HEX Variety Cryptic: Loop (WSJ March 27, 2021)
- Richard B.
- Posts: 547
- Joined: Sat May 16, 2020 1:58 pm
- Location: upper west side, NYC
HEX Variety Cryptic: Loop (WSJ March 27, 2021)
As usual, not too bad once you can see your way to make a grid entry or two.
https://s.wsj.net/public/resources/docu ... 272021.pdf
https://s.wsj.net/public/resources/docu ... 272021.pdf
- ChrisKochmanski
- Posts: 2186
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:51 pm
- Location: Saline, Michigan
Fun!
Got a foothold on the loops fairly quickly (within a half-hour), and it flowed from there.
Also a good way to take my mind off Matt Gaffney's Week 4 meta. I got NOTHIN' there.
Got a foothold on the loops fairly quickly (within a half-hour), and it flowed from there.
Also a good way to take my mind off Matt Gaffney's Week 4 meta. I got NOTHIN' there.
- Meg
- Posts: 2157
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
- Location: St. Petersburg, FL
I have about 50% of the entries, but I just don’t see a logical way to enter any of them. I have all 4 of one loop. Can somebody pm me with how they got a toehold?
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- Posts: 501
- Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2020 7:38 pm
- Location: Iowa
I had all of the 4 loop and three in the 7 loop. I wrote all of the 4 loop answers left to right to have the letter sequence for the entire loop, and then tried to match that with where the 7 loop crossed.
One of the 7 loop answers had a couple of letters that were not in the 4 loop, so It was eliminated as a cross. The next 7 loop answer gave me a possible fit in both rows of the 4 loop, so I went with it and it turned out to be the correct one. It helped to have a loop at the bottom because the turn gave me consecutive letters in both 4 loop rows to match with its letter sequence.
Felt good to solve this because I failed to figure out the WSJ meta this week!
- Richard B.
- Posts: 547
- Joined: Sat May 16, 2020 1:58 pm
- Location: upper west side, NYC
I did the same with loops 4 and 8! I had all of 4 and three of 8. Probably need 2 loops that cross at an edge rather than in the middle to get the toe hold.
- Meg
- Posts: 2157
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
- Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Thanks all. I've found a starting point. Done and done. Lovely clueing as usual.
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- Annabelle
- Posts: 213
- Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2020 4:26 pm
Still working on this one. Got a lot of the entries, but getting them to cross in the right places .... I've also been lining up the words, so I am encouraged by others' success in getting things to line up!
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- Posts: 310
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 1:16 pm
- Location: New Richmond ohio
What a great cryptic ...my whole Saturday is gone! 1d and 5 a last to get..loved it!
- RPardoe
- Posts: 736
- Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2019 4:09 pm
- Location: Houston, TX
Similar to others - got most of a few loops and then found letters in common. It was loops 1 and 7 that started the grid for me.
- BethA
- Posts: 632
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 6:44 pm
- Location: Beaver, PA
Finally got it! Totally agree with “where all the loops may lead you”!!
Thought I would never get a foothold, so just kept trying to get more and more of the clues stand-alone. Finally had enough of the 3 and 7, plus a little trial and error, and everything started coming together. What a mental workout! Learned a new word in 1d. Very satisfying to solve, I think this is the hardest one I’ve completed.
Thought I would never get a foothold, so just kept trying to get more and more of the clues stand-alone. Finally had enough of the 3 and 7, plus a little trial and error, and everything started coming together. What a mental workout! Learned a new word in 1d. Very satisfying to solve, I think this is the hardest one I’ve completed.
- Richard B.
- Posts: 547
- Joined: Sat May 16, 2020 1:58 pm
- Location: upper west side, NYC
Invariably for me, to get a toehold on a HEX variety cryptic, I first need to have a good number of the clues solved.
- BethA
- Posts: 632
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 6:44 pm
- Location: Beaver, PA
I never look at this board or the WSJ comments before solving, because I want to see if I can get it without accidental spoilers. Was just reading over on the WSJ site, and got a kick out of a comment by Barbara Hayes about using the Bananagrams tiles to help get things positioned. I had a similar thought about getting out the Scrabble tiles! I abandoned it though.
Warning: there are quite detailed spoilers over on the WSJ site.
Warning: there are quite detailed spoilers over on the WSJ site.
- Meg
- Posts: 2157
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
- Location: St. Petersburg, FL
I went over to the WSJ site and read the comments. I wonder if they know that if they come over here they can pm for help. I would post that, but I can’t since I don’t have a subscription.
I almost opened my Scrabble game, but I kept thinking there had to be a logical way to proceed with all of one loop and 75% of another. In the end I just tinkered with it until one arrangement clicked.
I almost opened my Scrabble game, but I kept thinking there had to be a logical way to proceed with all of one loop and 75% of another. In the end I just tinkered with it until one arrangement clicked.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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- Posts: 730
- Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2019 9:25 pm
- Location: Meridian, MS
I have everything except 1c and 5a. I will wander over to WSJ comments to see if I can pick up a clue.
- RPardoe
- Posts: 736
- Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2019 4:09 pm
- Location: Houston, TX
Happy to explain or nudge if the WSJ comments don’t help.
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- Posts: 730
- Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2019 9:25 pm
- Location: Meridian, MS
Thanks. Meg nudged me in a PM. I was overlooking a letter that had me confused.
- Annabelle
- Posts: 213
- Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2020 4:26 pm
Finally fell into place when I got the cross between 3A and 7D. Still have 1d that I can't fill in at the two non-crossing letters Argh! Also had 5b with two letters missing, but got that one after finally realizing the "hearing" gag for "cry of alarm."
- Meg
- Posts: 2157
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
- Location: St. Petersburg, FL
1d was a completely new word for me. I found it on crosswordsolver.com, where you can input the total number of letters and the letters you have in their correct positionS. It will give you all the possibilities. Unless you feel it’s cheating. In which case, don’t do that.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
- joequavis
- Posts: 500
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 12:29 pm
- Location: Windsor, Colorado
Just finished. Several new words for me. Very fun puzzle. Sent a PM to ask about some parsing, but I am stoked that these are getting a little easier for me. A few months ago, I might have one or two parsed and still be staring at an empty grid!
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- Posts: 393
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 8:07 pm
- Location: South Williamsport, PA
Just got around to this one today ... and, as always, enjoyed the mental workout that this pair provides. Had more than a few false starts, but eventually navigated the 4/7 route and I was off to the races. Amazed (but never surprised) by these constructors' interminable playfulness.