#721 - “I As in Interrobang”

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Joe Ross
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#721 - “I As in Interrobang”

#1

Post by Joe Ross »

MGWCC #721 — Friday, March 25th, 2022 — “I As in Interrobang”

THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:

This week’s contest answer is an eight-letter, two-word phrase that would’ve made a good title for this puzzle.

–Matt


MGWCC #721 -- CORRECTION

Dear Solver,

In the clue to 40-A in today's puzzle, please change "Lagos" to "Abuja".

Not meta-related, I just keep forgetting that Lagos is no longer the capital of Nigeria.

--Matt




Join MGWCC.
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Streroto
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#2

Post by Streroto »

Had to look up interrobang. That’s a bad start. Not a clue.
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Meg
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#3

Post by Meg »

Cool idea! Waiting for the update.
Okay! In at #14.
Last edited by Meg on Fri Mar 25, 2022 5:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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twelvetones
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#4

Post by twelvetones »

Agreed, super cool mechanism! Waiting on the update too -- if I'm wrong this is a world class coincidence...

EDIT: in at #20 - my best week 4 by a mile!
Last edited by twelvetones on Fri Mar 25, 2022 6:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- John Berry
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paige11
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#5

Post by paige11 »

Waiting for confirmation. Clever mechanism, but I almost got tripped up at the end!

Edit: Beam me up!
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Wendy Walker
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#6

Post by Wendy Walker »

It will come as no surprise to any Muggle that I loved this puzzle.
EDIT: On the leaderboard at #33!
Last edited by Wendy Walker on Sat Mar 26, 2022 8:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
Good luck, fellow Muggles!
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Laura M
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#7

Post by Laura M »

Submitted and waiting to see whether I'm beamed up or out into space. I feel like there was some room for error on this one. Still, I agree it was pretty cool!

Edit: #36!
Last edited by Laura M on Fri Mar 25, 2022 6:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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FeelingSlow
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#8

Post by FeelingSlow »

Just joined MGWCC and this is my first Weekly Gaffney....starting week 4 feels like I just jumped in the deep end of the pool. Grid solved so I got that going for me :)

Going through the "Hints for Solving Meta" page Joe shared with me trying to find something that jumps out. Might need to chew on this one for awhile. No obvious theme answers jumping out...maybe a mechanism clue...
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ChrisKochmanski
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#9

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Beam me up!

Loved it!
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LesY
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#10

Post by LesY »

Beamed up at #22. If I’d started on time I could have cracked the top 5. Alas.
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hcbirker
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#11

Post by hcbirker »

Brilliant puzzle! Beam me up!
Heidi
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BarbaraK
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#12

Post by BarbaraK »

I've beamed up! Had the idea, but couldn't quite get it all to work. Tried to backsolve once I was pretty sure what the answer was, but even accepting clunkyness, it still just wasn't quite there. Finally realized I was making an unwarranted assumption, and once I let that go, it all came together nicely.
FeelingSlow wrote: ↑Fri Mar 25, 2022 6:56 pm Just joined MGWCC and this is my first Weekly Gaffney....starting week 4 feels like I just jumped in the deep end of the pool. Grid solved so I got that going for me :)
This got me curious, so as I was adding this week's puzzle to my spreadsheet, I looked back at when I started and took a stroll through memory lane.

I did start at the beginning of a month, and my first month I got weeks 1 and 2 only. Even reading about weeks 3-5, I thought I'd never solve anything like that. But the next two months, I also got the week 3. And my fourth month, I solved the week 4. (That was a week 4 of 5, which means it's easier than a week 4 of 4, and I have this vague memory that even at that it was a bit easier than expected, but I was still very pleased with myself:)

It was 10 months til my first week 5, and what a thrill when that finally happened! I'd spent the entire weekend staring at that one, carrying it with me everywhere so I could sneak peeks, and chasing rabbit holes left and right. Finally, Tuesday morning, just before the deadline, I noticed something that led to something that led to the solution, just in time. I was walking on cloud nine for days after that.
If you want help with a meta, feel free to PM me. The more specific you are about what you have and what you want, the more likely I can help without spoiling.

(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
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HeadinHome
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#13

Post by HeadinHome »

Yep. Interrobang (?!) about describes my brain right now. What the what?!?! Thinking…. Thinking….

Meanwhile, the state of North Carolina making a strong showing tonight in NCAA action (and what about them Peacocks???). Woot! UNC-St.Peter’s will be a fun matchup! (As will the Duke-UNC re-match in the championship game ha ha ha … naw, ain’t gonna happen).
The other Wendy. :roll:
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Abide
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#14

Post by Abide »

Not sure about one small piece so I will sleep on it, perchance to beam.

Edit: Got it!
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Joe
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#15

Post by Joe »

Dare I ask for a nudge this soon?
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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mattythewsjpuzzler
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#16

Post by mattythewsjpuzzler »

Beamed. How does he come up with this stuff?! (Interrobang)
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woozy
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#17

Post by woozy »

Wow... all I can see so far is... It's weird, really, really, weird and inconsistently weird. I feel like I should see something.... but I don't.
Latest meta: Surround Sound

"No, this is Thompson with a P, __ __ psychology"
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MikeyG
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#18

Post by MikeyG »

woozy wrote: ↑Sat Mar 26, 2022 12:40 pm Wow... all I can see so far is... It's weird, really, really, weird and inconsistently weird. I feel like I should see something.... but I don't.
I'm in the exact same spot, and it's Rabbit Hole City (good name for a band) over here.
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 113. Where's the Rest?
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Bird Lives
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#19

Post by Bird Lives »

Wendy Walker wrote: ↑Fri Mar 25, 2022 6:25 pm It will come as no surprise to any Muggle that I loved this puzzle.
Indeed.
Last edited by Bird Lives on Sun Mar 27, 2022 7:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
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JennyByrd
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#20

Post by JennyByrd »

An extremely rare week 4 solo solve for me this week. Waiting on confirmation, but I’m 99.4% sure.
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