Guide to Solving the WSJ Meta with Excel/Spreadsheets

This is a place to learn about the Muggles community and some of the terminology we use. It also contains suggested strategies for solving meta crosswords, as well as a repository of all past WSJ crossword contests and solutions.
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Joe Ross
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#181

Post by Joe Ross »

The following links are the latest 15x15, 17x17, & 21x21 grid-sized Excel blank templates. These links will continue to be up-to-date. 15x15 & 17x17 grids last updated 12-11-2021. (All feedback is welcome & requested.)

202YMODY-METATYPE-15x15_GRID

202YMODY-METATYPE-17x17_GRID

202YMODY-METATYPE-21x21_GRID

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EDITING FORMS FOR INDIVIDUAL PUZZLES pdf

I am publishing these because I may not be as reliable on posting links for puzzles in a timely manner, going forward. I want solvers to be able to create their own, should they desire.

As it is, I tend to create & post links for Excel forms for the public metas which I solve & those which creators send their files to be uploaded to the Xword Muggles server & linked. Those are the WSJCC, MMM, & MOAT. I also create them for MGWCC & MMMM, but do not publicly post links for these subscription-based metas.

I PM the links to the MGWCC forms to 15 to 20 muggles who subscribe within an hour of the puzzle dropping. If you'd like to receive these links, let me know, please.

Other puzzles I try my best to attempt to solve, such as the great Pandora's Box metas, seem to want the online form to be used for solving & entering. If I am incorrect about this, please tell me. ๐Ÿ™‚

I wish to respect all creators' wishes. To that end, if any creator would want me to or not want me to create or publish links to Excel templates of their puzzles, PLEASE PM me. Thank you!

If creators DO want me to create & publish links to their puzzles, I request that you send me any form of or link to the puzzles as far ahead of their drop dates & times as possible. This will allow your solvers the quickest use of them to solve. This will also give me the freedom to create on my schedule and not feel guilty about not publishing soon after dropping.

For any metas that I do receive ahead of time, I will not post myself as solving until the 2nd page within its topic, so as not to annoy the more competitive solvers. (N.B. I am not requesting early access for WSJCC, MGWCC, nor MMMM.)
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Joe Ross
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#184

Post by Joe Ross »

Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ.
๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ถ๐˜€ ENORMOUS ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ:
๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ต, ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ & ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜‚๐—บ๐—ฎ. ๐—ฃ๐—Ÿ๐—˜๐—”๐—ฆ๐—˜ ๐—ฆ๐—›๐—”๐—ฅ๐—˜!
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qvart
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#185

Post by qvart »

Just saw this thread. That's handy.

I guess I do something similar with the WSJ contest - I use Across Lite to solve, take a screenshot of the entire filled in grid, paste it into Photoshop, then highlight the theme answers and work through them visually (using either the paint bucket tool to add color to individual squares or the shape tool to draw rectangles). Then I add blank space to type the theme answers/notes.

Image
Last edited by qvart on Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Joe Ross
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#186

Post by Joe Ross »

qvart wrote: โ†‘Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:14 pm Just saw this thread. That's handy.

I guess I do something similar WSJ contest - I use Across Lite to solve, take a screenshot of the entire filled in grid, paste it into Photoshop, then highlight the theme answers and work through them visually (using either the paint bucket tool to add color to individual squares or the shape tool to draw rectangles). Then I add blank space to type the theme answers/notes.

Image
Welcome! You may also enjoy HunterX's excellent Suggestion for using an iPad app to solve Metas
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qvart
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#187

Post by qvart »

Joe Ross wrote: โ†‘Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:31 pmWelcome! You may also enjoy HunterX's excellent Suggestion for using an iPad app to solve Metas
I'd give that a shot but I can't load any new apps on my iPad (it's a 1st gen Mini and doesn't get updates anymore). All I use it for is to play Word Streak - which is pretty much identical to Boggle but I think this app is better than the Boggle app (although Word Streak was discontinued a long time ago).
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Joe Ross
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#191

Post by Joe Ross »

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#192

Post by Joe Ross »

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#193

Post by Joe Ross »

20210625 WSJCC โ€” Hotlinks โ€” Excel form

(Had an error the first time posting. Retry, please. PM with issues.)
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ.
๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ถ๐˜€ ENORMOUS ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ:
๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ต, ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ & ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜‚๐—บ๐—ฎ. ๐—ฃ๐—Ÿ๐—˜๐—”๐—ฆ๐—˜ ๐—ฆ๐—›๐—”๐—ฅ๐—˜!
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katnahat
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#194

Post by katnahat »

Has anyone tried to use Numbers on a MacBook in place of Excel on a PC to Solve the WSJ Meta and had any success?

Thanks,

Kathie
Kathie
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boharr
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#195

Post by boharr »

katnahat wrote: โ†‘Sun Sep 19, 2021 7:17 pm Has anyone tried to use Numbers on a MacBook in place of Excel on a PC to Solve the WSJ Meta and had any success?

Thanks,

Kathie
I'm no expert on this stuff but on a Mac, Excel will open Numbers files and vice versa. However, I think Joe's Excel's files are formatted in a sophisticated way that Numbers may not replicate properly or completely.
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#196

Post by katnahat »

I think you're night. I switched to a Mac in 2013 and have gotten used to Numbers and Pages, but they just can't do what Excel and Word do. I tried opening some of his past Excel files and was able to use them to try to solve the metas; his work was helpful even if Numbers is more basic. Doing old ones that have been solved seems like a good way to learn. Thanks for your input.
Kathie
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#197

Post by boharr »

katnahat wrote: โ†‘Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:59 pm I think you're night. I switched to a Mac in 2013 and have gotten used to Numbers and Pages, but they just can't do what Excel and Word do. I tried opening some of his past Excel files and was able to use them to try to solve the metas; his work was helpful even if Numbers is more basic. Doing old ones that have been solved seems like a good way to learn. Thanks for your input.
Yes, Excel and Numbers can work together -- sort of. But you are right the doing or studying old puzzles is the way to go to learn. And don't forget that there is a complete archive of old puzzles and solutions on this site.
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#198

Post by katnahat »

Thanks! I also found threads that give helpful suggestions. I really appreciate how encouraging people are here. The board itself is a great help.
Kathie
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#199

Post by boharr »

katnahat wrote: โ†‘Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:12 pm Thanks! I also found threads that give helpful suggestions. I really appreciate how encouraging people are here. The board itself is a great help.
Yes, I've made a couple of files collecting those hints for solving and I update them as needs be. The folks here are great and always willing to help or explain.
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Joe Ross
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#200

Post by Joe Ross »

Calling attention to newly uploaded & updated Excel form links (for 15x15 & 17x17 grids, anyway) plus a PDF of clearer instructions in Post #181.

PM me or post with questions & comments.
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