Turnaround Time

A weekly meta crossword created by members of the forum. Difficulty levels will vary. Hints are usually available starting Wednesday, and solutions are posted on Sunday.
Hidden in 3D
Posts: 379
Joined: Sun Nov 17, 2019 11:42 pm

#41

Post by Hidden in 3D »

Jay confirmed earlier today that I am off the couch. Another great MMM!
Sara
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Bird Lives
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#42

Post by Bird Lives »

BarbaraK wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 6:35 pm I'm off the couch. Thanks, Bird!

I try not to nitpick, but my inner bio-nerd is insisting that I point out that in 67A, 23andMe is a reference to humans 23 chromosome pairs. There are many more 67As.
My bio-ignorance is once again on display. But as I said to a solver who pointed this error out in a PM , just wait for my new start-up: 30K and me.
Jay
MaineMarge
Posts: 1597
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:57 pm

#43

Post by MaineMarge »

My solving partner and I are OTC.
Great meta, Jay. Gotta love this guy 👏🏻.

Now back to a favorite garden glider with a good view of shocking pink peony, Paula Fay.
(rhymes with Scholar Jay).
F914B07C-B72A-4595-8505-DC0C619D1A4C.jpeg
There’s a nest in the Royalty Crab above, where currently a bird lives!
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Bird Lives
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#44

Post by Bird Lives »

Let’s see: some ambiguity with at least one of the possibilities in Step Two; a howler of a mistake in a science-related clue; a typo with half the letters in the word being incorrect — about what you’d expect in a Bird Lives puzzle. Nevertheless, thirty-four people have managed to solve it (probably more since I often carelessly fail to record a solver or two).
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TT 650.jpg
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Some of the suggestions for similar words that solvers submitted are excellent. Even if you’ve already sent in the solution, it’s not too late. I’ll publish them with the answer on Sunday.

For the couchbound who are still hanging in there, here are the Wednesday nudges.

Nudge #1
The theme entries are symmetrically placed in the grid.

Nudge #2
The clue for 38D suggests what to do with the theme entries; it is not one of those theme entries.

Nudge #3
The revised theme entries become clues.

Nudge #4
The entries for those clues appear in correct order in the grid.
Jay
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fuggedabowdit
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2020 1:24 pm

#45

Post by fuggedabowdit »

OTC and confirmed.
Great grid - exquisitely constructed meta !!
Never trouble trouble til trouble troubles you !
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cbarbee002
Posts: 591
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 6:02 pm
Location: Philly Area

#46

Post by cbarbee002 »

Had two possible answers for one slot, neither of which was correct (which also prevented me from backsolving)! 10th time through the grid had me wondering, "could this be it?". Yup, at least I'm thinking so.
hoover
Posts: 1221
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:26 pm

#47

Post by hoover »

Ohhhh... Finally got it, but it took nudge #3. :|
(Didn't submit because I required so many nudges.)
Last edited by hoover on Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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sharkicicles
Posts: 798
Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 12:03 pm
Location: Chicago

#48

Post by sharkicicles »

I enjoyed this one for sure.
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TMart
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#49

Post by TMart »

Aha! Got it. Missed one at first, but then put it all together and now safely de-couched.
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bhamren
Posts: 243
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 12:15 pm
Location: Urbana, Ohio

#50

Post by bhamren »

I am off the couch with generous help from RPardoe. I got the mechanism right away but finding the RIGHT entries was a problem.
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eagle1279
Posts: 307
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 7:00 pm
Location: Indianapolis

#51

Post by eagle1279 »

I think I’m off the couch (actually a recliner in my study) before looking at the nudges. Fingers crossed awaiting confirmation.

EDIT: Confirmed!
Dow Jones
Posts: 472
Joined: Thu May 09, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: Yakima, WA

#52

Post by Dow Jones »

OTC. Thank you for the excellent puzzle.
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DrTom
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Location: Jacksonville, FL

#53

Post by DrTom »

A couple of twists and turns but I got to put in my 20 cents worth! Off the couch thankfully - may be the only META I solve alone this week!

Thanks Bird!
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!
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Bird Lives
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#54

Post by Bird Lives »

Forty-seven people submitted the correct answer — SHIFT.
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Turn solvers.jpg
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As the clue for 38D OVERTURN suggests, the component parts of the five theme entries can be turned around to form a new word — HEADPIN / PINHEAD and so on. The new word serves as a clue to another word in the grid, in this case IDIOT. The initial letters of those five clues spell out the answer.
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Turnaround 700a.jpg
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I asked solvers to submit their own examples of similar turnaround word or phrases. My own list had WIND DOWN, ROOM CHECK, TIMES TWO,

WORKHOUSE
OUTLAY
OVERPASS
UPHOLD
STARTUP
LOOKOUT
OVERSLEEP
OVERTAKE
DO OVER
OUTRUN
FAST BREAK

WINGBACKS./ BACKSWING via Laura M was my favorite -- a football position of decades past becoming a component of a golf or tennis stroke. But Laura was not thinking of football players. Her WINGBACKS were chairs. Even better.
Jay
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