@r.alphbunker, long-time commenter here and real nice guy, is sponsoring a wonderful, special crossword contest. You can win a cash prize that could purchase you a 2015 ACPT registration (for all events), or a one-month supply of cinnamon rolls (if properly rationed). Go to runtpuz.org, for all the details.
Tips from M&A: * Nice, easy runtpuz to get started with: puzzle #60 on the contest list. (Titled "Number 104") * A recommended fave runtpuz: puzzle #64 on the contest list. (Titled "Musing on Magic") * Should you ever see a runtpuz clue ending in a double-??, it means: "trouble brewing".
Good luck, y'all!
You ain't gone over there, yet? Geez. Y'all are losin valuable nanoseconds.
Did not know that, but did know the other Y???-I??? pair. The spoils of hundreds of schlock movie FriNights. I actually tried to do this first in a 15x15. Wrong, M&A Breath. Interestin how the 2-letter Down words are forced into total U-know-whatness, when makin this brand of runt…
p.s. I am easin off doin the constructioneer commentaries, as I do not want inadvertently get entered in the contest. Have dread fear of winning own autographed photo.
One thing which cost me those precious nanoseconds: Check out the different ways of spelling the first name of the cartoonist in this reference: http://www.lambiek.net/artists/l/lazarus_m.htm
@BobK: Day-um. That cartoonist is a runtpuz, on his own. Note the influence of @r.alph in this runtpuz. He once suggested the theoretical double-!! clue usage. (Decided this was its big chance.)
Gave it the full 17 minutes; had a full grid which made sense going down but not at the two across themers. Asked to reveal incorrect letters, but there was only one - at the intersection of 6 D and 9 A. Changed it to the correct letter, but darned if I know why. Still don't get it. Will point out that I was one of the few who never cottoned on to the gimmick in this morning's NYT. Something similar, I will assume.
Just read r.alph's analysis. Thank you, now I get it! A familiar trick, but I wasn't looking for it. (You may have noticed that I am not very imaginative. Sort of arstuckut.
@BobK: Thanx for given it yer all. See @r.alph's recap file below, for a strong hint to the puz's gimmick. It's really an idea that I've seen -- in another form -- before in the NYT. But tougher to uncover it, when solver only has a 7x7 grid to help in the decoding process. I just **knew** this would make it a very difficult runtpuz solve. Deyesed!
Have added Insanity Clause puzzle to the listing with a warning that it is a biter runt.
Check out the parking garage for a 11 x 11 runtpuz submitted by one of the commentariat over at Rex Parker. The chickens are starting to come home to roost!
Bill is in the book; wikipedia the dude … Primo solve time, @r.alph!
Still trying to decide whether to unleash the biter of all biter runtz, tomorrow. I guess Saturday **is** the hard puz-day, tho. And M&A does have a few themeless runtz lined up, for solvers to get their nerve back, afterwards …
*** Warning *** Today's Saturday runt puzzle is challenging. How challenging? If U have to ask, you should run for your life. This critter may be the nastiest pile of 7x7 snarlin grid ever devised by man. Really, U solvers are all real fine, decent people, and there is just no earthly excuse for this kind of constructor behavior. Please do not view this puz as legitimate ACPT training. It's something else. Not sure what. Something much darker, tho.
There's the signpost, up ahead. You've just crossed over into … The Twi-runt Zone.
"Bouncers" – 7x7 themed runtpuz (25 minutes allotted, but – seriously – it ain't happenin, dude):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10317&id2=946
M&A
p.s. This runtpuz contains no double-?? clues. Not any very hard clues at all, actually. Don't need any.
I saw this runt posting with the appropriate warnings early this morning. Rather than tackle it in my bleariness, I waited until after I had become fully awake, eaten my breakfast, played Guess My Word, and had done today's NYT Barry Silk puzzle as a warm-up.
All in vain. After 15 minutes, I had a full grid but no approval. I really had the right idea, but as it turned out, there were two obstacles blocking my path. Only after asking for a reveal of incorrect letters was I able to see my errors.
(Spoiler alert: One has to do with an actor who starred in two movies with orthographically similar titles. The other was because of my insistence on using the correct Latin plural of a scientific term.)
Proceeded with a great deal of uncertainty in the beginning. My confidence increased as the puzzle proceeded.
One thing that drove me nuts was the {"Someone like you" hit singer} clue. I distinctly heard a raspy voice doing it. Afterwards found this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJylcQ7CGfI (go to 45 seconds)
I am amazed, by the solve times turned in on this "Bouncers" runtpuz. U folks are soooo smart. M&A is not worthy.
About to be in the same month with that there ACPT. Will root around, and see what other 50-shades-of-grey-matter-building runtz I have, to bounce off yah…
M & A Brilliant theme! Bouncers does not do it justice. My wife is an artist and did a piece called "Curving Back" http://www.gillianbrown.com/JillCurveback.htm She will love this puzzle. "Curving back upon myself" would work as a title. "Something to fall back on" would also work.
Bob: given these new titles can you see what M & A accomplished in the Bouncers puzzle?
r.alph - Yes, I'm pretty sure I understood the significance of "Bouncers" even as I was doing the puzzle, but as I hinted above, once I had entered LILI I was totally blind to GIGI (I may have had this same lapse in other puzzles I've solved), and I just couldn't see any alternative to GENERA, so I was unable to make everything fit!
I had thought "Bouncers" would be much harder than "Make a U Turn If Possible": * Bouncers had every entry as a themer; almost impossible to get traction. * U Turn in title and oddly-placed circled letters just almost begged the solver to plunk U's in there. Wrong again, M&A Breath.
Yo! Nice little times, on the Stumpy Stomper. "2:38" is impressive. I figured that one would be tough, because there were no weeject-length words in it. I usually have trouble gettin a fingernail-hold, in grids like that, as a solver. W. A., M&A B.
Love the grid design of "Make a U Turn". Drew in the black blocks, before I even devised a theme. Also like the oddness of the Stumpy Stomper grid layout: looks like all the furniture's been shoved into the corners of the room, so people can dance. Not many slots left over, for words, either. Mighty fast puz, to clue up. And HURTED is just so wonderfully desperate.
FAQ memo to runtpuz solvers: 1. [free parking] = - = [I'm cluless]. 2. ?? clue ending = this clue is pretty day-um cryptic. 3. !! clue ending = this clue is pretty day-um obvious, if U think about it. 4. ?! or !? clue ending = this clue is a ??/!! mix. 5. Atomic Scoreboard = Periodic Table. Get to know yer elements, solvers. 6. Chiums = Periodic Table co-inhabitors. 7. (1.5?) clue = In between a ?-er and a ??-er. M&A gets insecure, sometimes.
p.s. …8. RUNTPUZ #XXX:YYY = Dimensionally-challenged crossword puzzle #, with XXX = the number in the series. (01-99 = themeless, 101-199 or 301-399 = themed, so far.) YYY = allotted max time, if U were in an ACPT tournament situation. M&A's talent for selectin YYY's has not been reviewed by tourney officials. 9. Runtz = plural of runt puzzle (a.k.a. runtpuz). Terminology, terminology. 10. har = good. snort = bad. This comes up more in comments, than puzzle cluing, tho…
p.p.s.s. Prev msg deleted, cuz of too many misspellings. Sari.
@BobK: Will be veeerrry interesting, hearin what U think of the *next* runtpuz…
** meta runt spoiler ** All the SEVEN-letter words have a DOUBLE-O in them. Also, there is 19-A, to be contended with. I'd also say "NO" and "AU" were book title hints, but that's gettin kinda desperate.
** Stumpy Stompeder's Revenge spoilers ** @BobK: 11-12A: US+AR = U.S. Army Reserves, where soldiers get placed, after ending active duty. 17A: If one does not act in a movie, a second choice is that one might narrate the movie.
Pretty good solve time, as this time I tried to make all the clues as tough as I could, in good conscience, muster. As @r.alph notes below, same grid solution as Wednesday's Stumpy Stompeder.
Thanx for participating in this "rote practice" session, and intriguing experiment. All-new puz tomorrow, I promise.
Sneaky, sneaky. When I opened this in my runtpuz.org program it opened the the filled in Stumpy Stompeder puzzle with new clues! The reason is that my program assumes that the grid uniquely identifies a puzzle. Since the grids are the same, it filled in the answer from the previous one. It looks like in order to uniquely identify a puzzle I need to use both the grid and the answers!
The lack of symmetry in runt puzzles doesn't bother me at all. I wonder how many great puzzles have failed because of strains caused by the symmetry requirement.
@BobK: Es freut mich. @r.alph: yep. Symmetry is overrated. If nature was so big on symmetry, we'd have two of everything.
Schlock movie FriFest recap: 1. Edge of Tomorrow (Live, Die, Repeat). Great. Groundhog Day with aliens. 1.5. Cliffhanger serial. Chapter 7 had technical issues. 2. Creature. Starring Sid Haig and a bunch of teenagers.
