#632 - "Chain Letters"

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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BarbaraK
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#61

Post by BarbaraK »

DrTom wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:37 pm Whew made it to the board again and I’m AMAZED. I doubt I’d ever have found the rather intricate mechanism (at least it seemed that way to me) that gave me the first part so I could get to the second when I first started all of this. Plus, were it not for a warning shot across the bow I still would have managed to mess it up in my disordered approach. Still, there I am listed along with the gods of METAs (OK so maybe 400 plus levels AFTER them but still within a thousand!). I’ll be interested to see the answers that were considered wrong, and also how people knew there were wrong answers? I still cannot determine how they do that from the information that is available. Ah, the META gods.
On the board, right now as of the 18:02 update, the This Week tab shows 509 correct solvers.

If you look at the Overall tab, you'll see 560 names. Those are the ones who've submitted an answer. So 51 of them were wrong.
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DrTom
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#62

Post by DrTom »

Ah, OK, everyone who submits, and ONLY those who submit appear on overall. Of course you must have a better connection, I only see 547 names?
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
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Hector
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#63

Post by Hector »

DrTom wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:55 pm Ah, OK, everyone who submits, and ONLY those who submit appear on overall. Of course you must have a better connection, I only see 547 names?
There's a tie for 547th place.
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Joe Ross
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#64

Post by Joe Ross »

Hector wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:03 pm
DrTom wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:55 pm Ah, OK, everyone who submits, and ONLY those who submit appear on overall. Of course you must have a better connection, I only see 547 names?
There's a tie for 547th place.
14 tied at 547th, so 560 people entered.
547 equals 560 .png
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 ENORMOUS 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲:
𝟰𝟬% 𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰,
𝟯𝟬% 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰,
𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 & 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮. 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘!
Laura M
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#65

Post by Laura M »

DrTom wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:55 pm Ah, OK, everyone who submits, and ONLY those who submit appear on overall. Of course you must have a better connection, I only see 547 names?
People who are tied have the same ranking, then it skips based on how many people were at that ranking. The first name at #547 is the 547th person, but there are 13 names after that so it really goes up to 560.

Edit: Oops, Joe Ross got in first with a better explanation!
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DrTom
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#66

Post by DrTom »

Oh sure, use logic and math on me, no fair....

Interesting collection, someone who made an offer they could not refuse, someone whose brother got them a ride on the Soul Train, and of course a Hobbit (i'm sure that has to be Bilbo Baggins cousin). Kind of makes me wish I had hung around a bit longer to join that crowd, heck I was 466 so close to that. Still, if we are considering "ties" then there are LOTS more than 560 because there are multiple "ties" throughout.

OK, so I'm not sure how this count thing goes because while I was trying to go back in and determine how many overall there were, 547 disappeared and was replaced by a lot of other numbers (so no idea what it is up to) and in the "This Week" column I went from 466 to 477 (still for me quite good) and I don't understand how people who have already submitted can be moved down the board by later submissions. Oh well, up at 4:30 too much to ponder now. I'm just happy I'm there.
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
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Joe Ross
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#67

Post by Joe Ross »

Laura M wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:24 pm Edit: Oops, Joe Ross got in first with a better explanation!
Hector beat us both!

DrTom wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 9:35 pm I'm just happy I'm there.
Me, too, Thomas. Me, too.
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 ENORMOUS 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲:
𝟰𝟬% 𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰,
𝟯𝟬% 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰,
𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 & 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮. 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘!
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boharr
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#68

Post by boharr »

DrTom wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 9:35 pm Oh sure, use logic and math on me, no fair....

Interesting collection, someone who made an offer they could not refuse, someone whose brother got them a ride on the Soul Train, and of course a Hobbit (i'm sure that has to be Bilbo Baggins cousin). Kind of makes me wish I had hung around a bit longer to join that crowd, heck I was 466 so close to that. Still, if we are considering "ties" then there are LOTS more than 560 because there are multiple "ties" throughout.

