"Just A Step More" - October 23, 2020
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I had earlier posted (#289) my justification for submitting SCENE as the solution. That was my second (and simpler) attempt. My first attempt, using a much different method, yielded the same result, so I figured that Matt had formulated a “double whammy” that enabled a solution from two directions with intermediate hints, and guaranteed that SCENE was correct. My initial solution follows:
On seeing the parenthetical numbers after certain clues, I knew immediately that these had to be dice rolls, and knowing Matt’s affinity for board games, I went into my stash of games and pulled out my old Monopoly board. Matt has used Monopoly in his solutions before, and it was apparent that this was his intent now. It became even more obvious after examining the sequence of parenthetical numbers, 5-7-8-8-7, for if you start at GO on the Monopoly board and advance by that sequence of squares, the only squares you hit are railroads (except Pennsylvania), free parking, and utilities, and you end up on Short Line. Matt had apparently dropped a prodigious hint here, for “Short” has five letters, and “Short Line” is part of the “certain set” of Monopoly railroads. Aha! The penny dropped!
Now for step two, to figure our how the words clued with parenthetical numbers reveal the final answer. Printing out the five clued answers in order yields: CHEERIESTINDOCHINESORRYTOHEARTHATAPENNINESFLUSTERED. I then went back to the Monopoly board to find and eliminate the letters that appear in the names of squares I had landed on: railroads (READING, PENNSYLVANIA, BO, SHORT LINE), FREE PARKING, and UTILITY. Note that PENNSYLVANIA was not one of the railroad squares that was landed on before, but I had to eliminate its letters also… more of Matt’s attempt at diabolical trickery that I’ll address (and rectify) later.
After the letter elimination, I was left with: CESDCERHEHTEE. The number that pops out of these letters is THREE, so I put that aside temporarily and I’m left with CESDCEHE. The railroad square that I missed going around the first time is Pennsylvania, so I needed to get to it, and it is 20 squares away from Short Line on the Monopoly board. I was able to get the number 20 by adding up the letters C (3), D (4), E (5), and H (8), so eliminating those leaves ESCE. Now landing on the Pennsylvania Railroad square after those 20 steps, I retrieved the number THREE that I had put aside, and I see that PENNSYLVANIA has three N’s, so I promptly added an N back to the sequence ESCE, yielding ESCEN, which anagrams to SCENE and solves the meta.
Overall, a logically straightforward puzzle, with two processes that yield the same result! What could be wrong?
On seeing the parenthetical numbers after certain clues, I knew immediately that these had to be dice rolls, and knowing Matt’s affinity for board games, I went into my stash of games and pulled out my old Monopoly board. Matt has used Monopoly in his solutions before, and it was apparent that this was his intent now. It became even more obvious after examining the sequence of parenthetical numbers, 5-7-8-8-7, for if you start at GO on the Monopoly board and advance by that sequence of squares, the only squares you hit are railroads (except Pennsylvania), free parking, and utilities, and you end up on Short Line. Matt had apparently dropped a prodigious hint here, for “Short” has five letters, and “Short Line” is part of the “certain set” of Monopoly railroads. Aha! The penny dropped!
Now for step two, to figure our how the words clued with parenthetical numbers reveal the final answer. Printing out the five clued answers in order yields: CHEERIESTINDOCHINESORRYTOHEARTHATAPENNINESFLUSTERED. I then went back to the Monopoly board to find and eliminate the letters that appear in the names of squares I had landed on: railroads (READING, PENNSYLVANIA, BO, SHORT LINE), FREE PARKING, and UTILITY. Note that PENNSYLVANIA was not one of the railroad squares that was landed on before, but I had to eliminate its letters also… more of Matt’s attempt at diabolical trickery that I’ll address (and rectify) later.
