#608 - "Illegal Activity"

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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TMart
Posts: 816
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:13 am
Location: Malvern, PA

#21

Post by TMart »

Whoa - that was pretty cool. Got it, but wasn't sure, then understood the full mechanism. Waiting for the leaderboard to update.
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Streroto
Posts: 772
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2019 4:24 pm
Location: Newtown Square, PA

#22

Post by Streroto »

I’ve reached my breaking point. I’m pretty sure I have step one but have stalled for days since. If anyone is willing to provide a nudge please let me know.
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Cindy
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Location: Matthews

#23

Post by Cindy »

Solved
Tina
Posts: 391
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:56 pm

#24

Post by Tina »

Like all my other New Year's resolutions, my aspiration to solo solve the MGWCC all year has bitten the dust before the end of January.
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FrankieHeck
Posts: 839
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 8:57 pm
Location: West Virginia

#25

Post by FrankieHeck »

Tina wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 2:29 pm Like all my other New Year's resolutions, my aspiration to solo solve the MGWCC all year has bitten the dust before the end of January.
Same here. I say we start our year in February.
damefox
Posts: 477
Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2019 2:18 pm

#26

Post by damefox »

Streroto wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 12:16 pm I’ve reached my breaking point. I’m pretty sure I have step one but have stalled for days since. If anyone is willing to provide a nudge please let me know.
Sent.
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BarbaraK
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Location: Virginia

#27

Post by BarbaraK »

FrankieHeck wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 2:31 pm
Tina wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 2:29 pm Like all my other New Year's resolutions, my aspiration to solo solve the MGWCC all year has bitten the dust before the end of January.
Same here. I say we start our year in February.
Hey, Matt declared this a penalty free January and is giving everyone credit for solo solving every puzzle. If it’s good enough for him, it should be good enough for you. :)
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anjhinz
Posts: 123
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2019 11:35 am
Location: Dallas, TX

#28

Post by anjhinz »

Same here, lots of staring, and not finding anything. Would love a nudge in a PM if someone wouldn't mind!
damefox
Posts: 477
Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2019 2:18 pm

#29

Post by damefox »

anjhinz wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 4:07 pm Same here, lots of staring, and not finding anything. Would love a nudge in a PM if someone wouldn't mind!
Sent.
Tina
Posts: 391
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:56 pm

#30

Post by Tina »

BarbaraK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 4:07 pm
FrankieHeck wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 2:31 pm
Tina wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 2:29 pm Like all my other New Year's resolutions, my aspiration to solo solve the MGWCC all year has bitten the dust before the end of January.
Same here. I say we start our year in February.
Hey, Matt declared this a penalty free January and is giving everyone credit for solo solving every puzzle. If it’s good enough for him, it should be good enough for you. :)
Ooh. I forgot about that. Can I extend that to my other resolutions too? Do I get credit for not exercising and eating too many donuts?
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Thurman8er
Posts: 393
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:05 pm
Location: Fresno, CA

#31

Post by Thurman8er »

I'll look at it again tonight, but I feel like I am down too many rabbit holes at once. A couple of things are obvious but...I'm not holding out a lot of hope.
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BarbaraK
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Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Virginia

#32

Post by BarbaraK »

Tina wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 4:24 pm
BarbaraK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 4:07 pm
FrankieHeck wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 2:31 pm

Same here. I say we start our year in February.
Hey, Matt declared this a penalty free January and is giving everyone credit for solo solving every puzzle. If it’s good enough for him, it should be good enough for you. :)
Ooh. I forgot about that. Can I extend that to my other resolutions too? Do I get credit for not exercising and eating too many donuts?
But of course!
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ky-mike
Posts: 1943
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 4:22 pm
Location: Near Louisville Ky

#33

Post by ky-mike »

I have been staring at the grid off and on for three days. I see a few things that I would think are part of the path to the meta solution, but am at a dead end. If anyone would like to throw a nudge my way, I would appreciate it.
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Streroto
Posts: 772
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2019 4:24 pm
Location: Newtown Square, PA

#34

Post by Streroto »

@my nudgers-thank you for the assist! I hope to get to your level at some point!!!!
damefox
Posts: 477
Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2019 2:18 pm

#35

Post by damefox »

ky-mike wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 5:35 pm I have been staring at the grid off and on for three days. I see a few things that I would think are part of the path to the meta solution, but am at a dead end. If anyone would like to throw a nudge my way, I would appreciate it.
Sent.
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Al Sisti
Posts: 2037
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:28 pm
Location: Whitesboro NY

#36

Post by Al Sisti »

Tina wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 4:24 pm
BarbaraK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 4:07 pm
FrankieHeck wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 2:31 pm

Same here. I say we start our year in February.
Hey, Matt declared this a penalty free January and is giving everyone credit for solo solving every puzzle. If it’s good enough for him, it should be good enough for you. :)
Ooh. I forgot about that. Can I extend that to my other resolutions too? Do I get credit for not exercising and eating too many donuts?
Haha... "too many donuts," like that's a thing!!
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ky-mike
Posts: 1943
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 4:22 pm
Location: Near Louisville Ky

#37

Post by ky-mike »

I was nudged far enough. Definitely a non-solo solve this time.
LesY
Posts: 678
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 4:21 pm

#38

Post by LesY »

Whew! Got there with one subtle nudge. Great aha!

Completely hollowed out not one but two rabbit holes that cry out to be future metas. I’m not sure how I would construct one of them, but I think I could create the other one.

Thanks to several Muggles for indulging my wild theories!
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BrianMac
Site Admin
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Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2019 11:45 pm
Location: Connecticut

#39

Post by BrianMac »

BarbaraK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 4:07 pm Hey, Matt declared this a penalty free January and is giving everyone credit for solo solving every puzzle. If it’s good enough for him, it should be good enough for you. :)
Ok in that case I'll take a nudge anyone is willing to throw my way. :)
Leslie
Posts: 234
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 2:18 pm

#40

Post by Leslie »

BrianMac wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:27 pm
BarbaraK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 4:07 pm Hey, Matt declared this a penalty free January and is giving everyone credit for solo solving every puzzle. If it’s good enough for him, it should be good enough for you. :)
Ok in that case I'll take a nudge anyone is willing to throw my way. :)
Me too. I was away till last night and after I got home didn’t get very far past seeing the obvious. So if we’re all going to get full credit anyway I would love a chance to get the aha moment!
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