XWord Muggles Forum

Hector wrote: ↑Tue Apr 21, 2020 12:30 pm Solved (I think) with some back-solving.

A distinctive difficulty in pgw's metas is that grid entries that with other constructors would seem so unusual as to HAVE TO be part of the meta mechanism are just par for the course.

Hector wrote: ↑Wed Apr 22, 2020 11:11 am Yes. Metas are more difficult to construct than plain crosswords (at least, themeless ones). So, often there will be clues, entries, or even just letters, that are to some extent forced---ones that the constructor would be unlikely to use in a plain puzzle. Spotting unusual, noteworthy content becomes part of the solving experience (why is THAT there?), and constructors play with that. What I meant is just that pgw's grids are so full of unusual, noteworthy content even apart from the meta mechanisms that you can rarely think, "Aha! That has to be part of the meta."

Hector wrote: ↑Wed Apr 22, 2020 11:11 am Yes. Metas are more difficult to construct than plain crosswords (at least, themeless ones).

Hector wrote: ↑Wed Apr 22, 2020 11:11 am What I meant is just that pgw's grids are so full of unusual, noteworthy content even apart from the meta mechanisms that you can rarely think, "Aha! That has to be part of the meta."

pgw wrote: ↑Wed Apr 22, 2020 12:10 pm

Hector wrote: ↑Wed Apr 22, 2020 11:11 am Yes. Metas are more difficult to construct than plain crosswords (at least, themeless ones).

Not for me - I have no idea how anyone can possibly construct a good themeless. The constraints created by theme, or meta content, require creativity in filling the rest of the grid; a blank slate would be incredibly intimidating to me.

Hector wrote: ↑Wed Apr 22, 2020 11:11 am What I meant is just that pgw's grids are so full of unusual, noteworthy content even apart from the meta mechanisms that you can rarely think, "Aha! That has to be part of the meta."

The reason for this is mostly that I am not as good a constructor as others. When "unusual" (i.e. bad) fill shows up in my grids, it's usually because I was unable to fill the grid smoothly given the constraints I made for myself with the meta content. Whether that's a feature or a bug I guess depends on your point of view ...

FrankieHeck wrote: ↑Sat Apr 25, 2020 6:13 pm I'm about to have a LOSING streak with PGW. And I don't think I'm going to get Brian's latest, either. I don't know if I'm getting dumber or if I've just been too distracted lately. On the plus side (is it a plus? I'm not sure...) I'm getting better at failing these. In the sense that I don't let it bug me all weekend. I guess maybe that's WHY I'm not getting them....

Al Sisti wrote: ↑Sat Apr 25, 2020 7:49 pm

FrankieHeck wrote: ↑Sat Apr 25, 2020 6:13 pm I'm about to have a LOSING streak with PGW. And I don't think I'm going to get Brian's latest, either. I don't know if I'm getting dumber or if I've just been too distracted lately. On the plus side (is it a plus? I'm not sure...) I'm getting better at failing these. In the sense that I don't let it bug me all weekend. I guess maybe that's WHY I'm not getting them....

Brian's is tough, but worth it... and very clever. Peter's is not super difficult, but I was going further than necessary and making it harder and unintentionally impossible.

camandsampowercouple wrote: ↑Sun Apr 26, 2020 7:18 am just solved the grid and im intimidated by the language barrier

burak wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2020 6:49 pm This is very late, but if I'm right the puzzle is very gettable so don't let the French intimidate you