After the letter elimination, I was left with: CESDCERHEHTEE. The number that pops out of these letters is THREE, so I put that aside temporarily and I’m left with CESDCEHE. The railroad square that I missed going around the first time is Pennsylvania, so I needed to get to it, and it is 20 squares away from Short Line on the Monopoly board. I was able to get the number 20 by adding up the letters C (3), D (4), E (5), and H (8), so eliminating those leaves ESCE. Now landing on the Pennsylvania Railroad square after those 20 steps, I retrieved the number THREE that I had put aside, and I see that PENNSYLVANIA has three N’s, so I promptly added an N back to the sequence ESCE, yielding ESCEN, which anagrams to SCENE and solves the meta.
Overall, a logically straightforward puzzle, with two processes that yield the same result! What could be wrong?
- Wendy Walker
- Posts: 1720
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:44 pm
- Location: Unionville, PA
In college I was in a Medieval Miracle Play that featured the Seven Deadly Sins, so I still remember all of them. I played Gossip (is that typecasting or what?). My job was to interrupt scenes and say, "OOOOO ... What's going on HERE, then?!" That is me second from left.Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 11:52 am I had to look up the seven deadly sins - is there anyone here who knew what they are without a bit of googling?
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Good luck, fellow Muggles!
- ImOnToo
- Posts: 445
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Mom's serving nachos!MaineMarge wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 3:31 pmI knew them all (not through personal experience of course), after helping a student study for an ethics class.Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 11:52 am
And I had to look up the seven deadly sins - is there anyone here who knew what they are without a bit of googling?
Let’s All Play Great Games Every Saturday
or
SLAP EGG
( wrath/anger and avarice/greed often vary)
Let’s hear it for mnemonic devices...
BTW- what is my very earnest mother serving us these days?
Konnie
- LizD
- Posts: 89
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- Location: North Carolina
Wow. This was a Kas 5 for me. Even with a nudge (thank you!) and having completed step one, I could not figure it out! But I was circling (literally) around the answers. If only I had an eye for anagram+1 I would have gotten there.
I went down the chess rabbit hole also, so I feel vindicated to see others were there. I also fell for the RED herring instead of LUST.
As crazy as this puzzle made me, I can't wait for the next one. That may be the first sign of addiction!
I went down the chess rabbit hole also, so I feel vindicated to see others were there. I also fell for the RED herring instead of LUST.
As crazy as this puzzle made me, I can't wait for the next one. That may be the first sign of addiction!
I don't have an inner child... I have an inner old lady.
Meta solver by night, proud independent bookstore owner by day!
Meta solver by night, proud independent bookstore owner by day!
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
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- Location: Cincinnati
Time for an new avatar, Wendy.Wendy Walker wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 6:48 pmIn college I was in a Medieval Miracle Play that featured the Seven Deadly Sins, so I still remember all of them. I played Gossip (is that typecasting or what?). My job was to interrupt scenes and say, "OOOOO ... What's going on HERE, then?!" That is me second from left.Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 11:52 am I had to look up the seven deadly sins - is there anyone here who knew what they are without a bit of googling?
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!
PLATELET 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 ENORMOUS 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲:
𝟰𝟬% 𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰,
𝟯𝟬% 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰,
𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 & 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮. 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘!
- ImOnToo
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I fell for the "red" herring, too. My husband, however, immediately recognized "lust".LizD wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 7:18 pm Wow. This was a Kas 5 for me. Even with a nudge (thank you!) and having completed step one, I could not figure it out! But I was circling (literally) around the answers. If only I had an eye for anagram+1 I would have gotten there.
I went down the chess rabbit hole also, so I feel vindicated to see others were there. I also fell for the RED herring instead of LUST.
As crazy as this puzzle made me, I can't wait for the next one. That may be the first sign of addiction!
Konnie
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- Posts: 1739
- Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:09 am
I wasn't going to say anything, lol.
But I did say to a co-worker that the mechanism for this week's MGWCC is (joke)
- whimsy
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Not sure, but She Makes Very Easy Meals as I learned it --MaineMarge wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 3:31 pm
Let’s hear it for mnemonic devices...
BTW- what is my very earnest mother serving us these days?
and if you feel like griping when she calls you in for supper Just Say U Never Play. (I'm a Plutoist! )
- whimsy
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So maybe even if Pluto got tossed from the planets, he can still sneak into the meta with the dwarfs!
