XWord Muggles Forum

The meta for this puzzle is a category describing some jazz performances.

That was my best MMMM showing yet, I'm sure, and I'm especially proud because that was definitely not my area of expertise.

I was feeling a little slow-witted while solving, but it turned out ok, and I’m giving myself an A-PLUS on this one!

It took me a minute, maybe because I saw some folks who wandered onto the stand unintentionally -- a trumpeter and one or two guitarists.

(I just submitted this under my usual screen name. I wonder if it will be allowed.)

Got it! That was a fun one.

p.s. Still seeing a big fat nothing on the mega meta or the red herring...

KayW wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:10 pm Got it! That was a fun one.

p.s. Still seeing a big fat nothing on the mega meta or the red herring...

Same here! And every week that I have a new puzzle to add into the mix, the task just seems more daunting. I had just started metas last year and got the mega pretty early on, but that was with the help of starred clues. I'm feeling totally overwhelmed by this one.

FrankieHeck wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:22 pm

KayW wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:10 pm Got it! That was a fun one.

p.s. Still seeing a big fat nothing on the mega meta or the red herring...

Same here! And every week that I have a new puzzle to add into the mix, the task just seems more daunting. I had just started metas last year and got the mega pretty early on, but that was with the help of starred clues. I'm feeling totally overwhelmed by this one.

Same here, too.

I feel kind of daunted when there aren’t starred clues for the mega. But I can’t say I’ve really tried TOO hard. So far my main strategy is just to listen to the 80s on 8 on satellite radio while I’m in my car (which isn’t really that often). Maybe it would just pop out at me!

FrankieHeck wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:22 pm

KayW wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:10 pm Got it! That was a fun one.

p.s. Still seeing a big fat nothing on the mega meta or the red herring...

Same here! And every week that I have a new puzzle to add into the mix, the task just seems more daunting. I had just started metas last year and got the mega pretty early on, but that was with the help of starred clues. I'm feeling totally overwhelmed by this one.

Well in a way I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one...

I am still a "paper dinosaur" so I save each month's printed puzzle. After I complete the latest, I go back and review all of them in hopes of seeing a pattern. But this mega is feeling like one of those darn "magic eye" pictures that were so popular a few decades ago. Everyone else is oohing and aahing, and I see meaningless squiggles

Got it! Took me a little while to see what I needed to see; jazz isn't my forte (or my piano, for that matter!).

Seems I've been overtaken in the contest standings, which is just as well (it was fun for a while!), but I don't think I understand how the scoring works. I guess people must get more points for faster (correct) submissions to the monthly contests? I'd never have a chance in a speed-solving competition :-)

Not really my genre, but was able to muddle my way to the answer. Nicely constructed.

On the board! Took me a while, but once I got started it solved pretty quickly.

Laura M wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:31 pm Got it! Took me a little while to see what I needed to see; jazz isn't my forte (or my piano, for that matter!).

Seems I've been overtaken in the contest standings, which is just as well (it was fun for a while!), but I don't think I understand how the scoring works. I guess people must get more points for faster (correct) submissions to the monthly contests? I'd never have a chance in a speed-solving competition

I'm also curious about the scoring. I've solved all 7 so far with no guesses at the MEGA or Red Herring and have 12 points. While others have 13 or 14 points for 7 correct puzzles...

I'm taking a bow! On the board!

On the board! I got the mega meta a few months ago mostly accidentally, but I don't fully understand the mechanism, and I'm nowhere on the red herring.

Who is Judyrose and how do they have 53 points on the 2020 leaderboard??

KayW wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:30 pm

FrankieHeck wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:22 pm

KayW wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:10 pm Got it! That was a fun one.

p.s. Still seeing a big fat nothing on the mega meta or the red herring...

Same here! And every week that I have a new puzzle to add into the mix, the task just seems more daunting. I had just started metas last year and got the mega pretty early on, but that was with the help of starred clues. I'm feeling totally overwhelmed by this one.

Well in a way I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one...

I am still a "paper dinosaur" so I save each month's printed puzzle. After I complete the latest, I go back and review all of them in hopes of seeing a pattern. But this mega is feeling like one of those darn "magic eye" pictures that were so popular a few decades ago. Everyone else is oohing and aahing, and I see meaningless squiggles

I'm a paper dinosaur too. I look at them and think, I'm never going to figure this out.

Bird Lives wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 2:35 pm It took me a minute, maybe because I saw some folks who wandered onto the stand unintentionally -- a trumpeter and one or two guitarists.

Thanks; I am trying to glean something from what I think are the theme answers, but I may need to tighten things up.

Laura M wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:31 pm jazz isn't my forte (or my piano, for that matter!).

Well played.

spotter wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 4:29 pm

Laura M wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:31 pm Got it! Took me a little while to see what I needed to see; jazz isn't my forte (or my piano, for that matter!).

Seems I've been overtaken in the contest standings, which is just as well (it was fun for a while!), but I don't think I understand how the scoring works. I guess people must get more points for faster (correct) submissions to the monthly contests? I'd never have a chance in a speed-solving competition

I'm also curious about the scoring. I've solved all 7 so far with no guesses at the MEGA or Red Herring and have 12 points. While others have 13 or 14 points for 7 correct puzzles...

I have 12 also. Maybe they guessed the red herring right, but got point deductions for incorrect guesses? You lose one point if you're wrong.

If you look on Pete's page under "contest rules", it explains the scoring.

Nice construction. We got this one quickly and enjoyed it a lot. Still no clue for the mega-meta.