#669 - "Easy as A-B-C"

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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#669 - "Easy as A-B-C"

#1

Post by Hector »

This week’s contest answer is a five-letter historic place name.

In the puzzle files, the prompt is "This week's contest answer is a bygone place name."
Last edited by Hector on Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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spotter
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#2

Post by spotter »

Did you see the prompt is different from what you've written now?
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RPardoe
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#3

Post by RPardoe »

Matt has one (older?) prompt on the website; a different prompt in the PUZ / PDF file.

I have a wild guess at the moment, but no idea as to the meta method to (potentially) validate it.
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ajk
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#4

Post by ajk »

Matt just posted a clarification:
Dear Solver,

The instructions for MGWCC #669 should read: "This week’s contest answer is a five-letter historic place name."

That's the way it reads on the site, but in the Patreon post I sent out I accidentally used the instructions from a previous version, which only asked for "a bygone place name."

Sorry for the mistake!



--Matt
Check out this very cool project by many of your favorite muggles to raise money to fight cancer. You get a fun puzzle bundle and good causes get $. Win-win: Crosswords for Cancer
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Dannyvee
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#5

Post by Dannyvee »

I find it hard to believe that no one has even made a wrong guess yet?
I can be found in Sheridan, NY, veejaying. (8)
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Al Sisti
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#6

Post by Al Sisti »

...or maybe he hasn't updated it yet?
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spotter
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#7

Post by spotter »

Either way, the explanation is that he has a new baby
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Al Sisti
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#8

Post by Al Sisti »

Well that answers that - one entry, one correct. Sally L. (4 week streak, 13 solves overall). Hmmm... First of all, good for her!
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Hector
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#9

Post by Hector »

Prediction: this one is going to prove difficult for many solvers.
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MikeyG
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#10

Post by MikeyG »

Silly question - does Matt live update the standings? I figured there was some program that automatically did that. If he does live update, that's some dedication!!

And...well, currently, my only prediction for the number of right answers is that it will at least be a positive integer. Holy moly (to quote a previous meta).

Mike
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 89. That's Not Right!
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Al Sisti
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#11

Post by Al Sisti »

MikeyG wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:43 pm Silly question - does Matt live update the standings? I figured there was some program that automatically did that. If he does live update, that's some dedication!!

And...well, currently, my only prediction for the number of right answers is that it will at least be a positive integer. Holy moly (to quote a previous meta).

Mike
Matt or his team does it; it's not done automatically (as I think Pete Muller's is).
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spotter
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#12

Post by spotter »

BEAM ME UP! Streak at 1 :)
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Bird Lives
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#13

Post by Bird Lives »

ajk wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:16 pm Matt just posted a clarification:
Dear Solver,

The instructions for MGWCC #669 should read: "This week’s contest answer is a five-letter historic place name."
... a previous version, which only asked for "a bygone place name."

--Matt
Let bygones be bygones.
Jay
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ChrisKochmanski
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#14

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Beam me up!

That was fun! After staring at the grid for a looooooooong time ... and going deep into a couple of rabbit holes ... and distracting myself with other puzzles ... I finally had a big aha -- and then the solving unfolded in a very satisfying way.

Another Gaffney masterwork!
LesY
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#15

Post by LesY »

Whew! That. Was. Hard.
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RPardoe
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#16

Post by RPardoe »

RPardoe wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 12:53 pm I have a wild guess at the moment, but no idea as to the meta method to (potentially) validate it.
And the wild guess was just that - wild (and wildly incorrect).

Solved and submitted.
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jimmyd
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#17

Post by jimmyd »

Wow! Starting the puzzle now, but that short leaderboard has me psyched out already...
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mpmanning
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#18

Post by mpmanning »

I may just have received the fastest indication that my submitted answer was WRONG! Oh well, it's a week 4 learning experience!
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MikeyG
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#19

Post by MikeyG »

The title is a misnomer.
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 89. That's Not Right!
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ChrisKochmanski
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#20

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

MikeyG wrote: Sat Mar 27, 2021 1:05 pm The title is a misnomer.
Yes -- this puzzle is NOT easy -- but I suppose people should know that the title is important to solving.
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