"Family First"

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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Richard B.
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Joined: Sat May 16, 2020 1:58 pm
Location: upper west side, NYC

#61

Post by Richard B. »

Abide wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 6:08 pm
Richard B. wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 11:06 am
michaelm wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 8:54 am
I've come to love how numbers within clues can be used to send solvers in so many different possible directions.
Wonder how well this meta would have worked without the numbers in the clues? Would just *s with the themers have been enough for a satisfying solve?
This is a reply to the spoiler:
As the test solver of the original puzzle without the numbers, I think the leaderboard would be reduced by at least 75%. It took a nudge (and then a shove) for me to see the gimmick.
I think you’re right. Interesting that the original had no numbers.
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Richard B.
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Joined: Sat May 16, 2020 1:58 pm
Location: upper west side, NYC

#62

Post by Richard B. »

Abide wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 6:08 pm
Richard B. wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 11:06 am
michaelm wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 8:54 am
I've come to love how numbers within clues can be used to send solvers in so many different possible directions.
Wonder how well this meta would have worked without the numbers in the clues? Would just *s with the themers have been enough for a satisfying solve?
This is a reply to the spoiler:
As the test solver of the original puzzle without the numbers, I think the leaderboard would be reduced by at least 75%. It took a nudge (and then a shove) for me to see the gimmick.

Your comment makes sense to me. Interesting that the original was without numbers.
Last edited by Richard B. on Fri Dec 04, 2020 10:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Joe Ross
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#63

Post by Joe Ross »

I'm kicking myself for not getting this before spoilers and me begging for the answer from a solver. Well done, Brian!
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!
SewYoung
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Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2019 9:25 pm
Location: Meridian, MS

#64

Post by SewYoung »

FINALLY got it! Can't believe it took me so long!
Dave C
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Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2019 2:30 pm
Location: Round Rock, TX

#65

Post by Dave C »

Got it with a nudge.
FKelly
Posts: 315
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:09 pm

#66

Post by FKelly »

Pretty sure I have the answer. Awaiting confirmation.
Confirmed correct. => Re: "Family First" by BrianMac » Fri Dec 04, 2020 11:10 pm
Last edited by FKelly on Sat Dec 05, 2020 2:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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cbarbee002
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Location: Philly Area

#67

Post by cbarbee002 »

Same - - fun!
JeanneC
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Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 11:25 am
Location: Florida

#68

Post by JeanneC »

DrTom wrote: Wed Dec 02, 2020 2:37 pm
Dow Jones wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 12:36 am Awaiting confirmation. The entire puzzle was funny ! 1973 Chevrolet Vega (need I say more ?). It never ran again after 1977.
Yes the Vega has to rank up there with the worst. Unlike the Yugo it would never get blown off the Mackinaw bridge because the Macinaw Straits wouldn't want it. I had a 1971 British Racing Green GT Wagon that I bought new and everything that ever went wrong with a Vega went wrong with mine:
Engine warped
Cylinder seal/oil leak
Leaking around the windshield so that your feet got wet as it rolled off the dash
Leaking of radiator into the passenger compartment
Separation of the shock absorbers from the rear bed after hitting a bump

It wasn't a bad looking car, but I was always mad that I got rid of a nice Chevy Nova II to buy it. The 1964 Chevy II was still running strong several years after the Vega was rusting on a junk yard. The rumor was that they repurposed the car from another product - they just removed the MATIC from the VEGAMATIC and put wheels on it....
So right about the Vega. Snow would come in where the metal around the windshield rusted. My boyfriend (now husband of 40 years) and I kept a sweater on our laps to keep dry. We said we would look back some day and laugh about it. We do! Only car where you would fill it up with oil and check the gas!
“I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions”. Lillian Hellman
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BrianMac
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Location: Connecticut

#69

Post by BrianMac »

cc.jpg

39. cbarbee002
40. SusieG
41. Cap'n Rick
42. Tom Wilson
43. ReB
44. Bob cruise director
45. michaelm
46. Ruichard B.
47. KayW
48. FrankH
49. Dave C
50. FKelly
51. Joe Ross
52. SewYoung
53. JeanneC

Accidentally deleted another 1st page of emails ( :oops: ), so the order on some of these may not be exact.
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Joe Ross
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#70

Post by Joe Ross »

Not that it matters, but I didn't submit. I'll accept, since I landed on my favorite number. Thank you, Brian.
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!
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FrankH
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Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2019 4:15 am

#71

Post by FrankH »

And I was already on the first list on Wednesday.
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BrianMac
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Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2019 11:45 pm
Location: Connecticut

#72

Post by BrianMac »

Thanks for solving everyone!

The solution was found by noticing that the long across entries all have a four-letter word embedded in them, with each clue giving the letter positions of the hidden words:

ROMA TOMATOES
THE AVENGERS
I CAN EXPLAIN
VEGETABLES

Reading these words out loud should get you to the Aha moment: ATOM, EAVE, CANE, ABEL, which are homonyms of the "first family" from the Book of GENESIS - which is also a 7-letter musical act. Thanks to Peter Abide for providing not only the prompt, but also the idea of hinting at the placement of hidden words using their letter positions in the clues. As original conceived, there was no such hint and the solver was on their own to figure out what was going on.

I never did love GENESIS as a solution. Originally I thought SETH might be a good solution. Mid-week, it occurred to me that EDEN may have been the best solution, clued as something like "a British Prime Minister."

Thanks again! New MMM on the way tomorrow!
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Tom Shea
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Location: Freedonia, NH/VT/HI/Earth

#73

Post by Tom Shea »

Feel quite stupid that I got the first step early (without the number hints, duh) and took until just now to make the connection to the meta answer. Double duh.

I nominate a car that was *great* brand new, but developed a few issues after a few years of use.

The Audi 5000/200. Great handling car especially on snowy roads.
  • Aluminum wiring.

    Every light grounded at the bulb (i.e., one wire to the bulb).

    Steel body to ground to with aluminum wire = galvanic reaction = rapid corrosion = light out.

    About a hundred tail light bulbs (or so it seemed). Every one had to work to pass state inspection.

    The week before getting it inspected was always a pain with sandpaper, sealant, extra wires and steel wool.
ABS brakes standard before they figured them out completely. After a little bit of wear on the ball joints, it thought it was skidding all the time and you couldn't brake quickly. They also included a 'disable ABS' button on the dash -- so they KNEW it was a problem -- but you had to push it EVERY time you started the car.

Then there was the 'little' problem with unintended acceleration. It was the cruise control, though they never admitted it. Disconnected ours and everything was fine.

That said, had 2 that each had 250+ miles. And they were tanks.
Rufus T. Firefly
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