XWord Muggles Forum

Here's another MEOW for you where the grid entries are all made up and the clues don't matter. That's right, the clues are like signatures on credit cards or bank websites that prevent you pasting your ID number - two excellent examples of security theatre! The answer to the meta is a quotation of dubious origins (whose line is it, anyway?)

The easiest way to submit is on Crosshare (and you get instant feedback and unlimited attempts!) But you can also PM me with your submission. Either way, I'll compile a list of those who successfully solve the meta.

Note that there is no PUZ file this week: it's Crosshare or PDF only.

Safe Cracking - Crosshare
Safe Cracking - PDF

Kitten
Calico
Persian
Puma
Lion

Nudges are here.
The solution will be posted Tuesday.

Cat is released (after much persistent clawing to get out).

the cat is free! Fun puzzle! Thanks, Ben!

Ha! You CRACK me up...

Cat has busted free.

Kitten
Calico
Persian
Puma
Lion
Unrecognizable Australian Wildcat

HeadinHome wrote: ↑Wed Nov 08, 2023 4:21 pm Unrecognizable Australian Wildcat

Thylacine, perhaps?

No safe can hold this cat.

Fun!

We're nearly at the end of the first 24 hour period, and the following have cracked the safe and released the cat!

Mr Tex
kurtalert
merlinnimue
Pair O Ducks
Ergcat
Hector
woozy
boharr
Meg
Cindy Weatherman
Sharkicicles
DIS
I K Snamhcok
DrTom

That's only 14!

I got the cat out, but not before he suffered some brain damage from lack of oxygen (he is used to the more porous sack I guess). His comments on leaving were "THBBFT" and "ACK". But he's safe now. Thanks Ben...but of course you make my usual mechanisms seem dull by comparison.

T

DrTom wrote: ↑Thu Nov 09, 2023 12:56 am Thanks Ben...but of course you make my usual mechanisms seem dull by comparison.

It's my poor attempt to mimic @madhatter5! I was always extremely trepidatious when a new MEOW dropped, because you never quite knew what you were going to get!

Cat's out!

I neglected to include Ergcat in the list of solvers yesterday. They had trouble getting Crosshare to accept the correct answer and PMed me. Sorry about that!

Two more solvers, bringing us to 16:

hoover
Darrell

Nudges tomorrow morning (Australia time)!

Nudges, in order of increasing blatancy:

1. You will have quickly noticed that the grid entries truly were made up and the clues didn't matter: just fill the clues into the grid and you are done!

2. Well, that's the *grid* done. Now you have to solve the meta, for which you only have the title to help you.

3. If you've seen any heist movie involving a safe you should know what to do. The different parts of the grid sort of look like safe dials, don't they?

4. Turn the dials. But they won't all have to be turned the same way!

5. One dial needs to be turned 90 degrees clockwise, one 90 degrees anticlockwise, and one 180 degrees, just to make things complicated. You didn't think breaking into a safe was supposed to be easy, did you?!?

Yep, needed the nudges, but the cat has finally been set free (he looks quite miffed, to be sure). Thanks for the puzzle, Ben!

Nudged the cat out of the vault.

Kudos to anyone who got it without the nudges! Thanks Ben, I think this is your @madhatter5iest puzzle yet!

Needed nudge 5 to point out that my interpretation of how to execute things was wrong. Fun idea, thanks.

Needed nudges to get the cat out.
Always did have trouble with my locker.
Thanks for another unique one, Ben!

KayW wrote: ↑Fri Nov 10, 2023 7:37 pm Thanks Ben, I think this is your @madhatter5iest puzzle yet!

That's what I was going for!