#599 - "Directors Meeting"

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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Hector
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#599 - "Directors Meeting"

#1

Post by Hector »

This week’s contest answer is a well-known movie of the 1990s.
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FrankieHeck
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#2

Post by FrankieHeck »

I hope this is a really challenging one (and if I have to know anything about directors or movies, it will be!) My printer is out of ink, so I just did the whole thing on graph paper, including writing out all the clues. Devotion or madness? (Don't answer that.)
Last edited by FrankieHeck on Fri Nov 22, 2019 4:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
markhr
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#3

Post by markhr »

Beam me up. Number 4 on the leaderboard for a week 4--very unusual for me. But fun for a change. Now I can relax with a Guinness. Good luck to all.
LesY
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#4

Post by LesY »

Ok I got there - thanks to some Hardywood Gingerbread Stout! (and a little bit of googling) The confirming piece was a nice touch.

Great puzzle and quite deceptively fiendish. I hit one massive rabbit hole i can share later.

And as an aside, the NW corner was some of Matt’s toughest fill in a while. Enjoyed it!
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Cindy
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#5

Post by Cindy »

Whew!
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BarbaraK
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#6

Post by BarbaraK »

Congratulations to all you super speedy solvers! I think Adam (docison) solved the meta faster that I got through that grid.

I see lots of rabbit holes, but none yet leading all the way to the rabbit. Plenty of time though.
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oldjudge
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#7

Post by oldjudge »

This is my third MGWCC. The first two were easy for me and I was thinking how clever I was. This one has smacked me back to reality. I have pursued quite a few “good” ideas, which turned out to be dead ends. Hopefully, a good nights sleep will provide some inspiration tomorrow.
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ChrisKochmanski
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#8

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Beam me up!

Though I needed a nudge.

I wish I had noticed, on my own, the key here, because once I was nudged to it, getting to the solution was very satisfying.

Good one!
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FrankieHeck
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#9

Post by FrankieHeck »

Pretty sure I have this one figured out. Going to submit before heading out to a college football game.
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Streroto
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#10

Post by Streroto »

Survived my first week 4!!!!! Great meta Matt I really enjoyed it. Aha moment at 37000 feet and had to wait till I landed to confirm

Beam. Me. Up.
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Meg
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#11

Post by Meg »

I’m visiting family in Portland, Oregon, trying to explain the whole "meta" thing. No, I am not crazy! This one involved going down a rabbit hole, abandoning it, then going down the same hole again successfully.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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Hector
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#12

Post by Hector »

Very nice one. Took me a while to get the first step, but went fast from there with google's help.
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oldjudge
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#13

Post by oldjudge »

Well, I hope the 13th post is not unlucky for future solving, but I finally had the epiphany moment and I got it. Looking at the solution, I can’t believe it took me this long, but as a rookie I am just happy to have it. Wonderfully constructed, Matt!
ack
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#14

Post by ack »

My chances of achieving anything that merits recognition as a solo solver are more remote than ever (I think this must be my worst annual record since I started doing the MGWCC!) so I'd be grateful if anyone wanted to offer the gentlest of nudges privately.
damefox
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#15

Post by damefox »

I would also be grateful for a gentle nudge. Been coming at this from all directions for hours and getting nowhere.
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Hector
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#16

Post by Hector »

(Nudges PMed.)
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hcbirker
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#17

Post by hcbirker »

I'm getting nowhere on this one. Not giving up yet, though. Probably just not in my wheelhouse.
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Orsys
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#18

Post by Orsys »

Got it. When it clicks, it clicks.
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oldjudge
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#19

Post by oldjudge »

Not a fan of nudges. I don’t think they should be allowed on this board. It’s not like the solution won’t be available on Tuesday.
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JJD
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#20

Post by JJD »

oldjudge wrote: Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:10 pm Not a fan of nudges. I don’t think they should be allowed on this board. It’s not like the solution won’t be available on Tuesday.
I understand, and yet I find that being told the final answer on Tuesday doesn’t help me learn. If I asked for a nudge, I just wouldn’t submit a contest answer — if I actually completed the meta. (Asking for hints and have a guided hint thread *after* the contest ends have been suggested over in the main muggle thread this week.
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