@r.alph: Really admire yer "mal where" comment. Musta been something subliminal, cuz I hadn't thought of it thataway, before. Yer runtpuz idea sounds extra easy to build, and extra real hard to solve. Like.
@r.alph: I note that U, as a computer programmer, look for razor-sharp precision in yer crossword clues. This is very much to your credit.
M&A, on the other hand, as a rascal, loves to write clues that are riddled with imprecision and vagueness.
*** Stomp-o-rama spoiler alert *** Example: {Washington, in several films}. Synonym for "several": "assorted". "Many" might have been a better word choice, so I avoided that, like the plague of precision that it is. {Not just in a haphazard manner}. As in: worse than haphazardly (or, worse than randomly). It's one thing to have a random pattern of letters, like: AHBGIFCED. It's another, to have a crazy pattern, like: BIGCHEFAD. Saving the best, for last: {Something often encountered on even the shortest of flights]. "Often" here meaning "routinely", but probably not interpreted that way by the average decent, law-abidin solver. All this long-winded explanation, of course, could better be summarized in a single word: har.
7 D did a good job of confusing me; in fact, I'm still confused about it.
ขà¸à¸šà¸„ุณ
BTW, M&A, congrats on the publication of your new book! I'll confess I haven't finished reading this review: (If you are impatient, start at paragraph #5.):
No... hey! -- in a way, this the third runtpuz issued today, because @r.alph also issued that cool "Warped Around the Edges" runtpuz, even earlier than the other two. This sets a new record, never equalled by the NY Times or Thrifty Nickel.
Poetry in Motion http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTc3NjY4NjA4NDI1ODgwMQ This theme would probably be impossible to pull off in a 15 x 15. I am thankful to runts for making it possible.
That's pretty good time, @BobK: this one was kinda weird, even for a runtpuz. U had to do what I figured almost everybody would have to do, at the end.
OK. So, here's the day-um deal. Answer to runtpuz is here: http://www.crosswordtournament.com (Pick Felix The Cat & Friends, under Crossword History category. Watch movie.)
I made an honest attempt to solve this, then tried "reveal incorrect letters" (at which point I had to change the homophonic pair of OIL/OYL to the correct brace), but ultimately failed, not surprisingly, to get 1A and 1 D.
p.s. Liked their "crossword historic" use of homophones, didn't U? Almost like a nat-tick in reverse. Do U think the ACPT mighta accidentally misspelled 1-A? Admired the desperation of all the unchecked squares and of 14-D. At least the constructioneer's heart was in the right place…
I would never have heard of Die Antwoord if you hadn't posted the video of them on Letterman performing "I Fink You Freaky."
Perhaps you already know that they are co-stars in the recently released movie "Chappie." I saw the film the other day. No singing, no Fink You Freaky. Not great science fiction, IMHO. Not believable characters.
But to a Gentle Soul like me, the movie seemed incredibly vulgar. Filthy. The language, the backgrounds, even the tattoos and license plates slathered with the F word! (Or equivalents.) Dear Betty Page would have blushed.
Sorry I can't recommend it!
Why am I telling this to you? Well, who else have I got to talk to?
@BobK: Being a schlock movie hound, I had been eyin the Chappie previews with mucho interest. Rotten Tomato reviews were pretty day-um low, tho. This settles it -- will probably wait for a cheapo used DVD, to view of a FriNite Schlockfest.
I hear there's a new George Miller "Mad Max: Fury Road" flick, comin out this summer. So, hope schprings, eternal…
M&A
p.s. Just wrote a new themed runt, inspired by today's NYT themeless. Am I easy to inspire, or What?
@BobK: Hopefully @r.alph's analysis will help, with the enlightenment. U are definitely faster than snot, when the runtpuz goes the real-word route. Always good to get an exposure to the far/dark side in yer training regimen, tho.
15:38, almost double the allotted time! But I sez, if this is my last chance, I am going to fight it to the end. Does it count as a success? Wouldn't at the ACPT, as all the papers would have been collected long before, and everyone would be coming back into the ballroom for the next puzzle. Still feels good, though.
Thank you, Professor M&A, for all the practice you have given. I hope I can complete the ACPT in good form. (Which means anything above the 40th percentile!)
@BobK: I admire bravery and mostly ornery stubbornness like that, under fire.
Prof M&A will return in a couple of days, after @r.alph has settled up on his all-the-runtpuzs-U-can-eat contest. So, U will still get a crucial last week of training, before Stumpy Stamford time.
Loved the Dr Fill solve of Dan Feyer's puzzle. I extracted the link from Jeff Chen's xwordinfo blog. https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/sLHSZYy2GwU
I would love to see how Dr. Fill would do on a runt puz.
M&A "The Exterminator" disturbed a bug in my program but didn't kill it so, unfortunately, it won't be available for the contest. Too bad because it was one of the best puzzles you have done. It will fix the bug soon.
See the parking garage for details.
@BobK Good luck at the ACPT. I will be doing it online and like you would like to finish higher than the bottom third where I usually find myself. Of course I always do well in the computer programmers older that 65 from Iowa category.
@r.alph: Definitely would like to see "The Exterminator" runtpuz turned loose on Dr. Fill. Would even bring the popcorn, to that rodeo.
BTW, let M&A know, when it's ok to lift the runtpuz-contest cease fire, and start issuin the ACPT practice runtpuzs again. I don't wanna mess up yer all-the-runtz-U-can-eat contest counts. No big rush. No allotments of minutes.
What is a person to do if he wishes to be both logical and polite?
You say, "Please respond if you would like to receive the book."
Logically, this precludes a response from me, as I am much happier to solve puzzles than construct them, and in any case I didn't enter the contest with any expectation of accepting any prize even if I had been selected. And I'm afraid that if I did respond even to say "No, thank you" my email address would be added to the recipient list.
But good manners require that I say, "Thank you very much for your generous offer, which I decline, having entered only in a spirit of fun."
So I take this route. Thank you again, keep up the good work, and may all your cross words be in grids.
@M&A I will get Dr Phil to try the Exterminator even if I have to pay Matt Ginsberg to do it. I am sure that he will require a .puz file and all I have is the xwordinfo format. Could you paste here the input to Across Lite that created the .puz file? Thanks
@BobK Logic is not on your side here. If only one person does not respond to the BCC that I sent offering the Berry book then logic will tell me that the non-respondent is you. The way to invalidate this line of reasoning is to reply to the email to say that you do not want the book but do not identify yourself. This is true so you are not lying, are practicing good manners and are remaining incognito.
@r.alph: Real bad things happen, when I try to send messages with .puz files in em. I'll send "The Exterminator" below, but will have to substitute @'s for the less-than and greater-than brackets. So, some re-conversion will be necessary. I wouldn't pay Dr. Phil over ten cents, to do that. Maybe would pay Dr. Fill a little bit more…
M&A
Runtpuz text:
@ACROSS PUZZLE V2@ @TITLE@ RUNTPUZ #310:08 "The Exterminator" @AUTHOR@ by M and A @COPYRIGHT@ 2015, Ahar Moments, Inc. @SIZE@ 07x07 @GRID@ AES..PE 1234.5X RSTU.6P ..CRI7E 8SA.T9N aHS.AbS HUE.WcE @REBUS@ 1:MO:M 2:SQ:S 3:UI:U 4:TO:T 5:RA:R 6:YI:Y 7:NG:N 8:RO:R 9:MA:M a:AC:A b:NT:N c:IS:I @ACROSS@ DDE opponent Gym class, for short Totally mashed bug How to spall Rex?? VW openers Runt complaint Recoil Santa ___, Calif. No friend of the bootlegger German exclamations Squashed line of bugs [didn't quite get them all, tho] Red, white or blue In the know @DOWN@ Another name for Cupid Titles for attys. Carousel item Mostly stomped bug Taxi, room, airplane ticket, cinnamon rolls, or cetera ... Graceland event Part of Tweety's version of Caesar's boast Pretty much crushed bug Menu word between moo and pork, ironically
I wish I could claim I solved it with no cheats. Everything was perfectly fair and logical at the end!
But after about 6 minutes I had everything except the first two lines of the checkered area, threw in some vaguely fitting words, then asked for "reveal incorrect letters" to see that all seven were wrong. I cleared them, thought hard about the clues given in the first place, the lightbulb went on, and at 8:55 I was rewarded with the "finished" chimes.
BTW, the body of the puzzle seems tied in with the discussion of today's NYT Xwd. At least two or three answers went in easily because they have been used very recently in other runts!
