#648 - "Rise and Fall"

[hazmat]

I have a similar query to cisalope. I thought about PMing cisalope, but didn't want to spoil anything. Would love a PM from somebody who has completed for a clarification. Thanks!

edit: Hashbrown answered my question so I don't need help. I still haven't solved it but not looking for nudges. THANKS!

[ky-mike]

Thanks to those who answered my questions without giving anything away.

I am done and submitted.

[BarbaraK]

A few weeks ago I was googling something for a meta and ended up reading a bit about a subject that was unrelated at the time but turned out to be relevant this week. So even though it's not a subject I know, it was familiar enough to know what to look for.

Spent a day trying more and more convoluted ways to find something that wasn't there, and then finally noticed what was right in front of me.

And now I have.... well, it could certainly be a couple of trick-or-treaters. Or perhaps just an intermediate step and there's more to find. The fact that ~10% of submissions have been incorrect has me wondering if other people stopped here, too soon.

If I were not committed to solo-solving MGWCC this year, this is the point where I'd just look for a familiar name on the leaderboard and ask a simple yes or no, am I done.

But since I'm sticking with solo solving, I'm going to go through everything again, looking for more (or maybe confirmation) and wait til Tuesday morning to submit if I don't find it. Things like this make me think that if I should succeed in hitting my goal this year (48 solo solves, and I still need 6 more, so certainly not assured) I'll say good enough and just go back to solving however I feel like week to week.

[ricky]

I thought I had the meta answer about 15m after I finished the grid. Told myself "It's a Week 5! Don't send it in until you're absolutely sure!" Since then I've come up with 10 other routes to a solution, all of which start promisingly, then go off the rails. I wish I could blank out my mind and start over from scratch. I didn't get the WSJ this week so I am committed to solving this one with no hints.

[cbarbee002]

I have yet to come up with a workable mechanism, but will have another look. May ask for assistance, but not yet.

[Joe Ross]

Wow, was that involved. A great Week 5.

[cbarbee002]

Ok, I got nuttin. Anyone willing to PM me and provide a sliver of a hint to get started? :-/

[DrTom]

Well I'll be hornswoggled! Thanks to an educated (though lucky) guess I got the mechanism and thanks to a friend in the transporter room (who nudged me just enough into the right spot that the beam could lock on) I am aboard.

This was without a doubt one of the most intricately constructed puzzles I have seen. Add to that an elegance born of a complete agreement throughout and well, I am impressed, and I hope it take him at lest another year to come up with something like this because I could not take this more than once every 12 months.

[burak]

There are very strong hints to what the meta is based on, what to involve, where to begin etc. but for the love of me I can't figure out what to do with them. I guess this will be one of those metas where I'll admire the construction and go "yeah if I had 10 days to work on it I would've solved it"

[BarbaraK]

Glad I kept looking. Not only was I not done yet, I also had a mistake. Beam out requested. Awaiting leaderboard update (and it looks like I just missed one) but a nice solid click.

[KayW]

I think I was caught in the same tractor beam limbo as Barbara K and Doctor Tom. Happy to be 100% properly beamed up.

Absolutely amazing meta, but hope something like this happens only once in a blue moon.

[Domini]

Could someone PM me so I can ask a couple of questions to see if I’m on the right track. I’m super intrigued by the puzzle and don’t want to miss out on the aha cause I’m busy chasing rabbits....

[pamster]

I am making a couple assumptions that may be hindering my progress. If anyone is willing to confirm or reject those for me, please PM me. Thanks!

[higgysue]

I always forget to check in here. I just started these and got the first 3 puzzles easily but this one has me stumped. I never ask for nudges for the WSJCC but I’m thinking about doing it here. Anyone care to help me get started?

[mheverson]

New subscriber. Found two very clearcut answers (if a little odd) and they've been submitted. Also encountered the same hiccup others mentioned but was able to easily resolve.

[SusieG]

I am hoping someone would be willing to give me an itty bitty nudge. I’m not able to make any headway on this thanks

Edit: thank you to those who messaged me. I’m working on it now.

[lfsc]

My solving partner and I are 90% of the way there but missing some crucial step... if anyone's awake at this late hour, we'd appreciate a nudge!

[Domini]

Could someone PM me so I can ask a couple of questions to see if I’m on the right track. I’m super intrigued by the puzzle and don’t want to miss out on the aha cause I’m busy chasing rabbits....

Beam me up! Thanks DrTom for a great hint to getting me unstuck. Fantastic meta!!!

[FrankieHeck]

Alack and alas, looks like I won't get this one! Or has the deadline passed? I don't even remember. If it's noon, my personal rule for Matt's is that I don't take nudges, but I'll work with a fellow struggler for a non-solo solve if I'm down to the wire, so if anyone wants to put heads together for a last minute effort, let me know. I'm going to wait an hour or two for the sun to warm things up, and then I plan to go on a nice head-clearing walk.

The good thing is, I've failed at so many metas lately that this hardly stings at all!

[Frausty]

[sorry sorry trying to delete]