Well then I am reposting for some closure, Tom said malapropriately.
Addictive Additive ****RETRACTED****
- DrTom
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NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- AnswerPfinder
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Dr. Tom, there's no reason to be ashamed!! I made this EXACT SAME MISTAKE with "Cover Up" in November. I took out letters from the answer (FRONT) that made solving it impossible - a result of staying up too late and not noticing that I had removed the letters in one of my refill attempts. The only difference is that my grid setup was not quite as complex as yours so I could refill it (yet again) and send out a new version within a few hours.
The best metas take the biggest risks - no shame in that! You had a great idea! Now you'll just have to come up with another one!
The best metas take the biggest risks - no shame in that! You had a great idea! Now you'll just have to come up with another one!
Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 metapuzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related charities. It is available at CrosswordsForCancer.com.
- Bob cruise director
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Y as in Gummy Bears - https://www.amazon.com/gummy-bears/s?k=gummy+bearsDrTom wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:17 pmNo, now GIT!Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:42 pm Now I can ask my friends from the south. As in 48A, does anyone use the word GYP?
And I like Piddle better than Tiddle
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
Cruise Director
- BrianMac
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As the other test solver, I share responsibility. Tom sent me the revised version, but I never got around to solving it.DrTom wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 12:47 amThanks Al, but this one is all on me - rookie mistake. I thought about going back and changing the meta prompt for one quick minute, hoping there was a sugar substitute named ULTRA, but no, time to take my lumps. The one thing you can be sure of, it will never happen again because, assuming I get back on that META horse you can be certain that I will check it and recheck it then have someone else check it.
AnswerPfinder can testify I am a terrible test solver!
- DrTom
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Or then there is the original Haribo bears: https://www.oldtimecandy.com/collection ... ummi-bears.Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:29 pmY as in Gummy Bears - https://www.amazon.com/gummy-bears/s?k=gummy+bearsDrTom wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:17 pmNo, now GIT!Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:42 pm Now I can ask my friends from the south. As in 48A, does anyone use the word GYP?
And I like Piddle better than Tiddle
Yes frittering away and piddling about are synonymous with wasting time in the US, but in Britain it is more indicative of a different way to waste time, or time waste. But not to worry urine good company.
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- Tom Mueller
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If nothing else, I thoroughly enjoyed the grid! While researching various clues, I learned number 163 has special properties in number theory and might help in understanding “monstrous moonshine.” I actually thought I was on to something there.
- fuggedabowdit
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I am so glad I am late to the "party" , and missed out on a bunch of headscratching!!
Never trouble trouble til trouble troubles you !
- Hector
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Dunno about others, but I never got far enough to be affected by the problem -- I never thought of scoring a word by adding the alphabetic positions of its letters. Tried Scrabble and Words With Friends scorings, maybe one or two other things. So I don't blame Tom for *my* head-scratching. It was just a tough and clever mechanism.
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I regret I can only like this once!
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My immediate guess from the title and prompt was SUGAR, so that's kind of problematic as well.
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Wait, but wasn't that the answer?!
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I really enjoyed the grid. I found the first step but haven't figured out the next. Must let it simmer. Have a feeling this one will be beyond my muggling skills.
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Yes; I meant that the entire crossword puzzle is superfluous if the answer can be guessed from the prompt.
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Wow, I'm just happy I got the first step ....Super creative idea. I was looking at the 5 words (coke,speed, alcohol, pot and barbs) and taking their additives like amphetamine, ehanol, cannabis etc. but I couldn't come up with a 5 letter sweet with the letters I got. Thanks for the puzzle. I never would have caught your "mistake" as I doubt I ever would have gotten the "additive" mechanism. I actually thought it might have something to do with the letter "c" since additive and addictive are only separated by a "c"...
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And ask him how many times he has been incorrect. See the problem with guessing is that sometimes constructors know people will do that so they put a lot of things that "look" like they give the answer but they do not. There are several times I have "guessed" the answer beforehand and then solved the puzzle. I've been right many times but also wrong. Even if you guess it, and had this puzzle been formatted correctly, it might still have been fun to see WHY that was the answer.
Oh, and I think you'd get some debate at to whether the goal is to reach the top of the leader board. Muggles, at least to my knowledge, enjoy the chase as much, perhaps even more, than the score. Besides top of the leaderboard for a MMM, WSJ, PANDORA, MEOW really don't mean much. Only the MGWCC really seems to matter for bragging rights, nothing more.
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
- DrTom
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Wow that was a good thought, there might be a META mechanism in there somewhere....minimuggle wrote: ↑Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:20 pm Wow, I'm just happy I got the first step ....Super creative idea. I was looking at the 5 words (coke,speed, alcohol, pot and barbs) and taking their additives like amphetamine, ehanol, cannabis etc. but I couldn't come up with a 5 letter sweet with the letters I got. Thanks for the puzzle. I never would have caught your "mistake" as I doubt I ever would have gotten the "additive" mechanism. I actually thought it might have something to do with the letter "c" since additive and addictive are only separated by a "c"...
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
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Y'all are being too serious!DrTom wrote: ↑Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:55 pmAnd ask him how many times he has been incorrect. See the problem with guessing is that sometimes constructors know people will do that so they put a lot of things that "look" like they give the answer but they do not. There are several times I have "guessed" the answer beforehand and then solved the puzzle. I've been right many times but also wrong. Even if you guess it, and had this puzzle been formatted correctly, it might still have been fun to see WHY that was the answer.
Oh, and I think you'd get some debate at to whether the goal is to reach the top of the leader board. Muggles, at least to my knowledge, enjoy the chase as much, perhaps even more, than the score. Besides top of the leaderboard for a MMM, WSJ, PANDORA, MEOW really don't mean much. Only the MGWCC really seems to matter for bragging rights, nothing more.
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Per 40A, DrTom will now go by DrThom.
Don't believe I would have ever left the couch in any event!
Don't believe I would have ever left the couch in any event!
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If you told me you had authored the infamous “Spock’s Brain” episode of Star Trek TOS, I would be disappointed in you. Otherwise, you are still the best!
I saw your key words and am proud of myself for that. Thank you!
I saw your key words and am proud of myself for that. Thank you!
“I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions”. Lillian Hellman