*** Spoiler Alert, for "Cant't Do a Thing with IT" ***
Anatomy of this runtpuz's development, step-by-step: 1. Draw the grid layout. Had no idea where it was going, yet. 2. Needed something to put in the 10 unchecked boxes. Preferably a phrase that solvers would've heard of before. Asked One-Look for common phrases. It had two: BAD HAIR DAY and RAT ATAT TAT. First choice seemed less horsy. 3. M&A is not too keen on unchecked squares, like some other NY-based runtpuz we all know. Decided that an overall phrase clue, plus separate clues for each of the phrase's words, might skin that cat. Or at least produce a runtpuz that is havin a bad hair day. 4. Plunked four such theme entries into the mostly uncheckered half of the grid. 5. Filled the rest of grid, using the usual 10-minute allotment. Looked pretty grim, with both PISP and RISS there, hissin back at m&e. 6. My usual questionable dictionary source informed me that RISS actually was something penultimate and glacial. So, PISP was awarded the coveted double-?? clue. 7. M&A has hundreds of grids (sorta) like this one, which he at this point tucks away in a safe place, in case he ever needs an insanity defense. For some weird reason, he clued er up, this time. Debustagut. 8. Since M&A is still confused about whether the runtpuz contest is now officially over, he sends the runtpuz out with a bunch of caveats. Basically used everything but the trusted "no refunds" disclaimer. 9. Voila and QED… the first runtpuz ever produced to give solvers and computer crossword programs alike a bad hair day.
M&A "Hairy Runtpuzs R Us"
p.s. I'm going to start issuin more ACPT practice runtz, now. Sure hope that's OK. Dan Feyer needs just a few more, to round into full fightin form.
Not So Fast: Tunnel of Confusion: http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjkzNDI2NjgxMjg0MTM1OA I really enjoy the liberties you take with established xword guidelines!
Wow. Nice solve times. @BobK: Hoisted some cabernet tonight, myself, to drown my sorrows, after my Round 5 "toughie" runtpuz was so easily vanquished. @r.alph: Really agonized, on what the right solution content should be, for the Tunnel of Confusion. Confused the M&A.
Had a filled grid before 5:00 but couldn't see why I wasn't getting the chimes. Had to ask for "reveal incorrect letters" to find the one which was so obvious once it was highlighted, but to which I had been blind. All OK at 5:23, but doesn't count to my credit.
I know I can't get a refund from Runtpuz, Inc. I wonder if Will Shortz will give me my money back if I drop out of the ACPT?
Totally flustered, had to ask for one letter, then finished in almost exactly 3 . . . . that is, 3 times Hicham El Guerrouj's world record in the mile.
@BobK: Askin for an ACPT refund because U can't solve a runtpuz is kinda like askin to resign from Congress, cuz U had a bad hair day. There puppies are all about roughin U up, to toughen U up. Booya.
Stumpy Stamford-ier Than Snot http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTg4MDkxNjg3NjAxMjI4NA My time was the same as Hicham El Guerrouj's world record in the mile.
Vowelless: http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDA3NjExNjg4NTczMzUzOQ This was like puzzle 5 at the ACPT. Needed to reveal 5 letters to finish. Still not sure I know what 9D is. It was unlike puzzle 5 because even though I figured out the theme early on it did not help me finish the puzzle.
15:49, but after I had revealed incorrect letters, of which I had 2.
Agree with r.alph, can only guess at the meaning of 9D. Unfortunately, had made a guess at the crossing of the third letter which I could justify but wasn't what was wanted.
Early on I was just going "sputter, sputter, how the heck can this be solved?" But then the light dawned -- of course! ( Won't give any spoiler here.)
So you think I should go ahead and give Stamford a try anyway?
@BobK: Good heavens, yep. U have almost successfully graduated (whether U feel that way or not) from Runtpuz ACPT Prep Univ. Perhaps with honors (a few more runtz to go, tho)…
Since U are so nice, and did ask, I'll reveal that M&A won't be making a personal appearance there, this year. But whensoever U -- or r.alph -- and I turn up there at the same time, it will definitely be a close encounter of the third kind. U dudes are my very best customers. Hell, U even worked some thing called "The Exterminator"!
Now replies work OK. @BobK: har. Better than "great constructioneer erection", as an add-on. Thanx back.
Wasn't gonna do this to U, but it's just so day-um entertainin, readin yer and r.alph's reactions to the runtz… spouse pops up some popcorn, and we both enjoy.
Har. @BobK: U musta took the time to read through every crumb of 8-A, 11-A, 2-D and 9-D. This is called Entering The Muse-Lite Zone: where yer clues get real wordy, chewin up valuable solvin nano-seconds. Dude. Do not get sucked into this deadly vortex, while U are speed-solvin. Subliminal Lesson, there.
OK. So, there will be two practice rounds tomorrow, as part of what we in the ACPT Drill Sergeant Corps business call "Moments of Desperation: El Grande Finale". This will be a two 15x15 giant runtpuz event. These puzs have been graciously donated by a sorta constructioneer amigo of M&A's, and then ever- so-gently "runt-lerized" by M&A, Yer Runtpuz Editor.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
M&A
p.s. Deleted and re-posted this comment a couple times. First two versions were not intimidatin enough, to do El Grande Finale justice. har. Who is M&A kidding?!? There ain't no stinkin justice, in runtpuzs! But there is auto-correct, which really buzzkills old M&A's semi-primo comments.
@r.alph: I may have broke the Parking Garage. Just sent a msg there, and it didn't take. (This may be because I tried sending the .puz file U requested to there, a few days back, and it didn't take, and I then sent it to here. The last message I see in the P.G. is one I sent, before I sent the .puz one. Real sorry.)
M&A "If r.alph Builds It, He Will Come . . . and Break It"
"El Grande Finale, Part 1 of 2" - 15x15 themed (20 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=12895&id2=570
M&A
Got this puz donated to the cause, cuz constructioneer had discovered that its theme idea had sorta been done before, about ten years ago. Dejavuosity!
The Stamford LTD http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODc2NTMwNzAzOTgxMjQ4NA More like the Stamford Local for me
El Grande Finale Part 1 of 2 http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution? id=NzAzNjUwNzA0MjkyMDYzOQ IMO this is a publishable puzzle. Have you tried?
Important philosophical question: Does "stuff" imply a plural situation?
"She knows her stuff" --> multiple areas of expertise? "Rawhide is tough stuff" --> multiple kinds of rawhide? "This stuff tastes awful" --> multiple taste tests? "I regret that I only have one stuff to give to my country" --> Sounds worse than "two stuff" ??
It is fitting that Joel Fagliano did today's Monday NYT. Here is his 5 x 5 runt puzzle: http://www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10117&id2=442
ReplyDeleteGiant Runt Contest…
ReplyDelete@r.alphbunker, long-time commenter here and real nice guy, is sponsoring a wonderful, special
crossword contest.
You can win a cash prize that could purchase you a 2015 ACPT registration (for all events), or a
one-month supply of cinnamon rolls (if properly rationed). Go to runtpuz.org, for all the details.
Tips from M&A:
* Nice, easy runtpuz to get started with: puzzle #60 on the contest list. (Titled "Number 104")
* A recommended fave runtpuz: puzzle #64 on the contest list. (Titled "Musing on Magic")
* Should you ever see a runtpuz clue ending in a double-??, it means: "trouble brewing".
Good luck, y'all!
You ain't gone over there, yet? Geez. Y'all are losin valuable nanoseconds.
M&A
Check out the parking garage.
ReplyDeleteACPT Unofficial Workout Center, Runt-ish Division.
ReplyDelete"Fifty Shades of Dejavuosity" - 9x7 themed runtpuz (10 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10178&id2=76
M&A
3:36. Comfortably within the allotment!
DeleteAnd I should never stop saying this: Yet another thing of beauty!
Thanx. Nice solve time. Still can't believe U did not also crush the last practice runtpuz.
DeleteM&A
Please check out the parking garage.
ReplyDeleteNeed to run now. Will do the Fifty Shades puzzle later.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=A32w28x32qq
ReplyDeleteHar! Only in a runt. Did you know that Yowa is a variant spelling of Iowa?
Did not know that, but did know the other Y???-I??? pair. The spoils of hundreds of schlock movie FriNights.
DeleteI actually tried to do this first in a 15x15. Wrong, M&A Breath. Interestin how the 2-letter Down words are forced into total U-know-whatness, when makin this brand of runt…
p.s. I am easin off doin the constructioneer commentaries, as I do not want inadvertently get entered in the contest. Have dread fear of winning own autographed photo.
M&A
ACPT Practice Court, Runt Division.
ReplyDelete"Crazy Eight" - 7x7 sorta themed (10 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10210&id2=479
M&A
4:12.
DeleteOne thing which cost me those precious nanoseconds: Check out the different ways of spelling the first name of the cartoonist in this reference:
http://www.lambiek.net/artists/l/lazarus_m.htm
@BobK: Day-um. That cartoonist is a runtpuz, on his own.
DeleteNote the influence of @r.alph in this runtpuz. He once suggested the theoretical double-!! clue usage. (Decided this was its big chance.)
M&A
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=A32w38x32qq
ReplyDeleteAn exceptional example of the runt genre.
I loved the !! clues. Wish I could remember what my suggestion was.
Only things M&A can remember…
Delete* Mama.
