#57 - "Preposition Cook"

[Hector]

The answer to the metapuzzle is a word you might hear in a French restaurant.

[Hector]

Solved (I think) with some back-solving.

A distinctive difficulty in pgw's metas is that grid entries that with other constructors would seem so unusual as to HAVE TO be part of the meta mechanism are just par for the course.

[Cindy]

Solved.

[ChrisKochmanski]

C’est amusant! (Don’t worry. Not a spoiler.)

[ChrisKochmanski]

Agree with Hector. Rarely in PGWCC do we find ONO, EPEE, OTT, ORR, EMU, GNU, etc., etc. That’s OK.

[Laura M]

Solved and confirmed. PGW's attention to detail is always impressive.

[Dplass]

Solved (I think) with some back-solving.

A distinctive difficulty in pgw's metas is that grid entries that with other constructors would seem so unusual as to HAVE TO be part of the meta mechanism are just par for the course.

I'm not sure how to parse that.

Do you mean, "PGW has weird words in his grids that aren't part of the meta, but other constructors put weird words in the grid that ARE part of the meta?"

[Hector]

Yes. Metas are more difficult to construct than plain crosswords (at least, themeless ones). So, often there will be clues, entries, or even just letters, that are to some extent forced---ones that the constructor would be unlikely to use in a plain puzzle. Spotting unusual, noteworthy content becomes part of the solving experience (why is THAT there?), and constructors play with that. What I meant is just that pgw's grids are so full of unusual, noteworthy content even apart from the meta mechanisms that you can rarely think, "Aha! That has to be part of the meta."

[Dplass]

Yes. Metas are more difficult to construct than plain crosswords (at least, themeless ones). So, often there will be clues, entries, or even just letters, that are to some extent forced---ones that the constructor would be unlikely to use in a plain puzzle. Spotting unusual, noteworthy content becomes part of the solving experience (why is THAT there?), and constructors play with that. What I meant is just that pgw's grids are so full of unusual, noteworthy content even apart from the meta mechanisms that you can rarely think, "Aha! That has to be part of the meta."

Ah, I understand what you mean. Personally, I interpret that as a defect, requiring too much "mind reading". But I could understand how people consider it a challenge.

I find PGW's metas too frustrating and I'm probably going to Marie Kondo them.

[pgw]

Yes. Metas are more difficult to construct than plain crosswords (at least, themeless ones).

Not for me - I have no idea how anyone can possibly construct a good themeless. The constraints created by theme, or meta content, require creativity in filling the rest of the grid; a blank slate would be incredibly intimidating to me.

What I meant is just that pgw's grids are so full of unusual, noteworthy content even apart from the meta mechanisms that you can rarely think, "Aha! That has to be part of the meta."

The reason for this is mostly that I am not as good a constructor as others. When "unusual" (i.e. bad) fill shows up in my grids, it's usually because I was unable to fill the grid smoothly given the constraints I made for myself with the meta content. Whether that's a feature or a bug I guess depends on your point of view ...

[Al Sisti]

Yes. Metas are more difficult to construct than plain crosswords (at least, themeless ones).

Not for me - I have no idea how anyone can possibly construct a good themeless. The constraints created by theme, or meta content, require creativity in filling the rest of the grid; a blank slate would be incredibly intimidating to me.

What I meant is just that pgw's grids are so full of unusual, noteworthy content even apart from the meta mechanisms that you can rarely think, "Aha! That has to be part of the meta."

The reason for this is mostly that I am not as good a constructor as others. When "unusual" (i.e. bad) fill shows up in my grids, it's usually because I was unable to fill the grid smoothly given the constraints I made for myself with the meta content. Whether that's a feature or a bug I guess depends on your point of view ...

I see nothing wrong with learning new words every day. I think by now I know pretty much all I need to know about NENE, ENO, AMES, ONO and UMA.

[Al Sisti]

Peter confirmed that my answer was correct. Another streak begins...

[FrankieHeck]

I'm about to have a LOSING streak with PGW. And I don't think I'm going to get Brian's latest, either. I don't know if I'm getting dumber or if I've just been too distracted lately. On the plus side (is it a plus? I'm not sure...) I'm getting better at failing these. In the sense that I don't let it bug me all weekend. I guess maybe that's WHY I'm not getting them....

[Al Sisti]

I'm about to have a LOSING streak with PGW. And I don't think I'm going to get Brian's latest, either. I don't know if I'm getting dumber or if I've just been too distracted lately. On the plus side (is it a plus? I'm not sure...) I'm getting better at failing these. In the sense that I don't let it bug me all weekend. I guess maybe that's WHY I'm not getting them....

Brian's is tough, but worth it... and very clever. Peter's is not super difficult, but I was going further than necessary and making it harder and unintentionally impossible.

[FrankieHeck]

I'm about to have a LOSING streak with PGW. And I don't think I'm going to get Brian's latest, either. I don't know if I'm getting dumber or if I've just been too distracted lately. On the plus side (is it a plus? I'm not sure...) I'm getting better at failing these. In the sense that I don't let it bug me all weekend. I guess maybe that's WHY I'm not getting them....

Brian's is tough, but worth it... and very clever. Peter's is not super difficult, but I was going further than necessary and making it harder and unintentionally impossible.

Thanks. Now it's going to bug me all weekend! I did break down and print Peter's out...I've been trying to save on ink. But I think I'll switch gears and try Brian's again.

Edited to add: Doh. Solved Brian's. I will say more about that after the reveal, lol.

[camandsampowercouple]

just solved the grid and im intimidated by the language barrier

[Dplass]

just solved the grid and im intimidated by the language barrier

Same. I saw absolutely nothing pointing at anything and know about three words of French so I tossed it. Only 4 days until WSJ!

[burak]

This is very late, but if I'm right the puzzle is very gettable so don't let the French intimidate you

[Dplass]

This is very late, but if I'm right the puzzle is very gettable so don't let the French intimidate you

Thanks. I took another look today and still nothing. Tossed.

[camandsampowercouple]

I think I just pulled it together but maybe i feel like I only have like half of it...