"Super Secret"

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.
Dplass
Posts: 1739
Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:09 am

#61

Post by Dplass »

Abide wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 11:33 am Guest Nudge from hcbirker

Using highlighters is a good idea! :?

Real Nudge 1

You should already have the first step. Now look in another area of the grid. May not hurt to look over the clues as well
Spoiler #1 (from @hcbirker) - hugely improved my meta solving abilities when I started doing it. A+++++ would recommend again.
JeanneC
Posts: 616
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 11:25 am
Location: Florida

#62

Post by JeanneC »

OTC. Great puzzle and construction!
“I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions”. Lillian Hellman
User avatar
AnswerPfinder
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 9:49 pm
Location: Hadley, MA

#63

Post by AnswerPfinder »

Awaiting confirmation but I do believe I'm off the couch. I'm embarrassed by how much Googling I need to do. A really fun meta with a good a-ha moment even after the nudges! Well done Peter and anyone else that helped out with this 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
whimsy
Posts: 2718
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:51 am
Location: Hopkinton MA

#64

Post by whimsy »

This pizza-loving crime-fighter is finally off the couch.
Capturetmntcouch.PNG
User avatar
Abide
Moderator
Posts: 1273
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:16 pm
Location: Biloxi
Contact:

#65

Post by Abide »

Friday morning additions:

47. @jhseeman
48. @AnswerPfinder
49. @mkmf
50. @Andrew Bradburn
51. @whimsy
52. @cbarbee002
The site is just a web page, a meeting place, a clubhouse - it's the group that's special.
—Brian MacDonald
User avatar
DrTom
Posts: 3765
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#66

Post by DrTom »

Off the couch FINALLY. I truthfully could not have made that any more convoluted had I been TRYING to make it convoluted. My forays were not even in the realm of reality, probably could call them more Lorax holes than rabbit holes. I was almost trying to come up with Mr Mxyzptlk (not a spoiler cause that isn't the answer or even close) and had there been a Z anywhere in that grid I might still be looking!!!
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

#67

Post by DrTom »

Oh, and I forgot to say that when I finally got the mechanism I had to chuckle at Peter's final twist of fate - how ironic (or perhaps twist of eight - how oronic)

Great puzzle, even if I had to rely on Mr. G a LOT (Al Yankovik REALLY Peter and TNMT). But I liked oronym, never knew what it was called but have enjoyed it in jokes for year (think EATS, SHOOTS and LEAVES).

Oh, and for those who though there were too many "Southern" references, sure there was SEC but he had SCROD in there for heaven's sake (also the subject of one of my favorite jokes),

T
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
Abide
Moderator
Posts: 1273
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:16 pm
Location: Biloxi
Contact:

#68

Post by Abide »

Saturday afternoon update:

53. @Cindy N
54. @DrTom

And DrTom, Weird Al and I share a close connection (exact 4-Down). I had an alternate clue dealing with MC Hawking and Optimus Rhyme, but most of their lyrics are NSFW.
The site is just a web page, a meeting place, a clubhouse - it's the group that's special.
—Brian MacDonald
User avatar
DrTom
Posts: 3765
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#69

Post by DrTom »

Abide wrote: Sat May 01, 2021 5:25 pm Saturday afternoon update:

53. @Cindy N
54. @DrTom

And DrTom, Weird Al and I share a close connection (exact 4-Down). I had an alternate clue dealing with MC Hawking and Optimus Rhyme, but most of their lyrics are NSFW.
I can totally understand that, even if it has nothing to do with song or odd lyrics....
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
Abide
Moderator
Posts: 1273
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:16 pm
Location: Biloxi
Contact:

#70

Post by Abide »

55. @ricky (post deadline)

Reveal is coming within the hour, but I would like to give a special thanks to @KayW for coming off the Excel bench to help generate the solution grid when @Joe Ross was lodged between the sofa cushions.
The site is just a web page, a meeting place, a clubhouse - it's the group that's special.
—Brian MacDonald
User avatar
Abide
Moderator
Posts: 1273
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:16 pm
Location: Biloxi
Contact:

#71

Post by Abide »

Super Secret reveal:
SuperSecretImage14.PNG
Credit: KayW

In connection with National Superhero Day, April 28, we were looking for a ten-letter fictional character. For an explanation of the mechanism, here's @BrennerTJ (Tamara) via PM

Hi Peter,

Took me a couple of looks, but I think I have it now.
First, add 'man' to AQUA, SPIDER, IRON, BAT, and PLASTIC - that makes a bunch o' Superheroes.
Then list out the Super Secret ALTER EGO of each, focus on LAST name (Curry, Parker, Stark, Wayne, Obrian).
Then use the number in parentheses to extract the appropriate letter (1 or 2) from each of the alter ego last names, which produces CATWO.
Then add 'man', which gets us to CATWOMAN - which is only 7 letters long so can't be the final answer.
Then find out Catwoman's alter ego, which is SELINA KYLE - this fits as a 10-letter fictional character and is therefore my answer.

:)

Sounds so simple, but a number of red herrings (most unintentional), the dreaded parentheses, and a tougher grid required feats of strength (and Google) for several experienced solvers. I heard from Gorilla-Man, Jack Aubrey, Crab Rangoon, and others. Maybe some of them will share their rabbit holes.

