#714 - “Smooth Solving Ahead”

An excellent puzzle written by one of the innovators of the meta crossword format. It comes out every Friday at noon and increases in difficulty throughout the month. Available for modest subscription (worth every cent) here: www.xwordcontest.com
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Joe Ross
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#714 - “Smooth Solving Ahead”

#1

Post by Joe Ross »

MGWCC #714 — Friday, February 4th, 2022 — “Smooth Solving Ahead”

THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:

The 2022 Winter Olympics begin today in Beijing; this week’s contest answer is a previous Winter Olympics host city.

Error at 18-D in MGWCC #714

Dear Solver,

The clue for 18-D in today's puzzle should read [Silver State city] instead of [Granite State city].

This is simply an editing error, not something meta-related.

Keep calm and carry on,


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Matt



Join MGWCC.
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sharkicicles
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#2

Post by sharkicicles »

Holy cow, I submitted 2 minutes after it went on Patreon and still only got #14.
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KayW
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#3

Post by KayW »

:alien: :flying_saucer: :skier: Beamed up.
Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 metapuzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related charities. It is available at CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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BarbaraK
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#4

Post by BarbaraK »

#3?!?! I submitted right when my clock hit 1:30. Thought for sure I'd get that 1-Across achievement (or totally blow it) this week. Wow, you two are fast.

Oh well, I'm still pleased with myself being brave enough to submit without even seeing the puzzle. Tempted before but never actually done it.
If you want help with a meta, feel free to PM me. The more specific you are about what you have and what you want, the more likely I can help without spoiling.

(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
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TMart
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#5

Post by TMart »

Ha! My no-look guess was no good in shooting for that 1-Across.
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Larrry
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#6

Post by Larrry »

sharkicicles wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 2:02 pm Holy cow, I submitted 2 minutes after it went on Patreon and still only got #14.
Very competitive crowd. Was tempted to submit a guess before the puzzle was out, which seems to be the best strategy to be at the top in week 1.

#17.

Maybe would have beat sharkcicles if i didnt bother wasting valuable time by printing it out.
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ky-mike
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#7

Post by ky-mike »

Sliding in at # 48.

Nice Week 1.

Weekend now free!
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jhseeman
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#8

Post by jhseeman »

Hopefully Beamed up.

UPDATE: beamed up.

But wait....this means I have no excuse to not work on the HoneyDo list this weekend.....dang.
Last edited by jhseeman on Fri Feb 04, 2022 2:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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BrianMac
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#9

Post by BrianMac »

Got tired of waiting so submitted a blind guess, which for the first time I got right, BUT STILL TOO SLOW!! :x :x :x :)

Congrats Barbara, Hector and LL!
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Dannyvee
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#10

Post by Dannyvee »

:cry: Ugh-- guessed quickly and whiffed
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sharkicicles
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#11

Post by sharkicicles »

Larrry wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 2:09 pm
sharkicicles wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 2:02 pm Holy cow, I submitted 2 minutes after it went on Patreon and still only got #14.
Very competitive crowd. Was tempted to submit a guess before the puzzle was out, which seems to be the best strategy to be at the top in week 1.

#17.

Maybe would have beat sharkcicles if i didnt bother wasting valuable time by printing it out.
COUSIN LARRY!

I did save a few seconds by doing it on the iPad.
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hashbrown
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#12

Post by hashbrown »

Wow, this seems like the wrong week to be aiming for the top of the board... Was frantically refreshing the Patreon for the grid and didn't want to take the risk of submitting a wild guess. On the board at #75.
-HB
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Joe Ross
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#13

Post by Joe Ross »

Beam me up!


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(5 peops mis-solved/guessed, already. 🥺)
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stmv
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#14

Post by stmv »

I started a bit late, and shamefully (in hindsight) had to get help from Google, but on the board at #51. I feel the pain of those who "lose time" to the speedsters by, e.g., printing out the puzzle.
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Laura M
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#15

Post by Laura M »

Beamed up at #70, about right for a week 1! In awe of the solvers who submitted before the puzzle was out...
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Sara Dacus
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#16

Post by Sara Dacus »

I guess the puzzle appears on Patreon before it is emailed? I was incessantly refreshing my email, but now I see some people submitted before I received it. Or did they guess? I am at home today instead of at work, and since it's a week one, I was trying to get the Quicksolver badge (which hasn't shown up on my achievements yet, but I'm hoping it will with the slightly later release . . . )

Also, now what am I supposed to do with my weekend? Have happily solved the WSJ and MMMM . . .
Last edited by Sara Dacus on Fri Feb 04, 2022 2:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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TeamDoubleTow
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#17

Post by TeamDoubleTow »

I am technically on vacation today so it was fun to (hopefully solve) before work would normally get out.
Team DoubleTow=Ali who posts here, Alex & Maya the hound(with occasional assistance from son)
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Guffman
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#18

Post by Guffman »

Why am I compelled to finish Matt's Week #1 puzzle after I've already guessed the meta after two of the longer entries? To quote Edmund Hillary: "Because it is there."
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Katiedid
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#19

Post by Katiedid »

Beamed up!
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BarbaraK
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#20

Post by BarbaraK »

Sara Dacus wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 2:28 pm I guess the puzzle appears on Patreon before it is emailed? I was incessantly refreshing my email, but now I see some people submitted before I received it. Or did they guess? I am at home today instead of at work, and since it's a week one, I was trying to get the Quicksolver badge (which hasn't shown up on my achievements yet, but I'm hoping it will with the slightly later release . . . )
Guessed. The title and prompt were on Matt's site slightly before 1:30.
If you want help with a meta, feel free to PM me. The more specific you are about what you have and what you want, the more likely I can help without spoiling.

(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
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