* Alamo.
* Maine.
* Good=har; bad=snort.
* What I had for breakfast.
* runtpuz.gov.
M&A
Last two puzzles are now available at runtpuz.org
ReplyDeletePlease check the parking garage.
ACPT Muscle Warm-up Exercises, Runt Division.
ReplyDelete"Insanity Clause" - 7x7 themed (hard; 17-minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10247&id2=267
M&A
Gave it the full 17 minutes; had a full grid which made sense going down but not at the two across themers. Asked to reveal incorrect letters, but there was only one - at the intersection of 6 D and 9 A. Changed it to the correct letter, but darned if I know why. Still don't get it. Will point out that I was one of the few who never cottoned on to the gimmick in this morning's NYT. Something similar, I will assume.
DeleteThanks as always!
Just read r.alph's analysis. Thank you, now I get it! A familiar trick, but I wasn't looking for it. (You may have noticed that I am not very imaginative. Sort of arstuckut.
Delete@BobK: Thanx for given it yer all.
DeleteSee @r.alph's recap file below, for a strong hint to the puz's gimmick.
It's really an idea that I've seen -- in another form -- before in the NYT. But tougher to uncover it, when solver only has a 7x7 grid to help in the decoding process. I just **knew** this would make it a very difficult runtpuz solve. Deyesed!
M&A
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=A32w43x32qq
ReplyDeleteDon't try this at home; call a professional
Ow-yowch, @r.alph. One second over the solve time allotment! Note to ACPT-wannabes: every nanosecond can count!
DeleteThis perpetuates the M&A theory that cleverly themed runtz are treacherous solves.
Tomorrow: a themeless, ergo easier, runt.
Probably the next day: an ACPT puz #5 warm-up; brutal, biter runt. Mark yer calendars...
M&A
Have added Insanity Clause puzzle to the listing with a warning that it is a biter runt.
ReplyDeleteCheck out the parking garage for a 11 x 11 runtpuz submitted by one of the commentariat over at Rex Parker. The chickens are starting to come home to roost!
ACPT Practice Court and Obstacle Course.
ReplyDelete"Not So Great Grandson of a Stubby Stumber" - 7x7 themeless (12 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10293&id2=982
M&A
7:44.
DeleteOuch! The things I don't know! (But did guess correctly, after what felt like an eternity!)
Thanks.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=A32w49x32qq
ReplyDeleteYou never know what you will get when you open a runtpuz. This one was a gift but not boring.
Thanks for doing the research, r.alph! No wonder I didn't know 1 A! :>)
DeleteBill is in the book; wikipedia the dude …
DeletePrimo solve time, @r.alph!
Still trying to decide whether to unleash the biter of all biter runtz, tomorrow. I guess Saturday **is** the hard puz-day, tho. And M&A does have a few themeless runtz lined up, for solvers to get their nerve back, afterwards …
M&A
ACPT Ultimate Workout, Extreme Biter Division.
ReplyDelete*** Warning ***
Today's Saturday runt puzzle is challenging. How challenging? If U have to ask, you should run for your life. This critter may be the nastiest pile of 7x7 snarlin grid ever devised by man. Really, U solvers are all real fine, decent people, and there is just no earthly excuse for this kind of constructor behavior. Please do not view this puz as legitimate ACPT training. It's something else. Not sure what. Something much darker, tho.
There's the signpost, up ahead. You've just crossed over into … The Twi-runt Zone.
"Bouncers" – 7x7 themed runtpuz (25 minutes allotted, but – seriously – it ain't happenin, dude):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10317&id2=946
M&A
p.s.
This runtpuz contains no double-?? clues. Not any very hard clues at all, actually. Don't need any.
My long, sad story:
ReplyDeleteI saw this runt posting with the appropriate warnings early this morning. Rather than tackle it in my bleariness, I waited until after I had become fully awake, eaten my breakfast, played Guess My Word, and had done today's NYT Barry Silk puzzle as a warm-up.
All in vain. After 15 minutes, I had a full grid but no approval. I really had the right idea, but as it turned out, there were two obstacles blocking my path. Only after asking for a reveal of incorrect letters was I able to see my errors.
(Spoiler alert: One has to do with an actor who starred in two movies with orthographically similar titles. The other was because of my insistence on using the correct Latin plural of a scientific term.)
Thanks as always.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=A32w53x32qq
ReplyDeleteProceeded with a great deal of uncertainty in the beginning. My confidence increased as the puzzle proceeded.
One thing that drove me nuts was the {"Someone like you" hit singer} clue. I distinctly heard a raspy voice doing it. Afterwards found this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJylcQ7CGfI (go to 45 seconds)
This one was definitely a run for my money! :-)
I am amazed, by the solve times turned in on this "Bouncers" runtpuz. U folks are soooo smart. M&A is not worthy.
ReplyDeleteAbout to be in the same month with that there ACPT. Will root around, and see what other 50-shades-of-grey-matter-building runtz I have, to bounce off yah…
M&A
M & A
ReplyDeleteThis one was definitely a run for my money! :-) in my previous post was a joke. Did you GET IT?
@r.alph: Well, maybe -- since I suggested "run for your life", and U took the other route? GETI…?
DeleteM&A
Anybody that thinks "Bouncers" is simply a "drop a letter" theme should
ReplyDeletethink a dab more, btw. Runtz try harder than that.
@r.alph: see also Parking Garage.
M&A
M & A
ReplyDeleteBrilliant theme! Bouncers does not do it justice. My wife is an artist and did a piece called "Curving Back" http://www.gillianbrown.com/JillCurveback.htm She will love this puzzle. "Curving back upon myself" would work as a title. "Something to fall back on" would also work.
Bob: given these new titles can you see what M & A accomplished in the Bouncers puzzle?
Will now attempt the George Barany runt
r.alph - Yes, I'm pretty sure I understood the significance of "Bouncers" even as I was doing the puzzle, but as I hinted above, once I had entered LILI I was totally blind to GIGI (I may have had this same lapse in other puzzles I've solved), and I just couldn't see any alternative to GENERA, so I was unable to make everything fit!
DeleteM & A
ReplyDeleteCheck the parking garage. Can I add this one to the public list?
@r.alph: Sure. See Parking Garage, for comment on its 6-Across double-?? clue.
DeleteReally like the alternate title suggestions, for "Bouncers", btw. Gold sta to BobK, for seein what M&A was up to, from the get-go.
M&A
ACPT Warmup Drill, Small Potatoes Division.
ReplyDelete"Scrappy Lil Stumper" - 7x7 themeless (12 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10343&id2=358
M&A
Went over the allotment; took 14:43, but who knows why, kept at it, finally got it, no cheats!
DeleteTo sum up: I have learned nothing!
Hey, BobK. -- It's like landing a plane… Any solve you can walk away from in one piece…
DeleteM&A
ACPT Driving Range, Runt Tour.
ReplyDelete"Make a U-Turn, If Possible" - 7x7 themed (15 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10376&id2=367
M&A
On my own, impossible, but with judicious use of "reveal incorrect letters" I was able to complete the grid.
DeleteM&A, have you been chosen to create the killer puzzle for the ACPT?
@BobK.,
Deletehar. If I answered "yes", would U still go to there?
M&A
But of course.
DeleteMy usual finish at the ACPT is around the 50th percentile; I'm happy if I can do just the easy half of the puzzles!
The puzzles I fail at are usually the most fun.
Scrappy little stumper:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjQ4NTEwNTMxMzIyNDE2Nw
ACPT Rehearsal Studio, Dimensionally Challenged Grid Division.
ReplyDelete"Stumpy Stomper" - 7x7 themeless (12 minutes allotted):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10389&id2=73
M&A
2:38, no cheats.
DeleteWhen the answers are real words . . .
Thanks for the ego boost!
Make a U Turn if possible
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Nzg1MTA1NTMxNDczNTYxMA
Turned out it wasn't possible
Stumpy Stomper:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTA2NjIyNTM4ODk1OTk3OA
**Incredible Spoiler Alert for last three puzs**
ReplyDeleteI had thought "Bouncers" would be much harder than "Make a U Turn If Possible":
* Bouncers had every entry as a themer; almost impossible to get traction.
* U Turn in title and oddly-placed circled letters just almost begged the solver to plunk U's in there.
Wrong again, M&A Breath.
Yo! Nice little times, on the Stumpy Stomper. "2:38" is impressive. I figured that one would be tough, because there were no weeject-length words in it. I usually have trouble gettin a fingernail-hold, in grids like that, as a solver. W. A., M&A B.
Love the grid design of "Make a U Turn". Drew in the black blocks, before I even devised a theme. Also like the oddness of the Stumpy Stomper grid layout: looks like all the furniture's been shoved into the corners of the room, so people can dance. Not many slots left over, for words, either. Mighty fast puz, to clue up.
And HURTED is just so wonderfully desperate.
M&A
FAQ memo to runtpuz solvers:
ReplyDelete1. [free parking] = - = [I'm cluless].
