Addictive Additive ****RETRACTED****

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
DrTom
Posts: 3765
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#61

Post by DrTom »

Joe Ross wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:24 pm
DrTom wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:14 pm
Joe Ross wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 2:46 pm

"You'll have your turn at tribute," Joe said, crankily.
"Nice parry", Tom thrust in to the conversation.
"I admire your riposte," Joe said, with clôture.
Well then I am reposting for some closure, Tom said malapropriately.
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!
User avatar
AnswerPfinder
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 9:49 pm
Location: Hadley, MA

#62

Post by AnswerPfinder »

Dr. Tom, there's no reason to be ashamed!! I made this EXACT SAME MISTAKE with "Cover Up" in November. I took out letters from the answer (FRONT) that made solving it impossible - a result of staying up too late and not noticing that I had removed the letters in one of my refill attempts. The only difference is that my grid setup was not quite as complex as yours so I could refill it (yet again) and send out a new version within a few hours.

The best metas take the biggest risks - no shame in that! You had a great idea! Now you'll just have to come up with another one!
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.
User avatar
Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 4512
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#63

Post by Bob cruise director »

DrTom wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:17 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:42 pm Now I can ask my friends from the south. As in 48A, does anyone use the word GYP?
No, now GIT!
Y as in Gummy Bears - https://www.amazon.com/gummy-bears/s?k=gummy+bears

And I like Piddle better than Tiddle
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
User avatar
BrianMac
Site Admin
Posts: 787
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2019 11:45 pm
Location: Connecticut

#64

Post by BrianMac »

DrTom wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 12:47 am
Al Sisti wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 12:39 am Aw man... maybe you could have posted a different prompt? And bottom line, don't be ashamed. Maybe you should blame your test solvers for not catching it until this morning... slugabeds.

Signed --

One of your test solvers.
Thanks Al, but this one is all on me - rookie mistake. I thought about going back and changing the meta prompt for one quick minute, hoping there was a sugar substitute named ULTRA, but no, time to take my lumps. The one thing you can be sure of, it will never happen again because, assuming I get back on that META horse you can be certain that I will check it and recheck it then have someone else check it.
As the other test solver, I share responsibility. Tom sent me the revised version, but I never got around to solving it. :oops:

AnswerPfinder can testify I am a terrible test solver! :?
User avatar
DrTom
Posts: 3765
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#65

Post by DrTom »

Bob cruise director wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:29 pm
DrTom wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:17 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:42 pm Now I can ask my friends from the south. As in 48A, does anyone use the word GYP?
No, now GIT!
Y as in Gummy Bears - https://www.amazon.com/gummy-bears/s?k=gummy+bears

And I like Piddle better than Tiddle
Or then there is the original Haribo bears: https://www.oldtimecandy.com/collection ... ummi-bears.

Yes frittering away and piddling about are synonymous with wasting time in the US, but in Britain it is more indicative of a different way to waste time, or time waste. But not to worry urine good company.
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!
User avatar
Tom Mueller
Posts: 57
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2020 6:08 pm
Location: California

#66

Post by Tom Mueller »

If nothing else, I thoroughly enjoyed the grid! While researching various clues, I learned number 163 has special properties in number theory and might help in understanding “monstrous moonshine.” I actually thought I was on to something there.
User avatar
fuggedabowdit
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2020 1:24 pm

#67

Post by fuggedabowdit »

I am so glad I am late to the "party" , and missed out on a bunch of headscratching!!
Never trouble trouble til trouble troubles you !
User avatar
Hector
Posts: 1297
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 8:15 pm
Location: San Francisco
Contact:

#68

Post by Hector »

Dunno about others, but I never got far enough to be affected by the problem -- I never thought of scoring a word by adding the alphabetic positions of its letters. Tried Scrabble and Words With Friends scorings, maybe one or two other things. So I don't blame Tom for *my* head-scratching. It was just a tough and clever mechanism.
User avatar
Abide
Moderator
Posts: 1274
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:16 pm
Location: Biloxi
Contact:

#69

Post by Abide »

DrTom wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 2:33 pm I am steeling myself for tonight's Muggle Zoom where I am sure I will be roasted (albeit good naturedly). If I am not then I will sign off immediately because I will know I have entered a Muggle Zoom in an alternate universe. :D

Spit.jpg
I regret I can only like this once!
The site is just a web page, a meeting place, a clubhouse - it's the group that's special.
—Brian MacDonald
User avatar
C=64
Posts: 684
Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2020 8:29 pm
Location: PDX

#70

Post by C=64 »

My immediate guess from the title and prompt was SUGAR, so that's kind of problematic as well.
Dplass
Posts: 1739
Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:09 am

#71

Post by Dplass »

C=64 wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:26 pm My immediate guess from the title and prompt was SUGAR, so that's kind of problematic as well.
Wait, but wasn't that the answer?!
minimuggle
Posts: 553
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2020 7:33 am

