XWord Muggles Forum

Excellent, Rick!

Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Mon Jan 02, 2023 8:16 pm
@DrTom I hope that you went with your long time allegiance and not your proud degree

This just in: Penn State 35 - Utah 21 (Final)

Off the couch after a nudge from @CPJohnson .I had no idea what the previous event was. Thanks for the puzzle!

Off the couch - fun puzzle, @Cap'n Rick. The event was before my time, but I've certainly heard of it. All three of our kids attended U of U (2 grads and 1 well on the way), so the game didn't go our way this year. Congrats to Penn State.

To a puzzler still scarred, lo, these many years later … you really know how to rub it it in, “Carri”.

Off the couch!

Off the couch - thanks for the puzzle!

Before I post the leaderboard, I just wanted to say that my thoughts and prayers are with Damar Hamlin, his family, and his teammates on the Buffalo Bills. Here's hoping for a full and speedy recovery.

Leaderboard:

1. Abide (TS)
2. Al Sisti (TS)
3. LindaPRmaven
4. boharr
5. Cindy
6. JM
7. Meg
8. KayW
9. imontoo
10. Dave C
11. Hector
12. Darrell
13. Bbaack
14. Carolyn
15. lbray53
16. BarbaraK
17. Heidi
18. ky-mike
19. Bird Lives
20. Darth
21. MatthewL
22. TeamDoubleTow
23. DrTom
24. Katiedid
25. Dow Jones
26. Laura M
27. Ergcat
28. benchen71
29. rjy
30. CPJohnson
31. whimsy
32. Wendy Walker
33. Bob cruise director
34. Cinny
35. Mark Woychick
36. ChrisKochmanski
37. markhr
38. Schmeel

I did the grid easily enough yesterday, but figured out that the event you speak of is one I have only heard referred to (I’m too new) and figure it would be important to know the story. So I gave up on the meta for possible lack of inside information (I see the makings of a meta but don’t know what to do with it). If anyone wants to enlighten me with tales of yore, have at it!

Update: someone sent me a link to some history (thanks). I must still be missing something (or maybe this theme is just not my area)… I’d have to google about all of these!

Nuther update: got it! was on the right track, but a couple of the pieces were tripping me up because of multiple options and my geography & affiliations. ( :

Leaderboard Update:

39. DIS
40. HeadinHome
41. JHSeeman
42. Johnny Luau


Wednesday Nudges

One of the early titles for this puzzle was "Shenk's for the Memories"

40-Across is a hint to the "event" that occurred 5 years ago (see viewtopic.php?t=36)

The mechanism used here is similar to the one Mike Shenk (aka "Marie Kelly", cousin of "Carri Kelly" ) used.

Instead of cities where college bowl games are played, this puzzle uses cities where universities are located (e.g. Auburn).

The first letters of the university cities spell the meta answer.

Off the couch. Fun puzzle, funny meta (didn't know the original anniversary).

Thanks Carri.

Came back to it today and instantly saw a connection I didn't see before, but still took some time to work through how to use it. The process was amusing, given that what eventually got me to see the light was remembering what the prior event was and then remembering/relearning the details (as it happened before my time). So didn't use the official nudges but did definitely get nudged to a recollection of the prior event by the thread.

Fun stuff, probably more so for those of us not as connected to the event the first time around.

Not sure if I have fallen off the couch yet. No matter. Fun puzzle!!
Yep, off the couch!!

Off the couch! What a fun puzzle and boy did I learn some funny details when chasing down rabbit holes.

Off the couch.
Can we friendraise to get a bowl sponsorship: The xword.muggles.com Meta Bowl?
Thanks Cap'n!

michaelm wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 4:12 pm Off the couch.
Can we friendraise to get a bowl sponsorship: The xword.muggles.com Meta Bowl?
Thanks Cap'n!

Considering some of the other bowl names out there, that would actually be one of the less ridiculous ones…

michaelm wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 4:12 pm Off the couch.
Can we friendraise to get a bowl sponsorship: The xword.muggles.com Meta Bowl?
Thanks Cap'n!

I can see it all now - the "Muggle Meta Bowl" sponsored by "NerdWallet".

Should have said this earlier but thanks to the Cap’n for a great puzzle and happy new year to all of you.

Nice memorial there. Needed the nudge since bowl games/cities didn't work.

Leaderboard Update:

14 more Muggles have made the Dean's List:

43. Jaclyn
44. michaelm
45. ajk
46. bhamren
47. JeanneC
48. DavyGravy
49. david
50. minimuggle
51. Sharkicicles
52. BrennerTJ
53. DebbieC
54. Reb
55. cbarbee002
56. Jeremy Smith

Please let me know if I've missed anyone.

Great Meta

Thanks