Episode #244 Contest: "Sideshow"

Meta crosswords from Lollapuzzoola creator and host Brian Cimmet, offered from time to time through the Fill Me In podcast, which is hosted by Mr. Cimmet and Ryan Hecht. More information available here: https://bemoresmarter.com/
LesY
Posts: 678
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 4:21 pm

Episode #244 Contest: "Sideshow"

#1

Post by LesY »

The Contest of Now 244 is up, and it’s a meta cryptic by Neville Fogarty titled “Sideshow.”

The meta prompt is: The title of what 2019 movie is hinted at by this puzzle? As always, the password is obtained by listening to the FMI podcast.

I'll just say: “good one, and thanks for mixing things up a bit!" Great movie!

P.S. Thanks to the person who put these posts into a separate thread! I’m guessing Brian.
Last edited by LesY on Thu May 21, 2020 7:28 am, edited 3 times in total.
CPKdad
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2020 7:56 pm

#2

Post by CPKdad »

LesY wrote: Tue May 19, 2020 7:02 pm Not sure where to start a new thread for Contest of Now 244, so I'll just say "good one, and thanks for mixing things up a bit!" Great movie!
Haven't seen the movie yet - but it's on my list. I must say I've gotten a bit better at cryptics watching a couple of their twitch sessions.
User avatar
boharr
Moderator
Posts: 3182
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:57 am
Location: Westchester, NY

#3

Post by boharr »

Is there a solution to 242?
damefox
Posts: 477
Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2019 2:18 pm

#4

Post by damefox »

Title is "Sideshow" according to the .puz file
User avatar
Cindy
Posts: 1248
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:39 pm
Location: Matthews

#5

Post by Cindy »

damefox wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 8:40 pm Title is "Sideshow" according to the .puz file
Where can I get the puzzle?
User avatar
BarbaraK
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Virginia

#6

Post by BarbaraK »

boharr wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 7:51 pm Is there a solution to 242?
I posted the solution to 242 on that board.
User avatar
BarbaraK
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Virginia

#7

Post by BarbaraK »

Cindy wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 8:41 pm
Where can I get the puzzle?
https://bit.ly/fmi244con

It's a cryptic, not a regular crossword, which leaves me out.
User avatar
Meg
Posts: 2136
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
Location: St. Petersburg, FL

#8

Post by Meg »

A meta cryptic?? I’m in heaven! Well, until I actually take a look at it.
Last edited by Meg on Thu May 21, 2020 9:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
damefox
Posts: 477
Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2019 2:18 pm

#9

Post by damefox »

Solved! The grid and the meta. Great puzzle from Neville - a couple clues I still haven't totally parsed, but I was able to fill in the grid anyway. First time I've seen a meta cryptic. I concur it is a great movie.
User avatar
Al Sisti
Posts: 2037
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:28 pm
Location: Whitesboro NY

#10

Post by Al Sisti »

Done and sent in. Haven't seen it yet but I'm intrigued.
Laura M
Posts: 1384
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:49 am

#11

Post by Laura M »

BarbaraK wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 8:53 pm It's a cryptic, not a regular crossword, which leaves me out.
I'm with you! I've tried to do cryptics a few times but I generally can't make head or tail of them. I certainly respect all of you who can decode these!
LesY
Posts: 678
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 4:21 pm

#12

Post by LesY »

Glad this is now a separate thread (thanks Brian! (?)). I edited the lead post accordingly.

So, cryptics. Not for everyone but they’re becoming my go-to “I’m tired of crosswords right now” puzzle type. I’ve been slowly getting better at them by doing the WSJ HEX puzzles (which are awesome) every month or so And in quarantine I’ve been exploring Patrick Berry’s cryptics on his website (which are also awesome). That huge Canada puzzle someone posted recently was a great work-out, too.

For those who like this one, Andrew Ries (Aries Puzzles) ran a cryptic meta called “Treasure Hunt” back on February 20. Www.ariespuzzles.com. I think it was free, but I’m a subscriber so I’m not sure.

