"Back To The Start" January 19, 2024
- Colin
- Posts: 569
- Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2019 11:57 pm
Being trapped in my engineer-self, my first and only hole was a variety of time-wasting efforts trying to count back from the asterisked answers to the start of the puzzle (top left “1” square):
- starting from last letter going west, then going north including / excluding blanks and including / excluding last letter; the count referencing a numbered square and using that letter
- rinse and repeat, starting from first letter
- rinse and repeat all of the ‘including blanks’ counts but going north then west to see if the number of blanks made a difference (didn’t finish because by this time, I was losing faith in my hypothesis!)
… all I got was gobbledygook (without the vowels)
But it was a good warm up and immediately saw TALL ONES / STALLONE. I am in the OPEN TO camp, so I hope that doesn’t exclude me from winning the mug… wouldn’t want to SOFFER the pain of that!
- starting from last letter going west, then going north including / excluding blanks and including / excluding last letter; the count referencing a numbered square and using that letter
- rinse and repeat, starting from first letter
- rinse and repeat all of the ‘including blanks’ counts but going north then west to see if the number of blanks made a difference (didn’t finish because by this time, I was losing faith in my hypothesis!)
… all I got was gobbledygook (without the vowels)
But it was a good warm up and immediately saw TALL ONES / STALLONE. I am in the OPEN TO camp, so I hope that doesn’t exclude me from winning the mug… wouldn’t want to SOFFER the pain of that!
One world. One planet. One future.
- LadyBird
- Posts: 926
- Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:20 pm
- Location: Chicagoland
My husband and I do Connections together, so I use this pronunciation approach when reading the list. That and spelling out the word when there are homophones.
- Colin
- Posts: 569
- Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2019 11:57 pm
When we’re really stuck, as we were on the last two groups of four today, separating verbs, nouns and adjectives sometimes helps, although it feels like cheating!LadyBird wrote: ↑Tue Jan 23, 2024 9:17 amMy husband and I do Connections together, so I use this pronunciation approach when reading the list. That and spelling out the word when there are homophones.
One world. One planet. One future.
- jrdad
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2020 8:42 am
Isn't it interesting how many two-syllable words in English follow that pattern, with the noun accented on the first syllable and the verb accented on the second: refuse, project, relay, record, address, suspect, produce, compact, exploit, etc...
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- Posts: 331
- Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:46 pm
Did we ever hear about the mug?
Of course I would volunteer if no one wants it…
Of course I would volunteer if no one wants it…
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- Posts: 157
- Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2022 3:02 pm
- Location: Chicagoland
Sadly, didn't have a chance to look at the puzzle until today, but found it to be a quick solve- both the grid & the meta. Wish I'd seen it Friday! Fun puzzle.
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- Posts: 282
- Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 11:48 am
- Location: Palo Alto, California
Sure hope Mike Miller @MikeMillerwsj posts the statistics. I've been keeping score of my probability of having won a mug, and, with two exceptions a year or so ago when Mike Miller was on vacation and did not himself post, I have the data needed. At the moment, I believe I have a .0637 probability of having won a mug (6% or so) since I started in August 2020. This, and this group, was a nice sanity saver during the pandemic. Probability does not change reality, though, as there is a 1.000 certainty that I have not won a mug.
- Larrry
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Fri Jul 17, 2020 2:25 pm
- Location: St. Louis
If Mike Miller wont post the statistics, I will give it a try:
The contest answer is ONSET. Moving the last letter of each themed answer to the front creates a new word or phrase (HOLDS OUT, SMARTEN, TRASHES, EMANATE, STALLONE) and each new phrase fits the clue for another grid entry (OFFERS, NEATEN, SLAMS, EMIT, TALIA). The first letter of each gives ONSET.
We had a very strong turnout this week with 2,312 entries, about 87% correct. Among incorrect entries were BACK (12), START (9), STONE (6), POMEGRANTE (4) and many others.
Congrats to this week's winner, Marie Kelly of New York, NY.
The contest answer is ONSET. Moving the last letter of each themed answer to the front creates a new word or phrase (HOLDS OUT, SMARTEN, TRASHES, EMANATE, STALLONE) and each new phrase fits the clue for another grid entry (OFFERS, NEATEN, SLAMS, EMIT, TALIA). The first letter of each gives ONSET.
We had a very strong turnout this week with 2,312 entries, about 87% correct. Among incorrect entries were BACK (12), START (9), STONE (6), POMEGRANTE (4) and many others.
Congrats to this week's winner, Marie Kelly of New York, NY.
- KayW
- Moderator
- Posts: 4020
- Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 12:10 am
- Location: Chicago
It is fascinating. In fact, some clever constructors oughta come up with a meta about that. Oh wait, I think they already havejrdad wrote: ↑Wed Jan 24, 2024 7:47 amIsn't it interesting how many two-syllable words in English follow that pattern, with the noun accented on the first syllable and the verb accented on the second: refuse, project, relay, record, address, suspect, produce, compact, exploit, etc...
