Starting a new post. Did not comment on Galaxy puzzle because my program could not the grid pattern correctly. Also one answer was two words but the clue did not give their lengths. Give us a fighting chance!
@r.alph: M&A will give y'all a figntin chance, by not doin anymore in the Galaxy of the Guardian series. May make up somethin new and equally cruel, to take its place, tho …
Consonantless Crossword? Rebusfest [every square has a rebus entry]? Bumper Runtz [answers carom off circled squares, somehow]?
It's probably amazin what solvers will endure, if they only have to put up with conquerin 7x7 squares-worth of territory.
@BobK: bUmper rUntz may be good for combating old-timer's disease, becuz they make U think so different. And I take note that U are already gettin better at them.
M&A
p.s. Still tryin to figure out how to make a "Consonantless Crossword" work, tho.
bUmper rUntz http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODIxOTI0MTQ4NjQ1MjM4 Instead of consonantless how about trying for some minimum number of consonants and then keep trying to break the record.
The fewest number of consonants in a 15 x 15 Shortzian puzzle is 88 by Peter Gordon (see the revealer at 55 Across) http://www.xwordinfo.com/crossword?date=1/16/2001 Glad to see that IOWA made it into the puzzle.
"Nearly Consonants" -- 9:03, but had to ask to be shown two wrong letters. Still, felt pretty good to finish at all! Very sparing in the use of consonants! And very clever (revised) title!
@BobK: yep. With all the constraints here, I was kinda worried that this "Nearly Consonants" runt might be a biter. Sounds like U did pretty well, tho.
Other possibilities, in this series (in increasing level of difficulty to construct, I suspect): * Runty Consonants * Meager Consonants * Little Consonants * Few Consonants * No Consonants
This runt has 18 consonants, the lowest I found (I disqualified the Galaxy puzzles because I don't want to encourage you) http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetPuzzle?url=metaPart6.json
har. Did I ever tell U guys about the time I made a 15x15 puz that had just E's for all the answers? Zero consonants. The lovely PuzEatinSpouse briefly considered commitment.
From today onwards the puzzle report will have clues by M&A. Use as follows: 1. Click on the puzzle report link in the main post. 2. Click on the "Clue quiz using clues from previous puzzles" link 3. Click the M&A button in the editor row 4. Leave the All button selected in the day of week row (dates of M&A puzzles were not saved) 5. Click the "Next clue" button to step through M&A's clues for the answers of the NYT puzzle that M&A has also written clues for. The "Hint" button will reveal random letters of the answer and the "Reveal Answer" button does just that.
In today's Wednesday NYT M&A has written clues for 26 of the answers. If a clue is preceded by a date, e.g. 1964.10.27, it means that M&A was not the first one to use that clue, the puzzle with the indicated date was. If there is no date on the clue then it is pure M&A.
It is well worth your time to step through M&A's clues, they are wonderfully creative.
"Know Yer Non-Satsuma Citrus" -- 5:35; had to ask which 2 letters were wrong, but not what they were.
One must use care in calling a runt "Non-Satsuma Citrus" -- wouldn't want anyone saying it was a lemon. I wouldn't say that, but a crossing of two obscure Japanese fruit names suggests the groves of Natick.
@Teedmn: yep. The runtz strive, in their own peculiar ways, to be educational for the solvers. Thanx to Weird Week, the next runtpuz might be a slight exception to that rule, tho… M&A
What is it about typing "I don't understand . . . [x]. . ." that causes one to understand . . . [x]. . . as soon as the comment is printed? I now do understand 13 A!
@r.alph -- Seems to be a technical problem, due to the unorthodox numbering of runts, in your analysis of "Deviant": 19 A and 20 A are not properly differentiated.
p.s. As @BobK mentioned, {Sr. partner} answer never gets to be explained in the analysis file. I think Weird Runtpuz Week finally got to that poor, hard-workin program of @r.alph's.
Great Big X's to U" http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzkyNDA2NDg3MDI0NTAwOA
@BobK The problem is probably caused by the unchecked N and the repetition of the answer DA. This is the first time in the history of crosswords that a puzzle has had an unchecked letter AND duplicate answers. If it happens again I will try to fix it.
@Teedmn Welcome to the blog. Glad to see from your profile that you are a bicyclist. It has been my primary mode of transportation since 1970. I have been riding a this recumbent for the past 9 years. See http://www.bicycleman.com/recumbents/sun/sun_ez1.htm
If you visit runtpuz.org and click "Go to puzzles" and then "M & A runt puzzes" you will all runt puzzles inspired by M & A. The vast majority are by him. In fact there are now 365 puzzles which is enough for a calendar!
One more thing. http://puzzlecrowd.com/chemistry.html is tracking the two letter atomic element abbreviations that have appeared in M & A's puzzles. He currently has used 64 of the 118 abbreviations. Only 54 to go (no pressure M&A)
With the MN winters, I can't ride for much of Dec-Feb (though I try) but my goal is 4000+ miles per year. I'm at 3330 right now, so if the weather holds...
Originally, all I could find of the runtz were the lists you mention, and with no dates, I wasn't sure if they were the fresh ones referred to on the Rex blog. Then I saw the urls in the comments here and figured out those were the new ones.
So now I know where to come if I need a bigger challenge than the NYTimes puzz offers.
Since M&A was a very young lad, he has always wanted to see a themeless Patrick Berry runt puzzle, published on a Thursday. Wouldn't that be major weird? …
@BobK: Well, if Patrick Berry had actually had anything to do with the cluing, this runtpuz woulda probably been more solvable. Plus, when U go and extract parts of longer answers from his original (ultra smooth) grid, a few desperate-lookin (ultra unsmooth) entries are gonna pop up. Double-?? clues then ensue, in bulk.
Anyhoo, I hope Patrick Berry and the Shortzmeister will be ok with M&A borrowin a cup of PB1 grid, in honor of Weird Puz Week. Mr. Berry is the best, and runtpuzs are … whatever they are … so, I thought it would make for a primo odd couple marriage.
M&A thought he'd get the "fair use" justification for "Patrick Berry Inmutiny" runtpuz out there as soon as possible, before they try to sue @r.alph's ass off:
I was feeling big-brained yesterday after solving the E-EWE (onomatopoeically named, for sure) and the Great Big X's to U and the Deviant without cheating but today the little grey cells were InMutiny and only NEHI went in cleanly. I feel quite CHASTENed.
Weird Puz Week, FriPuz. It's a pretty common puztheme: revealer entry that can precede or follow the starts of the other themers. But if those "other themers" were over 2/3 of all the other entries in the puz? That'd be kinda neat …
@BobK: U must not be a beginner, at runtpuzs? So far, I would give U a "C" for your start-up work. More info, after I finish this day-um weird ball NYTPuz …
Beginner's guide http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODIwMjA2NTAwNTI0NTYzNg If I have the theme right, I think that three other answers could be starred.
Hey All ! Man, I used to keep up with M&A's Runtz's, but 1) I stopped coming here, for reasons unexplainable to the universe (deserve a slogging for bein away so long), and 2) he's been crankin 'em out so quickly, it's hard to catch up!
Do have some questions: I gather from reading this queue (and the ole brain seems to recall @r.alph saying something about being able to document your solve and post it for a playback, although I'm quite sure I'm not technically savvy for such a thing) that one can do the stuff I just wrote in the parenthesis. :-) Also, where would someone, should they be interested in such things, go to 1) get the Runtz, (again, gone too long!) 2) get the magical record your solve thingie app or whayever sorcery is involved, and 3) is there a way to see all the posted URLs without having to individually type each long address in to the lookup box thing/search engine, because I don't like to type long running things in over and over, as it takes up too much time and I have better things to do then type incessantly long stuff. :-P
Gonna have to lock myself in the house for s week or two to catch up!
Oh, also, personal Q to M&A, a few days ago, you mentioned that Will finally picked on of yer puzs for the NYT? Is that right, or was I dreaming it. And if true, it would be cool to know which one it is. You could e-mail me directly, and I'll make a solemn vow to never "unmask" you or reveal your true name to anyone. Not even my mother!
1. If U go to www.runtpuz.org, click "Go to puzzles", then click "M&A runt puzzes", U will get a list of more day-um old runtz than U probably ever will want to see.
2. When U select a runtpuz on the list, U will be into @r.aph's program for solving. He gives a whole day-um encyclopedia of instructions, at that point. Click on the "Start" button, up top of the instructions screen, to begin solving the runtpuz.
