Fifth Wheels by Mark Woychick

STARTING APRIL 30, 2023

Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 meta puzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related organizations. Many of the constructors and test solvers involved with the project are members of the Muggle community. The bundle is available in exchange for a donation to any cancer-related charity. For more information, visit CrosswordsForCancer.com or email CrosswordsForCancer@gmail.com.
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AnswerPfinder
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Fifth Wheels by Mark Woychick

#1

Post by AnswerPfinder »

Fifth Wheels by Mark Woychick.

The answer to this meta is a nine-letter phrase.

ribbonrow.png

This puzzle is part of the CCCC bundle. To access the bundle and for more information, see this post.
Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 metapuzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related charities. It is available at CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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Schmeel
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#2

Post by Schmeel »

Solved.
Good puzzle - thanks!
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MMe
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#3

Post by MMe »

This was the toughest for me, and fittingly last alphabetically by author. Enjoyed every minute of curing cancer. Great work, constructors!!
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boharr
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#4

Post by boharr »

Looking just as good as when I test solved. Thanks, Mark.
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damefox
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#5

Post by damefox »

I really liked this one! It's definitely tricky though. One of those where I just stared and stared and all of a sudden it jumped out at me. Very cool puzzle!
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benchen71
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#6

Post by benchen71 »

Wow, even with a number of nudges from the constructor I couldn't get this one, and so finally caved and looked at the answer.

Only click this if you have solved. While I don't tell you what the correct method is, I do tell you what not to do!
I just couldn't get past all the double letters in the grid! I was pairing up DOOMSCROLLS and DOODADS to get "O" as the fifth letter; PANEER and ESTEE to get "E". But when that didn't go anywhere - certainly not 9 letters worth - I was at a loss. Ah well, I guess you can't get them all!
Check out "The MOAT Mini Pack of Marching Bands" here. US$5 gets you 7 Marching Bands which, hard enough on their own, now contain metas too. And once again there's a mega-meta! :D
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MarkWoychick
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#7

Post by MarkWoychick »

Thanks for supporting CCCC. Here are some nudges that may help - let me know if you need more/different.

The title phrase refers to an odd number.

When you have a couple + 1, sometimes the +1 is referred to as a third wheel. Sometimes the +1 is referred to as a fifth wheel.

In this case, we have a fifth wheel, so that changes the number of couples involved.

Couples don’t always stand right next to each other

You'll need to find a couple of couples per theme entry to identify the fifth wheel.
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BarbaraK
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#8

Post by BarbaraK »

What a lovely way to end my alphabetical journey through these puzzles. That took me much longer to see than it should have.
If you want help with a meta, feel free to PM me. The more specific you are about what you have and what you want, the more likely I can help without spoiling.

(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
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DrTom
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#9

Post by DrTom »

A very typical Mark Woychick; clean fill and straightforward mechanism, BUT deftly hidden so that it was a S.A.D.

I am so enjoying all of these, I hope that Will does more compilations like this in the future.
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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Wendy Walker
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#10

Post by Wendy Walker »

Terrific puzzle, Mark! Thanks!
Good luck, fellow Muggles!
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Bird Lives
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#11

Post by Bird Lives »

I did this one a while ago but forgot to comment here. Very nice puzzle, very "clean." I especially like the way the apparently unpaired, fifth-wheelish themer is accounted for.
Jay
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KayW
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#12

Post by KayW »

Excellent puzzle, Mark. I had a tough time getting started on this and needed the nudges so thanks for posting them!
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rjy
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#13

Post by rjy »

Finally! Got it nudgelessly, was quicksanded in a rabbit-hole that was compelling, tho disconnected from the theme… nice one, Mark!
Ray
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ChrisKochmanski
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#14

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Got it!

Nudgelessly. Though another post above, not a spoiler, somehow put a useful idea in my head.

And so my CCCC journey ends. (I worked alphabetically.)

Hey, CCCC team, do this again soon. It was great! And next time I promise to double my gift to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!
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whimsy
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#15

Post by whimsy »

Started this one a bit tentatively because of others mentioning "tricky," and was glad to see the presence of ace-in-the-hole nudges. But it turned out that the meta surprisingly rolled right off my brain. Just as DrTom says, very Mark-like, with all the goodness that implies, and I liked it a lot!
Thank you Mark!
(Only 2 more to go. :cry: )
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ajk
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#16

Post by ajk »

Got, after an kindly bonus nudge-for-dummies from Mark. :lol: Fun stuff, thanks!
Check out this very cool project by many of your favorite muggles to raise money to fight cancer. You get a fun puzzle bundle and good causes get $. Win-win: Crosswords for Cancer
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lbray53
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#17

Post by lbray53 »

I got to this one last because I printed them all out and solved in alphabetical order. Nice puzzle. It made for a great finish.

It took me some time to see it even thought I noticed some things in common in the grid.
My avatar proves that it is sometimes better to be lucky than good!
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ReB
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#18

Post by ReB »

Needed the nudges to get me out of my stupor. Once I figured out what to focus on, the answer emerged. Nicely done.
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TeamDoubleTow
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#19

Post by TeamDoubleTow »

We are going out of order so this isn't our last. This was fun and we were grateful for the nudges! Thanks so much @MarkWoychick !
Team DoubleTow=Ali (who posts here) & Alex
with occasional assistance from son
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