MEOW #39: Jigsaw

A weekly meta crossword on the forum started by member Josh (aka madhatter5). These puzzles are often very creative with solving mechanisms out of the norm and skewing towards the more challenging. Puzzles are posted every Wednesday, and the solution appears the following Tuesday.
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CPJohnson
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#21

Post by CPJohnson »

Dplass wrote: Wed Aug 25, 2021 5:39 pm
DrTom wrote: Wed Aug 25, 2021 5:31 pm What MamaE said - I haven't a clue how to approach the Grid so the Meta will be impossible.
Me three.
Me four.
Cynthia
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auee89
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#22

Post by auee89 »

Have a toehold, but now off to a ballgame downtown. Our AAA experience is fun and affordable here in Indy. Will finish up the puzzle in the morning over coffee since the WSJ is knocked out.
Kevin
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Bird Lives
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#23

Post by Bird Lives »

I assume that the solution is easy once you've figured out how to decode the clues. Unfortunately, I haven't.
Jay
MaineMarge
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#24

Post by MaineMarge »

What he said. ⬆️
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auee89
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#25

Post by auee89 »

Confirmed and out of the bag that was in the box (with the help of a nudge that got me out of my own way). Thanks Madhatter!
Kevin
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woozy
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#26

Post by woozy »

Bird Lives wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 9:24 am I assume that the solution is easy once you've figured out how to decode the clues. Unfortunately, I haven't.
I actually had a surprisingly hard time getting from the completed grid to the meta solution. Not a difficult task per se, but knowing what to do wasn't the end of it. I still had to do it.

"once you've figured out how to decode the clues"

From Cool Hand Luke: Nobody can eat fifty eggs!



....

So, gosh, is it my turn to be the one giving nudges?
Latest meta: Never forget... and never mind (A WSJ retaliation)
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Cinny
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#27

Post by Cinny »

The grid had me stumped for quite a while. I may never have figured it out without a friendly muggle nudge. But once I got started it was fun to do. Very clever puzzle. Thanks, Josh!

Cat is out of the bag!
Cindy Heisler
Andrew Bradburn
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#28

Post by Andrew Bradburn »

This looks interesting, but I have no idea what to do to start. Does having solved some previous MEOW puzzles help?
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whimsy
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#29

Post by whimsy »

^ Hmm -- not sure how to advise on this except to say that each successive MEOW is just that much -- um -- wackier, intriguing, off-beat, etc. etc. than the one before! Nudges coming out tomorrow, I believe.
madhatter5
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#30

Post by madhatter5 »

Nudge Saturday!

To those of you who are stuck, don't panic! The puzzle basically requires one key insight and then both the grid and meta* will fall into place. Don't think of it as a crossword puzzle because this is not a crossword puzzle. This is a jigsaw puzzle. But where are all the pieces?


* To be pedantic, I suppose I can't really call this a meta if the grid is part of it. But who wants to be pedantic**?


** I do.



Every entry in the grid is clearly written out for you already.


When you get to that last step you can be boring and use an anagram solver if you're having trouble doing it the right way.
https://pandorasblocks.org/crosswords-for-cancer
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Cindy N
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#31

Post by Cindy N »

Well, even before the nudges were posted, I had tried all of them. Realizing the grid part came yesterday and I was able to get it filled in. Once you get started, it goes fairly quickly.

And I knew what to do with what I had next.

And I tried what was in the third nudge.

And I'm still :sob:

Being spatially challenged is a definite disadvantage for this one! :rofl:

(You know with a jigsaw puzzle, you can usually figure out the edges and the corners...sigh) Back to it!
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boharr
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#32

Post by boharr »

Cindy N wrote: Sat Aug 28, 2021 10:30 am
Being spatially challenged is a definite disadvantage for this one! :rofl:

I hear you!
Dplass
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#33

Post by Dplass »

boharr wrote: Sat Aug 28, 2021 10:48 am
Cindy N wrote: Sat Aug 28, 2021 10:30 am
Being spatially challenged is a definite disadvantage for this one! :rofl:

I hear you!
Me three. Again.
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Joe
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#34

Post by Joe »

Cat is out of the bag and scratching the hell out of my couch. Not even kidding. 🙄
Happy to give nudges. If you notice I've solved, please tell me about avenues you've explored so I can nudge you in the right direction and not off a cliff.
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CPJohnson
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#35

Post by CPJohnson »

Well, I’m still stuck. Pre-nudges, I figured out how to fill in the grid. But now what?
Cynthia
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KayW
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#36

Post by KayW »

I needed the nudges to complete the grid, but the cat eventually got out.
CatPuzzle.jpg
A very creative meta!
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.
madhatter5
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#37

Post by madhatter5 »

One more nudge for those stuck on the last step:

Sorry I never meant for anyone to get stuck here. The "intended" way is to view those four clusters of circles as puzzle pieces and fit them together. But if you can't be bothered to get out some paper and highlighters ... the answer includes the word PICTURE. That should help ;) [spoiler/]
https://pandorasblocks.org/crosswords-for-cancer
Dow Jones
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#38

Post by Dow Jones »

That last hint nudged the cat out of the bag (I hope).
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HeadinHome
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#39

Post by HeadinHome »

Hope when this is over someone posts a picture cuz even with the nudges I don’t have a single square filled in. ??
The other Wendy. :roll:
SewYoung
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#40

Post by SewYoung »

Glad I'm not the only one. After the nudges, I thought I saw what to do but couldn't make it work. After a bunch of erasures I am back to a blank grid.
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