3. People always tell M&A that if he reveals his identity to them, they won't tell their mom/dad/spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend/neighbor's dog. Yeah, right. All these people have well-proven ways of weedlin such info out of a person with that sorta secret. And the third parties always promise they won't tell a soul, then spill the beans to their hairdresser or bartender. Before U know it, M&A's identity is splattered all over FaceBookInstaTwitter. Hard to put the smoke back in the bottle, when it gets to The Cloud. So, really sorry, but nope.
4. yep. M&A has made it to the Big Show. [Hint: it is not a runtpuz.] Accidents will happen, I reckon.
5. Thanx for yer support, in working some of these lil runt-sized packages of trouble. I'm kinda amazed anybody wants to solve all these things, but, hey -- U are probably real amazed that anyone is weird enough to make 300+ of em.
@r.alph: Hell, no. But, allow me to expand a bit ...
I always luv it, when U find amazin stuff that M&A had done, that even he didn't ever realize he'd done. The question might have to be: Is there **any** answer in the "Beginners Guide", that cannot possibly qualify as a themer? Before U answer, I caution U to consider the dreaded CN Tower! har
Hey, thanx for the info, Masked one! I'll head over there and check it out. I can appreciate your desire/decision to remain M&A, and congrats on the NYT Yes! Cracked me up when you mentioned it wasn't a Runt! Be kinda cool if it was though...
I was riding my bike home from work into a 24 mph headwind, thinking about the latest Runtz when I suddenly said "Fewmets", just realizing my spoilers in yesterday's comments. I forgot I wasn't at Rexville, sorry.
@Roo, I just started here but I find using the copy and paste functions work here, plucking the URLs out of M&A's comments and pasting them in a new window. I then usually print out the page or draw the grid by hand because my iPad doesn't support the Runtz files. I can use the reveal square function on my iPad but can't enter any letters, oddly.
And I don't appreciate the timer telling me how many nano-years it has taken me to get anywhere.
Today's Beginner's Guide went down easy in the west and now I just have to start hitting reveal for the finish :-). Fave clues so far are 1A and 12D.
Weird Puz Week, SatPuz. This definitely qualifies as something M&A's never done on purpose, but always has wanted to be able to say "I meant to do that" ...
When I couldn't guess what was going on, I put in a few answers that at least fit, then asked the program if any of my letters were wrong. In all but one instance, I was right, but I don't consider that a solve on my part.
p.s. Mucho sadly, today's NYTSatPuz marks the grande finale of their Weird Puz Week. Well done, Shortzmeister and staff. Tomorrow, by contrast (and golly), marks the grande finale of Weird Runtpuz+1 Week. Sneak peek: The Worst runtpuz, arguably. Poorly done, M&A and staff … (har)
The clue in the clues http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MzcyNzU1NTA0OTgzOTI2OA.json @Teedmn I finished wrong in the same square as you did. No idea what the misspellings mean.
@Teedmn: Looks like everybody didn't get what old M&A was up to, in his clue within the clues dealy. Neat idea on your part, that the clue might have been built from the typo letters! Might need to use that, someday… Thanx. U are even sneakier than M&A!
It occurs to M&A, in the name of decency, that after a week of Weird Runtz, some sorta lil segue puz is needed, to direct y'all back to planet earth …
@BobK: I like it! Primo solver excuses! Up till now, it's always (and real frequently) had to be constructioneer excuses. Other than that one time maybe when U claimed hangover.
Would explain why what happened to U happened, but don't want to be a spolier (har). Will try to clear things up later, when I post the runtpuz recap.
Atomic Scoreboard Sense http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Njc4Njc1NTI3NjUzODMyNw Awesome puzzle! Runts don't get better than this!
@BobK Correct. Only the first letter of the rebus is checked so all you have to do is enter the first letter. But I find it helps solving if I can see the entire rebus. Someday I will show the rebuses in the summary also.
As an experiment I am solving the BuzzFeed puzzles at http://www.buzzfeed.com/tag/crosswords and posting a puzzle report underneath the NYT puzzle reports in the main blog posting. Two things to look for. 1. Stuff that I was moved to post-google. I was able to solve the puzzle without errors or help thanks largely to crossing answers and good guesses. 2. Compare some M&A clues with those in the BuzzFeed puzzle.
I think that doing runt puzzles is much harder than doing the BuzzFeed variety and hence are an excellent preparation for them (as for the ACPT).
1. That BuzzFeed puz had 6 U's. bUzzthUmbsUp. 2. American Values Club wants to add a new constructioneer to its regular panel of experts. They evidently do not want a masked one, tho. 3. The new WSJ daily puzs have been mighty good. And U can win a free contest mug, every Friday. Bucket list: gonna win me one of those. 4. The runtz claim to fame is that they are mostly difficult without tryin to be. Seems to be built into the format, somehow. And, they are above average … at breakin rules. 5. M&A is intrigued at the puz rating poll they run, over at that Crossword Fiend site. Every day, almost every puz gets rated 1 out of 5 stars (low as U can go) by somebody. Wish they'd start polling on the runtz, too. Show some respect, for the little guy. Get a regular entrant that day-um **averages** a 1 out of 5, every day! 6. I think the two BEQ puzs are really weird, every week. If that dude ever ran a Weird Puz Week, those would be two real spooky solves. 7. As somebody who has solved a snootload of NYTPuzs over many, many years, I don't see any deterioration in their quality. In fact, NYT has developed most of the constructioneers that have gone on to build their own puz sites or even become puz editors. And still building future ones, I'll wager a buck on. Plus, the NYT can confidently claim that they had almost no involvement in causin runtz; important immunity. 8. Do U guys ever do Fireball puzs? Holy crap good. Editor Peter Gordon is another NYTPuz alum, of course.
17A should be 'mass hysteria' and 18A should be 'crickets', in the A.S.S. of course. I got this one except for the NW squares 1,2 7 and under the two. I made rebi of them and am still scratching my head as to the symbolism, in the A.S.S.
Hell Selfie alt answers (and clue add on) that don't fit in Runtz: 1A) alt answer = "skeletons in the closet". 12D) alt answer and clue add on: "What the hell's THE MATTER WITH YOU?" Phrase often heard in Teedmn house circa 1975.
Tuesday Buzzfeed solve is up. Best M&A version of one of the clues is { Place where drunks are armed with darts} This was clued as {Overseas establishment where a stately chap might fancy a game of snooker or wish they had won the Revolutionary War}
p.s. @r.alph: yep. Saturday Stumpers are the namesakes for the Stumpy Stumper themeless runtz. Oddly, Saturday Stumpers are harder than snot, while Stumpy Stumpers often forget to put up much of a fight. Suspect in is somehow in the nature of the 7x7 grid size.
"Circle Around" -- Boy, did I ever circle around. After seeming hours of "stare time", I was thinking, "You've got to be kidding," but ultimately I had everything right, except the theme, with no cheats. But I believe that, as with last Saturday's "Outer Space" NYT Xwd, I was way over-thinking the problem and should have just gone with the obvious.
I had to cheat. I interpreted "reverse" in 11A cryptically. It made for an interesting line, reading 11A with 12A but it ended up wrong. After I revealed the left circle and then the lower circle, I got the trick and the rest of the puzzle. Misread the math equation (read a plus instead of a times) so that was a head scratcher.
I might be starting to understand runtz speak - it didn't take all that long to figure 14D.
Circle Around http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDU0OTQ3NTQ0MzExNzQzMw
@BobK Your oil spray journey of discovery looked a lot like mine.
@Teedmn If you click summary after getting everything right you can upload your solution and post it here like BobK and I do. Don't be shy, we are all in this runt together!
I posted the report for Wednesday's BuzzFeed puzzle.
Best M&A clue for one of their answers is { Alexander [snapped pencil point] Hamilton's [cough] [table vibration from Tyler Hinman jiggling his leg] denomination} T E N (today's clue: Top rating for a shawty)
This clue was in puzzle 131 "ACPT puzzle (with simulated distractions)" This is the most Joycean (stream of consciousness) crossword puzzle ever created. If you haven't solved here it is. http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetPuzzle?url=puzzle10.json At least read the clues.
Did puzzle 131 just for fun. Don't know if I might have already done it, before I started recording my solves.
But it certainly reminded me more of a Lollapuzzoola puzzle than ACPT. Can't help wondering if M&A has had any connection to Lollapuzzoola, but I won't pry.
