70. We're Coming Apart!

[Cinny]

Finally got it with a helpful nudge. Sometimes I just don't see it no matter how many times I look! Thanks, Mikey.

[MikeyG]

Still not seeing anything. Will there be nudges, perhaps? (He asked hopefully).

On the next page (this one!), there will be!

1. Make sure you read the prompt as "term," not "team" (I think a couple people might have misread that along the way!)

2. This is another "visual meta," where we have to look at what is being presented in the grid.

3. There are a lot of longer entries that seem to be enveloped by the same three letters on either side of them.

4. I'd recommend counting how many of them there are, as well as recognizing what those three letters are.

5. Note the "anchor" entries in the first- and last-across positions that give a phonetic clue to the sport in question.

6. The sports phrase is three words (or two, if you hyphenate the first two) in 13 letters.

See if that helps!

[jhseeman]

Nudge 2 got me going....Sad that a sports fan whiffed on the sports puzzle....

[KayW]

I hadn't noticed Nudge 5 til you mentioned it - nice touch!

[MatthewL]

Finally got it, but only after multiple nudges. Gotta try to remember the cardinal rule on these -- "Think like Mikey (as frightening as that might be)". Thanks for the puzzle!

[ReB]

Thanks. Reading comprehension was not my friend on this one (I was one of those who needed the first nudge as a rescue).

[rjy]

Late to it… already had the nudges and yet still needed the nudges - that phenomenon where the nudges tell you nothing new but that second look with fresh eyes gets you over the hump. Clever one, Mikey!

[MikeyG]

I missed @DrTom's nudgy request, so I'm kindly waiting, haha.

[Cap'n Rick]

Woo-hoo! Got it! Nice one, @MikeyG!

[DrTom]

Needed the nudges and still got it wrong. Mistake I would associate with a newcomer, I deserve all the scorn everyone can handle. I'll explain after the reveal.

T

[MikeyG]

Needed the nudges and still got it wrong. Mistake I would associate with a newcomer, I deserve all the scorn everyone can handle. I'll explain after the reveal.

T

I hope these puzzles weren't a scorn in your side! (Don't contempt me to post any more of these.)

[MikeyG]

Puzzle #70 answer: SEVEN-TEN (7-10) SPLIT

Correct entries: 54



Pretty much a visual meta this time around, one that leans SAD: We have 7 entries in the grid that "split" the word TEN as either T*EN or TE*N, suggesting the challenging bowling maneuver SEVEN-TEN (7-10) SPLIT, which is our meta answer. Note the "anchor" entries or BOLE and LING, as well as the fact that this fits nicely with meta #70, which is 7 x 10.

I should have realized from @Joe Ross's WAG of "49ers" that he misread it as "team" and not "term"; that never occurred to me, but someone else submitted the "76ers" as well. Then I realized what was up! (Not the Broncos' wins, sadly - but the Cubs are still in it!).

Once again, thanks to @BrennerTJ for the great graphic! I have some bowling puns, but I'll spare you (though they're right up my alley).

Another meta next Saturday!

Mikey G

[DrTom]

Oh, the woes of the non observant. I saw the tens, I saw the 5 across ones and then dutifully entered 5-10 split and it was wrong of course. But wait, Mikey mentioned Lily and the other name for the 5-7-10 split is "the Lily", now I don't know why 7 would be in there, but I tried it, and of course it was wrong. I tried to use the * as a position and submitted 7 8 split (tough not a split really since those pins sit together, and what about the 5 and 10...) I tried almost every combo of 5-10, but never once did I look back at the grid to see that there were SEVEN TENS that were split.

Dang it all to heck.

Oh well I had a ball with it anyway and never even had a chance for my mind to go in the gutter while I was waiting for inspiration to strike.

Minnie, this is NOT what I meant when I said get your cat bowl!

[DrTom]

Needed the nudges and still got it wrong. Mistake I would associate with a newcomer, I deserve all the scorn everyone can handle. I'll explain after the reveal.

T

I hope these puzzles weren't a scorn in your side! (Don't contempt me to post any more of these.)

Puzzle was fine, it was the solver that got caught in the ball return!!

[jhseeman]

Needed the nudges and still got it wrong. Mistake I would associate with a newcomer, I deserve all the scorn everyone can handle. I'll explain after the reveal.

T

I hope these puzzles weren't a scorn in your side! (Don't contempt me to post any more of these.)

Puzzle was fine, it was the solver that got caught in the ball return!!