2. ?? clue ending = this clue is pretty day-um cryptic.
3. !! clue ending = this clue is pretty day-um obvious, if U think about it.
4. ?! or !? clue ending = this clue is a ??/!! mix.
5. Atomic Scoreboard = Periodic Table. Get to know yer elements, solvers.
6. Chiums = Periodic Table co-inhabitors.
7. (1.5?) clue = In between a ?-er and a ??-er. M&A gets insecure, sometimes.
Thanx, and good luck.
M&A
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletep.s.
ReplyDelete…8. RUNTPUZ #XXX:YYY = Dimensionally-challenged crossword puzzle #, with XXX = the number in the series. (01-99 = themeless, 101-199 or 301-399 = themed, so far.) YYY = allotted max time, if U were in an ACPT tournament situation. M&A's talent for selectin YYY's has not been reviewed by tourney officials.
9. Runtz = plural of runt puzzle (a.k.a. runtpuz). Terminology, terminology.
10. har = good. snort = bad. This comes up more in comments, than puzzle cluing, tho…
p.p.s.s.
Prev msg deleted, cuz of too many misspellings. Sari.
M&A
p.p.p.s.s.s.
ReplyDeleteIs there a singular for "clothes"?
Am I wearing clothes, if going commando in my bermuda shorts?
Discuss.
M&A
ACPT Test Lab, Stumpy Division.
ReplyDelete"Stumpy Stompeder" - 7x7 themeless (12 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10401&id2=55
M&A
2:59.
DeleteThis morning I didn't wait for the bleariness to pass. But again, with real words, no problem.
Thanx.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDYzNTQyNTQ3NDE4Njk4NA
ReplyDeleteWrote in bottom three grid spanners with no crosses!
@Bob 2:59 is a minute better than 3:01 at the ACPT!
Great solve times, again. Either I'm gettin too easy, or U folks are gettin real good at this.
ReplyDelete*** Stumpy Stompeder spoiler alert ***
@r.alph: If I did it right, the 4-Down clue parses into: "The (FIRST) part of (ATFIRST)".
Not that it slowed anyone down much, in any case.
M&A
ACPT Practice, MetaRunt Conference.
ReplyDelete"What literary character is suggested by this runt puzzle?" - 7x7 themed (15 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10428&id2=74
M&A
8:01 (darn those extra 2 seconds!)
DeleteRe: the meta: This runt has shaken my confidence, but I am not stirred to further action.
@BobK: Will be veeerrry interesting, hearin what U think of the *next* runtpuz…
Delete** meta runt spoiler **
All the SEVEN-letter words have a DOUBLE-O in them. Also, there is 19-A, to be contended with.
I'd also say "NO" and "AU" were book title hints, but that's gettin kinda desperate.
M&A
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDQzMzAyNTU2MTQ3MTk1OQ
ReplyDeleteExcellent cluing and an easy gettable meta. Great way to begin the day.
ACPT Rote Practice, Stumpy Division.
ReplyDelete"Stumpy Stompeder's Revenge" - 7x7 themeless (Only a 10 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10452&id2=155
M&A
6:16, no cheats, safely within the allotment.
DeleteBut totally do not understand 11A, 12A, or 17A!
Gracias!
** Stumpy Stompeder's Revenge spoilers **
Delete@BobK:
11-12A: US+AR = U.S. Army Reserves, where soldiers get placed, after ending active duty.
17A: If one does not act in a movie, a second choice is that one might narrate the movie.
Pretty good solve time, as this time I tried to make all the clues as tough as I could, in good conscience, muster. As @r.alph notes below, same grid solution as Wednesday's Stumpy Stompeder.
Thanx for participating in this "rote practice" session, and intriguing experiment.
All-new puz tomorrow, I promise.
M&A
Sneaky, sneaky. When I opened this in my runtpuz.org program it opened the the filled in Stumpy Stompeder puzzle with new clues! The reason is that my program assumes that the grid uniquely identifies a puzzle. Since the grids are the same, it filled in the answer from the previous one. It looks like in order to uniquely identify a puzzle I need to use both the grid and the answers!
ReplyDelete@r.alph: Rat fudge. Your solve time of 0 seconds is really gonna throw my experiment's statistics off.
DeleteYer program is too smart for m&e.
M&A
M & A
ReplyDeleteI think you will be very interested in what I just posted to the parking garage.
ACPT Crucial Training, Runty Run-Thru.
ReplyDelete"Stumpy Stompfest" - 7x7 themeless (12 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10480&id2=780
M&A
2:34. Again, real words = easy.
DeleteMerci.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDg1NjQ3NTczMjk2MTE1Ng
ReplyDeleteThe lack of symmetry in runt puzzles doesn't bother me at all. I wonder how many great puzzles have failed because of strains caused by the symmetry requirement.
@BobK: Es freut mich.
ReplyDelete@r.alph: yep. Symmetry is overrated. If nature was so big on symmetry, we'd have two of everything.
Schlock movie FriFest recap:
1. Edge of Tomorrow (Live, Die, Repeat). Great. Groundhog Day with aliens.
1.5. Cliffhanger serial. Chapter 7 had technical issues.
2. Creature. Starring Sid Haig and a bunch of teenagers.
M&A
ACPT Puz Prep, Runt Branch.
ReplyDelete"Malware" - 7x7 themed (12 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10499&id2=477
M&A
Time to solve the grid: 5:50.
DeleteTime to understand the meta: an extra two minutes.
But then, genuine LOL!
Vielen Dank.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjcxNTM5NTgyNzAyNTMyNQ
ReplyDeleteNice puzzle. Captures nicely that malware tries to avoid detection
M & A
ReplyDeletePlease check the parking garage.
@BobK: de nada, dude.
ReplyDelete@r.alph: Really admire yer "mal where" comment. Musta been something subliminal, cuz I hadn't thought of it thataway, before. Yer runtpuz idea sounds extra easy to build, and extra real hard to solve. Like.
M&A
@r.alph: It's now parked in the garage.
ReplyDeleteM&A
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteACPT Dry Runs, Dry Runtz Dept.
ReplyDelete"Stumpy Stomp-o-rama" - 7x7 themeless (12 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10540&id2=925
M&A
Whew! Almost gave up, but kept at it, finished in 11:22, just under the wire, no cheats.
DeleteDomo arigato.
doitashimashite.
Delete(I think.)
Hauled out some pretty unmerciful cluin, for the Stomp-o-rama runt.
M&A
M & A
ReplyDeletePlease check the parking garage
Stumpy Stomp-o-rama
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzY2NTc4NTkxMTA4MjUwMA
@r.alph: I note that U, as a computer programmer, look for razor-sharp precision in yer crossword clues. This is very much to your credit.
DeleteM&A, on the other hand, as a rascal, loves to write clues that are riddled with imprecision and vagueness.
*** Stomp-o-rama spoiler alert ***
Example: {Washington, in several films}. Synonym for "several": "assorted". "Many" might have been a better word choice, so I avoided that, like the plague of precision that it is.
{Not just in a haphazard manner}. As in: worse than haphazardly (or, worse than randomly). It's one thing to have a random pattern of letters, like: AHBGIFCED. It's another, to have a crazy pattern, like: BIGCHEFAD.
Saving the best, for last: {Something often encountered on even the shortest of flights]. "Often" here meaning "routinely", but probably not interpreted that way by the average decent, law-abidin solver.
All this long-winded explanation, of course, could better be summarized in a single word: har.
M&A
M & A
ReplyDeleteI have added your rebuttal to runt link that you see when you first come here.
An subtitle of the puzzle could be "Dashed expectations"
ACPT Self-Test Kit, Runt Sized.
ReplyDelete"Stumpy Stompztravanganza" - 7x7 themeless (12 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10571&id2=604
M&A
6:36.
DeleteA very peculiar puzzle, he said homophonically.
Tack så mycket.
(BTW, what's going on with this blog, that all comments come into my g mail as hot links?)
Spoiler ahead! --
DeleteIs it too early to say, I meant a "puh - *Q* - lee - ar" puzzle?
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Mzg3MjIxNTk5MzEzNDQyMQ
ReplyDelete@Bob
It is happening to me also. It was nothing that I configured.
M & A
ReplyDeletePlease check the parking garage
@BobK: du ar valkommen?
ReplyDelete@r.alph: Patrick Berry?! har.
Flamin, wild-ass captchas, btw. (Somethin PB1 has no doubt not ever uttered, about a crossword puz.)
M&A
M&A
ACPT Transcendental Hygiene, Miniatures Dept.
ReplyDelete"Poetry in Motion" - 7x7 themed (15 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10597&id2=899
[Warning: this sucker may be pretty "out there", dude. Save it for when U are not bleary-eyed.]
M&A
5:02.
DeleteWith appropriate warning, I was ready for "Edgar Allan"try in Motion. It really pays to read the title!
धन्यवाद!
@BobK: Apaka svagata hai, Maharishi.