@Ralph, I would do the summary but I'm usually solving on paper. It doesn't work on my iPad and I'm too lazy to drag my oversized laptop out.
I've done the Mon and Tues Buzzfeeds? Do they progress in difficulty? Certainly I found Tuesday's harder than Monday's. It was a fun alternative to the NYT, for sure.
@Teedmn: Day-um, girl -- that must be kinda awkward, solvin a runtpuz on paper. All the runt clues don't even show up on the screen at once! How do U get the whole works to dump to paper? (Scholars might want to print em off some day, for a Hysterical Archives Project.)
Your dedication to the runtz is extra impressive, is highly questionable, and is mucho appreciated, here.
p.s. @BobK and r.alph: holy moley, runtman! It just dawned on M&A -- this Teedmn gal is goin into full-scale runt battle without the "Mark Incorrect Letters" button to mash on!
Aw, they'real such cute little things, I either print them out on paper and scroll down on the clues on the computer and hand write the ones that didn't print or I hand draw the grid and leave the clues up on my iPad. The second method is more amenable to cheating - too easy to hit that reveal button. So I prefer the first method.
@Teedmn I am totally inspired by your can-do attitude and it has inspired me to dust off a crossword program I wrote for mobile devices a couple of years ago. It is very runt-like but once you get used to it is quite enjoyable to use. Before I convert runt puzzles to be used with it I would like to know if it works on your iPad (it works on mine). If you are interested please do the following:
1. Open puzzlewriter.com in Safari on your iPad 2. Tap on NYT Monday 3. You will be shown some radio buttons. Tap the one with red text and then tap Submit 4. You should see a NYT mini on the screen. 5. The answer to 1A is ANTI and it is entered as follows a. Draw a big A with your finger inside the grid (important). Be exuberant, it can fill the whole grid. The only constraint is that it must be drawn without lifting your finger so drawing an upside down V and then the crossing - will produce two letters. b. The A you drew will be shrunk down to fit in the blue square which will then move to the right. The blue square is the current square and is the one that receives the letter your draw. 6. Draw an N. It should appear after the A. 7. To erase hold your finger on the letter you want to erase for a second or so until the yellow highlight disappears. Then drag your finger over the letters you want to erase. Until you let your finger up every square it touches will be erased. 8. To change the current row or column tap the blue square. 9. Now it gets weird. If you want to check your answers tap the Check button at the bottom of the screen. You will see a column of the letters from A-Z. Red backgrounds mark letters not in the puzzle. The rows that start with green background will have the letters you wrote in squares that are supposed to contain that letter. So if in the A row you see a B that means that B is wrong but it doesn't let you know which B it is. 10. Tap the Back button to get back to the puzzle to try to find the letters you know to be wrong. 11. If you want to know what letter goes in a particular square draw a ? or some other distinguishable mark in the square, tap Check and find the row that the mark is in. The letter at the beginning of the row is what should be in that square.
Remember you must draw inside the grid and you can't lift your finger while you are drawing a letter.
Please let me know how it goes. I will be glad to answer any questions.
@Ralph, your app works great. The only thing I had trouble with was remembering to not lift my finger. I ended up with three squares holding bits of K.
@Teedmn Great! I used the program to solve puzzles for about a year and now when I solve on paper I never lift my pencil when I write a letter. My guess is that it knocks a couple of seconds off my solve time. :-)
The next time that M&A uploads a puzzle, I will copy it to the server that the app uses. If I am online when it happens it will take about 1 minute for it to also be available to the app.
BTW, be sure to delete the old puzzle before getting the new one so that you release its memory. Also the latest runt will always be NYT Monday
You will see a screen telling you to save or delete when you Tap "Get Puzzle." The delete button is at the bottom of this screen.
BTW, I bought "Bicycle Rider" off the album "Desperate Act of the Powerless." I like it. Did you inspire it?
I have heard Greg Brown and love his act so when your band was called "A rocking Greg Brown" I got interested. He wrote a song about Fairfield, IA where I live https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWFcrjRm5CM
Wow, thanks for the support. I'm afraid the only thing I did on that song was sing backup. It was written by our lead man, Kevin Brixius, as a memorial for a friend who played sax and rode his bicycle in poor weather.
Unfortunately, Kevin passed away this summer, (age 59) so no more Rockthrow. On the 4th album, "in the Vacuum of the Continuum", I wrote a song called 'S&M Biker" which was inspired by my friends looking at my winter riding boots and saying they looked very 'dominatrix'. I was trying to write lyrics using bicycling terms as innuendos - not sure if I succeeded :-).
Where am I? http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzQ0NjAzNTU5NzU4NTgxMw It appears that that the unchecked I with no clues confused the playback of the puzzle a bit. Like Bob, I have attempted a description of the theme in the overall section. My guess at the theme is different than his.
Wow! In the interest of no spoilers, all I can say is that @r.alph seems to be completely right and I was completely wrong regarding the theme. This comes from the fact that a critical piece of information was totally unknown to me: I have never seen "X" as an "Y" of "Z"!
I need to start drinking some of the coffee you all seem to quaff. Even after reading @Ralph's analysis, I'm not seeing that anything was missing except in the SW.
This may be one of M&A's most ambitious puzzles. He is exploring the boundaries of the rational mind. Most constructors would stop at having one of the X's missing from the puzzle. But that is not good enough for M&A. He wanted to have something else missing namely the Q from all but one of the X's that appear in the grid. And the X that did have the Q was sort of a revealer for this secondary theme. The mind that wants simple explanations of things rebels at this. M&A is teaching us not to expect simple answers to the complex problems that are plaguing the world today. AFAIK no crossword puzzle has ever attempted something like this.
Friday BZF up. Best M&A improvement on one of its clues: { Difference: "I Am Curious Yellow" vs. "I Am Curious Blue"} _ _ _ (BZF clue: Any of the 50 shades of gray, say)
Wow, and wow, that is a fantabulous puzzle. Even with @Ralph's unearthly discernment and figuring out "X is an Y of Z", I missed the purity of placement.
Thanks, @Ralph. I'm thinking I might have to get my laptop out after all and solve Runtz in Windows. Your app is great but the lack of opportunity to share the experience as you and @Bob do is beginning to annoy me.
As it was, I got up super early, and having finished the NYTXword, I went back to my hand solving for Runtz. My first entry was the same as yours. After yesterday's über oeuvre, I was looking for today's meta. Still looking :-).
I also did the Saturday Stumper for the first time (another of those I have to print out, along with the WSJ - at least Buzzfeed has an AcrossLite version). That was my first Sat Stumper and it was certainly harder than this morning's NYT. I failed in the NE.
"Hitting the Bricks" http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTk0MDgwNTgyMDIwOTMzNw I don't get why the clue for 10A is both singular and plural
From https://ngotblog.wordpress.com/ on today's BuzzFeed puzzle: Re 32A: {Lttrs tkn frm ths cl.} Rex Parker: Yeah, that clue was nice. I don’t mind “bad” fill so much when it’s redeemed by fun clues.
Unfortunately the answer to that clue is not in the runtpuz corpus.
@r.alph: We may yet get @009 to come over to the dark side, and start commentin on some of the runtz. Primo clue; must look up the author. (U weren't suspectin that it was m&e, were U?)
Ok, so this puppy oughta lift the spirits of most any of the recent Rorschach test flunk-ees, out there … and bring renewed hope to Atomic Scoreboard fans, everywhere …
Stumpy Stumper: "I Got Lutetium Babe" - 7x7 themeless:
I hope you aren't sending these solutions to any psychologists. I don't know what they would conclude from my Rorschach solution. (Runtz challenged, obviously).
I Got Lutetium Babe http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTY0OTI4NTg5NjM1ODAzMg
Rorschach Test http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDQyMDM1OTU2NjQ1MDY3 Brilliant puzzle!
From today's BuzzFeed M& A:{ Water over Van Damme?} _ _ _ (BuzzFeed: Liquid with aucun consonnes) What makes the M&A clue more interesting is that Van Damme appears to be Belgian not French.
Otherwise High Quality http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTk2MjIwNjA0OTUzMTM4OQ
Best improvement of a BuzzFeed clue by M&A: M&A clue { Missing set member in: {Ryes, ___, Tyes, Uno, ...}} _ _ _ (BuzzFeed clue: Commercial cold-weather prefix)
This was an interesting puzzle so it is fitting that I roll out my comparison program using it.
