"Tip of the Cap" by Thurman8er

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.
User avatar
Thurman8er
Posts: 393
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:05 pm
Location: Fresno, CA

#61

Post by Thurman8er »

Tip of the Cap Reveal.png

For my first puzzle, I went with the familiar and current theme of baseball. I created five entries that ended with the name of baseball teams. The mechanism (which has been used before...once even with the same answer, although I promise I didn't know that) was to use the cap of each team to spell out a common baseball statistic: AT BATS.

The answer seemed to come pretty easy to folks, except of course those unfamiliar with the sport. There were a few people who got the answer without using the letters on the caps, but I figured that might happen.

Anyhoo, super fun for me to journey through the puzzle with all of you. My next one is nearly done and I hope I can add it to the queue.

(Special thanks to Brian Mac for putting together the above picture.)

Mischief managed.


Steve
User avatar
boharr
Moderator
Posts: 3182
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:57 am
Location: Westchester, NY

#62

Post by boharr »

I didn't use the caps. Just the first letters of team cities.
User avatar
Thurman8er
Posts: 393
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:05 pm
Location: Fresno, CA

#63

Post by Thurman8er »

boharr wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 8:59 pm I didn't use the caps. Just the first letters of team cities.
You're not alone.

I did try to intentionally pick teams that didn't fit one similar pattern as far as their home. It's LA Angels of Anaheim (the A on the hat is for Angels), Tampa Bay Rays (TB is the city), Atlanta Braves (A is the city), Texas Rangers (T for the state), and Seattle Mariners (S for the city).

It was still pretty darn solvable though, and the disparities could just be chalked up to inelegance. In fairness though, I'm not a very elegant guy.
User avatar
MikeM000
Posts: 579
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2020 11:31 am
Location: Metro Detroit

#64

Post by MikeM000 »

Unfortunately, since I refuse to live in a world that exists past 1980, my submission of AT BATM was rejected...
mariners.JPG
Edit...I even ruined my own joke. I guess I should have made "AATM" my entry.

And since I already am editing, I'll throw in the greatest baseball stat joke in TV history:
https___bucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com_public_images_2a10563b-c3ba-43df-a4f7-4be020f652fa_535x313.jpeg
Dow Jones
Posts: 472
Joined: Thu May 09, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: Yakima, WA

#65

Post by Dow Jones »

Re: post #64 (MikeM000)

"And since I already am editing, I'll throw in the greatest baseball stat joke in TV history"


I don't get the joke.
hoover
Posts: 1221
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:26 pm

#66

Post by hoover »

Dow Jones wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 11:33 pm Re: post #64 (MikeM000)

"And since I already am editing, I'll throw in the greatest baseball stat joke in TV history"


I don't get the joke.
I didn't either until I googled BABIP PECOTA.
User avatar
Thurman8er
Posts: 393
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:05 pm
Location: Fresno, CA

#67

Post by Thurman8er »

MikeM000 wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 9:33 pm Unfortunately, since I refuse to live in a world that exists past 1980, my submission of AT BATM was rejected...

mariners.JPG

Edit...I even ruined my own joke. I guess I should have made "AATM" my entry.

And since I already am editing, I'll throw in the greatest baseball stat joke in TV history:

https___bucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com_public_images_2a10563b-c3ba-43df-a4f7-4be020f652fa_535x313.jpeg
That sign in Arrested Development stopped me cold the first time I saw it. So great.
User avatar
MikeM000
Posts: 579
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2020 11:31 am
Location: Metro Detroit

#68

Post by MikeM000 »

hoover wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 1:06 am
Dow Jones wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 11:33 pm Re: post #64 (MikeM000)

"And since I already am editing, I'll throw in the greatest baseball stat joke in TV history"


I don't get the joke.
I didn't either until I googled BABIP PECOTA.
It's a deep cut - Batting Avg, on Balls in Play, PECOTA (which is a stats predictor based on age and past performance) and VORP (which was a precursor to today's WAR - an all-in-one stat of player value) are modern stats that analytics folks use that old-school baseball types who worried more about grit, character, and clutch performance would reject. (David) Eckstein is a player from 15-ish years ago who personified the old-school style, and who (amusingly enough) is now seen as a much better player in the analytics world today as measurement methods have become more refined and advanced.

