35. Left and Right

[MikeyG]

PDF and PUZ

Crosshare



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Hello hello! We just have three more puzzles in the Summer of Solves (including this one!) before we reveal our final Top Ten and my metas go back to effectively every other week. I thank you all for puzzling with me with a bit more regularity this summer!

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1. Puzzle #34 recap

Puzzle #34 answer: AUGUSTA

Correct entries: 26, of which fewer than 12 were likely solo solves



My original Week 2 idea didn't have a strong enough click in my mind, so I quickly put something together in about two days last week. I figured the spanner of CAPITAL with the word "state" in the clue would've been enough to get us over 40, but apparently, some of those capitals were really well hidden!

There's not much of purport in the grid, save for the main clue CAPITAL going across. This, coupled with the title, was meant to get you on a quest to find several hidden state capitals in the grid. I think the puzzle is fine; however, I think there did need to be more assistance for it to click down to a Week 2. Probably should've said "U.S. city" and got you thinking more about the clues than the grid.

It wouldn't have been easy to hide too many others, although one almost slipped in inadvertently! The clue about MASH originally mentioned "lasted over," which would've included "Dover" by accident.

Here are the state capitals, along with their clued words:

ADIA (McLachlan single)
UNO (Skip-bo; I seem)
GUIDE (concordance - I thought this was one was pretty contrived, but I do use the SAT-ACT concordance all the time!)
USED (sale merchandise)
SADE (Helen Adu)
TONER (Copier refill)
AGE (Auden verses)

Put them together, and you have AUGUSTA (for August, of course!), the answer to our challenging Week 2 meta.

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2. Leaderboard of Destiny



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3. I planned on swapping out this for a meta that was more like a Week 2 after realizing how grueling the last one was, but no other ideas fermented in time. I think this is a fair enough Week 3 once you realize what's going on.

35. Left and Right

The answer to the meta is what you might say to certain letters in the grid.


Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful!

Mikey G

[oldjudge]

I think that again the difficulty was a little underrated. Interesting puzzle though.

[benchen71]

Solved! Thanks for the puzzle, @MikeyG.

[edestlin]

Pulling my hair out again!

[boharr]

Got it. Confirmed on Crosshare.

[MikeyG]

The Weeks 2 and 3 are both playing like Week 4s, so I apologize for the misfire on difficulty. I like this one better than Week 2, for what it's worth, and (very unhelpful comment) you definitely have to realize how the grids were constructed.

Official nudges tomorrow! If you're stuck, always put it to the side for a while and take a break.

[edestlin]

Thanks to a fellow muggle for the strong nudges, I found the way to the solution. I might have significantly less hair than when I started.

[MikeyG]

It's a much-needed Nudge Wednesday for a month that apparently will have three Week 4s, haha. Increasing blatancy, as always.

1. We have two separate grids, obviously. They are identical with black-and-white squares, but there is nothing you really have to do "between" the grids (i.e. putting them on top of each other or anything like that). This could have been a 15-by-15, but it would've been even harder to construct.

2. I was significantly constrained in making both sides due to the letters I could use: note, for instance, a proliferation of Os on the right with very few on the left.

3. Most all letters in the grid are on their "correct" side. There must be some logic where these letters go. (Perhaps try writing out where each letter, though not all present, seems to go based on where the majority of them are.)

4. Think of the title. What else could left and right refer to, other than simply the grids themselves?

5. If you solve this one, I'll give you a hand!

Mikey G

[Laura M]

Thanks to the hints I totally get the mechanism--very clever! But I still have no idea what to submit...

[MikeyG]

Thanks to the hints I totally get the mechanism--very clever! But I still have no idea what to submit...

I'd say the first word of Nudge #3 might be a clue!

[KayW]

Brilliant!!! The meta that is, not me. I needed the nudges.

[whimsy]

Oops -- wrong puzzle! (What comes from attempting too many puzzles at once -- moved post/pic to MEOW.)

[Dplass]

Baffled and baffling. Maybe I'll just go back to word searches...

[Cinny]

I found this one pretty difficult. Just couldn't see my way through without a nudge, but finally got it. Had fun exploring all the rabbit holes, though!!

Very different. Thanks, Mikey!

[Dplass]

Solved after a 7th and 8th nudge. Thanks Mikey for. the puzzle and the helps.

[kurtalert]

New to your puzzles, just solved it. Pretty impressive puzzle! Thanks for sharing it!

[Abide]

Aha meter is high with this one! Summer of Solves has been great!

[rjy]

Got there w nudge 2, clever! Thanks, Mikey!

[whimsy]

Finally!
After all the nudges and some very pointed directions from another muggle.
I do not deserve Leaderboard of Destiny designation this week!

But after finally solving Ben's too, at least I'll sleep tonight!

[HeadinHome]

Aha!! Needed the nudges (especially #3). Thanks for a fun challenge!