Hints for Solving Meta Contests

[Al Sisti]

I received a PMed request for help from an accomplished Muggle trying to solve a Week 2 MGWCC. It's rare that this solver needs help. There was stated frustration that help was needed on a Week 2 puzzle.

Perfectly laid out, in logical detail, were all things noted by this solver about the Title, Meta Clue, possible Theme Entries, and cluing.

While I was replying, I received another PM explaining that immediately after writing the first PM & sending, the answer presented itself. The solver's solo status was preserved.

This is a powerful tool for solving. No matter your stance on requesting help, writing to a "casual observer" (in my case) or the most expert solver and reorganizing your thoughts & progress can allow you to winnow the chaff and let the answer present itself.

You don't have to send the request for help. Putting ideas into logical steps for another to understand is what can turn the trick.

In the software industry we call this "Rubber Duck Debugging". Sometimes you just need to explain the problem you're having to the rubber duck on your desk, and you will suddenly know the solution.

Also could probably be called "talking to yourself". We all do it. We will not all admit it. And most if not all of us answer!

We do not. We do too.

[Joe Ross]

I solve most metas' grids on my phone using online forms or PUZ, first, then transfer to the spreadsheet forms. A couple of years ago, @Dplass gave me an excellent suggestion to use a fixed-width font, which aligns letters in my notations vertically. This has helped me solve many metas much more quickly than I would have. Thank you, Dave.

Last week's WSJCC's metanism used 10+4-lettered clue combinations. I was lucky to see nothing apparent within the grid & my first glance at the clues allowed me to see the path to the solution.

(Hold on, I'm getting to the point, but a bit more background, if you please...) A couple/few months ago, I added the lists of clues to the spreadsheet forms. These are much easier to read than the PDF screen grabs included in the spreadsheets, but also are able to be copied & pasted into my solving notes. Last week's WSJCC had me changing the clues listed within the spreadsheet to a fixed-width font, also, which made the 10/4 clues POP! allowing me to create visual nudges for stuck muggles. This reinforced the benefits of using fixed-width fonts for vertical alignment of text.

(Ready?) Not everyone solves digitally, much less using spreadsheets. Paper rules for many, so how can paper solvers benefit from the fixed-width phenomena? Use graph paper for your notes. If not your first choice, keep it on hand as a secondary media to explore what you've noted.

[mkmf]

Dealing with frustration when a meta is far out of your wheelhouse? It happens to all of us. Here are some wise words from @DrTom after the "Just Stop" puzzle:

It is true that this required some “classic” knowledge, but that is true of any puzzle.

People do the Music Meta which I can never do because of a general lack of knowledge.

Other constructors have done puzzles with more topical clues like rappers, performance artists, TV shows aimed at a non-boomer crowd, etc. I try them all because that is how one grows their database and gets better. The things I have learned from puzzles has made me a better conversationalist, has helped me understand some other written or broadcast work and has made me entirely annoying to my wife when a question on Jeopardy comes up and I answer it. “How in the world could you know that?” she cries. “Crosswords!”

My point is that we should probably not criticize something outside our comfort zone, but embrace it for what it is, enlightenment.

[DBMiller]

If the title or part of the title shows up in a clue, look at it carefully; there’s a good chance it’s a pointer to the meta.

I will add that if said clue is especially verbose, there's a reason for it to be worded that way.