Guide to Solving the WSJ Meta with Excel/Spreadsheets
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
- Posts: 5123
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
- Location: Cincinnati
The following links are the latest 15x15, 17x17, & 21x21 grid-sized Excel blank templates. These links will continue to be up-to-date. 15x15 & 17x17 grids last updated 12-11-2021. (All feedback is welcome & requested.)
202YMODY-METATYPE-15x15_GRID
202YMODY-METATYPE-17x17_GRID
202YMODY-METATYPE-21x21_GRID
INSTRUCTIONS FOR EDITING FORMS FOR INDIVIDUAL PUZZLES pdf
I am publishing these because I may not be as reliable on posting links for puzzles in a timely manner, going forward. I want solvers to be able to create their own, should they desire.
As it is, I tend to create & post links for Excel forms for the public metas which I solve & those which creators send their files to be uploaded to the Xword Muggles server & linked. Those are the WSJCC, MMM, & MOAT. I also create them for MGWCC & MMMM, but do not publicly post links for these subscription-based metas.
I PM the links to the MGWCC forms to 15 to 20 muggles who subscribe within an hour of the puzzle dropping. If you'd like to receive these links, let me know, please.
Other puzzles I try my best to attempt to solve, such as the great Pandora's Box metas, seem to want the online form to be used for solving & entering. If I am incorrect about this, please tell me.
I wish to respect all creators' wishes. To that end, if any creator would want me to or not want me to create or publish links to Excel templates of their puzzles, PLEASE PM me. Thank you!
If creators DO want me to create & publish links to their puzzles, I request that you send me any form of or link to the puzzles as far ahead of their drop dates & times as possible. This will allow your solvers the quickest use of them to solve. This will also give me the freedom to create on my schedule and not feel guilty about not publishing soon after dropping.
For any metas that I do receive ahead of time, I will not post myself as solving until the 2nd page within its topic, so as not to annoy the more competitive solvers. (N.B. I am not requesting early access for WSJCC, MGWCC, nor MMMM.)
202YMODY-METATYPE-15x15_GRID
202YMODY-METATYPE-17x17_GRID
202YMODY-METATYPE-21x21_GRID
INSTRUCTIONS FOR EDITING FORMS FOR INDIVIDUAL PUZZLES pdf
I am publishing these because I may not be as reliable on posting links for puzzles in a timely manner, going forward. I want solvers to be able to create their own, should they desire.
As it is, I tend to create & post links for Excel forms for the public metas which I solve & those which creators send their files to be uploaded to the Xword Muggles server & linked. Those are the WSJCC, MMM, & MOAT. I also create them for MGWCC & MMMM, but do not publicly post links for these subscription-based metas.
I PM the links to the MGWCC forms to 15 to 20 muggles who subscribe within an hour of the puzzle dropping. If you'd like to receive these links, let me know, please.
Other puzzles I try my best to attempt to solve, such as the great Pandora's Box metas, seem to want the online form to be used for solving & entering. If I am incorrect about this, please tell me.
I wish to respect all creators' wishes. To that end, if any creator would want me to or not want me to create or publish links to Excel templates of their puzzles, PLEASE PM me. Thank you!
If creators DO want me to create & publish links to their puzzles, I request that you send me any form of or link to the puzzles as far ahead of their drop dates & times as possible. This will allow your solvers the quickest use of them to solve. This will also give me the freedom to create on my schedule and not feel guilty about not publishing soon after dropping.
For any metas that I do receive ahead of time, I will not post myself as solving until the 2nd page within its topic, so as not to annoy the more competitive solvers. (N.B. I am not requesting early access for WSJCC, MGWCC, nor MMMM.)
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
- Posts: 5123
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
- Location: Cincinnati
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
- Posts: 5123
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
- Location: Cincinnati
Whimsy's debut & as guest creator for Madhatter5's Enigma On Wednesday!
20210414 MEOW 20 โ If You Cant Stand the Heat โ Excel form
20210414 MEOW 20 โ If You Cant Stand the Heat โ PDF from PUZ (one page)
20210414 MEOW 20 โ If You Cant Stand the Heat โ Excel form
20210414 MEOW 20 โ If You Cant Stand the Heat โ PDF from PUZ (one page)
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
- Posts: 5123
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
- Location: Cincinnati
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024
PLATELET ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ENORMOUS ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ:
๐ฐ๐ฌ% ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ,
๐ฏ๐ฌ% ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ,
๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ & ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฎ. ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฅ๐!
PLATELET ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ENORMOUS ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ:
๐ฐ๐ฌ% ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ,
๐ฏ๐ฌ% ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ,
๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ & ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฎ. ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฅ๐!
