MMM - AUTOCORRECT by DrTom

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.
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DrTom
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Location: Jacksonville, FL

#61

Post by DrTom »

Ok. Late nudges I know, but I was saving lives and stomping out disease today – thank God I didn’t get it reversed.

Nudge 1: Relatively gentleThe title is VERY important, if you broke it into two words what might it imply you should do?

Nudge 2: A bigger oneThe long answers are there only to be sneaky! The META solution has nothing to do with salads, Britney, my license, my jeans (well maybe my genetic make-up but not my jeans), or that long forgotten item that allowed you to continue the make-out session without getting up to change discs.

Nudge 3: A MUCH bigger one Do you see any words that look alike/sound alike in the grid – do you think that happened by accident or on purpose?

If you are still stuck PM me with your steps so far and I’ll try to steer you right. This has not been a good year so far and I want there to be some redeeming qualities!

Opened a can of worms.jpg
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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woozy
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#62

Post by woozy »

Now, those are what one calls a !NUDGE!.... (Jes' Saying.)
Latest meta: Never forget... and never mind (A WSJ retaliation)
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CPJohnson
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Location: Kingsport, TN

#63

Post by CPJohnson »

Think I got it after the first nudge. If not, I’ll read the others. Waiting on confirmation.

Edit: I got it!
Cynthia
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DrTom
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#64

Post by DrTom »

woozy wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 2:17 am Now, those are what one calls a !NUDGE!.... (Jes' Saying.)
Well yes, those who got the answer will realize just how sneaky I was being, others will not see it. But it was fun! :)
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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DrTom
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#65

Post by DrTom »

Well the breakneck pace of solving has lulled a bit, the latest leaderboard shows 49 brave souls took on the puzzle:

AUTOCORRECT - MMM 08/09/21
1 BrennerTJ
2 FrankieHeck 
3 Meg
4 Al Sisti (Tester)
5 Hector
6 BirdLives
7 Cindy
8 lbray53
9 boharr
10 hoover
11 hcbirker
12 Wendy Walker
13 oldjudge
14 Rpardoe
15 Whimsy
16 ChrisKochmanski
17 markhr 
18 BarbarK
19 Schmeel
20 MamaE
21 Darth
22 Madhatter (Chopped Liver)
23 Tmart
24 Dave C
25 michaelm
26 KayW
27 Laura M
28 CAe39
29 Bob cruise director 
30  dudeski
31 Abide
32 Beth Tyrpin
33 SewYoung
34 Woozy
35 eagle1279
36 Headinhome
37 Joe Ross
38 cbarbee002
39 Dplass
40 Joe
41 Tom Mueller
42 Anita
43 fuggedabowdit 
44  auee89
45 MaineMarge 
46 Dannyvee 
47 LadyBird 
48 JeanneC 
49 CPJohnson 

There may yet be some late solvers, I'd love to break 50 (I think that has been my best so far). So if you are still solving, steady on. If you are stuck them PM me.
The_Little_Engine_That_Could_thumb-231x300.jpg
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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ImOnToo
Posts: 442
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Location: Texas

#66

Post by ImOnToo »

Off the couch, I believe.

*Confirmed
Last edited by ImOnToo on Sat Aug 14, 2021 7:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
Konnie
Dow Jones
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Location: Yakima, WA

#67

Post by Dow Jones »

Nudged off the couch. Thanks, Dr. Tom
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MikeyG
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Contact:

#68

Post by MikeyG »

The cluing made me laugh out loud, bahaha. Loved it!
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 89. That's Not Right!
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DrTom
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#69

Post by DrTom »

Hooray - Double Nickels

AUTOCORRECT - MMM 08/09/21
1 BrennerTJ
2 FrankieHeck 
3 Meg
4 Al Sisti (Tester)
5 Hector
6 BirdLives
7 Cindy
8 lbray53
9 boharr
10 hoover
11 hcbirker
12 Wendy Walker
13 oldjudge
14 Rpardoe
15 Whimsy
16 ChrisKochmanski
17 markhr 
18 BarbarK
19 Schmeel
20 MamaE
21 Darth
22 Madhatter (Chopped Liver)
23 Tmart
24 Dave C
25 michaelm
26 KayW
27 Laura M
28 CAe39
29 Bob cruise director 
30  dudeski
31 Abide
32 Beth Tyrpin
33 SewYoung
34 Woozy
35 eagle1279
36 Headinhome
37 Joe Ross
38 cbarbee002
39 Dplass
40 Joe
41 Tom Mueller
42 Anita
43 fuggedabowdit 
44  auee89
45 MaineMarge 
46 Dannyvee 
47 LadyBird 
48 JeanneC 
49 CPJohnson 
50 Dow Jones 
51 mkmf
52 ImOnToo
53 Snood
54 Cindy N
55 Mikey G

A total of 55 solvers to date, and I imagine that 55 may be the end total since we have only two more days and I doubt anyone has been struggling all this time to solve it. I'm working to get better at making the META more challenging and the Grid less so. Still, sometimes the crossword Gods demand a human sacrifice (yours not mine of course) and a DUDUK sneaks in.