Open http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/CompareSolutions
Copy and paste two of the IDs following the : below to compare the solutions of any two solvers. Please be sure there are no trailing blanks and that you do not copy the :.
@r.alph: yep. Primo comparison program. U really tempted M&A to wanna copy that there : into a box, tho.
Knew what ACPT score was, but not sure what the score on the line below that was all about.
Even without this prog, it has always fascinated M&A, how different folks fill in the runt grids using completely different attack path strategies. Rarely see a runt filled in left-to-right, top-to-bottom. Almost always kinda scattershot, for some reason.
@BobK: Good healthy question. After 350+ runtz, heck if M&A can remember. You'da thought this kinda gimmick woulda made a cool NYTPuz theme, especially for this particular week. Maybe it's been used by them somehow before?
Hmmm, if you visited here some time between 7:30 and 8:30 AM CDT, I had my solution up. I must have self destructed at some point. 14D was my fave plus the Schroedinger effect.
@Teedmn: Didn't see the other message, as U get up too early for M&A. But I am a witness; U definitely sent one here at 4:51pm, Runtpuz Std Time. U R welcome.
p.s. The above "Skeleton in the Closet" version has a typo. 5-D clue should cross-reference 1-A, not 1-D. The following version does not have that typo:
M&A As you predicted my playback did not work correctly with the "Skeleton in the Closet" puzzle. I have fixed the problem on my machine but need to test if a clued single letter answer will work. Could you modify the Skeleton puzzle to add Across clues for the two Us in the puzzle, e.g. {Should be the first letter of the alphabet} and {_r late} Thanks.
@r.alph: When I add the two extra Across clues, AcrossLite flags the resulting .txt file as having errors, which stops me from generating the .puz file.
@r.alph: M&A is off to dinner & a movie, soon. Won't be around for a few.
I'll add that AcrossLite hardly ever numbers an unchecked letter, unless it is at the start of a one-way longer entry. And even then, it does not expect a clue for the single unchecked letter. So, M&A has never had to (or been able to) directly clue a 1-letter word.
Sorry. On the other hand, it ergo don't seem like something you'd have to test yer program for, either. But M&A will, as ever, endeavor to find new weird stuff to do in a grid to mess up the works as much as possible, tho.
Only after reading @r.alph's analysis did it soak into my thick skull that this (Skeleton in the Closet) is a modified letter-bank puzzle with a four letter bank!
P.S. - @r.alph - Please post a note at the end of this thread when you start a new thread, since we are very near 200 comments. I almost never go to the blog itself!
Starting a new post.
ReplyDeleteDid not comment on Galaxy puzzle because my program could not the grid pattern correctly. Also one answer was two words but the clue did not give their lengths. Give us a fighting chance!
@r.alph: M&A will give y'all a figntin chance, by not doin anymore in the Galaxy of the Guardian series. May make up somethin new and equally cruel, to take its place, tho …
ReplyDeleteConsonantless Crossword?
Rebusfest [every square has a rebus entry]?
Bumper Runtz [answers carom off circled squares, somehow]?
It's probably amazin what solvers will endure, if they only have to put up with conquerin 7x7 squares-worth of territory.
M&A
As soon as M&A typed it in the above comment, he knew it had to be …
ReplyDelete"bUmper rUntz" - 7x7 Caroming Crossword:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=Mzg2MjIyNDAxMjQ4NjgyNA.json
M&A
"bUmper rUntz" -- 9:36, but had to ask at the end to be shown my 3 wrong letters.
DeleteGreat puzzle, going in knowing the gimmick. Had I not known, probably would have been totally frustrated!
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTYyMzY5NDA0MDI1NTU3Nw
Thanks.
@BobK: yep. A new art form really needs a couple of hints on how to approach it, when it first comes out of its alien egg.
DeleteM&A
"bUmper rUntz II" - 7x7 caromer, sloppy seconds:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MzM4MjA1NDA5MTYwNjc1Nw.json
M&A
"bUmper rUntz II" -- 7:18, no cheats.
DeleteI sit in awe of the construction of these things!
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTcwNzMwNDA5NjAyMjgzNg
Thank you.
@BobK: bUmper rUntz may be good for combating old-timer's disease, becuz they make U think so different. And I take note that U are already gettin better at them.
DeleteM&A
p.s.
Still tryin to figure out how to make a "Consonantless Crossword" work, tho.
bUmper rUntz
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODIxOTI0MTQ4NjQ1MjM4
Instead of consonantless how about trying for some minimum number of consonants and then keep trying to break the record.
The fewest number of consonants in a 15 x 15 Shortzian puzzle is 88 by Peter Gordon (see the revealer at 55 Across)
http://www.xwordinfo.com/crossword?date=1/16/2001
Glad to see that IOWA made it into the puzzle.
@r.alph: Interestin "near-consonantless" approach…
DeleteThanx
M&A
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete(Almost blew it, on the runtpuz title)
ReplyDeleteWhy settle for totally consonantless crosswords, when U can have …
"Nearly Consonants" - 7x7 sorta themed:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NTU2ODQxNzc5MTMwMDM.json
M&A
This comment has been removed by the author.
Delete"Nearly Consonants" -- 9:03, but had to ask to be shown two wrong letters. Still, felt pretty good to finish at all! Very sparing in the use of consonants! And very clever (revised) title!
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjM3NDk1NDIxMzg0NzgxMw
Thanks.
@BobK: yep. With all the constraints here, I was kinda worried that this "Nearly Consonants" runt might be a biter. Sounds like U did pretty well, tho.
DeleteOther possibilities, in this series (in increasing level of difficulty to construct, I suspect):
* Runty Consonants
* Meager Consonants
* Little Consonants
* Few Consonants
* No Consonants
M&A
This runt has 18 consonants, the lowest I found (I disqualified the Galaxy puzzles because I don't want to encourage you)
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetPuzzle?url=metaPart6.json
har. Did I ever tell U guys about the time I made a 15x15 puz that had just E's for all the answers? Zero consonants. The lovely PuzEatinSpouse briefly considered commitment.
DeleteM&A
From today onwards the puzzle report will have clues by M&A. Use as follows:
ReplyDelete1. Click on the puzzle report link in the main post.
2. Click on the "Clue quiz using clues from previous puzzles" link
3. Click the M&A button in the editor row
4. Leave the All button selected in the day of week row (dates of M&A puzzles were not saved)
5. Click the "Next clue" button to step through M&A's clues for the answers of the NYT puzzle that M&A has also written clues for. The "Hint" button will reveal random letters of the answer and the "Reveal Answer" button does just that.
In today's Wednesday NYT M&A has written clues for 26 of the answers. If a clue is preceded by a date, e.g. 1964.10.27, it means that M&A was not the first one to use that clue, the puzzle with the indicated date was. If there is no date on the clue then it is pure M&A.
It is well worth your time to step through M&A's clues, they are wonderfully creative.
As another service to the crossword world I have collected all answers and clues of M&A's puzzles here:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com/allAnswers.html
Enjoy
Day-um @r.alph. If y'all are gonna go to all that trouble, I might as well offer up this …
ReplyDeleteBouncy author post-mortem commentary for "Bumper Runtz (#1)":
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Nzk5MzQ2NDIzNjc3MjUwNA
M&A
Nearly Consonants
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzI3ODIzNDMxODI5NTk2MA
Runtpuz inspires a big guy …
ReplyDelete"Bumper Pzzl" - 15x15 themed [challenging, with a couple of red herrings]:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=ODQyNTYxNDM1Mjg1Mzc2OA.json
M&A
"Bumper Pzzl" -- 33:06
DeleteBut no cheats! Would have been quicker if I had been more awake, and if my vision were better.
Excellent puzzle.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzUzMjM2NDM1OTYwMjUwNQ
Thanks.
Bumper pzzl
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzMzMTAzNDQxMjkxNDQzOA
@r.alph: har. It appears that a recent runtpuz has escaped yer grasp!
ReplyDeleteSee 5 Oct 2015, 5:35pm posting.
M&A
p.s. Pretty darn good times on that giant 15x15 Bumper Pzzl, guys.
bUmper rUntz II
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODM2ODc4NDQxOTE0NDM0Mw
http://puzzlecrowd.com/chemistry.html
ReplyDeleteYou made it to 50%
NYTPuz inspires a runtpuz …
ReplyDelete"Know Yer Non-Satsuma Citrus" - 7x7 themed:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=OTUxMjI0NDQwMTQ4MjU3.json
M&A
"Know Yer Non-Satsuma Citrus" -- 5:35; had to ask which 2 letters were wrong, but not what they were.