BTW -- Love your sign off Winnie quote.
Anyway, it appears it was a good week for me to not have delved too deeply into the meta, but I'm glad instead to be spending time reading the results. Love checking out all the creative apophenia! I'm certain I would have spent time in most of the rabbit holes mentioned -- and would have remained in the most comfortable one until the chimes of midnight.
- Kas
- Posts: 268
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- Location: Usually in a rabbit hole.
- Kas
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 9:23 pm
- Location: Usually in a rabbit hole.
Oh, and yes: Kas 5.
I circled the first step...saw Eerie, heart (and hearth), lust (and Luster)...
But I saw Nine (not PENN) and Chin and China (not Doc)...ah well—muffed it! Gaffeneyed again.
I circled the first step...saw Eerie, heart (and hearth), lust (and Luster)...
But I saw Nine (not PENN) and Chin and China (not Doc)...ah well—muffed it! Gaffeneyed again.
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Weird! I do mine on the app too, (and on paper, and on pdf ... none of which helped with this puzzle). But I did have a clue for 59A.Notbitter wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 10:38 am A bit of a whine (and sorry if someone already posted this, I did not read all sixteen pages of comments here). I did the puzzle on the WSJ app on my iPad. Unless I am missing something, the app version did not include a clue for 59 across or list the number 59 in the puzzle (per my attached screenshot). Since the answer was “nil,” to me it was OBVIOUSLY important to the meta. It had me looking for empty sets, etc. I chase enough rabbits on my own without help from the app.
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- C=64
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There was a good mellow-folk band from Vermont called The Sixth Great Lake.
https://open.spotify.com/track/6rodhoTL ... H0NUnorEmA
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I really enjoyed this one! The first thing I did was look at previous Gaffney puzzles and found one with a similar (number) mechanism. Four clues came pretty easily, but CHINA prevented me from seeing "DOC." After enlightenment from TPS, I felt pretty DOPEY. After I found two ways to get MARS (one by adding a letter and one by subtracting), HURON popped out and the rest was....well, not easy, but fun!
Can't wait until Thursday!
Can't wait until Thursday!
- DrTom
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Wait, that WASN'T the mechanism????
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!
- DBMiller
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Did Grumpy enjoy it? Oh, all the midget porn jokes...
If I'm around, I am willing to join the Muggle Zoom room at other times to lend a hand to those in need.
- Janet P
- Posts: 553
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Totally missed that.
Your whimsical comment had
Me laughing out loud!
- KayW
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Yes, I’d rather have toowhimsy wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 7:54 pmNot sure, but She Makes Very Easy Meals as I learned it --MaineMarge wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 3:31 pm
Let’s hear it for mnemonic devices...
BTW- what is my very earnest mother serving us these days?
and if you feel like griping when she calls you in for supper Just Say U Never Play. (I'm a Plutoist! )
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.
- yourpalsal
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Sounds like there will be lots to talk about in the meetup!
BrianMac wrote: ↑Sat Jul 18, 2020 4:33 pm YourPalSal began hosting Muggle Zoom meetings a few weeks ago, and they are a blast. We've been getting around 20 participants a week, and generally discuss the crossword puzzles of the week, quickly digressing into any number of other interesting topics. Whether you are a veteran Muggle or new to the site, it's a great way to meet lots of other members and put names and voices to avatars. The call occurs Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. Eastern (4:30 p.m. Pacific) and lasts about an hour and a quarter. The Zoom link information is below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89184367093?p ... s4YUQvdz09
If you need a password, it's muggle.
Hope to see you there!
- Bob cruise director
- Cruise Director
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I did not realize that we had so many muggles well versed in the Seven Deadly SinsWendy Walker wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 6:48 pmIn college I was in a Medieval Miracle Play that featured the Seven Deadly Sins, so I still remember all of them. I played Gossip (is that typecasting or what?). My job was to interrupt scenes and say, "OOOOO ... What's going on HERE, then?!" That is me second from left.Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 11:52 am I had to look up the seven deadly sins - is there anyone here who knew what they are without a bit of googling?
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
Cruise Director