DeleteM&A
ACPT Brain-Twerking Session, Small But Feisty Heat.
ReplyDelete"Stumpy Stomp-aroma on Steroids" - 7x7 themeless (12 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10599&id2=229
This is the second runtpuz issued today, in case anyone's confused.
This was done mostly in order to confuse everyone.
M&A
3:30.
Delete7 D did a good job of confusing me; in fact, I'm still confused about it.
ขà¸à¸šà¸„ุณ
BTW, M&A, congrats on the publication of your new book! I'll confess I haven't finished reading this review: (If you are impatient, start at paragraph #5.):
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/11436670/Satin-Island-by-Tom-McCarthy-review-induces-mania.html
@BobK: Mi penri -- and pass the kaeng phet pet yang, please.
Delete7-D was just yer standard runtpuz pattern-recognition quiz.
M&A
"Proud to be part of a fizzing network"
And the next member of the series would be "VYES"?
DeleteThuk txng!
DeleteM&A
No... hey! -- in a way, this the third runtpuz issued today, because @r.alph also issued that cool "Warped Around the Edges" runtpuz, even earlier than the other two. This sets a new record, never equalled by the NY Times or Thrifty Nickel.
ReplyDeleteConfused again, M and A Breath.
M&A
Poetry in Motion
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTc3NjY4NjA4NDI1ODgwMQ
This theme would probably be impossible to pull off in a 15 x 15. I am thankful to runts for making it possible.
Test to see if email includes post
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDQyMDI2NjA4ODEwOTY3OA
ReplyDeleteIt appears that posts are now coming in emails. Some HTML I had in my blog entry were causing the problem.
M & A
Please check out the parking garage.
ACPT Practice Til U Drop, Runter-Up Version.
ReplyDelete"Tail of Whoa" - 7x7 themed (15 minute "gift" allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10620&id2=256
M&A
"Finished" in 7:08, but only after asking for a reveal of incorrect letters.
DeleteI had found 1/4 of "trick" entries, but failed to interpret a critical clue to see what was required to be accepted as completed.
Hope that is obscure enough as not to be considered a spoiler.
Thank you.
That's pretty good time, @BobK: this one was kinda weird, even for a runtpuz. U had to do what I figured almost everybody would have to do, at the end.
DeleteAnd, U R welcome. (Yo! English!)
M&A
ACPT Practice Runtpuz, Already Posted at the ACPT Site Dept.
ReplyDelete"Crossword History" - 7x7 themeless (12 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10622&id2=587
OK. So, here's the day-um deal. Answer to runtpuz is here:
http://www.crosswordtournament.com
(Pick Felix The Cat & Friends, under Crossword History category. Watch movie.)
M&A
"Not Making This Stuff Up, Since 1925"
LOL!
DeleteI made an honest attempt to solve this, then tried "reveal incorrect letters" (at which point I had to change the homophonic pair of OIL/OYL to the correct brace), but ultimately failed, not surprisingly, to get 1A and 1 D.
Thanks for the laughs!
@BobK: Well, the ACPT has its "catty" ACPT runtpuz standards, and M&A has his. Usually M&A don't require no training film, to explain his puz, tho.
DeleteBack to the M&A "standard", on the next upcoming runt.
M&A
p.s.
DeleteLiked their "crossword historic" use of homophones, didn't U? Almost like a nat-tick in reverse.
Do U think the ACPT mighta accidentally misspelled 1-A? Admired the desperation of all the unchecked squares and of 14-D. At least the constructioneer's heart was in the right place…
M&A
Tail of Whoa
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzkzODIwNjEyNTAxMjU2Mw
Same thing that happened to BobK. Nice that clue 1A works. Too bad others didn't
ACPT Semi-Professional Practice Round, Non-Felix Division.
ReplyDelete"Stumpy Stomp Collector" - 7x7 themeless (12 minute allotment (includes coffee break)):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10648&id2=999
M&A
7:03, no cheats and no coffee break.
DeleteNot a great time, but happy to have been able to finish, in part due to a couple of lucky guesses.
Thank you as always for the profusion of clever puzzles!
@BobK: U B welcome. Good job; now go have some coffee and C-roll.
DeleteM&A
"For a Not Great Time..."
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDcyNzY5NjE3NzY4NzIzOQ
ReplyDeleteI've done the puzzle, now I'm going to see the movie.
@r.alph: Well, there's yer trouble …
DeleteM&A
ACPT Warm-Up Exercise, Runtz.
ReplyDelete"Slippery Customers" - 7x7 themed (12 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10657&id2=44
M&A
6:37.
DeleteI remain in awe of your endless creativity!
Thanks.
(Personal note to M&A, not crossword related):
ReplyDeleteI would never have heard of Die Antwoord if you hadn't posted the video of them on Letterman performing "I Fink You Freaky."
Perhaps you already know that they are co-stars in the recently released movie "Chappie." I saw the film the other day. No singing, no Fink You Freaky. Not great science fiction, IMHO. Not believable characters.
But to a Gentle Soul like me, the movie seemed incredibly vulgar. Filthy. The language, the backgrounds, even the tattoos and license plates slathered with the F word! (Or equivalents.) Dear Betty Page would have blushed.
Sorry I can't recommend it!
Why am I telling this to you? Well, who else have I got to talk to?
@BobK: Being a schlock movie hound, I had been eyin the Chappie previews with mucho interest. Rotten Tomato reviews were pretty day-um low, tho. This settles it -- will probably wait for a cheapo used DVD, to view of a FriNite Schlockfest.
DeleteI hear there's a new George Miller "Mad Max: Fury Road" flick, comin out this summer. So, hope schprings, eternal…
M&A
p.s. Just wrote a new themed runt, inspired by today's NYT themeless. Am I easy to inspire, or What?
M & A
ReplyDeleteYou want inspiration? Check the parking garage.
ACPT Infinite Practice Loop, Runtz R Us.
ReplyDelete"Still On Top" - 7x7 themed (only 8 minute allotment, cuz of hints given in today's NYTPuz):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10680&id2=402
M&A
"Infinitely Indigestion Inspired"
On my own, failure.
DeleteWith the help of "reveal incorrect letters," had a completed grid accepted at 14:00.
But still lacking enlightenment on theme answers.
I remain stranded in the land of real words!
@BobK: Hopefully @r.alph's analysis will help, with the enlightenment.
DeleteU are definitely faster than snot, when the runtpuz goes the real-word route. Always good to get an exposure to the far/dark side in yer training regimen, tho.
M&A
"Let's Get Unreal"
Stumpy Stomp Collector
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjQ1MjU0NjI5NDY1OTQ1Mg
Slippery Customers
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTY1NjM1NjI5NjQ2MDg3OQ
Still on Top
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTQzMjM2NjI5Nzg1NjA0NA
Stay tuned for a long lost runt by Loren tomorrow.
Nice crop of solve times, @r.alph.
DeleteLooking forward to that long lost runt.
Always enjoyed Loren's work here.
M&A
ACPT Dry Runtz, Ides Eve Session.
ReplyDelete"Stumpy Stomp Act" - 7x7 themeless (10 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10684&id2=62
M&A
p.s. Time allotments will tend to get shorter and shorter, as the tournament time draws near, until they get plumb ridiculous.
7:21.
DeleteUnder the wire, but not an impressive time for me for what turned out to be all real words.
And of course, every time I do a puzzle I look at the leaderboard and see "Dan Feyer: 15 sec."
Thanks.
Check out runtpuz.org in particular #169
ReplyDeleteGreat Caesar's Ghost! Please check your arithmetic in 1 D of #169!
Delete@Bob
ReplyDeleteThanks for pointing that out. It is fixed now. It may have been a transcription error on my part not Loren's.
ACPT Runtz Through, Ides Turn Back If I Was U Division.
ReplyDelete"The Exterminator" - 7x7 themed (8 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10717&id2=72
M&A
Note: M&A will now "cease fire" on runtz, until the contest smoke clears.
Wow!
Delete15:38, almost double the allotted time! But I sez, if this is my last chance, I am going to fight it to the end. Does it count as a success? Wouldn't at the ACPT, as all the papers would have been collected long before, and everyone would be coming back into the ballroom for the next puzzle. Still feels good, though.
Thank you, Professor M&A, for all the practice you have given. I hope I can complete the ACPT in good form. (Which means anything above the 40th percentile!)
See you there?
@BobK: I admire bravery and mostly ornery stubbornness like that, under fire.
ReplyDeleteProf M&A will return in a couple of days, after @r.alph has settled up on his all-the-runtpuzs-U-can-eat contest. So, U will still get a crucial last week of training, before Stumpy Stamford time.
M&A
"Trainin Runtzers Up Since 2015"
Loved the Dr Fill solve of Dan Feyer's puzzle. I extracted the link from Jeff Chen's xwordinfo blog.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/sLHSZYy2GwU
I would love to see how Dr. Fill would do on a runt puz.
