MGWCC #727 — “Don’t Look Up”

[Joe Ross]

MGWCC #727 — Friday, May 6th, 2022 — “Don’t Look Up” — WEEK 5 of 5 (April makeup puzzle)

THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:

This week’s contest answer is a 15-letter phrase.

REMINDER: This puzzle is Week 5 difficulty level since we swapped April’s 5th Friday for a Week 1 last week.

Deadline for this puzzle is 3 PM ET on Tuesday, May 10th. Giving the extra three hours this time since it’s a Week 5.[/b]


LETTERS TO MARGARET:

Hayley Gold‘s new crossword-based graphic novel is out! It’s called “Letters to Margaret” and is available here:

Its Kickstarter page is here:

I haven’t read it yet but it does look and sound fascinating. Here’s a six-second “preview”!




WANT TO SUBSCRIBE TO MY CROSSWORD CONTEST?:
MGWCC is available only to subscribers at my Patreon page.
A subscription costs $3/month

--Matt

[Abide]

I've got a great 15 letter phrase but no justification. Pondering whether or not to take a shot for first solver...

[woozy]

I've got a great 15 letter phrase but no justification. Pondering whether or not to take a shot for first solver...

better you than me

I mean, go for it.

.....

So far. Delightfully impenetrable..... (Got nothing. Not surprising given the time but... got nothing)

[hashbrown]

Mentally I'm in Week 1 mode but (as a Wordle addict) after last week's sitter, I am not prepared for a weekend of agonising over the grid and clues

[woozy]

I've got a great 15 letter phrase but no justification. Pondering whether or not to take a shot for first solver...

Too late.

Whoever Eckless is, would it kill you to send a note of affection to one who has given us all so much joy?

[Eckless]

Woozy - are you talking about the "Love Letter" achievement? I've tried putting in comments with my solutions, etc - don't know how to get that one to register.

[woozy]

Woozy - are you talking about the "Love Letter" achievement? I've tried putting in comments with my solutions, etc - don't know how to get that one to register.

Me neither. I think you need to send e-mail and need to say something purely positive and not merely "I noticed in your puzzle you misidentified what a Magpie is. As any ornithologist could tell you, it most certainly is not a tiny songbird. But otherwise I find your puzzles a not unpleasant diversion. When my free three month trial is over, I'm considering possibly renewing."

Believe it or not, that didn't earn me the love letter badge.

[Bird Lives]

I've got a great 15 letter phrase but no justification. Pondering whether or not to take a shot for first solver...

Me too. Mine relates only to the title. I can find nothing in the fill or the clues to justify it.

[boharr]

I've got a great 15 letter phrase but no justification. Pondering whether or not to take a shot for first solver...

Me too. Mine relates only to the title. I can find nothing in the fill or the clues to justify it.

Me three.

[MikeyG]

I look forward to noodling with a Week 5 tonight! (I say that now.)

Lowest Week 5 over the past two years or so was JACK DANIELS (127) in July '21. Let's see what happens this time around!

[Joe Ross]

I look forward to noodling with a Week 5 tonight! (I say that now.)

Lowest Week 5 over the past two years or so was JACK DANIELS (127) in July '21. Let's see what happens this time around!

I need me summa'at:

or these ones (a BlackSmith):

[MountainManZach]

I look forward to noodling with a Week 5 tonight! (I say that now.)

Lowest Week 5 over the past two years or so was JACK DANIELS (127) in July '21. Let's see what happens this time around!

I have unreasonably complete stats on the puzzles, and can confirm this is the case.

Going back a little farther, week 5 in Nov '19 #600 "Umpire State of Mind" had only 73 solvers. It's the most recent double-digit completion rate. You have to go back to week 4 Oct '16 #439 "Hidden Power" to find another 73-solver, and week 5 Sep '16 #435 "Six of One" to go lower at 40 solvers. I probably don't need to mention - but will anyway - the reigning champ of week 5 brutality: Feb '14 #296. I didn't recall the answer but shuddered when I saw the title (">1, x2, x2").

I didn't include the answers in case any newer-to-the-game solvers want to check these out. I can't attach .pdfs or .puzs to this post, but get in touch if you want to try #435, #439, or #600 for yourself.

I... have too much time on my hands.

[MikeyG]

I look forward to noodling with a Week 5 tonight! (I say that now.)

Lowest Week 5 over the past two years or so was JACK DANIELS (127) in July '21. Let's see what happens this time around!

I have unreasonably complete stats on the puzzles, and can confirm this is the case.

Going back a little farther, week 5 in Nov '19 #600 "Umpire State of Mind" had only 73 solvers. It's the most recent double-digit completion rate. You have to go back to week 4 Oct '16 #439 "Hidden Power" to find another 73-solver, and week 5 Sep '16 #435 "Six of One" to go lower at 40 solvers. I probably don't need to mention - but will anyway - the reigning champ of week 5 brutality: Feb '14 #296. I didn't recall the answer but shuddered when I saw the title (">1, x2, x2").

I didn't include the answers in case any newer-to-the-game solvers want to check these out. I can't attach .pdfs or .puzs to this post, but get in touch if you want to try #435, #439, or #600 for yourself.

I... have too much time on my hands.

That's fantastic!! I started only about 100 puzzles ago but gladly started rocking the spreadsheets since!! Great data!

[Toby]

Maybe Matt will take pity on us and provide another hint.

[HeadinHome]

AArrrrggghhh! I thought I had something really clever and there were exactly 15. Then I saw another. And another. Shoot. (Of course, even when there were a perfect 15 they weren’t getting me anything intelligible.)

Still, can all these really be coincidence??

There could be a zoom group solve in our future…

[Bob cruise director]

Only six on the board after 9+ hours

A true week 5

[woozy]

I really don't want my streak to end. And I don't want to whiff my first week 5 but.... Yeah, I'm not sure I'm going to go anywhere. Some things that could be rabbit holes but can't get them to work into anything consistent. I do see one thing that will certainly mean something but... not a single idea how it will build to anything.

[DrTom]

I've got a great 15 letter phrase but no justification. Pondering whether or not to take a shot for first solver...

Me too. Mine relates only to the title. I can find nothing in the fill or the clues to justify it.

Me too, and I may submit it only because I doubt I have even an outside chance at solving this. I'd almost bet they are similar phrases!!

[HeadinHome]

^ What he said. I actually have two phrases that could fit perfectly… now if I could only get the grid to work with my ideas….

[Bird Lives]

Only six on the board after 9+ hours

But one of them is this guy with only half a face.