"Blinded By the Light"

[Dow Jones]

Thank you Josh for the assist off the couch. I'm revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night!

[cbarbee002]

OTC - - but have to admit I struggled here. I hadn't seen this construct before, but after noting the clearly noteworthy early on, I'm embarrassed at how long it took for the path to reveal itself.

[Anita]

Finally printed this out today and solved it over lunch with my hubby. No hints neededfor a change! Good meta!

[Laura M]

👨‍🦯🛋️

I am embarrassed that I needed the nudges. They didn't tell me what I didn't already know, yet I don't think I would have solved without them. Yeah, I don't understand that, either. :?: 4O8!

This was a very well-crafted puzzle! Looking forward to more.

Drop the tinting & this would be an excellent Week 4, 4.5!

Having worked on it that way for a while, I think that to give solvers a fighting chance, you'd want to also rework the lettering in the currently non-shaded areas...? (Trying to be circumspect before the deadline, even in a spoiler tag.) On the other hand, I don't often solve week 4s, so what do I know :-)

In any case, thanks for the fun puzzle, madhatter5!

[Beth Tyrpin]

🛋 Nice one.

[Dave C]

OTC, but only with the nudges.

[markhr]

OTC, with the nudges.
I had not come across this mechanism before, so I struggled a bit.
I will say I learned something, though. Clever puzzle.

[ReB]

OTC, but needed the third nudge to remove the scales from my eyes and trigger an idea that panned out when I googled it. Had to back correct one of the answers though once I figured out what the answer had to be. Being relatively new, hadn't encounter this mechanism before. Very clever.

[Abide]

Without the tinting it would be Week 8. Like trying to find an invisible bouncing ball.

[Joe Ross]

Without the tinting it would be Week 8. Like trying to find an invisible bouncing ball.

Oh, but the A-HA!...

[Dplass]

Without the tinting it would be Week 8. Like trying to find an invisible bouncing ball.

I'm reminded of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JdWlSF195Y

[Bird Lives]

Awaiting confirnation, but . .
This was original and clever. As soon as this was posted, I knew what the answer had to be, but it took me till now to get the mechanism, maybe because of a reluctance to think of stuff that I have to look up on the Internet.

[SewYoung]

Without the tinting it would be Week 8. Like trying to find an invisible bouncing ball.

I'm reminded of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JdWlSF195Y

Thanks a lot.... I enjoyed that video, but it led to videos of marching bands and I have sat here for an hour when I have other things I need to be doing...

[Scott M]

Was definitely on the wrong track, but got it with the nudges. Nicely done!

[FrankH]

OTC. Regarding the first two nudges, I already figured out as much, and I am not sure what exactly the third nudge was referring to. Finally discussed it with my daughter and she found the mechanism and kicked me off the couch.

[FrankH]

I am curious about a lot of the names and numbers after the names. Why 5 after yours.

other intriguing ones in no particular order
.
.
.
JAQT
Orsys
stmv
PQ63
bskptkl (one of my all time unfavorites for typing - is this from Lil Abner?)
Mister Squawk
and others

I assume JAQT's tag line at the end of his posts describes what it means. Is there some other intrigue that I am oblivious to?

[FKelly]

Got it. Not among my favorite poets. Interesting mechanism though.

[madhatter5]

Updated leaderboard:

25. Richard B
26. Dplass
27. SewYoung
28. cbarbee002
29. KayW
30. Dow Jones
31. Wendy Walker
32. Joe Ross
33. Anita
34. Cindy N
35. Dave C
36. Beth Tyrpin
37. markhr
38. Jaclyn
39. ReB
40. Bird Lives
41. FrankH
42. FKelly

[C=64]

21. C=64 (I am very curious about this username).

The = is a stylized logo component, not a math symbol.

[Bird Lives]

21. C=64 (I am very curious about this username).

The = is a stylized logo component, not a math symbol.
651923.png

I can't wait till Kay W changes her username to KayPro.