DeleteOne must use care in calling a runt "Non-Satsuma Citrus" -- wouldn't want anyone saying it was a lemon. I wouldn't say that, but a crossing of two obscure Japanese fruit names suggests the groves of Natick.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTEyNDU1NDQ0MTIxODE4MA
Thanks.
@BobK: M&A would never stoop so low as to cross two obscure Japanese fruit names in one runtpuz. One of those two obscure fruits is from Bangladesh.
DeleteM&A throughout life has gotten lemons and always tried to turn around and make runtpuzs.
And nice try, plunking SATSUMA in, for one of those two afore-mentioned crossin obscure fruits.
M&A
"When in Doubt, Rush the Satsuma Vendor"
"Know Yer Non-Satsuma Citrus
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODgwNzc3NDQ5MTM3MTQ1OQ
Here are the remarks from M&A about his fruity "Know Yer Non-Satsuma Citrus" runtpuz…
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTA1MjUzNDUwMDU4MTU2Mw
M&A
"Gunwale Cocktail" - 7x7 themeless:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NTQ5MDExNDUyOTM4NjQ0MQ.json
M&A
"Gunwale Cocktail" -- 10:32, but once more had to be shown where my two wrong letters were.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDU1ODgyNDU1OTI1NDQ2Mw
Thanks.
Gunwale Cocktail
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzY0OTkxNDU3ODE3NTMzOQ
@BobK Glad I didn't think of SHY. I had to be told that Lady Gaga was not in an AD.
Author's wordy notes, re: "Gunwale Cocktail" Stumpy Stumper:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzE2MzM1NDU4NjUyOTkxMw
M&A
"4-G Devices" - 7x7 themed:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=OTQ2MzAxNDYxMjMzODQzMQ.json
M&A
"4-G Devices" -- Great puzzle, but too advanced a concept for my simple mind!
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTg3ODk0NDY0NjM1NjQxMQ
Thanks.
Ok, so Weird NYTPuz Week, over there at the Big Show has really got the runtz stoked. They are plumb yowlin and climbin the fences, over here.
ReplyDeleteThe basic Weird Week challenge: "Do somethin you'd like to do in a puz, that ain't ever been done before."
Ever itchin (for a challenge), the runtpack is almost ready to hunt …
M&A
I'm with Bob Kerfuffle on the 4-G. Liked learning about the Demon star though - cool.
ReplyDelete@Teedmn: yep. The runtz strive, in their own peculiar ways, to be educational for the solvers.
DeleteThanx to Weird Week, the next runtpuz might be a slight exception to that rule, tho…
M&A
Weird Puz Week, MonPuz ...
ReplyDelete"E-Ewe" - 7x7 sorta themed:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NjIyMzMwNDY3MjUwMDgyMQ.json
M&A
"no refunds"
"E-Ewe" - 3:01. Good one! U got me!
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzU2MTA4NDY3MzQ3OTg1NQ
Thanks.
What is it about typing "I don't understand . . . [x]. . ." that causes one to understand . . . [x]. . . as soon as the comment is printed? I now do understand 13 A!
DeleteWeird Puz Week, TuesPuz.
ReplyDeleteFinally ... a puz that can live up to this name …
"Deviant" - 7x7 themed:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NTQxNzYxNDcwODgwMzk2Mg.json
M&A
"Deviant" -- 6:37, no cheats.
ReplyDeleteAnother great puzzle, another great twist!
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjU5OTMxNDczMTgzNjI1NA
Thanks.
Weird Puz Week, WedPuz.
ReplyDeleteM&A definitely wants to see more affection in crosswords…
"Great Big X's to U" - 7x7 sorta themeless:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NzI4MzExNDc5MzE1NjI1Ng.json
M&A
"Great Big X's to U" -- 2:17.
DeleteU made it so simple!
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODMwNTMyNDgzNDU2NDk3MQ
Thanks.
4-G Devices
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTIxNTUwNDczNDYyOTAxOA
E-Ewe
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzEzMjEwNDczNDgzODgxNQ
"Deviant"
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzYzNTA1NDczNTQ1OTQ3Mg
@r.alph -- Seems to be a technical problem, due to the unorthodox numbering of runts, in your analysis of "Deviant": 19 A and 20 A are not properly differentiated.
DeleteAuthor's 3-D (height, width, desperation) analysis of: "4-G Devices" runtpuz:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTUzNjk2NDgzNjg5NDI3Mw
M&A
Author's eeeeexplanations of: "E-Ewe" runtpuz:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzUxNjExNDg0MjMxNDA2Ng
M&A
Author's "DEVIANT" runtpuz behavior, explained:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDIyMTg1NDg0ODMxODMzNg
M&A
p.s.
As @BobK mentioned, {Sr. partner} answer never gets to be explained in the analysis file. I think Weird Runtpuz Week finally got to that poor, hard-workin program of @r.alph's.
I think I'm getting the hang of these things. Am I just DEVIANT?
ReplyDeleteBut without your titles, I wouldn't stand a chance. Thanks, M&A, runtz forever!
Great Big X's to U"
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzkyNDA2NDg3MDI0NTAwOA
@BobK
The problem is probably caused by the unchecked N and the repetition of the answer DA. This is the first time in the history of crosswords that a puzzle has had an unchecked letter AND duplicate answers. If it happens again I will try to fix it.
@Teedmn
Welcome to the blog. Glad to see from your profile that you are a bicyclist. It has been my primary mode of transportation since 1970. I have been riding a this recumbent for the past 9 years. See http://www.bicycleman.com/recumbents/sun/sun_ez1.htm
If you visit runtpuz.org and click "Go to puzzles" and then "M & A runt puzzes" you will all runt puzzles inspired by M & A. The vast majority are by him. In fact there are now 365 puzzles which is enough for a calendar!
One more thing. http://puzzlecrowd.com/chemistry.html is tracking the two letter atomic element abbreviations that have appeared in M & A's puzzles. He currently has used 64 of the 118 abbreviations. Only 54 to go (no pressure M&A)
Hi Ralph,
ReplyDeleteWith the MN winters, I can't ride for much of Dec-Feb (though I try) but my goal is 4000+ miles per year. I'm at 3330 right now, so if the weather holds...
Originally, all I could find of the runtz were the lists you mention, and with no dates, I wasn't sure if they were the fresh ones referred to on the Rex blog. Then I saw the urls in the comments here and figured out those were the new ones.
So now I know where to come if I need a bigger challenge than the NYTimes puzz offers.
TH
Since M&A was a very young lad, he has always wanted to see a themeless Patrick Berry runt puzzle, published on a Thursday. Wouldn't that be major weird? …
ReplyDelete"Patrick Berry Inmutiny" - 7x7 semi-stolen & adapted themeless:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NjU0NjU5NDg3ODM5NzcxNA.json
M&A
(p.s. Thanx, Mr. Berry -- M&A promises not to do this again, btw.)
"Patrick Berry Inmutiny" -- Clever idea; way beyond my solving ability.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzM0NTczNDkyMjc5MDIzMA
Thanks.
@BobK: Well, if Patrick Berry had actually had anything to do with the cluing, this runtpuz woulda probably been more solvable. Plus, when U go and extract parts of longer answers from his original (ultra smooth) grid, a few desperate-lookin (ultra unsmooth) entries are gonna pop up.
DeleteDouble-?? clues then ensue, in bulk.
Anyhoo, I hope Patrick Berry and the Shortzmeister will be ok with M&A borrowin a cup of PB1 grid, in honor of Weird Puz Week. Mr. Berry is the best, and runtpuzs are … whatever they are … so, I thought it would make for a primo odd couple marriage.
M&A
M&A thought he'd get the "fair use" justification for "Patrick Berry Inmutiny" runtpuz out there as soon as possible, before they try to sue @r.alph's ass off:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTA2MDMzNDkzMzY0MDk4Nw
M&A
"Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward All PB1 Puzs"
Author's comments and kisses for U, re: "Great Big X's to U" runtpuz …
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTI3NzMwNDkzODkzMTIyOQ
M&A
I was feeling big-brained yesterday after solving the E-EWE (onomatopoeically named, for sure) and the Great Big X's to U and the Deviant without cheating but today the little grey cells were InMutiny and only NEHI went in cleanly. I feel quite CHASTENed.
