#681 - "Crazy Eights"

An excellent puzzle written by one of the innovators of the meta crossword format. It comes out every Friday at noon and increases in difficulty throughout the month. Available for modest subscription (worth every cent) here: www.xwordcontest.com
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Hector
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#681 - "Crazy Eights"

#1

Post by Hector »

This week’s contest answer is a four-letter word that’s encoded somewhere in the grid.

NOTE: This week’s grid contains circles, so make sure you see them if you’re solving in Across Lite (which occasionally will remove circles for some solvers)
docison
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#2

Post by docison »

Found the prompt confusing. But have submitted. And now I wait.

ETA #18 on the board.
Last edited by docison on Fri Jun 18, 2021 1:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Cindy
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#3

Post by Cindy »

Would he just update the board please.

Solved.
Last edited by Cindy on Fri Jun 18, 2021 4:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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oldjudge
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#4

Post by oldjudge »

Great puzzle by Matt-confirmed
markhr
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#5

Post by markhr »

Beamed up. Great puzzle by Matt.
Now back to his WSJ puzzle, which still has me in the doldrums.
Laura M
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#6

Post by Laura M »

Beam me up! Shockingly, my first idea worked out, which is good because I'm not sure I would have had another one! #19, right after @docison.
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tonyrobots
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#7

Post by tonyrobots »

No one need answer, as we don’t want any spoilers, but aren’t most weeks’ answers “encoded somewhere in the grid?”
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sharkicicles
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#8

Post by sharkicicles »

tonyrobots wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 2:12 pm No one need answer, as we don’t want any spoilers, but aren’t most weeks’ answers “encoded somewhere in the grid?”
You should hear the people that complain when the meta is solvable only with the clues. “Then why did I even bother filling out the grid?”
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Meg
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#9

Post by Meg »

I’ve successfully beamed up.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
mflaminio
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#10

Post by mflaminio »

Is it as easy as it seems? Week 3?
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Meg
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#11

Post by Meg »

mflaminio wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 5:16 pm Is it as easy as it seems? Week 3?
No.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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Cindy
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#12

Post by Cindy »

mflaminio wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 5:16 pm Is it as easy as it seems? Week 3?
Yes. And now with Meg’s no we should have you totally confused.
mflaminio
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#13

Post by mflaminio »

Uh oh! Thought I had it but probably not. Will wait and reassess.
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BrennerTJ
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#14

Post by BrennerTJ »

Beamed up on this one. Still sailing next door.
-Tamara
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MikeM000
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#15

Post by MikeM000 »

mflaminio wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 5:16 pm Is it as easy as it seems? Week 3?
Yes. I was afraid of entering a pageant.
Laura M
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#16

Post by Laura M »

mflaminio wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 5:16 pm Is it as easy as it seems? Week 3?
I don't think it's easy by a long shot, it seems like a pretty spot-on week 3 to me!

However (I'll say this in a spoiler tag because I'm overly cautious, but it's not really a spoiler) (I think):

If you've gotten to a point where you can say, "I know beyond a doubt that I have something here, but is this all there is to it?" the answer is probably yes.
cisalope
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#17

Post by cisalope »

Very fun puzzle this week! Waiting for confirmation, but I'm very sure I have the answer.
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Bird Lives
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#18

Post by Bird Lives »

Not confirmed yet -- Ada distractions probably. The last update was three hours ago ending with DrTam (BrennerTJ) at 52. So I'll be in the top 100 there and page one here.

It was all very logical, not at all crazy. I prefer the ones with weird word combinations with clues contrived to fit them.
Jay
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Bird Lives
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#19

Post by Bird Lives »

mflaminio wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 5:16 pm Is it as easy as it seems? Week 3?
If you got the right answer and your name is on the board, then it was easy. For you.
Jay
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MikeyG
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#20

Post by MikeyG »

This is one where I definitely can see the shadows and the contours of something I'm maybe supposed to do, but the exact nature of what I'm supposed to do is going to leave me in the dark for a bit, methinks.
Less cross words, more crosswords.

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