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

An excellent puzzle written by one of the innovators of the meta crossword format. It comes out every Friday at noon and increases in difficulty throughout the month. Available for modest subscription (worth every cent) here: www.xwordcontest.com
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BrianMac
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#574 - "Search Party" - May 31, 2019

#1

Post by 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! ;)
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Thurman8er
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#2

Post by Thurman8er »

Week 5. Good luck, everyone!
itsgioyall
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#3

Post by itsgioyall »

Finally finished the grid... No idea where to start with this one :?:
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TMart
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#4

Post by TMart »

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

Post by Anita »

Grid finished. Am nowhere on the meta. Not even a divot to suggest a rabbit hole, let alone any actual furry creature.
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hcbirker
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#6

Post by hcbirker »

I'm still in a black hole. Lots of time left though! (Heidi)
Heidi
Leslie
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#7

Post by 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
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#8

Post by 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!
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ChrisKochmanski
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#9

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

I too have taken a step or two. Now where does this lead? Following rabbit holes, but not seeing it yet.
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ChrisKochmanski
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#10

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Ah, another step along! But not yet to the meta solution. More thinking ahead!
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Toby
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#11

Post by 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
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#12

Post by Leslie »

Toby wrote: Sat Jun 01, 2019 10:30 pm 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.
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Toby
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#13

Post by Toby »

Leslie wrote: Sun Jun 02, 2019 10:15 am
Toby wrote: Sat Jun 01, 2019 10:30 pm 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.
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Cindy
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#14

Post by Cindy »

Solved. Keep looking. It is not the Hail Mary that you think.
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ChrisKochmanski
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#15

Post by 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.
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Thurman8er
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#16

Post by 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!
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BrianMac
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#17

Post by BrianMac »

Thurman8er wrote: Mon Jun 03, 2019 12:35 pm 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! :cry:

Rooting for you, though!
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FrankieHeck
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#18

Post by 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
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#19

Post by Leslie »

FrankieHeck wrote: Mon Jun 03, 2019 1:03 pm ...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.
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Meg
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#20

Post by Meg »

Leslie wrote: Mon Jun 03, 2019 5:48 pm
FrankieHeck wrote: Mon Jun 03, 2019 1:03 pm ...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.
Last edited by Meg on Mon Jun 03, 2019 6:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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