ReplyDeleteWeird Puz Week, FriPuz.
ReplyDeleteIt's a pretty common puztheme: revealer entry that can precede or follow the starts of the other themers. But if those "other themers" were over 2/3 of all the other entries in the puz? That'd be kinda neat …
"Beginners Guide" - 7x7 themed:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NzcxOTk1NDk2MTkyMzM2NQ.json
M&A
"Beginners Guide" -- Totally, and I mean totally, don't get it!
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDI1NTI1NDk5MjMxNjU0Ng
Thanks.
@BobK: U must not be a beginner, at runtpuzs?
DeleteSo far, I would give U a "C" for your start-up work.
More info, after I finish this day-um weird ball NYTPuz …
M&A
Beginner's guide
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODIwMjA2NTAwNTI0NTYzNg
If I have the theme right, I think that three other answers could be starred.
M&A's version of the facts, for the "Beginners Guide" runtpuz:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzUxMTIwNTAxNDk5ODk4Mw
M&A
Hey All !
ReplyDeleteMan, I used to keep up with M&A's Runtz's, but 1) I stopped coming here, for reasons unexplainable to the universe (deserve a slogging for bein away so long), and 2) he's been crankin 'em out so quickly, it's hard to catch up!
Do have some questions: I gather from reading this queue (and the ole brain seems to recall @r.alph saying something about being able to document your solve and post it for a playback, although I'm quite sure I'm not technically savvy for such a thing) that one can do the stuff I just wrote in the parenthesis. :-) Also, where would someone, should they be interested in such things, go to 1) get the Runtz, (again, gone too long!) 2) get the magical record your solve thingie app or whayever sorcery is involved, and 3) is there a way to see all the posted URLs without having to individually type each long address in to the lookup box thing/search engine, because I don't like to type long running things in over and over, as it takes up too much time and I have better things to do then type incessantly long stuff.
:-P
Gonna have to lock myself in the house for s week or two to catch up!
Oh, also, personal Q to M&A, a few days ago, you mentioned that Will finally picked on of yer puzs for the NYT? Is that right, or was I dreaming it. And if true, it would be cool to know which one it is. You could e-mail me directly, and I'll make a solemn vow to never "unmask" you or reveal your true name to anyone. Not even my mother!
RooMonster
@Roo:
ReplyDeleteM&A Help Desk replies…
1. If U go to www.runtpuz.org, click "Go to puzzles", then click "M&A runt puzzes", U will get a list of more day-um old runtz than U probably ever will want to see.
2. When U select a runtpuz on the list, U will be into @r.aph's program for solving. He gives a whole day-um encyclopedia of instructions, at that point. Click on the "Start" button, up top of the instructions screen, to begin solving the runtpuz.
3. People always tell M&A that if he reveals his identity to them, they won't tell their mom/dad/spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend/neighbor's dog. Yeah, right. All these people have well-proven ways of weedlin such info out of a person with that sorta secret. And the third parties always promise they won't tell a soul, then spill the beans to their hairdresser or bartender. Before U know it, M&A's identity is splattered all over FaceBookInstaTwitter. Hard to put the smoke back in the bottle, when it gets to The Cloud. So, really sorry, but nope.
4. yep. M&A has made it to the Big Show. [Hint: it is not a runtpuz.] Accidents will happen, I reckon.
5. Thanx for yer support, in working some of these lil runt-sized packages of trouble. I'm kinda amazed anybody wants to solve all these things, but, hey -- U are probably real amazed that anyone is weird enough to make 300+ of em.
M&A
"Even My Spouse Doesn't Suspect"
@M&A
ReplyDeleteDo you disagree that I found 3 more theme answers?
@r.alph: Hell, no. But, allow me to expand a bit ...
ReplyDeleteI always luv it, when U find amazin stuff that M&A had done, that even he didn't ever realize he'd done.
The question might have to be: Is there **any** answer in the "Beginners Guide", that cannot possibly qualify as a themer? Before U answer, I caution U to consider the dreaded CN Tower! har
M&A
"I Have No Idea, Except When I Do"
Hey, thanx for the info, Masked one! I'll head over there and check it out.
ReplyDeleteI can appreciate your desire/decision to remain M&A, and congrats on the NYT Yes! Cracked me up when you mentioned it wasn't a Runt! Be kinda cool if it was though...
RooMonster
Hey all y'all,
ReplyDeleteI was riding my bike home from work into a 24 mph headwind, thinking about the latest Runtz when I suddenly said "Fewmets", just realizing my spoilers in yesterday's comments. I forgot I wasn't at Rexville, sorry.
@Roo, I just started here but I find using the copy and paste functions work here, plucking the URLs out of M&A's comments and pasting them in a new window. I then usually print out the page or draw the grid by hand because my iPad doesn't support the Runtz files. I can use the reveal square function on my iPad but can't enter any letters, oddly.
And I don't appreciate the timer telling me how many nano-years it has taken me to get anywhere.
Today's Beginner's Guide went down easy in the west and now I just have to start hitting reveal for the finish :-). Fave clues so far are 1A and 12D.
Teedmn
Weird Puz Week, SatPuz.
ReplyDeleteThis definitely qualifies as something M&A's never done on purpose, but always has wanted to be able to say "I meant to do that" ...
"The Clue's in the Clues" - 7x7 sorta themed:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MzcyNzU1NTA0OTgzOTI2OA.json
M&A
"The Clue's in the Clues" -- Mystifying.
DeleteWhen I couldn't guess what was going on, I put in a few answers that at least fit, then asked the program if any of my letters were wrong. In all but one instance, I was right, but I don't consider that a solve on my part.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzUyNjYxNTA3ODg5NTg4OA
Thanks.
I didn't get the "Clue's" meta. Only one DNF at the cross of 13A and 15D. I liked the twistiness of 3D, 4D and 16A.
ReplyDeleteWhoa.
ReplyDeleteNobody got the clue in the clues, yet?
Figured this crowd would be all over it …
M&A
"Wrong Again But Weirdly Proud"
p.s.
ReplyDeleteMucho sadly, today's NYTSatPuz marks the grande finale of their Weird Puz Week. Well done, Shortzmeister and staff.
Tomorrow, by contrast (and golly), marks the grande finale of Weird Runtpuz+1 Week.
Sneak peek: The Worst runtpuz, arguably. Poorly done, M&A and staff …
(har)
M&A
Weird Puz Week, SunPuz.
ReplyDelete"The Worst Runtpuz? Hey -- Almost!" - 7x7 themed:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NTg1NTkzNTEyMDYyMTM4MQ.json
M&A
"The Worst Runtpuz? Hey -- Almost!" -- LOL! Almost could claim a solve in 4:29, but for one silly letter.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTkzNTMwNTEyNTY3MDM1Nw
Thanks.
The clue in the clues
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MzcyNzU1NTA0OTgzOTI2OA.json
@Teedmn
I finished wrong in the same square as you did.
No idea what the misspellings mean.
Worst puzzle
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Njg1MDE4NTEzNTUyNTQ0OA
My superlative for Worst puz is 'easiest'. No timer though.
ReplyDeleteHere's the skinny on "The Clue's in the Clues" runtpuz:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzM3MzEwNTE4MTg3ODMyOQ
M&A
So was "chairoteer" thrown in (a) to mis-lead or (b) as a genuine typo? ;>)
Delete@BobK: har! Bonus typo! Chairoteer: One who drives a chariot, while sitting down?? Could almost make a runttheme out of that kinda stuff…
DeleteThanx!
M&A
Aah, and I spent so much time trying to make sense of the letters involved in the typos....
ReplyDeleteAnd, last but not worst, the author recap for "The Worst Runtpuz?" …
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTg2MzU1NTE5MDkwMzYxNQ
M&A
@Teedmn: Looks like everybody didn't get what old M&A was up to, in his clue within the clues dealy. Neat idea on your part, that the clue might have been built from the typo letters! Might need to use that, someday… Thanx. U are even sneakier than M&A!
