"2 State the Obvious" - August 2021

A monthly, music-themed meta crossword published at noon on the first Tuesday of every month. The puzzles increase in difficulty each month, and at year end there is a 13th puzzle (the "Mega-Meta") that invokes each of the 12 monthly puzzles. Currently available at https://pmxwords.com/, as well as through the Washington Post website here: MMMM at WaPo
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KDubs
Posts: 68
Joined: Fri May 03, 2019 6:44 pm
Location: Stamford, CT

#41

Post by KDubs »

We were finally able to get to this today and completed the grid. Big deal for us because at least half of Pete’s puzzles this year were so above our pay grade we couldn’t even finish the grid! We think we have step 1 but still LAS. I’m just glad I knew 26A with no help from Google — my father would have disowned me if I didn’t!
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KDubs
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Joined: Fri May 03, 2019 6:44 pm
Location: Stamford, CT

#42

Post by KDubs »

KDubs wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 6:28 pm We were finally able to get to this today and completed the grid. Big deal for us because at least half of Pete’s puzzles this year were so above our pay grade we couldn’t even finish the grid! We think we have step 1 but still LAS. I’m just glad I knew 26A with no help from Google — my father would have disowned me if I didn’t!
Update — we think we have the answer BUT can’t justify it via the puzzle. Not asking for spoilers but should we be able to go back to the puzzle to verify?
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KDubs
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Joined: Fri May 03, 2019 6:44 pm
Location: Stamford, CT

#43

Post by KDubs »

Sorry, LAST update I swear, but we figured out how the puzzle confirms it! Pete’s a damn genius.
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spotter
Posts: 311
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2019 5:48 pm
Location: SLO, CA

#44

Post by spotter »

gaaaaahhhhh I submitted a non musician. I didn't know the person or realize they weren't a musician until after I submitted. So frustrating to know the correct answer minutes after submitting.
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Hector
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#45

Post by Hector »

spotter wrote: Fri Aug 06, 2021 1:58 pm gaaaaahhhhh I submitted a non musician. I didn't know the person or realize they weren't a musician until after I submitted. So frustrating to know the correct answer minutes after submitting.
Can't hurt to ask Pete for mercy.
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mattythewsjpuzzler
Posts: 336
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2020 11:47 am

#46

Post by mattythewsjpuzzler »

Holy Cow that was amazing. How does he come up with these? Anyway another muggle solver.
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iggystan
Posts: 300
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:39 pm

#47

Post by iggystan »

Ashore.
(I had the answer on Wednesday, but wasn't confident. After staring at it for another three days, I decided to submit my answer which turned out to be correct.)
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Jeremy Smith
Posts: 970
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:45 pm
Location: Tampa Bay area

#48

Post by Jeremy Smith »

Well, I certainly overcomplicated this one. I hadn’t looked at it since Tuesday but today realized I had been attempting to add another unnecessary step to the solving process. When I weeded out a lot of unnecessary data, the answer came quickly. On the board!
FKelly
Posts: 315
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:09 pm

#49

Post by FKelly »

Meta-harmonized 2 State the Obvious
with a little from my friends (hcbirker)
EmilyW
Posts: 238
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:03 pm

#50

Post by EmilyW »

I just discovered that there is a hint available on the MMMM, how have I never known this? Of course I found it after submitting the wrong answer, and figured it out after reading the hint.
hoover
Posts: 1221
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:26 pm

#51

Post by hoover »

EmilyW wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 11:23 pm I just discovered that there is a hint available on the MMMM, how have I never known this? Of course I found it after submitting the wrong answer, and figured it out after reading the hint.
Wait, what? Where?
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spotter
Posts: 311
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2019 5:48 pm
Location: SLO, CA

#52

Post by spotter »

I think the hint comes out after the puzzle deadline
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hcbirker
Posts: 1985
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:24 pm
Location: Studio City, CA

#53

Post by hcbirker »

hoover wrote: Mon Aug 09, 2021 12:12 pm
EmilyW wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 11:23 pm I just discovered that there is a hint available on the MMMM, how have I never known this? Of course I found it after submitting the wrong answer, and figured it out after reading the hint.
Wait, what? Where?
I think Pete posts it one hour before deadline.
Heidi
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BarbaraK
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Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Virginia

#54

Post by BarbaraK »

Does anyone who's won an MMMM mug remember what time you got the email? Wondering how long I 'need' :) to keep obsessively checking my inbox.
EmilyW
Posts: 238
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:03 pm

#55

Post by EmilyW »

Ah ok, it was after the deadline that I noticed that. @hoover I found it on the main PMXwords page:

This month’s contest is now closed. The solution will be published on Tuesday. You can see a hint for the meta here, there’s no penalty for clicking.
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RPardoe
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Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2019 4:09 pm
Location: Houston, TX

#56

Post by RPardoe »

BarbaraK wrote: Mon Aug 09, 2021 12:35 pm Does anyone who's won an MMMM mug remember what time you got the email? Wondering how long I 'need' :) to keep obsessively checking my inbox.
I got my notice at 11:30 (Central) on a Monday. That was 2 years ago - things might be slower these days.
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iggystan
Posts: 300
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:39 pm

#57

Post by iggystan »

Wow, you talk about a shot in the dark that hit the bullseye. I submitted the correct answer, but like one of the users above, I couldn't justify it with the puzzle. After seeing the solution and the justification, I can't believe that I got it right. Looking at the clues seems to be my Achilles heel, because that's what I failed to do with the WSJ puzzle this week until midday Sunday and finally got that one.
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