XWord Muggles Forum

Ahoy, Muggles!

I don't know why (well, actually I do, but it's unrelated to this meta ), but I'm feeling rather sprightly, spunky, and spirited today. In fact, I am feeling so sprightly, spunky, and spirited that I am going to do something that I rarely do - I am going to speak my mind! Well, actually I'm hoping that I can get you to speak your mind - literally - via this meta. But a word of caution - don't be too hasty! Please pause for a moment before you speak your mind and submit your answer. I'd like to thank @Abide, @Al Sisti, @boharr, @whimsy, @Wendy Walker, @KayW, and @Joe Ross for testing and technical help.

The meta answer is 4 letters.

• Speak Your Mind - Crosshare

• Speak Your Mind - PUZ

• Speak Your Mind - PDF

• Speak Your Mind - Spreadsheet

Difficulty:(Revised)

Nudges are here.
Solution is here.

Good luck!
Cap'n Rick

Off the couch - thanks for the puzzle!

Off the couch! Fun one, indeed.

Great start to the day! Delightful puzzle, Cap!

OTC! Thanks Cap’n!

I kept thinking that the Hispanic ladies on the subway with their WordSearch booklets could have gotten there faster than I did.

OTC, nice one, Cap’n! Loved the concept

(…and back on the couch, still stymied by Mikey’s and Will’s)

Well, the New England weather forecasters have been particularly challenged this winter, and based on the number of incorrect answers in Crosshare, I'd say that I may have underestimated the difficulty of this meta. I had originally assigned it a Level 3 ("A Bit Choppy") then downgraded it to Level 2 ("Gentle Ripple"), but apparently my first impression was more correct. So to make amends I'll change it back to a Level 3 and offer up an early Nudge to help you get started.

Like they say on some TV game shows, "Talk it out."

OTC, though co-solver did most of the work. Nice one, Capn Rick!

Yeah.... this and Mike G type puzzles. I just can not do these things. I'll never get it.

That doesn't mean it's not a level 2. It could be a level zero but if it involves "Talk it out", I simply will not ever be able to get it.

woozy wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 12:04 pm Yeah.... this and Mike G type puzzles. I just can not do these things. I'll never get it.

That doesn't mean it's not a level 2. It could be a level zero but if it involves "Talk it out", I simply will not ever be able to get it.

If it helps, yours truly is still at sea, haha.

Edit: Wait, I see something. I have no idea how it relates, but I see...something.

Edit #2: Got it! That was...a lot of fun once I saw something a bit shiny that wasn't a rabbit hole, after all!

OK, I fell into the trap apparently. But I am generally terrible at this kind of puzzle

I see what I’m supposed to see, and still got nothin’. Not my kind of puzzle, apparently.

Still working on the meta but a few chirps on Rick's normal excellent cluing

1) 14A and 13D must have come from Rick's mother when he was growing up
2) we have the normal sea related clues and answers - 16A, 4D
3) The answer to 9D is totally wrong - somehow you have to squeeze "my expensive bird seed no matter how much I try to keep them away"
4) A better clue for 11D would be "MASH episode from 1974"

and the best was the cluing and answer to 21A

now back to metaing

Oh, my god. I take it all back.


That was a good puzzle.

But... yeah, I suck more than averagely at these things. I definityly had 2/3 of the things from the beginning but I also had 8/3 of the herrings that naturally swam through the red dye with no intent of a conscious creator.

MikeyG wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 12:17 pm Edit #2: Got it! That was...a lot of fun once I saw something a bit shiny that wasn't a rabbit hole, after all!

woozy wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 2:35 pm Oh, my god. I take it all back.

That was a good puzzle.

Good job, @MikeyG and @woozy! Way to stick with it!

Someone mentioned that there is an air of "pageantry" about this one.

OTC!

No nudges needed. (For once.)

Good one! Thanks, Cap’n!

Finally put it all together. That was tough, but fun.
Good job, Cap'n!

OTC. Very clever Rick!

Well, looks like I joined the crowd submitting the obvious but wrong answer. Will have to ponder Rick's early nudge.

Edit: Yup, that did it! Off the couch. Good one!