#660 - "Opposites Attract"

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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SusieG
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#41

Post by SusieG »

Dplass wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:37 am Very tough grid. I had to cheat, I admit it. Need to print and hilight before any progress might be made on the meta. Seriously don't know how people can see metas so quickly...lol. Maybe next year Matt should offer a discounted subscription for idiots like me who can't get past week 3.
I was thinking that I’d pay extra for some tutoring. I can’t even find a step 1.
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Bird Lives
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#42

Post by Bird Lives »

Dplass wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:37 am Very tough grid. I had to cheat, I admit it. Need to print and hilight before any progress might be made on the meta. Seriously don't know how people can see metas so quickly...lol. Maybe next year Matt should offer a discounted subscription for idiots like me who can't get past week 3.
I saw a key component right away but only because I'd seen something similar in a previous puzzle some while ago. But for that, this aspect of the puzzle might have remained out of my field of vision. Then I remembered to look for another gimmick that I'd seen used. When that checked out, the rest fell into place.
Jay
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Cindy
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#43

Post by Cindy »

Solved. Brilliant.
elementary
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#44

Post by elementary »

SusieG wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 3:25 pm
Dplass wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:37 am Very tough grid. I had to cheat, I admit it. Need to print and hilight before any progress might be made on the meta. Seriously don't know how people can see metas so quickly...lol. Maybe next year Matt should offer a discounted subscription for idiots like me who can't get past week 3.
I was thinking that I’d pay extra for some tutoring. I can’t even find a step 1.
Same here! It gets old fast when you don't even know where to start.
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hcbirker
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#45

Post by hcbirker »

Hmmm. I thought I was onto something, but a fellow muggle said my step 2 was all wet. More pondering to do.
Heidi
mel87
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#46

Post by mel87 »

Beam me up!
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hcbirker
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#47

Post by hcbirker »

Post enlightenment. Beam me up!
Heidi
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Richard B.
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#48

Post by Richard B. »

Got it.
Domini
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#49

Post by Domini »

Beam me up!!

I was certain last night and this morning I was going to lose my little [10] symbol I worked so hard for the last few months. Then something that was nagging the back of my brain for hours suddenly took on a whole new meaning. A few more aha moments, and I had it! Matt is a genius!
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Prozach
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#50

Post by Prozach »

Beamed up!
Dplass
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#51

Post by Dplass »

elementary wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 3:58 pm
SusieG wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 3:25 pm
Dplass wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:37 am Very tough grid. I had to cheat, I admit it. Need to print and hilight before any progress might be made on the meta. Seriously don't know how people can see metas so quickly...lol. Maybe next year Matt should offer a discounted subscription for idiots like me who can't get past week 3.
I was thinking that I’d pay extra for some tutoring. I can’t even find a step 1.
Same here! It gets old fast when you don't even know where to start.
I at least found a step zero. But no step 1 yet.
Dplass
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#52

Post by Dplass »

Beam me up. Cool construction.
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DrTom
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#53

Post by DrTom »

WOW! Request permission to come aboard! Submitted what I feel HAS to be the answer, all I can say is that I am AWESTRUCK. If this is what he was working on and it got delayed I am surprised it is even out this century! Hoping to be confirmed (now that I have been baptized in the water off the Love Boat).

EDIT:
10:30 - DRAT, missed the 0830 update, now the nail-biting commences since I got Saint Nicholas-ed a few puzzles back - if only he'd have been a Martian I might have got partial credit

EDIT 2:
Yippee - confirmed, Holy Moly that was a super-duper, ramma-llama ding-dong of a puzzle and I moved up the board some 200 places!
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!
Dplass
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#54

Post by Dplass »

DrTom wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 10:15 am WOW! Request permission to come aboard! Submitted what I feel HAS to be the answer, all I can say is that I am AWESTRUCK. If this is what he was working on and it got delayed I am surprised it is even out this century! Hoping to be confirmed (now that I have been baptized in the water off the Love Boat).

EDIT:
10:30 - DRAT, missed the 0830 update, now the nail-biting commences since I got Saint Nicholas-ed a few puzzles back - if only he'd have been a Martian I might have got partial credit

EDIT 2:
Yippee - confirmed, Holy Moly that was a super-duper, ramma-llama ding-dong of a puzzle and I moved up the board some 200 places!
"I moved up the board some 200 places!" - how does that work?
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MajordomoTom
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Location: St. Louis, MO

#55

Post by MajordomoTom »

well, I still am at step 1, and I now have two (perhaps three) different step 1s to consider.

this thing is amazing and I have a few (three) guesses, one of which is a bit less of a SWAG than the other two, but ...

this puzzle (clues, grid, etc) is amazingly put together. Even w/o having the answer, I'm not sure how he managed to do this. I guess it's because of his "welcome earthlings" on his page - he's not from here.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
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Abide
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#56

Post by Abide »

I got Step 1 fairly quickly, but unraveling the answer took a few hours. Very fun.
The site is just a web page, a meeting place, a clubhouse - it's the group that's special.
—Brian MacDonald
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bhamren
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#57

Post by bhamren »

Beam me up. He hasn't updated yet but this is a 100 percenter! Edit: Confirmed!

Like everyone else I am amazed at how Matt comes up with these mechanisms and fits them in a crossword puzzle.

I did most of the puzzle on Friday, but we are still moving in and working on getting ready for the new kitchen that is coming. One wall out this weekend.
WeThotUWasAToad
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#58

Post by WeThotUWasAToad »

hcbirker wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 4:26 pm Hmmm. I thought I was onto something, but a fellow muggle said my step 2 was all wet. More pondering to do.
How do you obtain a "fellow muggle" to nudge you in the right direction (or away from the wrong)? Can they be purchased on Amazon?
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Meg
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#59

Post by Meg »

WeThotUWasAToad wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 1:09 pm
hcbirker wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 4:26 pm Hmmm. I thought I was onto something, but a fellow muggle said my step 2 was all wet. More pondering to do.
How do you obtain a "fellow muggle" to nudge you in the right direction (or away from the wrong)? Can they be purchased on Amazon?
You send a muggle solver on the forum a pm. It helps if you share what ideas you’ve already tried.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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SusieG
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#60

Post by SusieG »

Dplass wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 9:25 am Beam me up. Cool construction.
I’m happy for you, but sad that the idiots club is smaller without you.
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