"Mind the Overlap" - October 2020

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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BethA
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Location: Beaver, PA

#21

Post by BethA »

Eric Porter wrote: Wed Oct 07, 2020 11:17 am
Tina wrote: Wed Oct 07, 2020 1:27 am Woo-hoo! Post-enlightenment strikes again! May have to wait until morning for confirmation, though, unless Pete is a night owl like me. I hope I'm right, because this is one of my favorite songs from the 80s and I am a total 80s girl! I would love to hear Pete perform this.
Pete definitely has an automated program to check answers. If you don't show up quickly, try a hard refresh (ctrl+F5) to reload the leaderboard. Same thing with the star ratings on this site for the WSJCC.

I've spent a fair amount of time on this one. I see a few things which look like they could be on the way to the solution, but I can't complete it. It's frustrating when again I can't see what's so easy for most people.
Not easy for me. Just kept forcing myself to try more things!
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ChrisKochmanski
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Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:51 pm
Location: Saline, Michigan

#22

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Got it. FINALLY. When another solver helped me get out of a terribly contrived rabbit hole. The fixes these metas can get me into!
Tom Wilson
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Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 8:07 pm
Location: South Williamsport, PA

#23

Post by Tom Wilson »

I'm awash in red herrings ... and I don't even like fish!
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RPardoe
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Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2019 4:09 pm
Location: Houston, TX

#24

Post by RPardoe »

Solved awkwardly initially, then correctly with a bit more thought.
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Eric Porter
Posts: 466
Joined: Sun May 05, 2019 2:19 am
Location: Nashville, TN

#25

Post by Eric Porter »

The puzzle has now been out for 2 days and only 81 people have solved it so far. I shouldn't have called it easy earlier, especially when I've still gotten nowhere. I think I know vaguely what I'm supposed to do, but I can't find anything in my rabbit holes.

Unless I get a new idea in the next few days, I'm giving up on this one.
GlennG
Posts: 88
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2019 12:48 am

#26

Post by GlennG »

Decently fun solve on this one. But like most all metas, I stare at it and see nothing. It is what it is.
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KayW
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#27

Post by KayW »

Getting nowhere fast on this puzzle. Lots of nowheres. All kinds of rabbit holes, but nothing is panning out. I set it aside for a day and just took a look with what i hoped were fresh eyes and ...still nothing.

Time for Plan B: publicly announce my failure and hope for post-enlightenment!
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.
Dplass
Posts: 1739
Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:09 am

#28

Post by Dplass »

KayW wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 3:33 pm Getting nowhere fast on this puzzle. Lots of nowheres. All kinds of rabbit holes, but nothing is panning out. I set it aside for a day and just took a look with what i hoped were fresh eyes and ...still nothing.

Time for Plan B: publicly announce my failure and hope for post-enlightenment!
Or...ask for a nudge. I'm not too proud to ask for a nudge.
Laura M
Posts: 1384
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:49 am

#29

Post by Laura M »

Just realized this is more elegant than I first thought!
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Conrad
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Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2019 2:16 pm
Location: Peaks Island, ME
Contact:

#30

Post by Conrad »

Laura M wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 9:10 pm Just realized this is more elegant than I first thought!
I also had the answer before seeing the elegance. Very clean meta.
Check out my meta crossword writeups on Crossword Fiend: https://crosswordfiend.com/author/conrad/
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Anita
Posts: 433
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 1:55 am

#31

Post by Anita »

I needed a small nudge on this, then everything fell into place. Impressive construction!
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KayW
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Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 12:10 am
Location: Chicago

#32

Post by KayW »

Dplass wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 7:52 pm
KayW wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 3:33 pm Getting nowhere fast on this puzzle. Lots of nowheres. All kinds of rabbit holes, but nothing is panning out. I set it aside for a day and just took a look with what i hoped were fresh eyes and ...still nothing.

Time for Plan B: publicly announce my failure and hope for post-enlightenment!
Or...ask for a nudge. I'm not too proud to ask for a nudge.
Neither am I. Just too stubborn :lol: - at least until Sunday.
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.
LaceyK
Posts: 127
Joined: Fri Nov 08, 2019 5:10 pm
Location: San Diego

#33

Post by LaceyK »

Humming the tune finally (and listening to it on youtube). Yay!
Well parts of several different rabbit holes did end up being important, including the first thing I noticed and tried.
Thank you to the good advice from Beth A to keep trying new things.

Now maybe some of those interesting things I noticed in the grid might be relevant to the mega-meta. Time to look at all 10 puzzles again!
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Cindy N
Posts: 984
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2019 12:55 pm
Location: Wisconsin

#34

Post by Cindy N »

And solved. Had a glimmer of the right idea, but didn't apply it correctly at first...or second...or... But found my way and this one is in the books. I've had better luck with my M puzzles this week (MM and MMMM). Back to PGW and WSJ!
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Thurman8er
Posts: 393
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:05 pm
Location: Fresno, CA

#35

Post by Thurman8er »

Got it.

Gonna spend some time tonight working on the MEGA!
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Cindy N
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Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2019 12:55 pm
Location: Wisconsin

#36

Post by Cindy N »

Speaking of the meta - I have run through a whole list of possibilities without success. If anyone is willing to take a look at my list and let me know if any of them was the right track and perhaps discarded to early...
FKelly
Posts: 315
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:09 pm

#37

Post by FKelly »

damefox wrote: Tue Oct 06, 2020 2:04 pm Number 12 on the leaderboard might be a record for me. I thought this was maybe August-level difficulty.
Don't you just hate it when most everyone thinks its easy or at most medium difficulty. I see plenty of entries points, but no way to tie them up.
I could use a nudge, please.
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Dannyvee
Posts: 515
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2020 11:39 am
Location: Jamaica Plain, MA

#38

Post by Dannyvee »

I wonder if someone could toss a nudge my way. Been staring so long but just not getting anywhere...
I can be found in Sheridan, NY, veejaying. (8)
CalRhody
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2020 12:25 pm

#39

Post by CalRhody »

Hi. Also struggling and slightly relieved to see others are in the same boat. Would appreciate a nudge, please.
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KayW
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Location: Chicago

#40

Post by KayW »

Bah. I am about to throw in the towel on this one. Would greatly appreciate a PM if anyone is willing to look over a list of my rabbit holes and give 👍on anything that might be the right track.
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.
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