#673 - "Two Down"

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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ky-mike
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#41

Post by ky-mike »

I think I have identified the first step, but that second one eludes me.
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hashbrown
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#42

Post by hashbrown »

Less than 24 hours to submission and nothing of note... Love the Monday night panic but happy to field any kind directions towards the transponder.

E: Thanks to those who reached out, found my way and beamed up in the end!
Last edited by hashbrown on Tue Apr 27, 2021 5:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-HB
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Thurman8er
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#43

Post by Thurman8er »

Fun grid. Lots of rabbits to chase. Haven't found one yet.
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BarbaraK
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#44

Post by BarbaraK »

Big Mac wrote: โ†‘Mon Apr 26, 2021 1:44 pm Not getting this meta is bothering me more than it should.
Not getting this meta is really not bothering me at all. My new zen attitude - if I get them, I get them, if not, oh well, there'll be another soon. I look at it from time to time, but not tons.

I totally know where you're coming from though. I spent several years obsessing about these. Good luck!
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Bonnibel
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#45

Post by Bonnibel »

Yes I'm with you! I wish it didn't bother me but it does....

Just when I think I see the light, it doesn't work across (or down) the board. Really frustrating! I think I must be thinking too hard.
๐ŸŒด๐Ÿน
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Bird Lives
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#46

Post by Bird Lives »

Bonnibel wrote: โ†‘Mon Apr 26, 2021 5:39 pm Yes I'm with you! I wish it didn't bother me but it does....

Just when I think I see the light, it doesn't work across (or down) the board. Really frustrating! I think I must be thinking too hard.
With some of these, I can't find a way into the meta at all. No ideas. But with this one, I have had several ideas -- things that I've seen Matt use before, hints taken from words in the grid or clues. I'm not sure which kind I feel worse about when I see the solution.
Jay
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hcbirker
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#47

Post by hcbirker »

Bird Lives wrote: โ†‘Mon Apr 26, 2021 10:05 pm
Bonnibel wrote: โ†‘Mon Apr 26, 2021 5:39 pm Yes I'm with you! I wish it didn't bother me but it does....

Just when I think I see the light, it doesn't work across (or down) the board. Really frustrating! I think I must be thinking too hard.
With some of these, I can't find a way into the meta at all. No ideas. But with this one, I have had several ideas -- things that I've seen Matt use before, hints taken from words in the grid or clues. I'm not sure which kind I feel worse about when I see the solution.
My thoughts exactly. I know Iโ€™m going to slap myself after I see the solution.
Heidi
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Joe Ross
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#48

Post by Joe Ross »

If this is a Week 4, I might cut my hair to an unpullable length before Friday.
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—˜!
breadbasket
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#49

Post by breadbasket »

Staring at it all weekend. Any nudges would be greatly appreciated...
gifo
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#50

Post by gifo »

Beamed, after a correct early insight but then needing quite some nudging to get back on track.
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DrTom
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#51

Post by DrTom »

Holy Com Batman! What a puzzle. I finally got home, admittedly with lots of help, and I (1) sit in wonder at the magic of the constructor (2) wait in fear of Thursday when I know there will be, well Blood, Sweat and Tears. To be able to make a puzzle that is this level of difficulty, REDACTED ON SUGGESTION, and such a clever. clever way to hide things in plain sight....

I have a tortured tale of my path home, and though difficult and not yet confirmed I KNOW I have stepped into the beam.

Now I think I'll go and rest up for Thursday and Friday.
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!
Big Mac
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#52

Post by Big Mac »

Nudge would be appreciated here also. Thanks!
Domini
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#53

Post by Domini »

Iโ€™m completely at sea โ€ฆ rabbit holes a plenty but nothing that actually makes any sense. Iโ€™m at peace with losing my 25ish puzzle streak, and I donโ€™t want a nudge as I prefer the kind where someone confirms whether Iโ€™m on the right track and I am on no track at allโ€ฆ. But if thereโ€™s someone equally lost that would like to trade last minute ideas to see if we can spark something, Iโ€™d be open to that
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Bird Lives
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#54

Post by Bird Lives »

Done. Waiting for Matt to stop feeding the baby and refresh the board, but I'm sure I have it. I needed some guidance
I found Matt's hint to be a tad misleading. My misinterpretation led me away from the true path, which I had actually been on.
Jay
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ricky
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#55

Post by ricky »

Nudge needed here. I have a # of things going but I think I'm doing something wrong.
Check out the meta challenge at Lexicon Devil

Latest puzzle: "This Place Looks Familiar," March 7, 2024

Deadline: Tuesday, March 12, 2024, 12 PM EST
MaineMarge
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#56

Post by MaineMarge »

Thanks in large part to Joe Ross ( not your average Joe), Matt says I can take the next beam up. Great fun and a good learning experience for me.
Actually I think Iโ€™ll take the next flight up when this guy get re-inflated.
02CD1121-4C74-4637-BA3D-226CB01D0876.jpeg
It came down in our back field at our local hot air balloon festival. Just missed our woods. Great fun for all. The fellows took as many pictures of our gardens as we did of their balloon. ๐ŸŽˆ
August 2015
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hcbirker
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#57

Post by hcbirker »

I was so close. I did the Olive, Orange Ebony thing, but I was thinking of colors not trees. Arrgh!
Heidi
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MikeyG
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#58

Post by MikeyG »

Looks like we're ending at 180. Slash line of last five week 4's: 424/387/322/133/180. (The 322 was perhaps the kinder LINGO Week 4 after the brutal TOP HAT Week 3 that preceded it, which also garnered 133.)

Something was missing for me on this one, so I gladly passed - saying gladly not as sour grapes but realizing I might have to try twice as hard for next week's stereotypically ominous Week 5!

Since Noah's Ark landed on ARARAT (2-D), I tried six ways to Sunday to pair up things in grid - and then there's what take it from the TOP hint that didn't help matters - but nothing ever made progress except for a lot of rabbit holes.

I didn't really have to post this at all, but I wanted to, hahaha. Looking forward to hearing the answer (which I only hope is not the 10-letter creature I would've submitted on a complete whim) and how you guys cracked it!

Mike

EDIT: Well, I would've submitted RHINOCEROS...so a bit different type of creature, methinks!! :lol:
Last edited by MikeyG on Tue Apr 27, 2021 12:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ricky
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#59

Post by ricky »

No nudge needed anymore. This one was very frustrating. RIP my streak.
Check out the meta challenge at Lexicon Devil

Latest puzzle: "This Place Looks Familiar," March 7, 2024

Deadline: Tuesday, March 12, 2024, 12 PM EST
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Hector
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#60

Post by Hector »

My head-slap was because I hadn't read the clue for PINON while solving and assumed it was piรฑon while searching in vain for a tenth two-word down.

I wonder if the colors rabbit hole Heidi (and I) found was the biggest barrier to solving.
2021-poster.png
Last edited by Hector on Tue Apr 27, 2021 12:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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