MGWCC #748 - “Crack the Code”

[BarbaraK]

Tilghman is Matt’s son, and today is his birthday. It was announced back in puzzle #488 so looks like he’s 5 years old now.
https://crosswordfiend.com/2017/10/10/mgwcc-488/

Don’t know if the train has any special significance.

[hcbirker]

Finally had time to look at this. Pretty confident that I will be beamed up!

Edit: on the board at 192!

[Jeremy Smith]

I expect to beam up with the next update. I had overlooked a piece of vital information in the grid but, when I finally saw it, it became a quick solve from there. I think it would be apropos to give this search for a well-known number 3 a difficulty rating of 3 (SAD as it might be).

Edit: On the board at #193

[MMe]

Tilghman ... October 2 ... Presumably the Gaffneys were paying tribute to this missive from George Washington to Tench Tilghman on October 2, 1783:

https://founders.archives.gov/documents ... 1-02-11890

[haydendog]

Got it thanks to some help from @Wendy Walker. I don’t think I’ll ever stop learning how to do these puzzles!

[Jeremy Smith]

Finally had time to look at this. Pretty confident that I will be beamed up!

Edit: on the board at 192!

Right behind ya, Heidi!

[Alvibu67]

Beamed up after helpful nudge from Wendy W. Thank you!

[Terragon]

Finally saw it.

[Cinny]

Solved on Saturday, but waited to beam up on October 2 to get the achievement. Looks like Tilghman and I share a birthday. I only wish I were much closer to his age!!

[ReB]

Beamed up last night after a Wendy nudge, but couldn't confirm until today.

[ajk]

Beamed after a much appreciated helpful nudge. Was too focused on the wrong aspect of the right thing, which seems to be my path of late.

[rjy]

Code cracked, awaiting tractor beam.

Grid filled on Thursday, but it took a long trip in the car today to discuss the possibilities to finally get to the answer. Listened to Will’s podcast on the way, and from hearing the challenges the muggle team collectively had constructing the MMM “Don’t Overthink It” puzzle, amazing to think about the constraints Matt had in constructing this one. I’m bummed I stumbled onto the MGWCC so late in its existence…

Cheers all!

[SJMcK]

Beamed after a much appreciated helpful nudge. Was too focused on the wrong aspect of the right thing, which seems to be my path of late.

Same.

[ricky]

In the weeds Nudge needed.

Edit: got it with a nudge from Cinny - thanks!

[Joe]

Beamed aboard with a nudge. Holy red herrings, Batman.

[Joe]

Yeah, so now that the solution is posted... those numbers, though! Had nothing to do with the meta. That was bewildering to me.

[Streroto]

Major major headslap. DOH!!! I don’t normally get week 5 (even if it’s 3.5 in disguise) but I saw this all the way through to the 5 letters. I saw HEART right away and spent more hours than I care to admit (well I was on a plane with little else to do) trying to backsolve into something that would fill in 3-6 but never even saw that another way of using the letters was EARTH. What a dodo I am. I even thought of how 3 was part of <3


Stay well all

[BrennerTJ]

Is it still Tuesday? Sometimes time gets away...

[mkmf]

After submitting EARTH I realized that ATWOOD was the key to my getting each of the two solution steps. I hadn't found the hidden numbers. But I noticed that there were first names of many women in the grid. But then there was ATWOOD. Why would that be? Oh, look at that: two.

Then I went through all the fruitless attempts that Joon and others at crossword fiend tried. Then I eventually stared at the grid some more. It was A(TWO)OD that sparked remembering that AROD was in the grid.

[woozy]

Yeah, so now that the solution is posted... those numbers, though! Had nothing to do with the meta. That was bewildering to me.

Yeah, in hind sight I had to wonder "Those didn't have anything to do with anything except as a group".

It could have been vegetables are far as the meta was concerned?