don't think I even got the promising start that some people did. Going to sit in the sun and stare some more, and then accept that I am not yet ready for a week 5.

[Leslie]

...and then accept that I am not yet ready for a week 5.

After doing the WSJCC for almost a year and a half and the MGWCC since February (albeit through Gentle March and Gentle April), I was starting to feel like an old pro. In my arrogance, I actually thought I might be able to tackle a week 5. But week 5 has shown me who's boss. I have made no progress since Friday, and at this point don't think any further inspiration is going to get me past the place where I'm stuck. Sigh.

[Meg]

...and then accept that I am not yet ready for a week 5.

After doing the WSJCC for almost a year and a half and the MGWCC since February (albeit through Gentle March and Gentle April), I was starting to feel like an old pro. In my arrogance, I actually thought I might be able to tackle a week 5. But week 5 has shown me who's boss. I have made no progress since Friday, and at this point don't think any further inspiration is going to get me past the place where I'm stuck. Sigh.

I don’t think this is a typical week 5. There is what I would call a weird meta leap to be made. It’s not easy.