#5 - "Can You Give Me Directions?"

[Meg]

This one is interesting! Not there yet, but I have an idea.

[LesY]

Did you get there? While the answer is definitely “somewhat stilted,” this puzzle was a strong challenge that could have gone down a number of paths. I enjoyed it!

[Meg]

LesY, yes! I got it. The AVX puzzle by Francis Heaney, is, on the other hand, killing me!

[TMart]

Got the first step (which was very elegantly constructed) but can’t seem to make anything out of it. I’m hoping the “stilted” part isn’t too confusing.

[Al Sisti]

I got the "trick" for both puzzles, but haven't narrowed down anything aha-able yet.

[FrankieHeck]

I am wandering aimlessly, as usual!

[Hector]

I have an answer that makes sense, is stilted, and is obtained in a meta way that seems clearly on the right track, but there are a few oddnesses in the last step that make me think I'm not seeing everything (or maybe seeing too much).

[LesY]

Meg - glad you got it! Btw all - it may be obvious but I’m Les Yonce over on WSJ.

To those still working on PGWCC, it sounds trite and we say it every time, but think about the title and stick to the process. Don’t worry about the stilted thing until the end.

[TMart]

I think I got it. My answer makes sense from the circuitous path I followed, and it is definitely stilted. Great idea and construction for a meta, and mostly well executed, except for the stilted part.

[FrankieHeck]

Oh my gosh, I think I might have the answer now. I was definitely looking for the wrong path before. Now I am convinced that I have the right main idea, and I have a stilted answer, but I'm not 100% sure of a couple things that led me there. I'm just excited to have an answer to turn in

[Al Sisti]

Wow... I just got it and submitted my answer. What an absolutely brilliant construction! PGW is a force to be reckoned with!

[Anita]

Very nice construction! Just got it, after some head scratching.

[BarbaraK]

That was fun!

I hadn't planned to do this puzzle as I wasn't crazy about a couple others of these. But I had some time so decided to go ahead and give it a try.

The grid was difficult but mostly doable. I only had to google a couple letters, not entire swaths. (And there is one entry I still don't get, even with google).

When I saw the first step of the meta, it was lovely and made me want to keep going and find the rest.

For those who have oddness or ambiguities, there's a piece of this that I suspect you haven't noticed yet.

[FrankieHeck]

I have an answer that makes sense, is stilted, and is obtained in a meta way that seems clearly on the right track, but there are a few oddnesses in the last step that make me think I'm not seeing everything (or maybe seeing too much).

I feel the exact same way, and after Barbara's post, now I'm starting to doubt myself. I'll probably submit it anyway, and if it's wrong, I'll let y'all laugh at my answer.

[BarbaraK]

I have an answer that makes sense, is stilted, and is obtained in a meta way that seems clearly on the right track, but there are a few oddnesses in the last step that make me think I'm not seeing everything (or maybe seeing too much).

I feel the exact same way, and after Barbara's post, now I'm starting to doubt myself. I'll probably submit it anyway, and if it's wrong, I'll let y'all laugh at my answer.

It won't surprise me if your answer is right; I just think you're missing part of the elegance.

[FrankieHeck]

I have an answer that makes sense, is stilted, and is obtained in a meta way that seems clearly on the right track, but there are a few oddnesses in the last step that make me think I'm not seeing everything (or maybe seeing too much).

I feel the exact same way, and after Barbara's post, now I'm starting to doubt myself. I'll probably submit it anyway, and if it's wrong, I'll let y'all laugh at my answer.

It won't surprise me if your answer is right; I just think you're missing part of the elegance.

You are right, Barbara. I still am not 100% sure, but I just discovered another layer of elegance that does help confirm my guess. I cannot imagine having the kind of brain that could construct these puzzles! And I'll shut up now

[joequavis]

Wow - I'm pretty new to this fascinating little world of metas, but this one was pretty cool!

-Matt

[pgw]

That was fun!

I hadn't planned to do this puzzle as I wasn't crazy about a couple others of these. But I had some time so decided to go ahead and give it a try.

The grid was difficult but mostly doable. I only had to google a couple letters, not entire swaths. (And there is one entry I still don't get, even with google).

Glad you decided to give it another crack and enjoyed this one. I'm curious - what's the entry you don't get?

- pgw

[BarbaraK]

That was fun!

I hadn't planned to do this puzzle as I wasn't crazy about a couple others of these. But I had some time so decided to go ahead and give it a try.

The grid was difficult but mostly doable. I only had to google a couple letters, not entire swaths. (And there is one entry I still don't get, even with google).

Glad you decided to give it another crack and enjoyed this one. I'm curious - what's the entry you don't get?

- pgw

It was 96A.

I had DOGGY for 75D, giving me NYID there. I tried an I and even an E for that intersection but neither helped. I never considered an O.

I also assumed that the non-adjacent state pairs were intentional distractors and that this was one of them.