MGWCC #783 — “Pressed for Time” by Erik Agard

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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MGWCC #783 — “Pressed for Time” by Erik Agard

#1

Post by Joe Ross »

MGWCC #783 — June 2nd, 2023
GUEST CONSTRUCTOR MONTH, PUZZLE #1
“Pressed for Time” by Erik Agard

Guest Constructor Month 2023 starts NOW!

Our leadoff batter is Erik Agard, a force of nature in the crossword world for the last decade-plus.

Image

Well, those were my words. In his own self-description:

Erik is a professional hater and sometimes puzzlemaker based nominally in Kansas City but mostly on the internet. He keeps coming back to write or co-write guest Gaffneys like some sort of wrathful/annoying spirit; this is his third. His fee for this puzzle will go to the Atlanta Solidarity Fund.

Thanks, Erik! Let’s get to it…

THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:

This week’s contest answer is how some crosswords are written.

Solve well, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive.


WANT TO SUBSCRIBE TO MY CROSSWORD CONTEST?:
MGWCC is available only to subscribers at my Patreon page.
A subscription costs $3/month.
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docison
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#2

Post by docison »

With EA constructing this one, everyone else moves up a spot on the leaderboard... I am #2 on the board.
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Dannyvee
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#3

Post by Dannyvee »

Beamed at 17!
I can be found in Sheridan, NY, veejaying. (8)
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MikeyG
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#4

Post by MikeyG »

"Did you iron all your clothes?"
"No, I was pressed for time."

(Sorry if I board you.)
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 92. It's a Breeze
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Joe
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#5

Post by Joe »

Quick, but enjoyable. My summer officially begins today!
Happy to give nudges. If you notice I've solved, please tell me about avenues you've explored so I can nudge you in the right direction and not off a cliff.
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ChrisKochmanski
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#6

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Beamed.

Nice! Thanks, Erik!
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ky-mike
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#7

Post by ky-mike »

Overthinking this one. Nice way to start the month.
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woozy
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#8

Post by woozy »

What the...?

88 solvers already! Is this my week for not seeing what is obviously right in front of my eyes? If my 28+ streak going to end on a week one?

How can something that looks so obvious yield nothing whatsoever?

I suppose I shouldn't panic. I've only given it about a half an hour but... I'm panicking.

EDIT: Aw, geez! Now I get it! Wow... way to hide something in plain sight!

EDIT: I am curious about peoples' thought processes. Had I been.... another kind of thinker.... I would have gotten this instantly. I'm curious how people solved this and if one type of thinker got it instantly and another... got it easily but it wasn't be as easy as reading.
Last edited by woozy on Fri Jun 02, 2023 1:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Funny story. I was all set to enter Par for the course for the CrossHare midi contest for April but I mistakenly thought midi meant 7x 7 and not 11 x 11. Oops. Well.... Here's a complex but **small** meta on the subject of golf.
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Laura M
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#9

Post by Laura M »

Beamed at #66, fun puzzle! Streak holding at 18, we'll see if it survives this month. The smart money's on no :-)
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HunterX
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#10

Post by HunterX »

Awaiting transporter beam. Maybe Scotty's pressed for time fixing the warp core or something.

Enterprise? Enterprise....?

Edit: On the board. Scotty must have finished his lunch.
Last edited by HunterX on Fri Jun 02, 2023 1:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Jeremy Smith
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#11

Post by Jeremy Smith »

Beamed at #95! A mistake I had in the grid cost me about 20 minutes.
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Bob cruise director
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#12

Post by Bob cruise director »

I wonder how the clue would have changed if the C's had won last Monday?
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
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docison
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#13

Post by docison »

Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Fri Jun 02, 2023 1:22 pm I wonder how the clue would have changed if the C's had won last Monday?
Sadly, based on how that game went, there wasn't too much chance of that happening. :(
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MikeyG
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#14

Post by MikeyG »

docison wrote: ↑Fri Jun 02, 2023 1:23 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Fri Jun 02, 2023 1:22 pm I wonder how the clue would have changed if the C's had won last Monday?
Sadly, based on how that game went, there wasn't too much chance of that happening. :(
Casual basketball fan and root for a lot of different teams, but I have been cheering on the Celtics the last few years. It's just been...immense pain, haha.
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 92. It's a Breeze
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DrTom
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#15

Post by DrTom »

MikeyG wrote: ↑Fri Jun 02, 2023 12:15 pm "Did you iron all your clothes?"
"No, I was pressed for time."

(Sorry if I board you.)
You mangled that one my friend!
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
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DrTom
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#16

Post by DrTom »

Well, WSJCC done MGWCC done...is that a signpost up ahead, is that Rod Serling...OH NO!

I believe I am beamed.
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
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AaronT
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#17

Post by AaronT »

docison wrote: ↑Fri Jun 02, 2023 12:08 pm With EA constructing this one, everyone else moves up a spot on the leaderboard... I am #2 on the board.
Huh, it never occurred to me that e.a. is Eric. Makes total sense!

Late start but a quick finish and I finally got my (50) badge! 🎉
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boharr
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#18

Post by boharr »

Beamed.
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Cinny
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#19

Post by Cinny »

Beamed.
Cindy Heisler
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Katiedid
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#20

Post by Katiedid »

Beamed up! That was fun.
I hadn't seen Erik's new haircut, and what a great book he is reading! I just finished the sequel. Loved them both
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