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#669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 11:52 am
by Hector
This week’s contest answer is a five-letter historic place name.
In the puzzle files, the prompt is "This week's contest answer is a bygone place name."
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 12:50 pm
by spotter
Did you see the prompt is different from what you've written now?
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 12:53 pm
by RPardoe
Matt has one (older?) prompt on the website; a different prompt in the PUZ / PDF file.
I have a wild guess at the moment, but no idea as to the meta method to (potentially) validate it.
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:16 pm
by ajk
Matt just posted a clarification:
Dear Solver,
The instructions for MGWCC #669 should read: "This week’s contest answer is a five-letter historic place name."
That's the way it reads on the site, but in the Patreon post I sent out I accidentally used the instructions from a previous version, which only asked for "a bygone place name."
Sorry for the mistake!
--Matt
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:27 pm
by Dannyvee
I find it hard to believe that no one has even made a wrong guess yet?
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:29 pm
by Al Sisti
...or maybe he hasn't updated it yet?
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:38 pm
by spotter
Either way, the explanation is that he has a new baby
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:02 pm
by Al Sisti
Well that answers that - one entry, one correct. Sally L. (4 week streak, 13 solves overall). Hmmm... First of all, good for her!
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:05 pm
by Hector
Prediction: this one is going to prove difficult for many solvers.
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:43 pm
by MikeyG
Silly question - does Matt live update the standings? I figured there was some program that automatically did that. If he does live update, that's some dedication!!
And...well, currently, my only prediction for the number of right answers is that it will at least be a positive integer. Holy moly (to quote a previous meta).
Mike
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:04 pm
by Al Sisti
MikeyG wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:43 pm
Silly question - does Matt live update the standings? I figured there was some program that automatically did that. If he does live update, that's some dedication!!
And...well, currently, my only prediction for the number of right answers is that it will at least be a positive integer. Holy moly (to quote a previous meta).
Mike
Matt or his team does it; it's not done automatically (as I think Pete Muller's is).
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 6:06 pm
by spotter
BEAM ME UP! Streak at 1
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 6:27 pm
by Bird Lives
ajk wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:16 pm
Matt just posted a clarification:
Dear Solver,
The instructions for MGWCC #669 should read: "This week’s contest answer is a five-letter historic place name."
... a previous version, which only asked for "a bygone place name."
--Matt
Let bygones be bygones.
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2021 1:13 am
by ChrisKochmanski
Beam me up!
That was fun! After staring at the grid for a looooooooong time ... and going deep into a couple of rabbit holes ... and distracting myself with other puzzles ... I finally had a big aha -- and then the solving unfolded in a very satisfying way.
Another Gaffney masterwork!
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2021 8:19 am
by LesY
Whew! That. Was. Hard.
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:55 am
by RPardoe
RPardoe wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 12:53 pm
I have a wild guess at the moment, but no idea as to the meta method to (potentially) validate it.
And the wild guess was just that - wild (and wildly incorrect).
Solved and submitted.
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2021 12:26 pm
by jimmyd
Wow! Starting the puzzle now, but that short leaderboard has me psyched out already...
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2021 12:56 pm
by mpmanning
I may just have received the fastest indication that my submitted answer was WRONG! Oh well, it's a week 4 learning experience!
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2021 1:05 pm
by MikeyG
The title is a misnomer.
Re: #669 - "Easy as A-B-C"
Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2021 1:28 pm
by ChrisKochmanski
MikeyG wrote: ↑Sat Mar 27, 2021 1:05 pm
The title is a misnomer.
Yes -- this puzzle is NOT easy -- but I suppose people should know that the title is important to solving.