ReplyDeleteIt occurs to M&A, in the name of decency, that after a week of Weird Runtz, some sorta lil segue puz is needed, to direct y'all back to planet earth …
"Crazy Segway" - 7x7 themeless:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MTkwODUxOTYyNTY1NTg.json
M&A
One might want to reconsider using a Segway to direct people back to planet earth:
Deletehttp://gizmodo.com/5648709/segway-company-owner-dies-after-driving-segway-off-cliff
;>)
"Crazy Segway" -- 5:31, lot of write-overs but no cheats. Fat fingers responsible for that T/Y confusion; would have been quicker without it.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzUyNDA5NTE5ODY0ODc4NA
Thanks.
"Atomic Scoreboard Sense" - 7x7 themed:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=Mzc2MzM3NTI3MjUwNjAyNw.json
M&A
"Atomic Scoreboard Sense" -- 8:35. My excuses and explanations in the "Message" box of the solution.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDAzMDk1Mjc1MTQwNzE3
Thanks.
@BobK: I like it! Primo solver excuses! Up till now, it's always (and real frequently) had to be constructioneer excuses. Other than that one time maybe when U claimed hangover.
DeleteWould explain why what happened to U happened, but don't want to be a spolier (har). Will try to clear things up later, when I post the runtpuz recap.
M&A
Atomic Scoreboard Sense
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Njc4Njc1NTI3NjUzODMyNw
Awesome puzzle! Runts don't get better than this!
@BobK
Correct. Only the first letter of the rebus is checked so all you have to do is enter the first letter. But I find it helps solving if I can see the entire rebus. Someday I will show the rebuses in the summary also.
As an experiment I am solving the BuzzFeed puzzles at
ReplyDeletehttp://www.buzzfeed.com/tag/crosswords
and posting a puzzle report underneath the NYT puzzle reports in the main blog posting. Two things to look for.
1. Stuff that I was moved to post-google. I was able to solve the puzzle without errors or help thanks largely to crossing answers and good guesses.
2. Compare some M&A clues with those in the BuzzFeed puzzle.
I think that doing runt puzzles is much harder than doing the BuzzFeed variety and hence are an excellent preparation for them (as for the ACPT).
@r.alph:
ReplyDeleteRandom thoughts about various puzzles:
1. That BuzzFeed puz had 6 U's. bUzzthUmbsUp.
2. American Values Club wants to add a new constructioneer to its regular panel of experts. They evidently do not want a masked one, tho.
3. The new WSJ daily puzs have been mighty good. And U can win a free contest mug, every Friday. Bucket list: gonna win me one of those.
4. The runtz claim to fame is that they are mostly difficult without tryin to be. Seems to be built into the format, somehow. And, they are above average … at breakin rules.
5. M&A is intrigued at the puz rating poll they run, over at that Crossword Fiend site. Every day, almost every puz gets rated 1 out of 5 stars (low as U can go) by somebody. Wish they'd start polling on the runtz, too. Show some respect, for the little guy. Get a regular entrant that day-um **averages** a 1 out of 5, every day!
6. I think the two BEQ puzs are really weird, every week. If that dude ever ran a Weird Puz Week, those would be two real spooky solves.
7. As somebody who has solved a snootload of NYTPuzs over many, many years, I don't see any deterioration in their quality. In fact, NYT has developed most of the constructioneers that have gone on to build their own puz sites or even become puz editors. And still building future ones, I'll wager a buck on. Plus, the NYT can confidently claim that they had almost no involvement in causin runtz; important immunity.
8. Do U guys ever do Fireball puzs? Holy crap good. Editor Peter Gordon is another NYTPuz alum, of course.
M&A
"A Normal Runt Is an Abnormal Runt"
I am now the possessor of a new art term - 7A a total WOE prior to today. I feel like I ran into the back of a semi.
ReplyDelete17A should be 'mass hysteria' and 18A should be 'crickets', in the A.S.S. of course. I got this one except for the NW squares 1,2 7 and under the two. I made rebi of them and am still scratching my head as to the symbolism, in the A.S.S.
ReplyDelete"Hell Selfie" - 7x7 themeless:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NjQ2MzEzNTMwMDczNzQ0MA.json
M&A
"Hell Selfie" -- 4:44. Not bad after an evening of dining and wining. Made some guesses, and almost all turned out to be right!
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjIwNTg3NTMwNDgzMzUyMg
Thanks.
Hell Selfie alt answers (and clue add on) that don't fit in Runtz: 1A) alt answer = "skeletons in the closet". 12D) alt answer and clue add on: "What the hell's THE MATTER WITH YOU?" Phrase often heard in Teedmn house circa 1975.
ReplyDeleteHell Selfie
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODU5ODg1NTM1OTI5MDkzNw
Tuesday Buzzfeed solve is up. Best M&A version of one of the clues is
{ Place where drunks are armed with darts}
This was clued as
{Overseas establishment where a stately chap might fancy a game of snooker or wish they had won the Revolutionary War}
@M&A
ReplyDeleteFireball puzzles are well worth the effort. I also attempt Saturday Stumpers occasionally.
Runtpuz Recap for "Atomic Scoreboard Sense" …
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjU1MDgyNTM2MjQ1MDQwOQ
M&A
p.s.
@r.alph: yep. Saturday Stumpers are the namesakes for the Stumpy Stumper themeless runtz. Oddly, Saturday Stumpers are harder than snot, while Stumpy Stumpers often forget to put up much of a fight. Suspect in is somehow in the nature of the 7x7 grid size.
"Circle Around" - 7x7 themed:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=Nzk1Nzg1Mzk0MzU4NDU1.json
M&A
"Circle Around" -- Boy, did I ever circle around. After seeming hours of "stare time", I was thinking, "You've got to be kidding," but ultimately I had everything right, except the theme, with no cheats. But I believe that, as with last Saturday's "Outer Space" NYT Xwd, I was way over-thinking the problem and should have just gone with the obvious.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzAyMzc1NDI1ODk5NjU3
Thanks.
I had to cheat. I interpreted "reverse" in 11A cryptically. It made for an interesting line, reading 11A with 12A but it ended up wrong. After I revealed the left circle and then the lower circle, I got the trick and the rest of the puzzle. Misread the math equation (read a plus instead of a times) so that was a head scratcher.
ReplyDeleteI might be starting to understand runtz speak - it didn't take all that long to figure 14D.
Circle Around
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDU0OTQ3NTQ0MzExNzQzMw
@BobK
Your oil spray journey of discovery looked a lot like mine.
@Teedmn
If you click summary after getting everything right you can upload your solution and post it here like BobK and I do. Don't be shy, we are all in this runt together!
I posted the report for Wednesday's BuzzFeed puzzle.
Best M&A clue for one of their answers is
{ Alexander [snapped pencil point] Hamilton's [cough] [table vibration from Tyler Hinman jiggling his leg] denomination} T E N (today's clue: Top rating for a shawty)
This clue was in puzzle 131 "ACPT puzzle (with simulated distractions)" This is the most Joycean (stream of consciousness) crossword puzzle ever created. If you haven't solved here it is.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetPuzzle?url=puzzle10.json
At least read the clues.
Did puzzle 131 just for fun. Don't know if I might have already done it, before I started recording my solves.
DeleteBut it certainly reminded me more of a Lollapuzzoola puzzle than ACPT. Can't help wondering if M&A has had any connection to Lollapuzzoola, but I won't pry.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDE2MDM4NTQ2Mzk1Nzk1NA
Thanks.
@r.alph: Yep that runtpuz 131 jobber was and remains crucial practice for ACPT participants. Even for Joyces.
ReplyDeleteAlso, while M&A is here …
Runtpuz Recap for "Hell Selfie":
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTc4NjUwNTQ0ODg3NzY2NA
M&A
I forgot to mention that there was a runt-like clue/answer in the Wednesday BuzzFeed:
ReplyDelete{Actress Mryl's throat condition?} _ _ _ _ _
Here is what Rex Parker had to say about it at
https://ngotblog.wordpress.com/2015/10/21/buzzfeed-crossword-wednesday-21-october-2015/#more-236
Lena: Me too. I have no idea why, but I liked 66A: Actress Mryl’s throat condition? (STREP). Maybe because it was just plain silly.
Michael: That was the best thing in the grid, easy. I laughed hard. BuzzFeed being BuzzFeed. I have no problem with that. At all.
har.
DeletePrimo clue, by the BuzzFeed folks.
Almost needed the coveted double-?? clue ender, yes?
M&A
@Ralph, I would do the summary but I'm usually solving on paper. It doesn't work on my iPad and I'm too lazy to drag my oversized laptop out.
