MEOW #124 Bill Collector

[DrTom]

So, 1 more person chimed in to make it an even 50.
50 frostyjhammer

I imagine this is either a "tried it by now" or "I don't waste time on these" but I'll post some nudges anyway

[DrTom]

NUDGES:

Did you notice several names of important sounding people in the grid?

So you know where to find their names, where would you find their faces?

Do those names have a number associated with them?

If a constructor gives you numbers, what do you do?

[edestlin]

Oh I couldn't possibly have been so daft. Felt stumped and needed nudge 4 (and only nudge 4). My goodness. Thanks, DrTom!

[CPJohnson]

Late to the party this week, but finally got it. Thanks, DrTom!

[DrTom]

Oh I couldn't possibly have been so daft. Felt stumped and needed nudge 4 (and only nudge 4). My goodness. Thanks, DrTom!

Well, I mean that WAS the sneaky part.....

[DrTom]

Late to the party this week, but finally got it. Thanks, DrTom!

Glad you could make the party, its always best when there is a house-full (of course now we have to contend with all these cats)

[DrTom]

Saturday (and one late Friday) solvers:

50 frostyjhammer
51 edestlin
52 DebbieC
53 CPJohnson

The meter is ticking up, more slowly now but it hasn't stopped. I don't think I can give anymore general nudges without giving it away, but if anyone wants a private nudge please feel free.

[DrTom]

One more joins the ranks:

54 rayyandroid

Reveal coming tomorrow

[DrTom]

So final count (with one more person solving late last evening and one this AM) is 56!
1 Hector
2 Cindy Weatherman
3 Benchen71
4 Tom Wilson
5 boharr
6 rjy
7 Darth
8 Whimsy
9 Tyrpmom
10 Cinny
11 JM
12 JHSeeman
13 ajk
14 kymike
15 Bird Lives
16 ChrisKochmanski
17 SJMcK
18 Darrell
19 Sharkicicles
20 Carolyn
21 THC
22 woozy
23 Meg
24 Laura M
25 kurtalert
26 KayW
27 markhr
28 Ergcat
29 DIS
30 lbray53
31 Matthew L
32 Dow Jones
33 jbird
34 Mg305
35 Gutman
36 imontoo
37 Pair OI Ducks
38 Schmeel
39 Hoover
40 Berto
41 SeamusOL
42 Clark E Tripe
43 Mikey G
44 troysail
45 Jeremy Smith
46 ReB
47 LindaPRmaven
48 Bbaack
49 Jaclyn
50 frostyjhammer
51 edestlin
52 DebbieC
53 CPJohnson
54 rayyandroid
55 Mr Tex
56 Johnny Luau

Heck that is two better than Play Dough, one for which I was over the moon about the number of solvers. Thanks to those who gave it a try, it seems it did not have as many warts as I thought.

[DrTom]

Well this one was FUN! I got a lot of solvers and it did not seem to be overly difficult. That is not to say some folks did not get side-tracked. One of the best ‘balls of twine” (things that keep cats busy when they really should be paying attention to something else) was the following:

The five themers are Presidents gracing paper bills, from $2 through $50. Now the rarest US paper bill is a $1,000 bill that is know as a GRAND WATERMELON (only one of them, worth millions at auction). Certainly this kind of "watermelon" would be a tremendous "treat" for one who collects bills. So this seems to be a most logical answer.

I have to tell you, after reading that I WISHED the answer had been WATERMELON! Instead I went with MINTS to do a word play on the candy and the institution, both likely favorites of our bill collectors.

Lots of folks got waylaid by finding the names of the Presidents and trying to do something with that voweless lot, trying to use first names, looking for things that indicated money owed, etc. My best nudge for the bulk of people was Nudge 4: If a constructor gives you numbers, what do you do?
So how did I intend it to be solved – well here it is:

I want to thank the 56 people who solved it and those who tried and found their bills too high.

[Tom Wilson]

As if Lin-Manuel hasn't already planted the seed in our heads, I move that Alexander Hamilton be declared an honorary president.