Guide to Solving the WSJ Meta with Excel/Spreadsheets

[Inca]

20191101 BACKDROPS Excel .gif

How do you put the circles around the letters? I'm pretty sure I know, but easier to just ask.

[Joe Ross]

How do you put the circles around the letters?

[Joe Ross]

Link to 20191108 Thats A Plus WSJ Crossword Contest Excel template

[Joe Ross]

Publication of solution of November 9, 2019's That's A Plus may be delayed due to Veterans Day. Will edit this post with spreadsheet when posted by WSJ, not that many will need it.

Edit:

Solved meta while filling the grid (see the right side). Some may find filling the spreadsheet easier than the WSJ online form. I usually fill the online form, then the spreadsheet. Repeating the grid can help.

This had an exception for the 'in clue order' "rule", with the grid letters of the meta answer arranged clockwise.

[Joe Ross]

That's A Plus, Post #75:

Oh, by the way, trying out the Excel crossword grid...

...moving around with the keys will take some getting used to because I keep selecting the darn grid and then moving it when I try to move the cursor.

I may just go back to my PDF method since I have the full Acrobat. I will say it did make highlighting easy.

Moving "the cursor" using the keyboard arrows is a must & takes practice. Click to the right, off of the PDF form, to reconnect to the spreadsheet.

DrTom: Can you detail, here, how to set up Adobe Acrobat for solving? I've not figured how to do it. Muggles may prefer that method.

Thank you!

[Joe Ross]

20191115 Out of the Elements WSJ Crossword Contest blank spreadsheet.

[KayW]

Joe you really are spoiling us. The blank template you provided makes this so easy to do for myself. But any time I try to solve before the print edition comes out, the first thing I do is check to see if you've already provided the current week's workbook. And indeed you did! Vielen Dank!

[Joe Ross]

Joe you really are spoiling us. The blank template you provided makes this so easy to do for myself. But any time I try to solve before the print edition comes out, the first thing I do is check to see if you've already provided the current week's workbook. And indeed you did! Vielen Dank!

Sie sind willkommen, nette Dame.

I had it posted by 4:07, which included me signing off, remembering a small error, signing back on, & correcting it. It's easy to do.

Look for the MMMM & MGWCC blanks in the near future.

[Joe Ross]

Link to 20191122 WSJ CC - Part Two

"PART TWO" - November 22, 2019

The answer to this week’s contest crossword is CERTAIN PARTS OF THE BODY.

good luck with the grid and the contest

[Joe Ross]

My solution for "PART TWO" - November 22, 2019 can be found HERE.

I knew the correct meta answer - 100% - and submitted it before knowing the justification of one of its letters. After I thought I had found the proper instance of the letter within the grid, I hadn't. The correct answer must be submitted, not its justification, thankfully.
,......
In order to learn, some muggles have requested hints, post-deadline, of various levels. To avoid showing the meta answers where they can't be 'unseen', I will post links. If you can't view a linked solution, please post here or send a private message.

[Joe Ross]

20191129 Leftovers WSJ Crossword Contest blank spreadsheet.

Apologies for the late post!

[Joe Ross]

Link to 20191217 WSJ CC - Two Part Harmony spreadsheet

I think that this was posted on WSJ by mistake, today. See next post for Friday Crossword Contest.

[Joe Ross]

Link to 20191205 WSJ CC - Then and Now spreadsheet

[Joe Ross]

Link to 20191213 WSJ CC - Out of Bounds spreadsheet

[Joe Ross]

Link to 20191213 WSJ CC - Counting Calories spreadsheet

[Joe Ross]

Solution:. Counting Calories WSJ Crossword Contest 12/20/2019

[MajordomoTom]

[Joe Ross]

Link to 20191227 WSJ CC Ringing In the New Year spreadsheet

[Joe Ross]

Inca and DrTom mentioned that the spreadsheet aided them in solving, this week. It would be great to see their efforts, here.

My efforts with the spreadsheet, this week, were all over the place, leading to frustration. I solved using a simple text list, since I was not editing the spreadsheet at the time the Part One AHA! smacked me in the face.

EDIT: The text list follows in countdown order. The numbers of letters in theme words were fewer generally as the list descended, which indicated Step Two to me immediately.

COUNTS DOWN 10
KATE HUDSON 9
ICE SKATING 8
SAMPRAS 7
HEXAMETER 6
ISLAM 5
SWEAR 4
FAKE 3
TEA 2
ROPE 1

[Joe Ross]

Link to 20200103 WSJ CC Who Says spreadsheet