MGWCC #859 — "Shifty Behavior" by Peter Gwinn

An excellent puzzle written by one of the innovators of the meta crossword format. It comes out every Friday at noon and increases in difficulty throughout the month. Available for modest subscription (worth every cent) here: www.xwordcontest.com
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Joe Ross
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MGWCC #859 — "Shifty Behavior" by Peter Gwinn

#1

Post by Joe Ross »

GUEST CONSTRUCTOR PUZZLE:

Today’s meta is by MGWCC veteran Peter Gwinn. Peter (on the left in photo below) is a comedian who lives in Chicago and writes for NPR’s “Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me!” In his free time he writes trivia puzzles for AVCX and articles about doing escape rooms with your kids for Room Escape Artist. He met Kermit the Frog when he used to write for “The Colbert Report”.

Image

Let’s see what Peter has in store for us…


THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:

This puzzle’s contest answer is something you can use to solve it.

Good luck! NOTE: there are two PDFs; use whichever one you prefer (or both even!).

--Matt

UPDATE:
Dear Solver:

Two notes on today's meta:

1) In the clue to 40-Across, "Northwest" should read "Northeast." Apologies for the error there.

2) Solvers using only the Across Lite file should also scan the PDFs if they are not seeing a certain mark before five clues. They are on the PDF and most solvers are seeing them in the Across Lite files but I'm told certain solvers are not.

--Matt
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docison
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#2

Post by docison »

Submitted and awaiting beam. I found this incredibly impressive.

ETA #20 on the board.
Last edited by docison on Fri Nov 15, 2024 2:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ajk
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#3

Post by ajk »

Beamed with loads of help.
Check out this very cool project by many of your favorite muggles to raise money to fight cancer. You get a fun puzzle bundle and good causes get $. Win-win: Crosswords for Cancer
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MikeyG
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#4

Post by MikeyG »

I just had an epiphany, and I feel like I'm getting close, but I'm not there yet. I'll keep at it!

Edit: Yep, wow. Up at 33. And I'll echo you, @docison: wow. A Level 4 at least, and I can't speak for Matt, but this is certainly a puzzle I would have loved to have made. Bravo to Peter!!

shifty.jpg
Last edited by MikeyG on Fri Nov 15, 2024 2:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 133. Don't Think Twice
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woozy
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#5

Post by woozy »

Okay. The grid tells me I should go to the supermarket and buy kumquats. The title tells me I should go to the Guggenheim and look at the Mona Lisa. And the prompt is telling me that Dessert Tortoises like to dig. And together than means the meta is.... I have no idea.
GUAVA is not an anagram of VAGUE
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DCBilly
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#6

Post by DCBilly »

Beamed up with assistance
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Meg
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#7

Post by Meg »

Ditto @DCBilly.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
Katiedid
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#8

Post by Katiedid »

Well, that note from Matt is pretty important. It helps explain why I was totally lost. There were no certain marks on my across lite clues! This doesn't mean I'll solve, but at least now I have a chance.
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woozy
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#9

Post by woozy »

Funny my across light shows those marks and I had no trouble seeing the marks. But the PDF made it a bit more clear what they were.

Still at sea though.
GUAVA is not an anagram of VAGUE
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ajk
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#10

Post by ajk »

Katiedid wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2024 3:10 pm Well, that note from Matt is pretty important. It helps explain why I was totally lost. There were no certain marks on my across lite clues! This doesn't mean I'll solve, but at least now I have a chance.
Yeah, I had the same issue.
Check out this very cool project by many of your favorite muggles to raise money to fight cancer. You get a fun puzzle bundle and good causes get $. Win-win: Crosswords for Cancer
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SamKat9
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#11

Post by SamKat9 »

Beamed, with an assist from @ajk . I was closer than I thought but missing a couple details. Pretty impressive puzzle!
Last edited by SamKat9 on Sat Nov 16, 2024 11:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
Shannon 🐱
PS: If you want help with a meta, PM what you have so I can help without spoiling too much. I've received lots of help in the beginning and I love to pay it forward!
AaronT
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#12

Post by AaronT »

Solved after a co-conspirator’s observation pointed me to the last step. Super impressive!
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Joe
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#13

Post by Joe »

No freakin clue
Happy to give nudges. If you notice I've solved, please tell me about avenues you've explored so I can nudge you in the right direction and not off a cliff.
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woozy
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#14

Post by woozy »

November had seven weeks this year it seems.

This may not be the hardest week 5 I've even seen but it also might be. It's certainly the hardest one in several months.
GUAVA is not an anagram of VAGUE
HoldThatThought
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#15

Post by HoldThatThought »

If you can speak at least two of Tagalog, Shalishan and Cebuono, fluently , can perform a MANOVA before 7 AM, and know how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop, there is absolutely no reason that you shouldn't be able to solve this.

There, that should boost everyone's confidence.
markhr
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#16

Post by markhr »

I only solved this because I remembered something from a puzzle a couple of years ago, which was slightly hinted at by one of the clues. Otherwise I doubt I would have gotten that final step.

The signposts here are rather faint, especially for a week 3. At least that's my take. Others may disagree.
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ChrisKochmanski
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#17

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Beamed!

With help.

Cool!
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woozy
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#18

Post by woozy »

markhr wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2024 12:25 am

The signposts here are rather faint, especially for a week 3. At least that's my take. Others may disagree.
Others may disagree. But they'd be wrong.
GUAVA is not an anagram of VAGUE
LesY
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#19

Post by LesY »

That was incredible. One of my favorite recent metas. Experience from another type of puzzling definitely helped.
StunGun
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#20

Post by StunGun »

Wow. Definitely felt like a week 7. Like threading a progressively smaller needle multiple times...

Getting the construction right must've been a real "1Across inhabitant". impressive!
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