#700 - “FACEBOOK Is Now META”

[BrianMac]

Anyone up for offering an 11th hour nudge? Like others, I've got the first part of the mechanism, just can't make anything of it.

Edit: 11th hour being that I am hoping to get the badge.

Edit #2: Saved by the nudge!

[higgysue]

Thank you nudgers! I can be a little slow sometimes.

[DrTom]

Oh, I don't know about BirdLives comment, I think Ada is WAY cuter than Matt (no offense Matt, maybe its because she has never caused me to question my intelligence or ability to problem solve?).

However, with a solid kick towards the "don't make it so dang hard" path I am pretty sure I have it. I'll submit as a "non-solo" and feel ever so slight a twinge of guilt as I grab for my SPOOKY badge (hey that's the only Trick or Treat I was in line for tonight!)

[dk letter]

I think I'm onto something, but can't quite find all the pieces, and the pieces I do have aren't adding up to anything.

Oh well, maybe in 2025!

[sharkicicles]

Thanks to those who PMed, thanks to you I got the week 5/Halloween badges.

As for the meta itself, I have one comment: well, s***.

[BrennerTJ]

Late report on very early Monday morning after beaming up on Halloween Sunday after solving on pre-Halloween Saturday. (Also sent WSJ email very shortly before deadline on Halloween night).

[ky-mike]

I had all of the pieces, but they didn't seem to make sense. I went to write out what I had so that I could ask someone to verify that the pieces were correct and request a nudge. In writing down what I had, I saw that I had everything that I needed. Since I missed the Halloween badges, I may wait to submit and try for the Buzzer Beater badge. Nothing scarier than waiting until the last minute to submit when you have a decent solve streak on the line

[BarbaraK]

I beamed up yesterday and got my badges. Turned out that something I’d assumed was irrelevant was actually the key, and something I’d assumed was important was much less so.

I’m waiting until tomorrow. At my age, earning badges is…….hilarious!! That was an interesting solve.

I’m sometimes amused that someone of my age and presumed maturity has been doggedly sticking to solo solves for almost three years basically because Matt dared me I’m thinking that in January, I’m going to group solve the first 5 so I’m out of contention for solo medals and can forget about it. But not yet - I still have a chance for this year; can’t just walk away from that:)

[Meg]

I beamed up yesterday and got my badges. Turned out that something I’d assumed was irrelevant was actually the key, and something I’d assumed was important was much less so.

I’m waiting until tomorrow. At my age, earning badges is…….hilarious!! That was an interesting solve.

I’m sometimes amused that someone of my age and presumed maturity has been doggedly sticking to solo solves for almost three years basically because Matt dared me I’m thinking that in January, I’m going to group solve the first 5 so I’m out of contention for solo medals and can forget about it. But not yet - I still have a chance for this year; can’t just walk away from that:)

What you have done is amazing!! I have to say that group solves are so much fun and so much less stressful. Like you, I have a streak I sometimes think I’d like to get rid of, but then I don’t. I think you have to go with your gut. Maturity is highly overrated imho. In fact, getting older has somehow given me permission to look sillier and sillier.

[Katiedid]

I also beamed up yesterday and got my next to last badge. The only one left is "be the first to solve" HAHAHAHA!
Thanks to a tiny nudge I don't have to wait until 2025 for this badge. I also stuck to solo solves until very recently. This is only my third non-solo solve. It was worth it.

[BarbaraK]

Maturity is highly overrated imho. In fact, getting older has somehow given me permission to look sillier and sillier.

I heard years ago, well before I turned 50, that the great thing about being over 50 is you don’t have to care what other people think. I was way ahead in that area:) What I realized when I hit 50 was that other people were no longer surprised that I don’t care what they think.

[Abide]

What a nice treat after the WSJ trick! Out of Matt's 700 MGWCC puzzles, this clocked in as my 9th favorite.

(I keep this spreadsheet in my head)

[DrTom]

Maturity is highly overrated imho. In fact, getting older has somehow given me permission to look sillier and sillier.

Let's just remember that maturity is one of the leading causes of death! I don't know that it has given me permission to be sillier (as if I NEEDED permission to be sillier, heck if anything I need a Governor - and I'm not just saying that because I live in Florida) but it certainly has caused me to do sillier things. That is no doubt due to forgetting that I am NOT 30 or 40 anymore so there are things I cannot do or should not do.

Oh, and after 35 I never cared about what anyone thought. I figure I'll just do me and if that suited folks that was fine and if it didn't they should avoid me. But then who couldn't love an adorable punster like me? Of course there are instances.....

[MikeM000]

Beamed last night with a friendly nudge...this one was kind of evil, but in a good way.

[lbray53]

Beamed up with a little help! I was SO close to getting there on my own but managed to overlook the solution which was basically right there on my pages of notes.

I just noticed that the deadline was extended. Why was I panicking?

[Cow]

Beamed up at last! Found step 1 pretty quickly, and I was in the process of inventing a step 6 or 7 when I finally saw it.

[MegB]

Help! I feel so close... but not close enough. Looking for a last minute nudge from anyone who is willing and awake!

[burak]

I might break a personal record for "aha moments that are 99.9% legit but lead to nowhere" on this one. Hopefully a good night's sleep and a fresh look in the morning will do the trick.

[Laura M]

Broke down and read the comments here, which pointed me in the right direction but I can no longer call it a solo solve! I was never going to get it otherwise though. Beam up pending but I'm 99% sure.

[ky-mike]

I had all of the pieces, but they didn't seem to make sense. I went to write out what I had so that I could ask someone to verify that the pieces were correct and request a nudge. In writing down what I had, I saw that I had everything that I needed. Since I missed the Halloween badges, I may wait to submit and try for the Buzzer Beater badge. Nothing scarier than waiting until the last minute to submit when you have a decent solve streak on the line

Got my Buzzer Beater badge. Last correct submission.