MEOW #75 Making Points

[Bbaack]

Lots of fun, and very clever. Thanks!

[CPJohnson]

I got it, with a push from Cinny. Great puzzle, DrTom!

[lbray53]

CPJohnson was good enough to lend me a hand. Is there such a thing as a solver’s block? I had the answer written down in my Hail Mary notes. I had the letters to the answer highlighted in the grid. And yet I could not see it.

So it seems the bag was open but the cat didn’t notice.

Great puzzle Dr. Tom! I did not do it justice.

[DrTom]

Well its been eerily quiet since the 4th, just three more solvers:

14 Bbaack
15 CPJohnson
16 lbray55

So I guess it is time for some nudges?

I had some points I wanted to make when constructing this puzzle, and I covered all of them.

I said I broke a cardinal rule and the puzzle was out of the ordinary – but don’t you ignore the cardinal and the ordinary

One of the clues refers to something that will help you solve, and it doesn’t even have to be a moral one!

If those don't help, PM me for more directions.

[lbray53]

Oh man! Love your clues and love your nudges.

[edestlin]

Thanks for the nudges and getting me to stare at this for a while longer. I finally saw what I needed to see (before I die). Happy Saturday!

[MMe]

Aargh! The second meta recently where all of the nudges seem only to confirm things that seemed clear right away, but no answer is forthcoming.

[woozy]

Aargh! The second meta recently where all of the nudges seem only to confirm things that seemed clear right away, but no answer is forthcoming.

Even nudge 2? Nudge 2 is cryptic but... it tells all.''

most metas do something that this meta just doesn't do. It's easy when you ignore that thing. But it's hard to ignore that thing.

[Ergcat]

Aargh! The second meta recently where all of the nudges seem only to confirm things that seemed clear right away, but no answer is forthcoming.

Even nudge 2? Nudge 2 is cryptic but... it tells all.''

most metas do something that this meta just doesn't do. It's easy when you ignore that thing. But it's hard to ignore that thing.

That makes it all clear…. Not! Will stare some more….

[MikeyG]

Time's running out - I'm tempted to see if I can get this without nudges, since I clearly see the first step, but some noodling isn't getting me anywhere as of yet!

[Dow Jones]

Great fun solving the puzzle and meta, Dr. Tom. Happy Mother's Day to all that celebrate it !!

[ky-mike]

OK. You guilted me into going back to look at this again during the Sunday zoom session on MGWCC. I have submitted the correct answer (can't be anythign else).

I usually do so many puzzles each week that if I get stuck on one I move to the next. Glad I went back to see this one through.

[DrTom]

Well that's a little better! A bunch of folks have solved the MGWCC and now that they have returned ot normal they are looking for another hill (albeit smaller) to climb so they are going with the MEOW (and I imagine some Pandora as well). At any rate I got a few more catty souls

17 edestin
18 Carolyn
19 Dow Jones
20 Mme
21 LindaPRmaven
22 markhr
24 ky-mike
23 Abide

Let's go for 50 folks!!!

[DrTom]

Well two more intrepid souls joined the bagless party:
25 Small Wave Dave
26 MikeyG

I'm expecting a huge rush of new solvers after the MGWCC closes, I am certain that is why there were so few solvers. I'm kind of sad because I thought this was one of my better ones. Well, if I am going ot be upstaged it might as well be by Matt.

[madhatter5]

Well two more intrepid souls joined the bagless party:
25 Small Wave Dave
26 MikeyG

I'm expecting a huge rush of new solvers after the MGWCC closes, I am certain that is why there were so few solvers. I'm kind of sad because I thought this was one of my better ones. Well, if I am going ot be upstaged it might as well be by Matt.

Your MEOWs still get more solvers than mine Tom

[DrTom]

Well one last solver:
27 Ergcat

So fairly anemic turnout, but hey quality over quantity right!

Thanks to all who gave it a shot. The reveal follows for all those wondering what the heck I meant with this puzzle.

[DrTom]

MAKING POINTS - THE SOLUTION

There were 8 clues in the puzzle in which I made “points” or to be more specific compass points.
ACROSS
18 NORTHWEST
19 SOUTH
32 NORTHEAST
40 NORTH
42 SOUTHEAST
47 WEST
68 SOUTHEAST
DOWN
5 EAST

Then 16 A was your “nudge” clue: Something you'll need when learning to use a compass: DIRECTIONS

OK then, let’s get a compass:

There are 8 POINTS that we have made, so let’s put the compass on top of the grid:

Going “compasswise” 360 degrees from North you have T-H-E-W-O-R-L-D, something we should all see before we die.

My apologies to everyone who got confused because it was not in GRID or Clue order. I have always understood that one started with N and went around the compass so I did not think twice about it. However, if you took the letters in GRID order you woudl get an odd spelling and probably no word. I suppose I should have had the "points" come up in spelling order and GRID order, but gosh I had to challenge you a little - I mean what else did you have to do this week, none of the others were very hard

[mindle]

Just chiming in to say I really enjoyed this puzzle! I have been behind on my puzzling, and it's been on my clipboard with a couple of MMM's and a MikeyG meta. Today I finally figured it out - thank you for the fun puzzle!!