OK, so I'm not sure how this count thing goes because while I was trying to go back in and determine how many overall there were, 547 disappeared and was replaced by a lot of other numbers (so no idea what it is up to) and in the "This Week" column I went from 466 to 477 (still for me quite good) and I don't understand how people who have already submitted can be moved down the board by later submissions. Oh well, up at 4:30 too much to ponder now. I'm just happy I'm there.
This sounds puzzle worthy in its own right.
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BarbaraK
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#69

Post by BarbaraK »

DrTom wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 9:35 pm Oh sure, use logic and math on me, no fair....

Interesting collection, someone who made an offer they could not refuse, someone whose brother got them a ride on the Soul Train, and of course a Hobbit (i'm sure that has to be Bilbo Baggins cousin). Kind of makes me wish I had hung around a bit longer to join that crowd, heck I was 466 so close to that. Still, if we are considering "ties" then there are LOTS more than 560 because there are multiple "ties" throughout.

OK, so I'm not sure how this count thing goes because while I was trying to go back in and determine how many overall there were, 547 disappeared and was replaced by a lot of other numbers (so no idea what it is up to) and in the "This Week" column I went from 466 to 477 (still for me quite good) and I don't understand how people who have already submitted can be moved down the board by later submissions. Oh well, up at 4:30 too much to ponder now. I'm just happy I'm there.
Just guessing about how your "This Week" standing changed, perhaps there were 11 people who Matt mistakenly marked as incorrect and when he went back and fixed it, they went ahead of you to the position of their original submission.
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DrTom
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#70

Post by DrTom »

BarbaraK wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:50 pm
DrTom wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 9:35 pm Oh sure, use logic and math on me, no fair....

Interesting collection, someone who made an offer they could not refuse, someone whose brother got them a ride on the Soul Train, and of course a Hobbit (i'm sure that has to be Bilbo Baggins cousin). Kind of makes me wish I had hung around a bit longer to join that crowd, heck I was 466 so close to that. Still, if we are considering "ties" then there are LOTS more than 560 because there are multiple "ties" throughout.

OK, so I'm not sure how this count thing goes because while I was trying to go back in and determine how many overall there were, 547 disappeared and was replaced by a lot of other numbers (so no idea what it is up to) and in the "This Week" column I went from 466 to 477 (still for me quite good) and I don't understand how people who have already submitted can be moved down the board by later submissions. Oh well, up at 4:30 too much to ponder now. I'm just happy I'm there.
Just guessing about how your "This Week" standing changed, perhaps there were 11 people who Matt mistakenly marked as incorrect and when he went back and fixed it, they went ahead of you to the position of their original submission.
Yes given the answer I'll bet there are various combinations and commutations that people submitted and, in retrospect Matt originally rejected but reconsidered? I could easily have been one of those because my first consideration was 180 degrees out from my second. As long as I don't fall off the board completely I'm fine - which come to think of it was my philosophy about snowboarding and the Atlantic City promenade as well.
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
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DrTom
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#71

Post by DrTom »

Joe Ross wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:43 pm
Laura M wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:24 pm Edit: Oops, Joe Ross got in first with a better explanation!
Hector beat us both!

DrTom wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 9:35 pm I'm just happy I'm there.
Me, too, Thomas. Me, too.
Thank you kind sir, I believe all of this good counsel may FINALLY be starting to rub off. I'll let you know with the week 3.....
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
MatthewB
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#72

Post by MatthewB »

Got this one. Enjoyable... I forgot, at first, that the answer consisted of two grid entries.. Careless of me. A very pleasant solve.
Tina
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#73

Post by Tina »

Funny story: Somehow I missed the FOUR chain, so I had DOWN WITH IOWA!! I figured HAWKEYE STATE had to be the answer, and I submitted it, but I knew I was missing something. Matt doesn't have any grudge against Iowa that I'm aware of.
Dplass
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#74

Post by Dplass »

Somehow I missed the F and D, so I had WITH OUR OWN IOWA. I thought it was maybe the state song (it's not) but, hey, a W is a W.
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MajordomoTom
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#75

Post by MajordomoTom »

enjoyed the mechanism in this one, doesn't hurt that I got it Saturday morning and then had the rest of the weekend ... free to review & sign tax returns.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
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FrankieHeck
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#76

Post by FrankieHeck »

:D I just read his write up, and I love that someone submitted FORK EWE
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