#635 - "Don't Even Try"

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
CrossedPurposes
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2019 10:12 am

#41

Post by CrossedPurposes »

If someone would nudge me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it. So far it's just me and the title.
User avatar
SusieG
Posts: 431
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2020 9:20 pm
Location: Arkansas

#42

Post by SusieG »

Ugh, I think I’ve figured out the path, but it gives me no words. At least not English.
Tina
Posts: 391
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:56 pm

#43

Post by Tina »

Oh my god. Matt hasn't updated the leaderboard in more than eight hours. The suspense is killing me!
User avatar
JordanianTomlinson
Posts: 130
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2020 8:54 pm
Location: Durham, NC

#44

Post by JordanianTomlinson »

Tina wrote: Mon Aug 03, 2020 10:00 pm Oh my god. Matt hasn't updated the leaderboard in more than eight hours. The suspense is killing me!
Right? I finally submitted what I think was a reasonable answer but I guess we’ll see (hopefully soon!)
elementary
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri May 29, 2020 10:50 am

#45

Post by elementary »

I had to be dragged along (didn't submit) but I finally got there! Thanks to all who helped.
Andrew Bradburn
Posts: 207
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:51 pm
Location: Los Angeles

#46

Post by Andrew Bradburn »

Got step one rather quickly. Been stuck there ever since. Probably not going to get this one.
User avatar
MajordomoTom
Posts: 1399
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2019 12:09 am
Location: St. Louis, MO

#47

Post by MajordomoTom »

will take a nudge, have the first step (and my post was deleted, too 'spoilery' likely) ...

thx
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
User avatar
Cindy
Posts: 1247
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:39 pm
Location: Matthews

#48

Post by Cindy »

I see that Matt has not updated the board since yesterday. If anyone has submitted and cannot handle the suspense any longer, I will confirm your answer via PM.
Tina
Posts: 391
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:56 pm

#49

Post by Tina »

Okay now I'm worried about Matt. I hope he's okay.
paige11
Posts: 131
Joined: Sat May 09, 2020 6:02 pm

#50

Post by paige11 »

This morning I woke up and finally saw what I'd been missing. Happy to be successful with my first attempt at a week 5!
User avatar
oldjudge
Posts: 1623
Joined: Fri Apr 19, 2019 4:16 am
Location: Pasadena, CA

#51

Post by oldjudge »

Matt just updated
User avatar
JordanianTomlinson
Posts: 130
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2020 8:54 pm
Location: Durham, NC

#52

Post by JordanianTomlinson »

On the board! Stared at the sheet for a day after getting that first step and even asked for a nudge but, somehow, saw the mechanism before getting a reply. So submitted but can’t credit myself for a solo solve as I wouldn’t have gotten there without typing out all of my previous steps out to my fellow Muggle.
Big Mac
Posts: 114
Joined: Fri Apr 10, 2020 1:01 pm
Location: Vienna, VA

#53

Post by Big Mac »

Staring staring staring....
User avatar
ky-mike
Posts: 1942
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 4:22 pm
Location: Near Louisville Ky

#54

Post by ky-mike »

JordanianTomlinson wrote: Tue Aug 04, 2020 12:04 pm On the board! Stared at the sheet for a day after getting that first step and even asked for a nudge but, somehow, saw the mechanism before getting a reply. So submitted but can’t credit myself for a solo solve as I wouldn’t have gotten there without typing out all of my previous steps out to my fellow Muggle.
If you got it before the nudge, then it is definitely a solo solve. Typing out your steps is a good way to help your thought process and move you forward.
User avatar
Joe Ross
Moderator
Posts: 4999
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
Location: Cincinnati

#55

Post by Joe Ross »

ky-mike wrote: Tue Aug 04, 2020 1:11 pm
JordanianTomlinson wrote: Tue Aug 04, 2020 12:04 pm On the board! Stared at the sheet for a day after getting that first step and even asked for a nudge but, somehow, saw the mechanism before getting a reply. So submitted but can’t credit myself for a solo solve as I wouldn’t have gotten there without typing out all of my previous steps out to my fellow Muggle.
If you got it before the nudge, then it is definitely a solo solve. Typing out your steps is a good way to help your thought process and move you forward.
Agree with Mike, wholeheartedly. Would go a step further, as you did & maybe as Mike meant, too, but explaining your process & progress to someone else further refines your thoughts & may inspire the next step, or two, which can lead to a solution.

One very patient muggle put up with hours of my stream-of-consciousness before I found home on this puzzle. My friend may well have been annoyed (or wanted to SCREAM the answer), but helped me tremendously by only "listening." I was rabid to finish, particularly after I found the 1st step, but I also thought before I wrote, lest I created a "DOH!" moment & wrote something 'stupid'.

In fact, going forward, I will request a mute sounding board before requesting a nudge. Beware PMs from me! 😈
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!
User avatar
MajordomoTom
Posts: 1399
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2019 12:09 am
Location: St. Louis, MO

#56

Post by MajordomoTom »

submitted, fingers crossed.

Cindy - nice gentle nudge on this, telling me to look at what I had in front of me. Took me another look to realize I needed to look at it differently.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
cherikee
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2020 8:45 am
Location: Washington, DC

#57

Post by cherikee »

I'll take a nudge if anyone would be so inclined. At this point I think I'm taking an "L" on this, but would at least like to stop staring at nothing for the next 22 hrs...
User avatar
ky-mike
Posts: 1942
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 4:22 pm
Location: Near Louisville Ky

#58

Post by ky-mike »

Not yet ready to throw in the towel, so would also take a nudge. I am seeing a few things, but nothing leading me anywhere.
User avatar
MajordomoTom
Posts: 1399
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2019 12:09 am
Location: St. Louis, MO

#59

Post by MajordomoTom »

waiting for the board to update to confirm I got to the right piece of dirt in the ocean.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
User avatar
Cindy
Posts: 1247
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:39 pm
Location: Matthews

#60

Post by Cindy »

:D Deleted my post
Last edited by Cindy on Tue Aug 04, 2020 4:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Locked