Oh, and according to the CDC this is the latest development:
Scottish Variant.jpg
It's hallmark symptom is a smoky/peaty taste in your mouth....
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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SingleMalt
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Location: Columbus Ohio

#70

Post by SingleMalt »

Got it!
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DrTom
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Location: Jacksonville, FL

#71

Post by DrTom »

Final Count and Amount:

AUTOCORRECT - MMM 08/09/21
1 BrennerTJ
2 FrankieHeck 
3 Meg
4 Al Sisti (Tester)
5 Hector
6 BirdLives
7 Cindy
8 lbray53
9 boharr
10 hoover
11 hcbirker
12 Wendy Walker
13 oldjudge
14 Rpardoe
15 Whimsy
16 ChrisKochmanski
17 markhr 
18 BarbarK
19 Schmeel
20 MamaE
21 Darth
22 Madhatter (Chopped Liver)
23 Tmart
24 Dave C
25 michaelm
26 KayW
27 Laura M
28 CAe39
29 Bob cruise director 
30  dudeski
31 Abide
32 Beth Tyrpin
33 SewYoung
34 Woozy
35 eagle1279
36 Headinhome
37 Joe Ross
38 cbarbee002
39 Dplass
40 Joe
41 Tom Mueller
42 Anita
43 fuggedabowdit 
44  auee89
45 MaineMarge 
46 Dannyvee 
47 LadyBird 
48 JeanneC 
49 CPJohnson 
50 Dow Jones 
51 mkmf
52 ImOnToo
53 Snood
54 Cindy N
55 Mikey G
56 rtwitchell
57 Jeremy Smith

A total of 57 intrepid souls set out on the SS Divan, hopefully for much less than a three hour tour, and made it off the couch successfully. I am delighted to have broken my previous participation numbers, and hopefully the curse of the retracted Meta.

I want to say it is an honor to create puzzles for this group because the humor and banter alone are worth the price of construction. To have a forum to participate in where I will not get accused of politicizing, over/under complicating, fear mongering or elitism is not only refreshing, it is sometimes the only thing that keeps me grounded and believing in a "normal world". We stick to the matters at hand and consider each other comrades. The only things I have to worry about are bad puns, crappy clues or odd fills. I will consider all of those aspect while wearing my relaxed fit jeans (a consequence of my relaxed fit genes), listening to Duduk music (which is being shuffled by virtue of my CD changer) on the Seacat during a crossing...
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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DrTom
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Location: Jacksonville, FL

#72

Post by DrTom »

So, the awaited reveal. I think that I can safely say that the last solver is done (and if not please look away until you are) with the puzzle.

Obviously, from the title generously provided by Mad Hatter, we were looking for something to do with cars. Furthermore there were things that needed to be “corrected”.

FORD, DODGE. MINI, FIAT, AUDI all were fairly easy to find (I tried to be sneaky in the cluing but you guys saw through me quickly). But what needed to be corrected?

Turns out there were answers that gave WORD, HODGE, MINE, FEAT, ALDI and if you “corrected” one letter you got the car company name. See the attached graphic graciously provided by Joe Ross who will soon earn the title of Mr. Reveal (not in the “stop that or I’ll call the cops” way though):

Image

I did get some, “what about CDCHANGER” that was one letter off of CHARGER (a Dodge) or RANGER (a Ford). That is why I went solely with car COMPANY names since in a grid it is often hard not to inadvertently include words that are one letter off of seeming theme answers, and particularly in the diverse world of auto naming…hmmm, I can see that as a mechanism, “small toy figurine representing Luke Skywalker’s teacher”: TOYYODA (ouch Tom!)

I hope you all enjoyed it and I think I might try some more. Madhatter and I may team up on another (though we promise to keep it less horrible) and I have some ideas of my own. So, until I see you on the board or on the Zoom call (if you haven’t tried it please do, we have fun!), happy solving.
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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RPardoe
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Location: Houston, TX

#73

Post by RPardoe »

DrTom wrote: Sun Aug 15, 2021 5:10 pm I can see that as a mechanism, “small toy figurine representing Luke Skywalker’s teacher”: TOYYODA (ouch Tom!)
Careful lest you get involved in a lawsuit
JeanneC
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Location: Florida

#74

Post by JeanneC »

OK, laugh if you will, but I did not realize that concerts by Yanni featured the duduk. He has toured occasionally since my retirement and I have caught him in Daytona and St. Augustine. What a wonderful sound! Thanks, Dr. Tom!
“I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions”. Lillian Hellman
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DrTom
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Location: Jacksonville, FL

#75

Post by DrTom »

RPardoe wrote: Sun Aug 15, 2021 6:04 pm
DrTom wrote: Sun Aug 15, 2021 5:10 pm I can see that as a mechanism, “small toy figurine representing Luke Skywalker’s teacher”: TOYYODA (ouch Tom!)
Careful lest you get involved in a lawsuit
I don't give a Hoot! (referencing the origin of the lawsuit of course) :D
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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CPJohnson
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Location: Kingsport, TN

#76

Post by CPJohnson »

DrTom wrote: Sun Aug 15, 2021 4:55 pm
I want to say it is an honor to create puzzles for this group because the humor and banter alone are worth the price of construction. To have a forum to participate in where I will not get accused of politicizing, over/under complicating, fear mongering or elitism is not only refreshing, it is sometimes the only thing that keeps me grounded and believing in a "normal world". We stick to the matters at hand and consider each other comrades. The only things I have to worry about are bad puns, crappy clues or odd fills. I will consider all of those aspect while wearing my relaxed fit jeans (a consequence of my relaxed fit genes), listening to Duduk music (which is being shuffled by virtue of my CD changer) on the Seacat during a crossing...
DrTom, YOU are a treasure, and a real find in the world of online personas. And I echo your thoughts about the muggle group.
Cynthia
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