M&A
"The Exterminator" disturbed a bug in my program but didn't kill it so, unfortunately, it won't be available for the contest. Too bad because it was one of the best puzzles you have done. It will fix the bug soon.
See the parking garage for details.
@BobK
Good luck at the ACPT. I will be doing it online and like you would like to finish higher than the bottom third where I usually find myself. Of course I always do well in the computer programmers older that 65 from Iowa category.
@r.alph: Definitely would like to see "The Exterminator" runtpuz turned loose on Dr. Fill. Would even bring the popcorn, to that rodeo.
ReplyDeleteBTW, let M&A know, when it's ok to lift the runtpuz-contest cease fire, and start issuin the ACPT practice runtpuzs again. I don't wanna mess up yer all-the-runtz-U-can-eat contest counts. No big rush. No allotments of minutes.
Thanx,
M&A
(Personal message to Ralph Bunker:)
ReplyDeleteWhat is a person to do if he wishes to be both logical and polite?
You say, "Please respond if you would like to receive the book."
Logically, this precludes a response from me, as I am much happier to solve puzzles than construct them, and in any case I didn't enter the contest with any expectation of accepting any prize even if I had been selected. And I'm afraid that if I did respond even to say "No, thank you" my email address would be added to the recipient list.
But good manners require that I say, "Thank you very much for your generous offer, which I decline, having entered only in a spirit of fun."
So I take this route. Thank you again, keep up the good work, and may all your cross words be in grids.
Bob K
@M&A
ReplyDeleteI will get Dr Phil to try the Exterminator even if I have to pay Matt Ginsberg to do it. I am sure that he will require a .puz file and all I have is the xwordinfo format. Could you paste here the input to Across Lite that created the .puz file?
Thanks
@BobK
Logic is not on your side here. If only one person does not respond to the BCC that I sent offering the Berry book then logic will tell me that the non-respondent is you. The way to invalidate this line of reasoning is to reply to the email to say that you do not want the book but do not identify yourself. This is true so you are not lying, are practicing good manners and are remaining incognito.
:>)
DeleteToo deep for me.
Probably for the same reason that I am not very good at the more esoteric runts.
Thanks again.
Bob
@r.alph: Real bad things happen, when I try to send messages with .puz files in em. I'll send "The Exterminator" below, but will have to substitute @'s for the less-than and greater-than brackets. So, some re-conversion will be necessary.
DeleteI wouldn't pay Dr. Phil over ten cents, to do that. Maybe would pay Dr. Fill a little bit more…
M&A
Runtpuz text:
@ACROSS PUZZLE V2@
@TITLE@
RUNTPUZ #310:08 "The Exterminator"
@AUTHOR@
by M and A
@COPYRIGHT@
2015, Ahar Moments, Inc.
@SIZE@
07x07
@GRID@
AES..PE
1234.5X
RSTU.6P
..CRI7E
8SA.T9N
aHS.AbS
HUE.WcE
@REBUS@
1:MO:M
2:SQ:S
3:UI:U
4:TO:T
5:RA:R
6:YI:Y
7:NG:N
8:RO:R
9:MA:M
a:AC:A
b:NT:N
c:IS:I
@ACROSS@
DDE opponent
Gym class, for short
Totally mashed bug
How to spall Rex??
VW openers
Runt complaint
Recoil
Santa ___, Calif.
No friend of the bootlegger
German exclamations
Squashed line of bugs [didn't quite get them all, tho]
Red, white or blue
In the know
@DOWN@
Another name for Cupid
Titles for attys.
Carousel item
Mostly stomped bug
Taxi, room, airplane ticket, cinnamon rolls, or cetera ...
Graceland event
Part of Tweety's version of Caesar's boast
Pretty much crushed bug
Menu word between moo and pork, ironically
Okay, so this runtpuz is neither a contest puz nor an ACPT practice puz.
ReplyDeleteIt's just weird. And maybe fun?
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10778&id2=823
M&A
Another brilliant puzzle!
DeleteI wish I could claim I solved it with no cheats. Everything was perfectly fair and logical at the end!
But after about 6 minutes I had everything except the first two lines of the checkered area, threw in some vaguely fitting words, then asked for "reveal incorrect letters" to see that all seven were wrong. I cleared them, thought hard about the clues given in the first place, the lightbulb went on, and at 8:55 I was rewarded with the "finished" chimes.
BTW, the body of the puzzle seems tied in with the discussion of today's NYT Xwd. At least two or three answers went in easily because they have been used very recently in other runts!
And I meant to say, yes, definitely fun!
Delete@BobK: Thanx.
ReplyDelete@r.alph: If this runtpuz can't break Dr. Fill, nothin can.
M&A
Can't do a thing with it:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjU1NzQ1NjYzOTg1MTkxNA
*** Spoiler Alert, for "Cant't Do a Thing with IT" ***
ReplyDeleteAnatomy of this runtpuz's development, step-by-step:
1. Draw the grid layout. Had no idea where it was going, yet.
2. Needed something to put in the 10 unchecked boxes. Preferably a phrase that solvers would've heard of before. Asked One-Look for common phrases. It had two: BAD HAIR DAY and RAT ATAT TAT. First choice seemed less horsy.
3. M&A is not too keen on unchecked squares, like some other NY-based runtpuz we all know. Decided that an overall phrase clue, plus separate clues for each of the phrase's words, might skin that cat. Or at least produce a runtpuz that is havin a bad hair day.
4. Plunked four such theme entries into the mostly uncheckered half of the grid.
5. Filled the rest of grid, using the usual 10-minute allotment. Looked pretty grim, with both PISP and RISS there, hissin back at m&e.
6. My usual questionable dictionary source informed me that RISS actually was something penultimate and glacial. So, PISP was awarded the coveted double-?? clue.
7. M&A has hundreds of grids (sorta) like this one, which he at this point tucks away in a safe place, in case he ever needs an insanity defense. For some weird reason, he clued er up, this time. Debustagut.
8. Since M&A is still confused about whether the runtpuz contest is now officially over, he sends the runtpuz out with a bunch of caveats. Basically used everything but the trusted "no refunds" disclaimer.
9. Voila and QED… the first runtpuz ever produced to give solvers and computer crossword programs alike a bad hair day.
M&A
"Hairy Runtpuzs R Us"
p.s.
I'm going to start issuin more ACPT practice runtz, now. Sure hope that's OK. Dan Feyer needs just a few more, to round into full fightin form.
ACPT Stamford-Ready Practice, Round 1. (Not part of any contest, tho)
ReplyDelete"Stumpy Stamford & Son" - 7x7 themeless (9 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10797&id2=520
"No refunds. Or mercy."
M&A
Over the limit: 10:15. But I'll take it. Fought it out with no cheats.
DeleteMucho . . . No, I better stick to English. Got in over my head the last time.
Thank you very much.
@BobK: Hey--Not too bad!
DeleteNow try out Round 2, in yer spare time…
M&A
M@A
ReplyDeleteThe contest is over. 20 people submitted puzzles. Three people did all of them!! Will give details later at the parking garage.
ACPT Stamford-Ready Practice, Round 2.
ReplyDelete"Oh, Crud!" - 7x7 themed (7 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=10805&id2=842
M&A
Oh, Crud! indeed! Only after asking for "reveal incorrect letters" did I finish in 12:04.
DeleteWhat spare time? I'm supposed to be at a meeting in 45 minutes.
But runts are more fun.
Stumpy Stamford & Son:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTU0ODg4NjcwNzMyMTA1MA
Oh Crud:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjU5NzE2NzI2ODgyNjE4
ACPT Stamford-Ready Practice, Round 3.
ReplyDelete"Stumpy Stamfordese" - 7x7 themeless (Only 5 minutes allotted):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=11807&id2=45
This should be a good puz to practice your speed solving skills on. Remember: as we speak, Dan Feyer is already done with it . . .
M&A
2:45.
DeleteWould have been quicker if I spoke . . . a certain foreign language.
Thanx.
Like puzzle 1 of the ACPT
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Mzg0Njc3NDI0Mjk5Nw
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteACPT Stamford-Ready Practice, Round 4.
ReplyDelete"Stampy Stumpford" - 7x7 semi-themeless (generous 6 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=12819&id2=782
"No encyclopediaes were harmed, in the making of this runtpuz"
M&A
p.s.
That was me with a typo, in previous deleted msg.
Fail for me. After asking for "reveal incorrect letters", finished in 8:11.
DeleteThose double ?? at 5 D got me.
Thx.
Some interesting stuff here that will never be in a NYT puzzle.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzUwOTA5Njc4NzUwMTExOA
ACPT Stamford-Ready Practice, Dreaded Round 5.
ReplyDelete"Not So Fast: Tunnel of Confusion" 7x7 themed (15 minute allotment. No whining):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=12820&id2=506
M&A
p.s.
Spouse to M&A: "Are you trying to wean these guys off runt puzzles?"
4:18, no cheats.
