XWord Muggles Forum

Wendy Walker wrote: ↑Tue Dec 13, 2022 6:12 pm Just printed this out, had a distinct sense of deja vu, and realized that I, too, was a test solver! Fun puzzle!

Yikes. I too had forgotten. That was many, many metas ago, back in October.

Ohhhhh! That nudge was all I needed. Off the couch!

Got It

Was stuck in a rabbit hole, finally saw the light.

Nice One

Where is everyone? Since yesterday, only five people have joined the list of solvers.

24. rjy
25. DrTom
26. hoover
27. Richard
28. Carolyn

I hope these nudges will help. They start with one very similar to yesterday’s and get nudgier and nudgier.

The clue at 31 Down says that six entries in the grid can be changed from left to right, like a glove turned inside out. Changing an entry from a right-word to a left-word can be much easier than turning it inside out.

Some solvers tried changing the direction the letters were read – rightward instead of leftward. But left/right can be a designation, not a direction.

For example, I just visited my son in his new apartment. There are two apartments on each floor. His is 4R. The one across the hall is 4L. Neither apartment is moving in any direction.

How does this apply to the puzzle? Six symmetrically located entries all share a common feature, one that is related to the previous nudge.

But where are their slightly changed counterparts? If they’re not in the grid, there’s only one other place to look.

As someone said of history, it doesn’t repeat itself, but it can rhyme.

Now we’re getting into what DrTom has characterized as not so much a nudge as a slap upside the head.

The six key entries are the only Across entries that share that common feature. Ditto their six counterparts in the clues.. You can just glide your gaze down the page and find them

Those six clues lead you back to the grid to spell out the answer.

after dilly dallying around in the rabbit hole I was enjoying....nudge 3 launched me off the couch.

Great Meta, well done. Thanks for the puzzle.

I knew what the answer might be. I just didn't see it.
Until I did - after some of the nudges.
Off the couch - thanks for the puzzle!

Slid off the couch with the nudges. Thanks so much for the puzzle!

Needed the nudges to get off the couch.

Solved -- Thanks, Jay!

As I mentioned on crosshare, time to go do some laundry --

I needed the nudges to get off of the couch. Thank you Jay

Pried off the couch by the fourth spoiler.

I had to READ that many to find the LEAD that I needed.

Yeah, no. I guess I'm just hopelessly dense on this one, but if anything, the nudges only left me more confused. Seems like my tush is going to be firmly planted on the couch for the duration. Oh well -- can't win 'em all.

I needed the nudges to get the answer that I expected.

Nudged off my hands... and the couch.

Whew, needed all the nudges and quite a while studying them. Thanks, Jay! (Sometimes you see it, and sometimes you don't! ) If we had a Golden Rabbit Hole award for this one, I would surely be a nominee.

Looking at all the lovely, orange carrots down here! Now I know why the rabbits dig so many DEEP holes like the one I’m in now!

Needed the fourth (or fifth I guess counting yesterday's) nudge, but speedy after that. Fun puzzle, thanks.

Criminey -- needed all the nudges, and then had to read them about 100 times to finally get what they were hinting at. Made this one way too complex. Ah well, at least I'm finally off the couch. Thanks for the puzzle!

Finally got it with some of the nudges - thanks Jay - fun and clever!

Off the couch after yesterday's and today's first 2 nudges. What an absolute delight! Thanks so much for the puzzle.