XWord Muggles Forum

Caution is always advised before embarking on a dangerous endeavor or a new meta (which many would say was the same thing). Today is no different, take a look around and think about what might be going on before you jump in. I am going to say this MIGHT be a level 3 because the mechanism is subtle and the final answer is implicit, not explicit (besides I've been told never to be TOO explicit so these are all SFW).

With those warnings I will leave you to your own devices. Now hop to it and release that poor cat!

Kitten
Calico
PERSIAN
Puma
Lion

Take A Good Look
crosshare
PUZ
PDF
spreadsheet



Nudges Friday, or anytime by messaging me.

For some reason, my pdf printed with Darth as the constructor. I completed the grid and it wasn't until I got the meta that I realized I had test-solved this. Needless to say, it was even better the second time around. Thanks, Dr Tom!

Cinny wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:19 am For some reason, my pdf printed with Darth as the constructor ...

Aw rats, here I was convinced that was what we needed to "take a good look" at... Tornado sirens woke me up at 5am today, I don't think my sleep-deprived brain has capacity for a hard puzzle today but hopefully the cat will forgive me for being slow to let him out (who keeps stuffing him back in the bag every week, anyway?!)

Sorry for the name confusion, that was entirely my fault. When I sent the puzzle to Joe Ross I had a mention about numbering (I neglected to send a "MEOW #" for Darth's puzzle last week) and Joe thought I was saying this was Darth's puzzle. It isn't and I'm fairly sure he does not want to be associated with this little ditty that still has only one solver (yay Cinny!) who was a tester. I may have to give early nudges.....

Oh, and Schmidzy, you take all the time you need and stay out of tornadoes, I don't know what kind of internet connection Oz has.

The cat, reluctant to leave the couch, had to be nudged a bit. Thanks, DrTom.

DrTom wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:42 am Sorry for the name confusion, that was entirely my fault.

Tom is being his typical generous self. Yes, the PM could be misread, but I had several chances to see my mistake yet refused to.

Poor Darth was caught in the misfire.

My apologies for creating confusion.

An implicit answer in a category I know almost literally nothing about. Gulp.

Will still take a crack at it.

Had to be shoved to the meta. Twisty little meta there, Dr. T!

Well this one is playing VERY hard it seems. Darn, that was not my intent. I have had 5 solvers after 5 hours and one of those was a tester. OK, time for an Early Bird Special nudge:

Look through the clues, do you see any word(s) that are used more than one would assume they should be?

Oh, and on a related note, one solver pointed out that there was a perfectly acceptable alternate answer, which has been added!

Cat's free! Needed an assist to get past my own ignorance, but what a fun puzzle!

schmidzy wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 2:43 pm Cat's free! Needed an assist to get past my own ignorance, but what a fun puzzle!

Yeah but you were soooo close it hardly counts as an assist. Thanks for solving, from the looks of it page 1 will be available until Tuesday!

Meg wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 12:39 pm Had to be shoved to the meta. Twisty little meta there, Dr. T!

Did you twist AND shout?

It just occurred to me that I never thanked my testers. That is a real faux pas because believe me, with most puzzles, and mine in particular, they work their tails off trying to get me to make it a better puzzle. You would not believe the stuff I try to foist on you and they talk me out of. So for this one my guinea..rather testers were:
@Cinny and @lbray53 . Thanks guys for making me look good.

Cat has been freed, with a bit of a nudge. Thanks for the puzzle, Tom!

I’ve got a thing but I don’t think I know enough hot songs from musicals to get anything from the thing.

DrTom wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 3:08 pm It just occurred to me that I never thanked my testers. That is a real faux pas because believe me, with most puzzles, and mine in particular, they work their tails off trying to get me to make it a better puzzle. You would not believe the stuff I try to foist on you and they talk me out of. So for this one my guinea..rather testers were:
@Cinny and @lbray53 . Thanks guys for making me look good.

Ear to Purse.jpg

I had to work a bit to find the "hook" even though I was a test solver. But the cat is free at last!

I would like to add that I was very pleased to see that you "Doctored" your clues to the Dr. Tom level we have come to expect. There were some really good ones. I was particularly impressed with the 8D/9D combo.

OTC after some googling.

SJMcK wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 3:46 pm I’ve got a thing but I don’t think I know enough hot songs from musicals to get anything from the thing.

Me too. Though it's funny I had something indirect from an unintentional place that kept niggling and I kept squashing. Was not off in the end but for wrong reasons I think.

I came up with the alternate answer using the Early Bird Special nudge. I was surprised that it was only the alternate answer because it seemed like there were two or three Easter egg-type clues pointing me in that direction. Nice puzzle, though. Thanks DrT!

SJMcK wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 3:46 pm I’ve got a thing but I don’t think I know enough hot songs from musicals to get anything from the thing.

You could ask google for a list of hit musical songs. The answer is pretty famous and will likely show up there (though of course with google, you never know what it will think you want).

I have freed the cat!