ReplyDeleteLet the wining begin! (No "H", intentionally.)
Not So Fast: Tunnel of Confusion:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjkzNDI2NjgxMjg0MTM1OA
I really enjoy the liberties you take with established xword guidelines!
Wow. Nice solve times.
ReplyDelete@BobK: Hoisted some cabernet tonight, myself, to drown my sorrows, after my Round 5 "toughie" runtpuz was so easily vanquished.
@r.alph: Really agonized, on what the right solution content should be, for the Tunnel of Confusion. Confused the M&A.
M&A
ACPT Stamford-Ready Practice, Round 6.
ReplyDelete"Stumpy StamFordPinto RearEnder" - 7x7 themeless (pressurized 5 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=12825&id2=773
M&A
Had a filled grid before 5:00 but couldn't see why I wasn't getting the chimes. Had to ask for "reveal incorrect letters" to find the one which was so obvious once it was highlighted, but to which I had been blind. All OK at 5:23, but doesn't count to my credit.
DeleteThx.
Stumpy StamFordPinto RearEnder:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODE4ODQ3Njg1MzQ2Mjg2MA
They exist. They even have a name. Why exclude them?
ReplyDeletehttp://wordsmith.org/words/duoliteral.html
ACPT Stamford-Ready Practice, Round 6 and 1/4.
ReplyDelete"Stumpy Stamford-ier Than Snot" - 7x7 mostly themeless (brutal 4 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=12842&id2=140
M&A
I know I can't get a refund from Runtpuz, Inc. I wonder if Will Shortz will give me my money back if I drop out of the ACPT?
DeleteTotally flustered, had to ask for one letter, then finished in almost exactly 3 . . . .
that is, 3 times Hicham El Guerrouj's world record in the mile.
thx.
@BobK: Askin for an ACPT refund because U can't solve a runtpuz is kinda like askin to resign from Congress, cuz U had a bad hair day.
DeleteThere puppies are all about roughin U up, to toughen U up. Booya.
M&A
"Drill Sargeant with a Pooper Scooper"
Stumpy Stamford-ier Than Snot
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTg4MDkxNjg3NjAxMjI4NA
My time was the same as Hicham El Guerrouj's world record in the mile.
Yay! @BobK's out of his day-um meetings. Let's celebrate, before he goes for that refund, with . . .
ReplyDeleteACPT Stamford-Ready Practice, Round 6 and 1/3.
"Almost Vwllss" 7x7 themed (10 extravagant minutes allotted):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=12851&id2=185
M&A
"Almost All There"
Vowelless:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDA3NjExNjg4NTczMzUzOQ
This was like puzzle 5 at the ACPT. Needed to reveal 5 letters to finish. Still not sure I know what 9D is. It was unlike puzzle 5 because even though I figured out the theme early on it did not help me finish the puzzle.
** Almost Vwllss spoiler alert **
DeleteWow. M&A had better not do another one of these, if he knows what is good for U.
U did have all the same answers as me, except for GETAT. The answer I'd thought of started with an A…
Thought I was bein so nice, not hauling out the double-?? clues. But this was my first puz ever, with this kind of theme.
And "offshoot" can mean "result", in my humble thesaurus (IMHT).
M&A
15:49, but after I had revealed incorrect letters, of which I had 2.
ReplyDeleteAgree with r.alph, can only guess at the meaning of 9D. Unfortunately, had made a guess at the crossing of the third letter which I could justify but wasn't what was wanted.
Early on I was just going "sputter, sputter, how the heck can this be solved?" But then the light dawned -- of course! ( Won't give any spoiler here.)
So you think I should go ahead and give Stamford a try anyway?
Thx.
@BobK: Good heavens, yep. U have almost successfully graduated (whether U feel that way or not) from Runtpuz ACPT Prep Univ. Perhaps with honors (a few more runtz to go, tho)…
DeleteSince U are so nice, and did ask, I'll reveal that M&A won't be making a personal appearance there, this year. But whensoever U -- or r.alph -- and I turn up there at the same time, it will definitely be a close encounter of the third kind. U dudes are my very best customers. Hell, U even worked some thing called "The Exterminator"!
Hang in there.
M&A
ACPT Stamford-Ready Practice, Round 6 and 1/2.
ReplyDelete"Stamford Stumpfest" - 7x7 themeless beyond belief (4.5 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=12859&id2=507
M&A
7:39, but at least (a) no cheats and (b) I understand all the answers!
DeleteGetting better, way too slowly.
Thx.
Stamford Stumpfest
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjAzNjcyNjk2MDE5NjI2Ng
Left Hicham El Guerrouj in the dust.
The vwlls puzzle is marked as chllngng in the M&A list at runtpuz.org
Tried to add replies to yer previous comments, but The Blorg wouldn't let me. Really not trying to ignore y'all.
ReplyDeleteACPT Stamford-Ready Practice, Round 6 and 1/2, Afternoon Session.
"Stumpy Stamford Stampederado" - 7x7 themeless, no erections (4.5 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=12881&id2=258
M&A
3:11, thanks to a couple of lucky guesses, and totally ignoring "??" clues!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks to the constructor, of course.
Must add: Crossing triple stacks! Great construction!
ReplyDeleteNow replies work OK.
Delete@BobK: har. Better than "great constructioneer erection", as an add-on. Thanx back.
Wasn't gonna do this to U, but it's just so day-um entertainin, readin yer and r.alph's reactions to the runtz… spouse pops up some popcorn, and we both enjoy.
M&A
(see below)
ACPT Stamford-Ready Practice, Round 6 and 1/2, Evening Session.
ReplyDelete"The StamFord LTD" - 7x7 themeless (not-so-generous 4 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=12882&id2=864
M&A
4:41. Sorry I couldn't keep up the pace.
ReplyDeleteThx.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHar. @BobK: U musta took the time to read through every crumb of 8-A, 11-A, 2-D and 9-D. This is called Entering The Muse-Lite Zone: where yer clues get real wordy, chewin up valuable solvin nano-seconds. Dude. Do not get sucked into this deadly vortex, while U are speed-solvin. Subliminal Lesson, there.
ReplyDeleteOK.
So, there will be two practice rounds tomorrow, as part of what we in the ACPT Drill Sergeant Corps business call "Moments of Desperation: El Grande Finale".
This will be a two 15x15 giant runtpuz event. These puzs have been graciously donated by a sorta constructioneer amigo of M&A's, and then ever- so-gently "runt-lerized" by M&A, Yer Runtpuz Editor.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
M&A
p.s.
Deleted and re-posted this comment a couple times. First two versions were not intimidatin enough, to do El Grande Finale justice.
har. Who is M&A kidding?!? There ain't no stinkin justice, in runtpuzs!
But there is auto-correct, which really buzzkills old M&A's semi-primo comments.
p.p.s.s.
ReplyDeleteMeant no disrespect to @muse in above commentary, btw.
Really luv her loooong clues.
M&A
@r.alph: I may have broke the Parking Garage. Just sent a msg there, and it didn't take. (This may be because I tried sending the .puz file U requested to there, a few days back, and it didn't take, and I then sent it to here. The last message I see in the P.G. is one I sent, before I sent the .puz one. Real sorry.)
ReplyDeleteM&A
"If r.alph Builds It, He Will Come . . . and Break It"
@M&A
ReplyDeleteNothing was lost. The angle brackets in your puzzle message confused the browser. Will fix tonight.
ACPT Practice - Moment of Desperation.
ReplyDelete"El Grande Finale, Part 1 of 2" - 15x15 themed (20 minute allotment):
www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=12895&id2=570
M&A
Got this puz donated to the cause, cuz constructioneer had discovered that its theme idea had sorta been done before, about ten years ago. Dejavuosity!
15:55. (I still lose time trying to navigate the online controls. Would have been at leats 10 seconds quicker on paper.)
DeleteGood puzzle.
Thx.
The parking garage is back. Left in your Exterminator puzzle.
ReplyDeleteStumpy Stamford Stampederado:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzM4NzcyNzAzNzk2MzgxMA
The Stamford LTD
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODc2NTMwNzAzOTgxMjQ4NA
More like the Stamford Local for me
El Grande Finale Part 1 of 2
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?
id=NzAzNjUwNzA0MjkyMDYzOQ
IMO this is a publishable puzzle. Have you tried?
Important philosophical question: Does "stuff" imply a plural situation?
ReplyDelete"She knows her stuff" --> multiple areas of expertise?
"Rawhide is tough stuff" --> multiple kinds of rawhide?
"This stuff tastes awful" --> multiple taste tests?
"I regret that I only have one stuff to give to my country" --> Sounds worse than "two stuff" ??
The answer, my friend, is blowin in the wind.
M&A
Important philosophical question, part 2: Can more than one form of ID be required, if U order a whiskey sour and U appear to be pre-pubescent?
ReplyDeleteOfficial answer: Yes, if first form of ID gives yer name as "McLovin".
M&A
"QED's R Us"