#666 - "Play Me or Trade Me"

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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HeadinHome
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#41

Post by HeadinHome »

This one frustrated me for a good while, then light bulb moment was fun. Agree about a bit of backsolving needed for some of it.

Beam me up Iโ€™m on a streak. Of two.
The other Wendy. :roll:
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SusieG
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#42

Post by SusieG »

Glad to hear itโ€™s a bit more than week one. I have no idea. Well, I have some ideas, but none worked. Maybe the February WSJ metas made me dumber.
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bhamren
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#43

Post by bhamren »

After reading comments I wondered how backfilling would work. Then lo and behold I had to backfill to verify my correct answer. I like it having more than usually hard for a week 1. All week 1's should be as non-trivial as this one.
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Joe
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#44

Post by Joe »

I have absolutely no idea on this one yet. Have to sleep on it.
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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cbarbee002
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#45

Post by cbarbee002 »

And just like that it hit me.
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Bob cruise director
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#46

Post by Bob cruise director »

I have increased my lifetime streak to 2
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TRidgway
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#47

Post by TRidgway »

So glad to hear others thought it was week-2-ish. I was good and ready for a nice, soft week-1, and thought I was having a Flowers for Algernon moment. Just got it now, whew.
I'm tardy, wig askew.
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Prozach
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#48

Post by Prozach »

Beamed up. Yes, definitely didn't feel like a week 1.
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MajordomoTom
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#49

Post by MajordomoTom »

given how we spend our time in this house, a week one here.

submitted and pending confirmation.

on at #274
Last edited by MajordomoTom on Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
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Joe
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#50

Post by Joe »

Ohhh. There it is! Definitely did a little backsolving on this one. Confident Iโ€™ll be beamed aboard. Scotty has been notified.
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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mpmanning
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#51

Post by mpmanning »

Aha! Another good one! I've sent my answer in and I'm going to bed in full expectation that I'll find my name on the leaderboard when I get up tomorrow. Happiness is the finished lesson of a newbie.
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KayW
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#52

Post by KayW »

Bird Lives and Joe Ross were right when they predicted a BEAST of a puzzle for #666! This was a week one?!?!

Late night inspiration finally struck and I've submitted, but guessing I won't be confirmed til morning...

EDIT: beamed up! Matt must have had the midnight feeding
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.
markhr
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#53

Post by markhr »

I will blame my Covid shot on Thursday for my slowness in figuring out this MGWCC. Clearly it rattled my brain and inhibited my solving ability. I did manage to finally sort things out and am now officially beamed up.
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Joe Ross
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#54

Post by Joe Ross »

With the dawning, in more ways than one, beam me up!

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MikeM000
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#55

Post by MikeM000 »

The fresh eyes of morning were key for me...got it 20 seconds after I popped it open just now.

90% chance this thread turns into a fun and friendly freewheeler on Tuesday afternoon...
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lbray53
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#56

Post by lbray53 »

Beam me up!!

I hope this meta was traded from a week two or three team. It was a fairly tough play for me.
My avatar proves that it is sometimes better to be lucky than good!
Dave C
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#57

Post by Dave C »

Unlike many of you, I saw the mechanism right away, but I had to back solve a bit of it.
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SusieG
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#58

Post by SusieG »

Inspiration struck as I was trying to wake up this morning. Not as hard as I imagined and kind of fun. I also employed the โ€œback solvingโ€ mentioned by many. I also enjoyed this more than a typical week 1.
Orsys
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#59

Post by Orsys »

Maybe it's just me after a brutal work week, but that felt kind of week two-ish.
JennyByrd
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#60

Post by JennyByrd »

Beam Me Up! Fun aha moment, and then a confirmatory google on one bit
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