When the dust settled, Meta-Woman @FrankieHeck took home the prize. Thanks to all for solving!
The site is just a web page, a meeting place, a clubhouse - it's the group that's special.
—Brian MacDonald
User avatar
FrankieHeck
Posts: 839
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 8:57 pm
Location: West Virginia

#72

Post by FrankieHeck »

Abide wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 12:08 am When the dust settled, Meta-Woman @FrankieHeck took home the prize. Thanks to all for solving!
I'm so excited! I really enjoyed the puzzle, and was very happy to have quickly figured out the scary parenthetical numbers...even without noticing that great prompt in the last row of the grid! Not my area of expertise, but few things are... I always google shamelessly for metas.

Thanks, Peter!
User avatar
Joe Ross
Moderator
Posts: 4999
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
Location: Cincinnati

#73

Post by Joe Ross »

Abide wrote: Sat May 01, 2021 11:17 pm 55. @ricky (post deadline)

Reveal is coming within the hour, but I would like to give a special thanks to @KayW for coming off the Excel bench to help generate the solution grid when @Joe Ross was lodged between the sofa cushions.
EXCELLENT graphic, @KayW & @Abide!

My previous *SITCh:

Image
*Stuck In The Cushions ©®™@Abide
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
DrTom
Posts: 3765
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#74

Post by DrTom »

Well I was killed trying to make the LAST part of the theme entry an ALTER EGO. CRAB RANGOON seemed FAR too evident to be a coincidence so....crab Rangoon, wanton: ORONYM One Ton and off to the superhero strength scale I went (there is such a scale, unfortunately there are a LOT Of 1 ton people, none have crab in their name or are of Asian descent. Then there were the other rabbit holes: EAGLE, with the FLYERS AIRPORT in the puzzle...AMERICAN (airlines) EAGLE - JASON STRONGBOW; ALFRE so close to BATCLEANUP (who cleans up after Batman - ALFRED). So yes I tried to make it much more difficult than I had to, but then talk to Joe Ross, he will tell you I have a tendency to go in odd directions.

The final piece, that the superheroes that had all ended in man would lead to a woman, nice final pivot Peter. Now the question is, if she used Catwoman when getting married would that be her ALTAR ego, no wouldn't that be oronic!
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
Meg
Posts: 2136
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
Location: St. Petersburg, FL

#75

Post by Meg »

No disrespect to @Joe Ross , but that graphic by @KayW is amazing and beautiful!
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
Dplass
Posts: 1739
Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:09 am

#76

Post by Dplass »

Abide wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 12:08 am Super Secret reveal:

SuperSecretImage14.PNG
Credit: KayW

In connection with National Superhero Day, April 28, we were looking for a ten-letter fictional character. For an explanation of the mechanism, here's @BrennerTJ (Tamara) via PM

Hi Peter,

Took me a couple of looks, but I think I have it now.
First, add 'man' to AQUA, SPIDER, IRON, BAT, and PLASTIC - that makes a bunch o' Superheroes.
Then list out the Super Secret ALTER EGO of each, focus on LAST name (Curry, Parker, Stark, Wayne, Obrian).
Then use the number in parentheses to extract the appropriate letter (1 or 2) from each of the alter ego last names, which produces CATWO.
Then add 'man', which gets us to CATWOMAN - which is only 7 letters long so can't be the final answer.
Then find out Catwoman's alter ego, which is SELINA KYLE - this fits as a 10-letter fictional character and is therefore my answer.

:)

Sounds so simple, but a number of red herrings (most unintentional), the dreaded parentheses, and a tougher grid required feats of strength (and Google) for several experienced solvers. I heard from Gorilla-Man, Jack Aubrey, Crab Rangoon, and others. Maybe some of them will share their rabbit holes.

When the dust settled, Meta-Woman @FrankieHeck took home the prize. Thanks to all for solving!
Google really helped me! I had no idea that Aquaman or Plassticman (sic) had real names!
User avatar
Hector
Posts: 1297
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 8:15 pm
Location: San Francisco
Contact:

#77

Post by Hector »

Fun puzzle, and @KayW, :shock:
User avatar
MikeyG
Posts: 1346
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 2:52 pm
Location: Chicago
Contact:

#78

Post by MikeyG »

Not all the pieces of the puzzle came together to me, and I kind of doubt if I would've been off the couch. But a fun meta and a nice mechanism!
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 89. That's Not Right!
User avatar
Wendy Walker
Posts: 1700
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:44 pm
Location: Unionville, PA

#79

Post by Wendy Walker »

This was my false scent:
The "LAST ALTER EGO" in the list of the superheroes is Patrick O'Brian, who as well as being Plastic Man's alter ego is also the
"Master and Commander" novelist. I immediately thought of his hero JACK AUBREY, who is a 10-letter fictional character, but my hopes came crashing down when I realized I had those vexing (1) and (2) parentheses to deal with. Thank goodness Bob set me straight!
Oh, and I also recently cut a check for BAT CLEANUP in the attic of the house museum I help to run.
Good luck, fellow Muggles!
User avatar
KayW
Moderator
Posts: 3127
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 12:10 am
Location: Chicago

#80

Post by KayW »

Meg wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 9:35 am No disrespect to @Joe Ross , but that graphic by @KayW is amazing and beautiful!
:) Thanks @Meg - but the design was all Peter's. I just pushed the buttons to make it happen.
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.
Post Reply