#700 - “FACEBOOK Is Now META”

[burak]

Just read the solution. That was brilliant! Simply brilliant. In retrospect, I should have written more on the grid but also I had run out of space lol.

[sharkicicles]

I’ve never group solved an MGWCC before but if anyone wants to, I’d like to get those achievements tomorrow because, ah, why not.

This was slightly ironic.

[mkmf]

Matt has a great extended explanation of his intentions with this meta in the comments over at Crossword Fiend.
https://crosswordfiend.com/2021/11/03/mgwcc-700/

Vocabulary alert: He describes this as a "front-door" meta and uses hide-and-seek analogy and more to explain it. Very interesting. My shorthand definition for it in muggle-speak is "front-door meta = reverse pageant". What do you think?

[mntlblok]

Matt has a great extended explanation of his intentions with this meta in the comments over at Crossword Fiend.
https://crosswordfiend.com/2021/11/03/mgwcc-700/

Vocabulary alert: He describes this as a "front-door" meta and uses hide-and-seek analogy and more to explain it. Very interesting. My shorthand definition for it in muggle-speak is "front-door meta = reverse pageant". What do you think?

Heinous.

[KayW]

I was one of the ones that fell for it. I saw one of the synonyms/clues as I was performing translations in the 8 theme entries and NEVER looked back to see what those 8 translated letters formed. After I finally got the intended answer (which had been sitting, in order, highlighted yet unnoticed in my worksheet for HOURS) I suspected those feints by Matt were his week 5 "twist". Because IMHO without them this puzzle is no more than a week 2 in difficulty. Either that, or he initially intended to use the synonyms but couldn't pull it off. The former seemed more likely.

And I like reverse pageant! Tho the front-door analogy also encompasses the risk of early discovery.