#72

Post by minimuggle »

I really enjoyed the grid. I found the first step but haven't figured out the next. Must let it simmer. Have a feeling this one will be beyond my muggling skills.
User avatar
C=64
Posts: 684
Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2020 8:29 pm
Location: PDX

#73

Post by C=64 »

Dplass wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 11:10 am
C=64 wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:26 pm My immediate guess from the title and prompt was SUGAR, so that's kind of problematic as well.
Wait, but wasn't that the answer?!
Yes; I meant that the entire crossword puzzle is superfluous if the answer can be guessed from the prompt.
Dplass
Posts: 1739
Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:09 am

#74

Post by Dplass »

C=64 wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:07 pm
Dplass wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 11:10 am
C=64 wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:26 pm My immediate guess from the title and prompt was SUGAR, so that's kind of problematic as well.
Wait, but wasn't that the answer?!
Yes; I meant that the entire crossword puzzle is superfluous if the answer can be guessed from the prompt.
Not if it gets you to the top of the leaderboard! Just ask e.a.
minimuggle
Posts: 553
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2020 7:33 am

#75

Post by minimuggle »

Wow, I'm just happy I got the first step ....Super creative idea. I was looking at the 5 words (coke,speed, alcohol, pot and barbs) and taking their additives like amphetamine, ehanol, cannabis etc. but I couldn't come up with a 5 letter sweet with the letters I got. Thanks for the puzzle. I never would have caught your "mistake" as I doubt I ever would have gotten the "additive" mechanism. I actually thought it might have something to do with the letter "c" since additive and addictive are only separated by a "c"... :)
User avatar
DrTom
Posts: 3765
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#76

Post by DrTom »

Dplass wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:11 pm
C=64 wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:07 pm
Dplass wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 11:10 am

Wait, but wasn't that the answer?!
Yes; I meant that the entire crossword puzzle is superfluous if the answer can be guessed from the prompt.
Not if it gets you to the top of the leaderboard! Just ask e.a.
And ask him how many times he has been incorrect. See the problem with guessing is that sometimes constructors know people will do that so they put a lot of things that "look" like they give the answer but they do not. There are several times I have "guessed" the answer beforehand and then solved the puzzle. I've been right many times but also wrong. Even if you guess it, and had this puzzle been formatted correctly, it might still have been fun to see WHY that was the answer.

Oh, and I think you'd get some debate at to whether the goal is to reach the top of the leader board. Muggles, at least to my knowledge, enjoy the chase as much, perhaps even more, than the score. Besides top of the leaderboard for a MMM, WSJ, PANDORA, MEOW really don't mean much. Only the MGWCC really seems to matter for bragging rights, nothing more.
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!
User avatar
DrTom
Posts: 3765
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#77

Post by DrTom »

minimuggle wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:20 pm Wow, I'm just happy I got the first step ....Super creative idea. I was looking at the 5 words (coke,speed, alcohol, pot and barbs) and taking their additives like amphetamine, ehanol, cannabis etc. but I couldn't come up with a 5 letter sweet with the letters I got. Thanks for the puzzle. I never would have caught your "mistake" as I doubt I ever would have gotten the "additive" mechanism. I actually thought it might have something to do with the letter "c" since additive and addictive are only separated by a "c"... :)
Wow that was a good thought, there might be a META mechanism in there somewhere....
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!
Dplass
Posts: 1739
Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:09 am

#78

Post by Dplass »

DrTom wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:55 pm
Dplass wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:11 pm
C=64 wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:07 pm

Yes; I meant that the entire crossword puzzle is superfluous if the answer can be guessed from the prompt.
Not if it gets you to the top of the leaderboard! Just ask e.a.
And ask him how many times he has been incorrect. See the problem with guessing is that sometimes constructors know people will do that so they put a lot of things that "look" like they give the answer but they do not. There are several times I have "guessed" the answer beforehand and then solved the puzzle. I've been right many times but also wrong. Even if you guess it, and had this puzzle been formatted correctly, it might still have been fun to see WHY that was the answer.

Oh, and I think you'd get some debate at to whether the goal is to reach the top of the leader board. Muggles, at least to my knowledge, enjoy the chase as much, perhaps even more, than the score. Besides top of the leaderboard for a MMM, WSJ, PANDORA, MEOW really don't mean much. Only the MGWCC really seems to matter for bragging rights, nothing more.
Y'all are being too serious!
michaelm
Posts: 487
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2020 3:21 pm

#79

Post by michaelm »

Per 40A, DrTom will now go by DrThom.

Don't believe I would have ever left the couch in any event!
JeanneC
Posts: 616
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 11:25 am
Location: Florida

#80

Post by JeanneC »

If you told me you had authored the infamous “Spock’s Brain” episode of Star Trek TOS, I would be disappointed in you. Otherwise, you are still the best!
I saw your key words and am proud of myself for that. Thank you!
“I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions”. Lillian Hellman
Post Reply