MGWCC #751 - "Tales from Decrypt"

[HunterX]

This to me was more a week 4 or 5 in my opinion. But that’s how my brain works.

Am I missing something? Isn't this supposed to be a week 4?

Week 3

Week 1: 10/7
Week 2: 10/14
Week 3: 10/21

[Orsys]

Whew! Done and done!

[hcbirker]

This to me was more a week 4 or 5 in my opinion. But that’s how my brain works.

Am I missing something? Isn't this supposed to be a week 4?

It's a week 3.

[woozy]

This to me was more a week 4 or 5 in my opinion. But that’s how my brain works.

Am I missing something? Isn't this supposed to be a week 4?

Week 3

Week 1: 10/7
Week 2: 10/14
Week 3: 10/21

But wasn't the first of this month a Fri? so that this friday is the 29th and this saturday is also the 29th and .... oh.

[Kwyjibo]

Anyone able to PM me a little nudge?

Getting help.

[JennyByrd]

Matt just sent word by Patreon email that the deadline is extended to Wednesday at noon Eastern.

Also:

If you submitted an incorrect answer because you rushed it thinking the deadline was Tuesday at noon, please e-mail me your new answer to crosswordcontest@gmail.com any time before noon ET on Wednesday for full credit (assuming you got it right). Please include your MGWCC leaderboard name with your email.

... which is a little puzzling inasmuch as there seem to have been no incorrect answers submitted.

I actually submitted an incorrect answer - went to the Patreon page, the clicked on Matt’s link to the WSJ, solved it quickly and gleefully submitted (to the MGWCC site, not the WSJ). About 2 seconds later I realized my error and emailed Matt asking for some grace to resubmit (assuming I manage to solve it) So maybe that’s what prompted Matt’s note.

[CrossedPurposes]

I would appreciate a bit of a hand here. Many false starts.

[HoldThatThought]

When requesting a nudge from the community, it's helpful and appreciated if you let your fellow Muggles know when someone has been in touch.

Also, please remember to acknowledge your replies. Some nudges have the unintended effect of leaving you more frustrated than ever, but it's always a kindness to respond, even if it's just to say "grrrr, still stuck, but thanks"

[jawbreaker]

Hello fellow Muggles. Long time reader, first time poster. Would love if I could get a nudge from someone in the right direction.

Edit: someone has already kindly reached out to help me, thank you!

[TeamDoubleTow]

Editing.... Nudge received... To be applied in bit... Thanks @Wendy Walker



I just sent a confirmed solver a request for a nudge but if anyone else is interested in all the gobbledygook that we have tried and would entertain sharing a nudge, I am happy to send all our fruitless paths to other people.

[Bird Lives]

My first strategy was in the right general direction -- it relied on something I recalled from an earlier MG puzzle -- but I needed a nudge to steer me to the right path. So, low 200s, not a solo solve -- it's all good, right?

[Katiedid]

Beamed up, solo solve! My first idea turned out to be the right one.
It's kind of weird that five other solvers are listed at the same time as mine.

[Joe Ross]

Glad we have December 30th's WEEK 5 out of the way.

Sheesh.

Submitted & standing still, awaiting beamage.

[rjy]

Solved with a rabbit-hole pruning nudge... really inspired construction!

[Joe Ross]

[ricky]

Well, goodbye streak.

I got the cipher very quickly and spent 4 days trying to figure out what to decode with it without it ever occurring to me that it would be the phrase META ANSWER. I have to partially point the finger at my solving software for this one (as well as myself) - I used Shortyz on my phone, which doesn't display notes consistently, and didn't display the note for this one, so I wrote the prompt down on a piece of paper... Without capitalizing META ANSWER.

[BarbaraK]

Having chatted with quite a few people about this one, I'm fascinated by the very different paths people took to get there.

Some, like ricky, got the cryptogram but just couldn't see what to decrypt. (And I found that step hard to nudge.)

Others noticed the capitalized META ANSWER right away but had no idea how to decrypt it.

Having the theme answers in the downs always seems to throw off a lot of people. Some had the right idea but were looking at things like USS and DII without noticing the two longest (down) answers had matching letters in the same positions.

And I have a ton of sympathy for those who never do cryptogram puzzles, and when nudged to that as a starting point had to google to find out what they are and how they work. There should be bonus points for those folks who did manage to figure this one out. What dedication!

Personally, I had a bit of a hybrid approach. I did notice the all caps META ANSWER right away and knew that would be important somehow. First tried ROT13 and its relatives, but when that didn't get me anywhere started looking for the words with two of some letter. When I got to ASTROCYTE/THEDJOKER I tried that with METAANSWER; got nothing useful one way and _RETT_H_RD the other and knew what the missing 3 had to be. Took a bit of poking around to find the other 3 pairs, prove to myself that my answer was right, and appreciate the lovely spacing of the theme answer positions.

[ky-mike]

I spent too much time trying to solve for a missing letter with pairs of entries. The first and last across answers were GOA & TRAY. I saw Go A(s)tray, which also was an alternate answer for "Zig when you should have zagged". Using the first and last grid answers seemed logical to me, but that was not time well spent. A kindly nudge on Tuesday set me straight.

[joequavis]

I didn't get this one, but am amazed at the construction. I especially like how the grid appears to be a crypt with the covering raised. I'll blame that for distracting me the whole time

[TMart]

Sometimes you just see it - "crypt" in the title and META ANSWER capitalized told me it was a cryptogram before I even opened the grid. Unusually small grid with right-left symmetry meant match up letters from the left with ones on the right. JETWASH and RBIMAN had all of the letters of META ANSWER, so I started there and solved it with only two of the theme answers. Not bad for a bleary-eyed Saturday morning after being out late the night before celebrating a win for my Phillies in the NLCS!