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.
- KayW
- Moderator
- Posts: 4020
- Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 12:10 am
- Location: Chicago
Have you seen this spreadsheet which also tracks the "fraction" of a mug you win with each correct answer?otlaolap wrote: ↑Wed Jan 24, 2024 3:29 pm Sure hope Mike Miller @MikeMillerwsj posts the statistics. I've been keeping score of my probability of having won a mug, and, with two exceptions a year or so ago when Mike Miller was on vacation and did not himself post, I have the data needed. At the moment, I believe I have a .0637 probability of having won a mug (6% or so) since I started in August 2020. This, and this group, was a nice sanity saver during the pandemic. Probability does not change reality, though, as there is a 1.000 certainty that I have not won a mug.
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.
- Wendy Walker
- Posts: 1859
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:44 pm
- Location: Unionville, PA
Thanks for the shout-out, Kay! @Cap'n RickKayW wrote: ↑Wed Jan 24, 2024 5:41 pm
It is fascinating. In fact, some clever constructors oughta come up with a meta about that. Oh wait, I think they already have
Good luck, fellow Muggles!
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- Posts: 313
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:46 pm
The contest answer is ONSET. Shifting the last letter of each of the starred answers to its front results in a new word or phrase (OLD SOUTH/HOLDS OUT, MARTENS/SMARTEN, RASHEST/TRASHES, MANATEE/EMANATE, TALL ONES/STALLONE) that fits the clue for another answer (OFFERS, NEATEN, SLAMS, EMIT, TALIA). The first letters of those answers spell the contest answer.
Apologies for the delay this week! This was a very popular one and more accessible than usual: We had 1665 entries, about 92% correct. We had 25 votes for a near-miss, RESET, plus a bunch of solo wrong answers including BLOOD, DRINK, SHIRE, MOVIE, and sundry others.
Congrats to this week's winner: Ryan Johnson of New York, NY!
Apologies for the delay this week! This was a very popular one and more accessible than usual: We had 1665 entries, about 92% correct. We had 25 votes for a near-miss, RESET, plus a bunch of solo wrong answers including BLOOD, DRINK, SHIRE, MOVIE, and sundry others.
Congrats to this week's winner: Ryan Johnson of New York, NY!
- woozy
- Posts: 2550
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
That *was* a good one! Really loved the idea of it!Wendy Walker wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2024 8:35 amThanks for the shout-out, Kay! @Cap'n RickKayW wrote: ↑Wed Jan 24, 2024 5:41 pm
It is fascinating. In fact, some clever constructors oughta come up with a meta about that. Oh wait, I think they already have
Just because it's intimidating, is no reason to be intimidated.
Putting together the unput togetherable: Fugue State
Putting together the unput togetherable: Fugue State
- Merry Potter
- Posts: 111
- Joined: Fri May 27, 2022 8:15 pm
- Location: Cincinnati
Was this your random example of a Mike MIller post??? you had me fooled but at least you got the winner's city correct!Larrry wrote: ↑Wed Jan 24, 2024 5:26 pm If Mike Miller wont post the statistics, I will give it a try:
The contest answer is ONSET. Moving the last letter of each themed answer to the front creates a new word or phrase (HOLDS OUT, SMARTEN, TRASHES, EMANATE, STALLONE) and each new phrase fits the clue for another grid entry (OFFERS, NEATEN, SLAMS, EMIT, TALIA). The first letter of each gives ONSET.
We had a very strong turnout this week with 2,312 entries, about 87% correct. Among incorrect entries were BACK (12), START (9), STONE (6), POMEGRANTE (4) and many others.
Congrats to this week's winner, Marie Kelly of New York, NY.
If I don't win a mug, I can always make one... but it won't have the same cachet.
- KayW
- Moderator
- Posts: 4020
- Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 12:10 am
- Location: Chicago
And a fantastic one at that! With an inside-ish joke: back in the day, MARIE KELLY ("Really Mike", anagrammed) was one of Mike Shenk's nom de plumes:Merry Potter wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2024 3:21 pmWas this your random example of a Mike MIller post??? you had me fooled but at least you got the winner's city correct!Larrry wrote: ↑Wed Jan 24, 2024 5:26 pm If Mike Miller wont post the statistics, I will give it a try:
The contest answer is ONSET. Moving the last letter of each themed answer to the front creates a new word or phrase (HOLDS OUT, SMARTEN, TRASHES, EMANATE, STALLONE) and each new phrase fits the clue for another grid entry (OFFERS, NEATEN, SLAMS, EMIT, TALIA). The first letter of each gives ONSET.
We had a very strong turnout this week with 2,312 entries, about 87% correct. Among incorrect entries were BACK (12), START (9), STONE (6), POMEGRANTE (4) and many others.
Congrats to this week's winner, Marie Kelly of New York, NY.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-PUZZLEB-4462
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.