The creator of Parks and Rec was the main guy behind an old website called Fire Joe Morgan that would rag on announcers and sports writers who lived in the old world and refused to acknowledge that there were better ways to value players than batting average and RBIs.
User avatar
Joe Ross
Moderator
Posts: 5001
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
Location: Cincinnati

#69

Post by Joe Ross »

MikeM000 wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 8:07 am It's a deep cut - Batting Avg, on Balls in Play, PECOTA (which is a stats predictor based on age and past performance) and VORP (which was a precursor to today's WAR - an all-in-one stat of player value) are modern stats that analytics folks use that old-school baseball types who worried more about grit, character, and clutch performance would reject. (David) Eckstein is a player from 15-ish years ago who personified the old-school style, and who (amusingly enough) is now seen as a much better player in the analytics world today as measurement methods have become more refined and advanced.

The creator of Parks and Rec was the main guy behind an old website called Fire Joe Morgan that would rag on announcers and sports writers who lived in the old world and refused to acknowledge that there were better ways to value players than batting average and RBIs.
GET OFF OF MY LAWN! warning:

Joe Morgan personified the melding of talent & old school grit better than anyone, except his teammate, Pete Rose, on the grit part, and closely ahead of other BRM teammates Bench (GOAT) & Perez.

I'm not huge on Morgan as an analyst, but he must rank in the 90th percentile compared to other tongue-tied, idiomatic retirees given a mic over the years.

(Excellent explanation, Mike! TY)
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 ENORMOUS 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲:
𝟰𝟬% 𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰,
𝟯𝟬% 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰,
𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 & 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮. 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘!
User avatar
Meg
Posts: 2137
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
Location: St. Petersburg, FL

#70

Post by Meg »

There is no city called Tampa Bay. Nobody who lives here says, "I live in Tampa Bay". Tampa Bay is a body if water where manatees live. Seriously, have you ever heard someone say, "I live in San Francisco Bay"? Is it a sore spot? Well, the Rays play in Tropicana Field, which is in St. Pete.
But I liked the puzzle!!
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
User avatar
boharr
Moderator
Posts: 3182
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:57 am
Location: Westchester, NY

#71

Post by boharr »

Maybe they can get out of the bay and move to Tampa. Then become Tampa/Montreal.

Clearly I was too quick to type "cities" in my above post. I should have said bays, states, regions, locales, and... cities.
User avatar
KayW
Moderator
Posts: 3131
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 12:10 am
Location: Chicago

#72

Post by KayW »

Joe Ross wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 8:46 am
MikeM000 wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 8:07 am It's a deep cut - Batting Avg, on Balls in Play, PECOTA (which is a stats predictor based on age and past performance) and VORP (which was a precursor to today's WAR - an all-in-one stat of player value) are modern stats that analytics folks use that old-school baseball types who worried more about grit, character, and clutch performance would reject. (David) Eckstein is a player from 15-ish years ago who personified the old-school style, and who (amusingly enough) is now seen as a much better player in the analytics world today as measurement methods have become more refined and advanced.

The creator of Parks and Rec was the main guy behind an old website called Fire Joe Morgan that would rag on announcers and sports writers who lived in the old world and refused to acknowledge that there were better ways to value players than batting average and RBIs.
GET OFF OF MY LAWN! warning:

Joe Morgan personified the melding of talent & old school grit better than anyone, except his teammate, Pete Rose, on the grit part, and closely ahead of other BRM teammates Bench (GOAT) & Perez.

I'm not huge on Morgan as an analyst, but he must rank in the 90th percentile compared to other tongue-tied, idiomatic retirees given a mic over the years.

