#694 - "CIRCLE Dances"

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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BarbaraK
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#41

Post by BarbaraK »

Wow! I was thinking that I was never going to get this one. Then thought again about something I'd noticed yesterday but hadn't seen anything useful to do with. And there it is! Unconfirmed, but not really any doubt.
Jed
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Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2021 9:01 am

#42

Post by Jed »

I'm a longtime solver and totally frustrated this morning. Would anyone be willing to send me a subtle nudge?
MaineMarge
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#43

Post by MaineMarge »

My circle dancing partner and I beamed up on Sunday after a little help from Chris.

Hereโ€™s a circle that will soon be dancing with the apples to make cider
84B94DC3-4393-467B-9BD5-23540D9C6248.jpeg
Our freezers are full of cider. Tastes as good the day it comes out as the day it went in.
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DrTom
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#44

Post by DrTom »

Goodness, that was difficult. At first I thought it was just me jet lagged brain but after the first step (which was also a doozy) I stumbled. This was an odd Mx and I never would have gotten it without a nudge (well more like a full fledged 31A). Even when I had it I couldn't bring it home without some considerable effort. I'm hoping Mike does not have many of these in his bag. Unconfirmed but very sure.
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!
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mntlblok
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#45

Post by mntlblok »

Just had a philosophy of "nudge" discussion with the wifey. Maybe we just have bad attitudes. . .
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jhseeman
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#46

Post by jhseeman »

I went down and had to be forcibly pulled out of more rabbit holes then I care to remember. Then with a nudge here and there.....wow still amazed how he does these.
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Bird Lives
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#47

Post by Bird Lives »

Unconfirmed, but what else could it be? I needed much help. I couldn't see things that I can often see.
The puzzle was truly amazing. I am in awe.
Jay
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MamaE
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#48

Post by MamaE »

Got it unconfirmed but sure thing. Thanks to many many nudges Iโ€™ve got it. Very impressive!
- Just puzzling it out here in Delmarva :D
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Joe Ross
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#49

Post by Joe Ross »

That was a nail-biter. It shouldn't have been & I am going to stop using my dislike for a certain creators' tool [Edit: added after deadline - anagramming] as an excuse for not solving.

Too close for comfort!

Image
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ.
๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ถ๐˜€ ENORMOUS ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ:
๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ต, ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ & ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜‚๐—บ๐—ฎ. ๐—ฃ๐—Ÿ๐—˜๐—”๐—ฆ๐—˜ ๐—ฆ๐—›๐—”๐—ฅ๐—˜!
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bhamren
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#50

Post by bhamren »

Got it with a big 31A from Dr Tom. Last minute entry, but I am sure I am there.
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jhseeman
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#51

Post by jhseeman »

Joe Ross wrote: โ†‘Tue Sep 21, 2021 11:49 am That was a nail-biter. It shouldn't have been & I am going to stop using my dislike for a certain creators' tool as an excuse for not solving.

Too close for comfort!

Image
Right there with you Joe, with the added caveat that when I go down a rabbit hole and it doesn't bear any fruit I need to GIVE UP ON THAT F'ING HOLE and wipe it from my mind, instead of needing someone to smack me upside the head.
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MikeyG
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#52

Post by MikeyG »

Absolutely nothing from me, and my first NO since PERFECTA. Because I'd still like to get that too-late satisfaction, please flood my inbox with nudges, hahaha.
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 89. That's Not Right!
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sharkicicles
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#53

Post by sharkicicles »

Well, joon DNFed.
matt79
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#54

Post by matt79 »

I had fun sending nudges to those that asked. First time I've done that. Hopefully I was able to help some of you solve a very fun and tricky puzzle.
Louis D
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Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2020 2:37 pm

#55

Post by Louis D »

Multiple people have referenced how great this puzzle is, so now that the deadline has passed I'd like the satisfaction of figuring out part of it myself. Can someone send me a nudge to get me on the right track? I have too many half baked theories to even begin explaining where I'm at so far...
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auee89
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#56

Post by auee89 »

I asked and received good nudges, but if I asked for any more, they would have been shoves, so I backed away and could not see where to go. On to next week!
Kevin
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Al Sisti
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#57

Post by Al Sisti »

Well, yeah, I was #7... but I could kick myself for not getting it done earlier. I figured fairly quickly that "dances" was to be used like a cryptic, meaning anagrams, and found that CIRCLE could anagram to (only) CLERIC. Saw that the wording of 45D could also be answered by CLERIC, and then set off trying to get the rest. I eventually got the anagrams and matching clues for CIRCLE + 1 letter, CIRCLE +2 letters, etc., but I never did notice that the "+ 1 letter" was actually the letter in the circle... instead, I used Qat, with /circle., /circle.., /circle... etc., and then had to pore through the possible anagrams to see what word(s) made sense, eventually finding one from each search. Still, I'll take it.

Edit: Sorry, Louis D.; I didn't see your post until after I posted mine. Hopefully you didn't read it...
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sharkicicles
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#58

Post by sharkicicles »

I went down an early rabbit hole with trying to fit some sort of pattern to blank, k, io, doo, ammo, assuming the other would then give me a 5-letter result and the answer. Obviously that didnโ€™t work out.
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joequavis
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#59

Post by joequavis »

jhseeman wrote: โ†‘Tue Sep 21, 2021 11:53 am
Joe Ross wrote: โ†‘Tue Sep 21, 2021 11:49 am That was a nail-biter. It shouldn't have been & I am going to stop using my dislike for a certain creators' tool as an excuse for not solving.

Too close for comfort!

Image
Right there with you Joe, with the added caveat that when I go down a rabbit hole and it doesn't bear any fruit I need to GIVE UP ON THAT F'ING HOLE and wipe it from my mind, instead of needing someone to smack me upside the head.
This is the reason for every single one I don't solve. I keep thinking that the one thread that I found HAS to be relevant, so I keep at it instead of considering other possibilities.
This time, it was IO => Moon => Moon WALK; DOO => Doo Rag => Rag Time...etc
I mean, what else could IO in the shape of a circle possibly mean, right?
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jhseeman
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Location: Charleston, SC

#60

Post by jhseeman »

my rabbit hole was assuming no letters in first circle meant that none of the letters surrounding those circles were in the final answer, then one from the letters around Circle K, etc.
Once I got smacked out of that hole.

Then Circle K could also be Kosher so BLT? so down next hole.

then one hole after another...Cleric, well what religious folks can we get out of that around the other ones

(facepalm)
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