XWord Muggles Forum

We were finally able to get to this today and completed the grid. Big deal for us because at least half of Pete’s puzzles this year were so above our pay grade we couldn’t even finish the grid! We think we have step 1 but still LAS. I’m just glad I knew 26A with no help from Google — my father would have disowned me if I didn’t!

KDubs wrote: ↑Thu Aug 05, 2021 6:28 pm We were finally able to get to this today and completed the grid. Big deal for us because at least half of Pete’s puzzles this year were so above our pay grade we couldn’t even finish the grid! We think we have step 1 but still LAS. I’m just glad I knew 26A with no help from Google — my father would have disowned me if I didn’t!

Update — we think we have the answer BUT can’t justify it via the puzzle. Not asking for spoilers but should we be able to go back to the puzzle to verify?

Sorry, LAST update I swear, but we figured out how the puzzle confirms it! Pete’s a damn genius.

gaaaaahhhhh I submitted a non musician. I didn't know the person or realize they weren't a musician until after I submitted. So frustrating to know the correct answer minutes after submitting.

spotter wrote: ↑Fri Aug 06, 2021 1:58 pm gaaaaahhhhh I submitted a non musician. I didn't know the person or realize they weren't a musician until after I submitted. So frustrating to know the correct answer minutes after submitting.

Can't hurt to ask Pete for mercy.

Holy Cow that was amazing. How does he come up with these? Anyway another muggle solver.

Ashore.
(I had the answer on Wednesday, but wasn't confident. After staring at it for another three days, I decided to submit my answer which turned out to be correct.)

Well, I certainly overcomplicated this one. I hadn’t looked at it since Tuesday but today realized I had been attempting to add another unnecessary step to the solving process. When I weeded out a lot of unnecessary data, the answer came quickly. On the board!

Meta-harmonized 2 State the Obvious
with a little from my friends (hcbirker)

I just discovered that there is a hint available on the MMMM, how have I never known this? Of course I found it after submitting the wrong answer, and figured it out after reading the hint.

EmilyW wrote: ↑Sun Aug 08, 2021 11:23 pm I just discovered that there is a hint available on the MMMM, how have I never known this? Of course I found it after submitting the wrong answer, and figured it out after reading the hint.

Wait, what? Where?

I think the hint comes out after the puzzle deadline

hoover wrote: ↑Mon Aug 09, 2021 12:12 pm

EmilyW wrote: ↑Sun Aug 08, 2021 11:23 pm I just discovered that there is a hint available on the MMMM, how have I never known this? Of course I found it after submitting the wrong answer, and figured it out after reading the hint.

Wait, what? Where?

I think Pete posts it one hour before deadline.

Does anyone who's won an MMMM mug remember what time you got the email? Wondering how long I 'need' to keep obsessively checking my inbox.

Ah ok, it was after the deadline that I noticed that. @hoover I found it on the main PMXwords page:

This month’s contest is now closed. The solution will be published on Tuesday. You can see a hint for the meta here, there’s no penalty for clicking.

BarbaraK wrote: ↑Mon Aug 09, 2021 12:35 pm Does anyone who's won an MMMM mug remember what time you got the email? Wondering how long I 'need' to keep obsessively checking my inbox.

I got my notice at 11:30 (Central) on a Monday. That was 2 years ago - things might be slower these days.

Wow, you talk about a shot in the dark that hit the bullseye. I submitted the correct answer, but like one of the users above, I couldn't justify it with the puzzle. After seeing the solution and the justification, I can't believe that I got it right. Looking at the clues seems to be my Achilles heel, because that's what I failed to do with the WSJ puzzle this week until midday Sunday and finally got that one.