#657 - "Beast Mode"

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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Cindy
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#41

Post by Cindy »

Solved
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ReB
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#42

Post by ReB »

Ready to beam up. (Is this the MGWCC equivalent of getting to shore on the WSJ meta page?)

This is my first week with MGWCC. This meta seemed too easy based on my history with the WSJ metas, but the comments here and the explanation that the puzzles are graded in difficulty based on the week of the month gives me confidence that I'm correct.
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Hector
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#43

Post by Hector »

ReB wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:18 pm Ready to beam up. (Is this the MGWCC equivalent of getting to shore on the WSJ meta page?)

This is my first week with MGWCC. This meta seemed too easy based on my history with the WSJ metas, but the comments here and the explanation that the puzzles are graded in difficulty based on the week of the month gives me confidence that I'm correct.
Yep, this is about as classic a week 1 as there is. The more-or-less predictably varying difficulty makes for an interesting contrast with WSJ. Many of us find week 1s easier than we'd like, many appreciate the breezy solve, and some are in both camps. Welcome to the MGWCC leaderboard -- another interesting twist as compared with WSJ. You'll also want to try the Muller Monthly Music Meta, the new year of which which starts on Tuesday (roughly escalating difficulty over the year).
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802puzzler
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#44

Post by 802puzzler »

Solved, in record time for me! Waiting for a refresh on the list.
Update- beamed up!
mel87
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#45

Post by mel87 »

Beam me up!
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HeadinHome
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#46

Post by HeadinHome »

Beam me up. Quick solve... Jan 1 is a good day for low-stress puzzles.
The other Wendy. :roll:
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DrTom
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#47

Post by DrTom »

Well in contrast to my St. Nick disaster last week (an answer I still like even if it is wrong) I think I MAY have this one correct. Nice way to start the year, I am guessing I have a perfect record so far!
alien craft beam.jpg
...please
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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BarbaraK
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#48

Post by BarbaraK »

DrTom wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 1:42 am Well in contrast to my St. Nick disaster last week (an answer I still like even if it is wrong) I think I MAY have this one correct. Nice way to start the year, I am guessing I have a perfect record so far!
alien craft beam.jpg
...please
And???? What was your answer last week?
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Joe Ross
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#49

Post by Joe Ross »

BarbaraK wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 7:31 am
DrTom wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 1:42 am Well in contrast to my St. Nick disaster last week (an answer I still like even if it is wrong) I think I MAY have this one correct. Nice way to start the year, I am guessing I have a perfect record so far!
alien craft beam.jpg
...please
And???? What was your answer last week?
For the love of... You *had* to ask!
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mpmanning
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#50

Post by mpmanning »

Progress! In December 2020 I solved my first MGWCC, a week 2, that all agreed was more like a week 1. Now I've solved my first week 1 of 2021. I would say "Beam Me Up" but TSA and Star Fleet Command says I have to be cleared by my primary care physician for this kind of transport.
MaineMarge
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#51

Post by MaineMarge »

Solved and airborne.
Last week I did get MARS BARS, though I thought I was on a roll at first when it looked like the answer was heading for MARBLES. I liked that perfect tie in to the title, if not the rhyme.
Fess up, Dr. Tom- what was your good answer??
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Meg
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#52

Post by Meg »

MaineMarge wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 8:45 pm Solved and airborne.
Last week I did get MARS BARS, though I thought I was on a roll at first when it looked like the answer was heading for MARBLES. I liked that perfect tie in to the title, if not the rhyme.
Fess up, Dr. Tom- what was your good answer??
Did you find marbles in your stocking? I don’t think I ever did. Maybe that’s because I didn’t play marbles as a kid.
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MikeyG
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#53

Post by MikeyG »

What a great way to start 2021 - beam me up!!

(My knee-jerk reaction is to want to post puns based on the meta answer - I need to be very careful not to do that until after the deadline!)
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 89. That's Not Right!
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Thurman8er
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#54

Post by Thurman8er »

Very easy, but that was to be expected from a WEEK 1...MONTH 1...YEAR 1...DECADE 1.
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DrTom
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#55

Post by DrTom »

Well. since people have asked.......

I was soooo sure I had nailed my Christmas present.

The puzzle contained many words from "A Visit from St. Nicolas", all of those with a rhyming word certainly (and unfortunately something I missed), but it also included THREW ("..threw open the sash..") for which there is no rhyme. Certainly THREW is not a "Christmas word" but neither are any of the others. What they ALL do is to point you to the poem and the poem makes it very clear who the stocking stuffer was:

...He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,...

Surely this is a stocking stuffer poetically "in motion"?

Additionally the placement of that line of poetry falls in line with the words before and after and would fit in the gap (I was supposed to be minding) almost perfectly:

With all of those strategically placed and confirmatory clues I knew in a moment it MUST be Saint Nick, and that is what I submitted.

I was wrong, yes, and Matt's solution was of course much clearer and elegant. However, it did make sense to me, and as I have subsequently found out, 20 others. Matt is not giving credit for it and that's OK because, as I have told him, it made me reread a poem that I have always loved and brought comfort and a touch of nostalgia to an otherwise rather grim time. I think my "streak" at that point was up to one so nothing lost and a lot gained.

So far for 2021 I am perfect. Yes I know likely to be quite short lived, but I also got the MEOW and THE MMM so I'm a happy camper.

Oh, and at times my stocking did get stuffed with marbles, but as many will attest I lost all of those long ago....

See Joe, hardly any puns at all...it's my New Year's Resolution - though I'd be willing to bet it will last as long as most NY Resolutions do he said shortly.
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!
Alan H
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#56

Post by Alan H »

Took the holidays off from my three jobs, Work, Cycling and Metas! So this was my fourth solve in the last 2 days between the WSJ and Gaffney. Too late to submit the apparently - just getting used to the Tuesday submission deadline.

Question for the masses on last week's puzzle. When I got the eight ryhming words and had no idea what to do, I just stuck the eight in order in the google search bar and got the poem and hence the answer. Do people consider that cheating? (I never would have gotten it otherwise).
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Hector
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#57

Post by Hector »

Alan H wrote: Tue Jan 05, 2021 3:28 pm Do people consider that cheating?
No. Constructors decide what's fair game to include in a puzzle partly by what's fairly easily to find online.
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