(Excellent explanation, Mike! TY)
I'm sure that's a good explanation. But what it (and most other sportsing talk) all sounds like to me:
Sportsing.jpg
Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 metapuzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related charities. It is available at CrosswordsForCancer.com.
hoover
Posts: 1221
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:26 pm

#73

Post by hoover »

Meg wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 9:57 am There is no city called Tampa Bay. Nobody who lives here says, "I live in Tampa Bay". Tampa Bay is a body if water where manatees live. Seriously, have you ever heard someone say, "I live in San Francisco Bay"? Is it a sore spot? Well, the Rays play in Tropicana Field, which is in St. Pete.
But I liked the puzzle!!
Ooh, that reminds me of a pet peeve, "I live in the Bay Area." Well, so do I, and my bay is bigger than yours.
User avatar
sharkicicles
Posts: 798
Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 12:03 pm
Location: Chicago

#74

Post by sharkicicles »

KayW wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 11:08 am
Joe Ross wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 8:46 am
MikeM000 wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 8:07 am It's a deep cut - Batting Avg, on Balls in Play, PECOTA (which is a stats predictor based on age and past performance) and VORP (which was a precursor to today's WAR - an all-in-one stat of player value) are modern stats that analytics folks use that old-school baseball types who worried more about grit, character, and clutch performance would reject. (David) Eckstein is a player from 15-ish years ago who personified the old-school style, and who (amusingly enough) is now seen as a much better player in the analytics world today as measurement methods have become more refined and advanced.

The creator of Parks and Rec was the main guy behind an old website called Fire Joe Morgan that would rag on announcers and sports writers who lived in the old world and refused to acknowledge that there were better ways to value players than batting average and RBIs.
GET OFF OF MY LAWN! warning:

Joe Morgan personified the melding of talent & old school grit better than anyone, except his teammate, Pete Rose, on the grit part, and closely ahead of other BRM teammates Bench (GOAT) & Perez.

I'm not huge on Morgan as an analyst, but he must rank in the 90th percentile compared to other tongue-tied, idiomatic retirees given a mic over the years.

(Excellent explanation, Mike! TY)
I'm sure that's a good explanation. But what it (and most other sportsing talk) all sounds like to me:
Sportsing.jpg
To be fair, I really LIKE sports and that’s pretty much 99 percent of most postgame interviews.
User avatar
MamaE
Posts: 334
Joined: Tue May 05, 2020 6:15 pm
Location: Maryland

#75

Post by MamaE »

KayW wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 11:08 am
Joe Ross wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 8:46 am
MikeM000 wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 8:07 am It's a deep cut - Batting Avg, on Balls in Play, PECOTA (which is a stats predictor based on age and past performance) and VORP (which was a precursor to today's WAR - an all-in-one stat of player value) are modern stats that analytics folks use that old-school baseball types who worried more about grit, character, and clutch performance would reject. (David) Eckstein is a player from 15-ish years ago who personified the old-school style, and who (amusingly enough) is now seen as a much better player in the analytics world today as measurement methods have become more refined and advanced.

The creator of Parks and Rec was the main guy behind an old website called Fire Joe Morgan that would rag on announcers and sports writers who lived in the old world and refused to acknowledge that there were better ways to value players than batting average and RBIs.
GET OFF OF MY LAWN! warning:

Joe Morgan personified the melding of talent & old school grit better than anyone, except his teammate, Pete Rose, on the grit part, and closely ahead of other BRM teammates Bench (GOAT) & Perez.

I'm not huge on Morgan as an analyst, but he must rank in the 90th percentile compared to other tongue-tied, idiomatic retirees given a mic over the years.