In any event, the tl;dr here is I think cryptics are good cross training for metas once you get the hang of them. Happy solving!
User avatar
Al Sisti
Posts: 2037
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:28 pm
Location: Whitesboro NY

#13

Post by Al Sisti »

Laura M wrote: Thu May 21, 2020 12:10 am
BarbaraK wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 8:53 pm It's a cryptic, not a regular crossword, which leaves me out.
I'm with you! I've tried to do cryptics a few times but I generally can't make head or tail of them. I certainly respect all of you who can decode these!
Page 3 of the huge Canada puzzle had a real good summary of how to solve cryptics...
User avatar
Meg
Posts: 2136
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
Location: St. Petersburg, FL

#14

Post by Meg »

post deleted by author because she posted a link to the old HEX cryptics in the Atlantic magazine, but when she checked, it was behind a paywall, so she tried to just delete the whole post, but for some reason that’s impossible.
Last edited by Meg on Thu May 21, 2020 2:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
User avatar
Beth Tyrpin
Posts: 512
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:11 pm

#15

Post by Beth Tyrpin »

Grid done. Meta solved. Listening to podcast now. The previews for the movie looked interesting.
User avatar
Hector
Posts: 1297
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 8:15 pm
Location: San Francisco
Contact:

#16

Post by Hector »

Meta helped me finish the very nice grid. Might not have the right parsing of 7D, because what I have seems kind of forced.
Laura M
Posts: 1384
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:49 am

#17

Post by Laura M »

Thanks for the info about cryptics! I especially liked LesY's take:
LesY wrote: Thu May 21, 2020 7:40 am In any event, the tl;dr here is I think cryptics are good cross training for metas once you get the hang of them.
I actually would like to work on it and see if I could get my brain in the right mode for cryptics. I'd also like to subscribe to Fireball, and do a bunch more non-meta crosswords. But sadly I don't think I can justify spending more time on puzzles than I already do right now, maybe someday!

Still, I decided to give this one a shot. I spent about an hour on it but ended up mostly using Reveal, I think I got 3 answers on my own. Here's my newbie evaluation of the clues:

Huh? (I don't think I completely understood it): 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 10, 11, 17, 20, 21, 24, 27, 28, 29
Well I GUESS (I think I understood it but I'm not happy): 2, 3, 12
I get it!: 9, 14, 16, 18, 19, 22, 23, 25, 26

So, not a very good showing overall :-) I won't give up on cryptics but I probably won't attempt them very often for now. Best of luck to all of you who do!
LesY
Posts: 678
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 4:21 pm

#18

Post by LesY »

Laura M wrote: Thu May 21, 2020 11:47 pm Thanks for the info about cryptics! I especially liked LesY's take:
LesY wrote: Thu May 21, 2020 7:40 am In any event, the tl;dr here is I think cryptics are good cross training for metas once you get the hang of them.

So, not a very good showing overall :-) I won't give up on cryptics but I probably won't attempt them very often for now. Best of luck to all of you who do!
Laura, I actually think this was a pretty darn good showing! Better than the first time I tried one of these!

There’s so much “arcana” that unlocks the solving. Usually like 25-35% the answers involve anagramming part of the clue - and the obstacle is frequently figuring out which word means “hey, do an anagram.” One example from another cryptic: “plastic.” And in this one (sorry to give something away, but it’s for the greater good) the end of 29A. I mean, who knows that until they’ve done several of these?

It sounds like you already have a handle on at least 3 of the techniques (anagram, double definition, homophone). And to Al’s point there’s a great set of instructions at the back of that big Canada puzzle. So if you wanted to keep going I really think you would get there.

In any event, I’m starting to sound like a “cryptics pusher” so I’ll stop. Completely understand not having time for more puzzles!
User avatar
Richard B.
Posts: 547
Joined: Sat May 16, 2020 1:58 pm
Location: upper west side, NYC

#19

Post by Richard B. »

Hector wrote: Thu May 21, 2020 1:49 pm Meta helped me finish the very nice grid. Might not have the right parsing of 7D, because what I have seems kind of forced.
Exactly where I am! Would appreciate the parsing to 7D as well.
User avatar
Meg
Posts: 2136
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
Location: St. Petersburg, FL

#20

Post by Meg »

Richard B. wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 6:54 am
Hector wrote: Thu May 21, 2020 1:49 pm Meta helped me finish the very nice grid. Might not have the right parsing of 7D, because what I have seems kind of forced.
Exactly where I am! Would appreciate the parsing to 7D as well.
I emailed Neville, asking for an explanation of 7d. We'll see.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
Locked