MEOW #131 The Optimist

[hoover]

Well, I had already gotten to nudge 2 by myself, and of course nudge 3 isn't any help, so I caved in and got a downright shove off the couch!

[hcbirker]

No nudges needed. Got rid of that darn cat!

[benchen71]

Nudged to an answer (submitted via PM) but no idea if it's right or (if it is) why it is right!

[HeadinHome]

Once I read the nudges, the theme was more obvious (I don’t know a lot about this topic, but do have memory of some from my past… two of which we had direct experience with!)

cat scatted

[DrTom]

Well, end of day 2 (well 1 and one half really) and we have 30 solvers!!!

1 Kent
2 markhr
3 Mme
4 whimsy
5 Laura M
6 Bbaack
7 Hector
8 Meg
9 Cinny
10 Cindy
11 boharr
12 lbray53
13 CPJohnson
14 woozy
15 KayW
16 Sharkicicles
17 Gutman
18 DID
19 Jaclyn
20 benchen71
21 MatthewL
22 ReB
23 hoover
24 Carolyn
25 Heidi
26 Mr Tex
27 Kurtalert
28 HeadinHome
29 Pair O Ducks
30 Tom Wilson

This seems to be one of those where you either see the tie-in or you don't, and several solvers have only seen how it all fits together AFTER they got the answer. The opinions on the puzzle are VERY polar, either REALLY liked it or "Meh!" but hey, that is why they make more than one flavor of ice cream. At 30 solvers (particularly since this was a late release), I'm delighted

[Dickie_Dunn]

I guess I can say the cat is out of the bag. Needed all the nudges to click but I saw the theme without them at least. Cool puzzle.

[DrTom]

I guess I can say the cat is out of the bag. Needed all the nudges to click but I saw the theme without them at least. Cool puzzle.

You are in good company, LOTS of folks needed the nudges because I apparently had a number of unintended red herrings. Glad you got to the end!

[lbray53]

I correctly guessed the answer. Dr. Tom helped me see the mechanism. But wait, I just read the nudges. I found TEN things. Now I wonder which two did not fit!

[ajk]

lol looked at all the nudges yesterday and had nothing (well, I got the idea of nudge 2, but failed to describe things properly). Looked again today and am not sure why I needed any of the nudges.

Fun stuff, thanks.

[DrTom]

I correctly guessed the answer. Dr. Tom helped me see the mechanism. But wait, I just read the nudges. I found TEN things. Now I wonder which two did not fit!

I can see why you might have and it is my bonehead mistake. I'll PM you with my thoughts. Thanks for sticking with it, whether you got it going backwards or forwards (and sometimes with this lot you could not do either!!!)

[DrTom]

Once I read the nudges, the theme was more obvious (I don’t know a lot about this topic, but do have memory of some from my past… two of which we had direct experience with!)

cat scatted

Well if you have experienced two of these then you may now know how the theme fits! Thanks for solving.

[DrTom]

Well, I had already gotten to nudge 2 by myself, and of course nudge 3 isn't any help, so I caved in and got a downright shove off the couch!

However you got driven home is a blessing with this lot! Thanks for solving.

[DrTom]

Well now a total of 35 solvers, with the last five being added today:
31 Berto
32 Caprine
33 Dickie_Dunn
34 imontoo
35 Tyrpmom

There are a few more days to solve, let's see if I can get to 40!

[Dow Jones]

Well done, Dr Tom. I was pessimistic at first, but, you turned me into an optimist. Thanks for the meta !!

[madhatter5]

Thanks Tom as always! And sorry everyone. I think I will be needing to take another interregnum from the MEOW for a while due to PhD work. But we will have guest constructors whenever there is something available

If you had chosen to study crossword puzzle construction, constructors, solvers, or online forums/fora, then you wouldn't have to take an interregnum. Is it too late to change your field of study?

Kids, don't make the mistakes I've made

[whimsy]

Somehow neglected to actually post here -- another "backwards" solver.

But at least...

This is an optimist/pessimist test. What do you see in this picture? If you see the cat going up the stairs, you are the former. If down, the latter. Glad to report I saw him going up. Just as madhatter's doing!

[DrTom]

Somehow neglected to actually post here -- another "backwards" solver.

But at least...

Untitledupordown.png

This is an optimist/pessimist test. What do you see in this picture? If you see the cat going up the stairs, you are the former. If down, the latter. Glad to report I saw him going up. Just as madhatter's doing!

Cat walking up the steps to get a glass of lemonade

[DrTom]

Well I'll be darned, solvers keep slicing the bag open!
36 ajk
37 Bird Lives
38 Coru
39 edestlin
40 JM
41 hhg
42 jbird
43 Dowjones
44 Schmeel

I'm thinking this one was a hit; though the fact that both the WSJCC and MGWCC were relatively easy have no doubt increased the number of people who looked at/solved the MEOW. Whatever way it happened, thanks to all the solvers!!!!!

[MikeyG]

Nudge #1 was a right-track nudge for me, so that adds nothing else but confirms I'm thinking of something relevant (for once).

Narrator: "He was not thinking of anything relevant."

Finally got it, okay! I see it now!!

[DrTom]

Well two more, and no doubt the last, join the list today:
45 SeamusOL
46 MikeyG

Thanks to all the solvers who helped to make this Meta a success. I know it was a bit different because it insisted you extrapolate the answer from the pertinent clues and prompts which is always more difficult because we tend to second guess ourselves.

Thanks for sticking with it and you’ll be glad to know that in the coming weeks you will get relief from all the DrTom stuff as guest constructors have leaped to the assistance of Madhatter. As Josh tries to become Dr. Rubin his constructor friends are rushing to fill his prescriptions. You’ll see Benchen, Cap’n Rick (in one I am sure people will LOVE!), Wendy and even a collaborative work by MikeyG and I (I can hear the groans from here people, now just STOP!).

If you struggled with this one, please see the reveal below. I hope that you all are looking forward to this coming week’s which again requires some deductive reasoning, but not near as much as “The Optimist”