90. Into a Corner

Puzzles! Puns! The occasional crosswordese! Solve a new meta at the end of each of month at https://punofakind.blogspot.com/
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MikeyG
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90. Into a Corner

#1

Post by MikeyG »

NOTE: I have changed the title from "That's Right!," which doesn't give as much pertinent information as I'd like, to "Into a Corner." Nothing else is affected, but note the new links below.

PDF and PUZ

Crosshare

Image

That cat will give you five if you give her five...bowls of crunchies!

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Puzzle #89 answer: ACUTE

Correct entries: 51, so we have a solid Level 3/3.5 (about 35 or so before nudge-arinos).

Image

@BrennerTJ with acute graphic! (Someone had to do it.)

Explanation: Five symmetrically placed horizonal entries are the only across entries to contain an "R," often the abbreviation for "right." And what's not right? Wrong, of course, but also left! There are no "L"s in the grid, which is another hint to change these "R"s to "L"s to form valid words, and then play alternate clues for these entries. The initial letters in order of the original horizontal themers spell ACUTE, the fitting answer for meta #89, the largest integer value for an acute angle!

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This is the final puzzle of the Winter Solvestice, and we'll be back to every other week for a bit. Prizes for #84 and beyond to come into April.

It's tough to give this one a ranking, but I'll place it at Level 4; I can't see it going lower than a Level 3, though - as always - your mileage may vary! Likely nudges on this one coming later in the week (doubly so after the satisfying grueling WSJ and MGWCC this time around!).

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90. That's Right!

The answer to the meta is 16 letters long.

Deadline is Saturday, April 6 at 1 pm ET.

Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful!

Mikey G
Last edited by MikeyG on Sat Mar 30, 2024 7:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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oldjudge
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#2

Post by oldjudge »

Crossshare has last weeks puzzle
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#3

Post by MikeyG »

oldjudge wrote: ↑Sat Mar 30, 2024 1:02 pm Crossshare has last weeks puzzle
I beat you by a split second in changing it, I think, haha. You're quick, though!
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#4

Post by MikeyG »

Leaderboard update: Three hours in, and It solely belongs to Jangler, in after 15 minutes.

The mechanism, as I anticipated, is likely tough to see, even harder than I may have hoped. Light nudges tomorrow for each of the following occurring (so up to 3):
  • Iowa winning (go Caitlin Clark!)
  • Illinois upsetting UConn
  • My beloved Cubs winning their first game of the season
Don't spend 7 hours on it like I did with the WSJ unless you want to! Give WSJ precedence and then come back if you wish.

Mikey G
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Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 92. It's a Breeze
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Seattle DB
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#5

Post by Seattle DB »

I greatly enjoy Mikey's puzzles, but I'm stumped by two answers and hope someone can explain them to me.
48A: "Vessels you probably can't travel on" and the answer is "Cups".
46D: "The working animal ____ by example" and the answer is "Steeds".
Yes, I'm a meta-moron, but I love Mikey's puns, and I'm in need of help!
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#6

Post by benchen71 »

Seattle DB wrote: ↑Sat Mar 30, 2024 7:59 pm I greatly enjoy Mikey's puzzles, but I'm stumped by two answers and hope someone can explain them to me.
48A: "Vessels you probably can't travel on" and the answer is "Cups".
46D: "The working animal ____ by example" and the answer is "Steeds".
Yes, I'm a meta-moron, but I love Mikey's puns, and I'm in need of help!
Re 48a, a cup is a type of vessel, but so is a boat.
Re 46d, "steeds" is a pun on "leads". :D
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta! :shock:
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#7

Post by MikeyG »

Ooof, both Illinois and the Cubs floundered massively today. Still, one nudge.

1. Knowing the length of the final answer might help illuminate something if you haven't noticed it already.
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#8

Post by MikeyG »

Bonus Easter nudge #2, with three more coming based on:
  • Purdue winning (my dad will be rooting!)
  • NC State upsetting Duke (sorry, Duke fans)
  • Cubs winning their first game (please?)
2. Per the central themer and the title, the four 2-by-2 corners, each with its own "L"-shape, are critical.
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#9

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Got it!

Gneiss!
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Seattle DB
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#10

Post by Seattle DB »

benchen71 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 30, 2024 9:45 pm
Seattle DB wrote: ↑Sat Mar 30, 2024 7:59 pm I greatly enjoy Mikey's puzzles, but I'm stumped by two answers and hope someone can explain them to me.
48A: "Vessels you probably can't travel on" and the answer is "Cups".
46D: "The working animal ____ by example" and the answer is "Steeds".
Yes, I'm a meta-moron, but I love Mikey's puns, and I'm in need of help!
Re 48a, a cup is a type of vessel, but so is a boat.
Re 46d, "steeds" is a pun on "leads". :D
Thank you, Benchen, for the explanation!
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oldjudge
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#11

Post by oldjudge »

Nice one, Mikey! I haven't rooted for Iowa much this season but I will tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I would root for anyone against LSU. Amazing start for my pitching starved Yankees. Hoping for a Cubby-Yankee series, perhaps a replay of 1932. This time Juan Soto can point to right center.
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Meg
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#12

Post by Meg »

With help from so many that I can hardly call it a solve. More like a slow drag. Mikey, this was one of your more insane metas!
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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lbray53
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#13

Post by lbray53 »

More nudging tomorrow I hope. I have tried every method I can think of using the title(s), prompt(s) and nudge but nothing yet.
My avatar proves that it is sometimes better to be lucky than good!
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#14

Post by MikeyG »

lbray53 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 9:05 pm More nudging tomorrow I hope. I have tried every method I can think of using the title(s), prompt(s) and nudge but nothing yet.
Coming! Three, in fact, since my trifecta was matched! Definitely harder than I envisioned it, haha.

3. Per the title and previous nudges, those "L" shapes are important. Note how I previously referred to them as 2-by-2 squares also!

4. Your job is to get each of these 2-by-2 squares to contain 4 letters each.

5. Note that one letter is already peeking through!
oldjudge wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 5:37 pm Nice one, Mikey! I haven't rooted for Iowa much this season but I will tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I would root for anyone against LSU. Amazing start for my pitching starved Yankees. Hoping for a Cubby-Yankee series, perhaps a replay of 1932. This time Juan Soto can point to right center.
How in the world did I not know that the called shot was against my beloved Cubbies? That adds a great Cubs-Yankees connection (on top of the modern-day addition of Rizzo). I have liked this Yankees squad! Judge, Stanton, and Soto will make a formidable trio, methinks!
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#15

Post by Berto »

I came up with something close to the answer on my looooooooooooong (16) drive back from the south. Only just got to actually punch it in with a quick wiggle to drive it home!
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#16

Post by benchen71 »

Nudges (and a helpful website) got me to the right answer!
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta! :shock:
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#17

Post by markhr »

After Mike's latest nudges, I revisited this and had the head-slapping a-ha moment.
Clever one.
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#18

Post by MikeyG »

Iowa won, so a bonus nudge to piggyback off of #5 above.

6. I misinterpreted @benchen71's comment from earlier: I thought he was referring to a different website...the one that's the meta analyzer. That might help a bit for this!
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lbray53
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#19

Post by lbray53 »

I finally got there but I needed all of the spoilers and then some additional encouragement.
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DrTom
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#20

Post by DrTom »

With the kind help of @lbray53 I was able to find my way out of the corner.
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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