(Excellent explanation, Mike! TY)
I'm sure that's a good explanation. But what it (and most other sportsing talk) all sounds like to me:
Sportsing.jpg
8D7B93BE-9BBB-418A-A8B6-A56C5C0DB8B3.jpeg
I absolutely agree about the sport ball talk. In our house my husband is woefully alone in his love of sportsing. The kids and I feel like this. (Worth the 3 minutes, trust me.)
https://youtu.be/2fraSdN-PG8
- Just puzzling it out here in Delmarva :D
User avatar
Joe Ross
Moderator
Posts: 5001
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
Location: Cincinnati

#76

Post by Joe Ross »

KayW wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 11:08 am
Joe Ross wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 8:46 am
MikeM000 wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 8:07 am It's a deep cut - Batting Avg, on Balls in Play, PECOTA (which is a stats predictor based on age and past performance) and VORP (which was a precursor to today's WAR - an all-in-one stat of player value) are modern stats that analytics folks use that old-school baseball types who worried more about grit, character, and clutch performance would reject. (David) Eckstein is a player from 15-ish years ago who personified the old-school style, and who (amusingly enough) is now seen as a much better player in the analytics world today as measurement methods have become more refined and advanced.

The creator of Parks and Rec was the main guy behind an old website called Fire Joe Morgan that would rag on announcers and sports writers who lived in the old world and refused to acknowledge that there were better ways to value players than batting average and RBIs.
GET OFF OF MY LAWN! warning:

Joe Morgan personified the melding of talent & old school grit better than anyone, except his teammate, Pete Rose, on the grit part, and closely ahead of other BRM teammates Bench (GOAT) & Perez.

I'm not huge on Morgan as an analyst, but he must rank in the 90th percentile compared to other tongue-tied, idiomatic retirees given a mic over the years.

(Excellent explanation, Mike! TY)
I'm sure that's a good explanation. But what it (and most other sportsing talk) all sounds like to me:
Sportsing.jpg
This has been used on me, before 🙂, and it nails the postgame interview, but doesn't add the recently required questions regarding difficult childhoods, debilitating diseases, parents' deaths, or that the athlete was looked over by as many as 2 colleges out of 4,936. Jimmy Roberts, where are you when we don't need you?
User avatar
boharr
Moderator
Posts: 3182
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:57 am
Location: Westchester, NY

#77

Post by boharr »

Where have you gone Red Barber and Ernie Harwell?
User avatar
cbarbee002
Posts: 591
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 6:02 pm
Location: Philly Area

#78

Post by cbarbee002 »

Okay, been waiting to post how clueless I was for, oh, 3 or 4 days. . . . (my wife will disagree - - much longer according to her).

I saw "Tip of the Cap" as meaning that Cap was at the front or rear of another word (e.g. Kneecap). I found numerous entries where if you substituted one letter, it became a "____ cap" word (figuring that the substituted letters, or the ones subbed for, would be the answer). Here's what I found in the grid:

1A Hell = Bell cap
17A Res - Red cap
40A Sty = Sky cap
50A Eight = Night cap
59D Ize = Ice cap
64A Sub = Hub cap

Of course this went nowhere, but the fact that I found those had me digging for a lonnggggg time until it dawned on me that it was more straightforward than that. What's that saying about the forest and the trees?
User avatar
Thurman8er
Posts: 393
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:05 pm
Location: Fresno, CA

#79

Post by Thurman8er »

cbarbee002 wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 10:31 pm Okay, been waiting to post how clueless I was for, oh, 3 or 4 days. . . . (my wife will disagree - - much longer according to her).

I saw "Tip of the Cap" as meaning that Cap was at the front or rear of another word (e.g. Kneecap). I found numerous entries where if you substituted one letter, it became a "____ cap" word (figuring that the substituted letters, or the ones subbed for, would be the answer). Here's what I found in the grid:

1A Hell = Bell cap
17A Res - Red cap
40A Sty = Sky cap
50A Eight = Night cap
59D Ize = Ice cap
64A Sub = Hub cap

Of course this went nowhere, but the fact that I found those had me digging for a lonnggggg time until it dawned on me that it was more straightforward than that. What's that saying about the forest and the trees?

WOW!

Storing up ideas for future metas. The is good stuff!
Post Reply