- qvart
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:49 am
- Location: Ohio
Just saw this thread. That's handy.
I guess I do something similar with the WSJ contest - I use Across Lite to solve, take a screenshot of the entire filled in grid, paste it into Photoshop, then highlight the theme answers and work through them visually (using either the paint bucket tool to add color to individual squares or the shape tool to draw rectangles). Then I add blank space to type the theme answers/notes.
I guess I do something similar with the WSJ contest - I use Across Lite to solve, take a screenshot of the entire filled in grid, paste it into Photoshop, then highlight the theme answers and work through them visually (using either the paint bucket tool to add color to individual squares or the shape tool to draw rectangles). Then I add blank space to type the theme answers/notes.
Last edited by qvart on Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
- Posts: 5123
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
- Location: Cincinnati
Welcome! You may also enjoy HunterX's excellent Suggestion for using an iPad app to solve Metasqvart wrote: โFri Apr 16, 2021 1:14 pm Just saw this thread. That's handy.
I guess I do something similar WSJ contest - I use Across Lite to solve, take a screenshot of the entire filled in grid, paste it into Photoshop, then highlight the theme answers and work through them visually (using either the paint bucket tool to add color to individual squares or the shape tool to draw rectangles). Then I add blank space to type the theme answers/notes.
- qvart
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:49 am
- Location: Ohio
I'd give that a shot but I can't load any new apps on my iPad (it's a 1st gen Mini and doesn't get updates anymore). All I use it for is to play Word Streak - which is pretty much identical to Boggle but I think this app is better than the Boggle app (although Word Streak was discontinued a long time ago).Joe Ross wrote: โFri Apr 16, 2021 1:31 pmWelcome! You may also enjoy HunterX's excellent Suggestion for using an iPad app to solve Metas
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
- Posts: 5123
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
- Location: Cincinnati
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
- Posts: 5123
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
- Location: Cincinnati
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
- Posts: 5123
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
- Location: Cincinnati
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
- Posts: 5123
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
- Location: Cincinnati
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
- Posts: 5123
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
- Location: Cincinnati
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
- Posts: 5123
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
- Location: Cincinnati
20210625 WSJCC โ Hotlinks โ Excel form
(Had an error the first time posting. Retry, please. PM with issues.)
(Had an error the first time posting. Retry, please. PM with issues.)
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024
PLATELET ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ENORMOUS ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ:
๐ฐ๐ฌ% ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ,
๐ฏ๐ฌ% ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ,
๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ & ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฎ. ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฅ๐!
PLATELET ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ENORMOUS ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ:
๐ฐ๐ฌ% ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ,
๐ฏ๐ฌ% ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ,
๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ & ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฎ. ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฅ๐!
- katnahat
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2021 11:11 pm
- Location: Texas
Has anyone tried to use Numbers on a MacBook in place of Excel on a PC to Solve the WSJ Meta and had any success?
Thanks,
Kathie
Thanks,
Kathie
Kathie
- boharr
- Moderator
- Posts: 3228
- Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:57 am
- Location: Westchester, NY
I'm no expert on this stuff but on a Mac, Excel will open Numbers files and vice versa. However, I think Joe's Excel's files are formatted in a sophisticated way that Numbers may not replicate properly or completely.
- katnahat
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2021 11:11 pm
- Location: Texas
I think you're night. I switched to a Mac in 2013 and have gotten used to Numbers and Pages, but they just can't do what Excel and Word do. I tried opening some of his past Excel files and was able to use them to try to solve the metas; his work was helpful even if Numbers is more basic. Doing old ones that have been solved seems like a good way to learn. Thanks for your input.
Kathie
- boharr
- Moderator
- Posts: 3228
- Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:57 am
- Location: Westchester, NY
Yes, Excel and Numbers can work together -- sort of. But you are right the doing or studying old puzzles is the way to go to learn. And don't forget that there is a complete archive of old puzzles and solutions on this site.katnahat wrote: โMon Sep 20, 2021 9:59 pm I think you're night. I switched to a Mac in 2013 and have gotten used to Numbers and Pages, but they just can't do what Excel and Word do. I tried opening some of his past Excel files and was able to use them to try to solve the metas; his work was helpful even if Numbers is more basic. Doing old ones that have been solved seems like a good way to learn. Thanks for your input.
- katnahat
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2021 11:11 pm
- Location: Texas
Thanks! I also found threads that give helpful suggestions. I really appreciate how encouraging people are here. The board itself is a great help.
Kathie
- boharr
- Moderator
- Posts: 3228
- Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:57 am
- Location: Westchester, NY
Yes, I've made a couple of files collecting those hints for solving and I update them as needs be. The folks here are great and always willing to help or explain.