ReplyDeleteI've done the Mon and Tues Buzzfeeds? Do they progress in difficulty? Certainly I found Tuesday's harder than Monday's. It was a fun alternative to the NYT, for sure.
@Teedmn: Day-um, girl -- that must be kinda awkward, solvin a runtpuz on paper. All the runt clues don't even show up on the screen at once! How do U get the whole works to dump to paper? (Scholars might want to print em off some day, for a Hysterical Archives Project.)
DeleteYour dedication to the runtz is extra impressive, is highly questionable, and is mucho appreciated, here.
M&A
p.s.
Delete@BobK and r.alph: holy moley, runtman! It just dawned on M&A -- this Teedmn gal is goin into full-scale runt battle without the "Mark Incorrect Letters" button to mash on!
Braver than snot.
M&A
Aw, they'real such cute little things, I either print them out on paper and scroll down on the clues on the computer and hand write the ones that didn't print or I hand draw the grid and leave the clues up on my iPad. The second method is more amenable to cheating - too easy to hit that reveal button. So I prefer the first method.
ReplyDelete@Teedmn
ReplyDeleteI am totally inspired by your can-do attitude and it has inspired me to dust off a crossword program I wrote for mobile devices a couple of years ago. It is very runt-like but once you get used to it is quite enjoyable to use. Before I convert runt puzzles to be used with it I would like to know if it works on your iPad (it works on mine). If you are interested please do the following:
1. Open puzzlewriter.com in Safari on your iPad
2. Tap on NYT Monday
3. You will be shown some radio buttons. Tap the one with red text and then tap Submit
4. You should see a NYT mini on the screen.
5. The answer to 1A is ANTI and it is entered as follows
a. Draw a big A with your finger inside the grid (important). Be exuberant, it can fill the whole grid. The only constraint is that it must be drawn without lifting your finger so drawing an upside down V and then the crossing - will produce two letters.
b. The A you drew will be shrunk down to fit in the blue square which will then move to the right. The blue square is the current square and is the one that receives the letter your draw.
6. Draw an N. It should appear after the A.
7. To erase hold your finger on the letter you want to erase for a second or so until the yellow highlight disappears. Then drag your finger over the letters you want to erase. Until you let your finger up every square it touches will be erased.
8. To change the current row or column tap the blue square.
9. Now it gets weird. If you want to check your answers tap the Check button at the bottom of the screen. You will see a column of the letters from A-Z. Red backgrounds mark letters not in the puzzle. The rows that start with green background will have the letters you wrote in squares that are supposed to contain that letter. So if in the A row you see a B that means that B is wrong but it doesn't let you know which B it is.
10. Tap the Back button to get back to the puzzle to try to find the letters you know to be wrong.
11. If you want to know what letter goes in a particular square draw a ? or some other distinguishable mark in the square, tap Check and find the row that the mark is in. The letter at the beginning of the row is what should be in that square.
Remember you must draw inside the grid and you can't lift your finger while you are drawing a letter.
Please let me know how it goes. I will be glad to answer any questions.
"Goat Baseball" - 7x7 themeless:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=Njc5OTcyNTQ4MDE4MTUwNQ.json
M&A
p.s.
Not meant in any way as a Cubs-related commentary.
"Goat Baseball" -- 2:21. Goats and baseball, two subjects I know nothing about. Yet today that doesn't seem to have slowed me down.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTU1NTc4NTUxMTI0MTg2OQ
Thanks.
Goat Baseball
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzgyNjIxNTUyMTQ3NTUxOQ
Best baseball clue ever
Fact check:
ReplyDeleteIndeed 7 of 16 answers of Goat Baseball have Patrick Berry Immunity.
See the main blog posting for all the details
The main blog post now has a link to the entire runt corpus, 5472 answers (1725 of which have PBI).
ReplyDelete@Ralph, I'll give it a shot and see how it goes.
ReplyDeleteM&A, thanks for the gimme at 9A in Goat Baseball, my only foothold. And the nice "oof" I let out when I finally sussed 1D.
@Ralph, your app works great. The only thing I had trouble with was remembering to not lift my finger. I ended up with three squares holding bits of K.
ReplyDeleteCool!
@Teedmn
ReplyDeleteGreat! I used the program to solve puzzles for about a year and now when I solve on paper I never lift my pencil when I write a letter. My guess is that it knocks a couple of seconds off my solve time. :-)
The next time that M&A uploads a puzzle, I will copy it to the server that the app uses. If I am online when it happens it will take about 1 minute for it to also be available to the app.
BTW, be sure to delete the old puzzle before getting the new one so that you release its memory. Also the latest runt will always be NYT Monday
@Ralph, I looked around on the page but I'm not sure how to make sure it's deleted.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
@Teedmn
ReplyDeleteYou will see a screen telling you to save or delete when you Tap "Get Puzzle." The delete button is at the bottom of this screen.
BTW, I bought "Bicycle Rider" off the album "Desperate Act of the Powerless." I like it. Did you inspire it?
I have heard Greg Brown and love his act so when your band was called "A rocking Greg Brown" I got interested. He wrote a song about Fairfield, IA where I live https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWFcrjRm5CM
"Where in the World Am I?" - 7x7 themed:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=ODM1NzU4NTU2NjQxMTg3MA.json
M&A
@Ralph,
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for the support. I'm afraid the only thing I did on that song was sing backup. It was written by our lead man, Kevin Brixius, as a memorial for a friend who played sax and rode his bicycle in poor weather.
Unfortunately, Kevin passed away this summer, (age 59) so no more Rockthrow. On the 4th album, "in the Vacuum of the Continuum", I wrote a song called 'S&M Biker" which was inspired by my friends looking at my winter riding boots and saying they looked very 'dominatrix'. I was trying to write lyrics using bicycling terms as innuendos - not sure if I succeeded :-).
Thanks for the delete tip.
@Teedmn
ReplyDelete"Where in the World am I" is now available on the the app.
@Ralph,
ReplyDeleteIt works great!
M&A, no clue on 10A and 15D. I'm not in here and neither is my brain.
"Where in the World Am I?" -- 9:23, but no cheats, I finally figured it out on my own! Please see my analysis by clicking the "Overall" button.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjQ0MjM5NTU5NzAyNDk3NA
Thanks.
Where am I?
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzQ0NjAzNTU5NzU4NTgxMw
It appears that that the unchecked I with no clues confused the playback of the puzzle a bit. Like Bob, I have attempted a description of the theme in the overall section. My guess at the theme is different than his.
Wow! In the interest of no spoilers, all I can say is that @r.alph seems to be completely right and I was completely wrong regarding the theme. This comes from the fact that a critical piece of information was totally unknown to me: I have never seen "X" as an "Y" of "Z"!
Delete@BobK: yep. That was part of my own education, in making this "Where in the World" runt. I'd never heard of "X" as an "Y" for "Z", either.
DeleteM&A
I need to start drinking some of the coffee you all seem to quaff. Even after reading @Ralph's analysis, I'm not seeing that anything was missing except in the SW.
ReplyDeleteThis may be one of M&A's most ambitious puzzles. He is exploring the boundaries of the rational mind. Most constructors would stop at having one of the X's missing from the puzzle. But that is not good enough for M&A. He wanted to have something else missing namely the Q from all but one of the X's that appear in the grid. And the X that did have the Q was sort of a revealer for this secondary theme. The mind that wants simple explanations of things rebels at this. M&A is teaching us not to expect simple answers to the complex problems that are plaguing the world today. AFAIK no crossword puzzle has ever attempted something like this.
ReplyDeleteFriday BZF up. Best M&A improvement on one of its clues:
ReplyDelete{ Difference: "I Am Curious Yellow" vs. "I Am Curious Blue"} _ _ _ (BZF clue: Any of the 50 shades of gray, say)
Runtpuz Rodeo Roundup for "Goat Baseball"…
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzQyMjg4NTYyMDI1ODgxOA
M&A
Runtpuz Rodeo Roundup for the World Headquarters of "Where in the World Am I?" runtpuz recap:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjIzNDUyNTYyMzA4MjI3OQ
M&A
"On the Boundaries of Rational"
Wow, and wow, that is a fantabulous puzzle. Even with @Ralph's unearthly discernment and figuring out "X is an Y of Z", I missed the purity of placement.
Delete"Puzzle Dungeon" - 7x7 themeless:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=Mzc5MjY1NTY1NTg5NDM3OA.json
M&A
"Puzzle Dungeon" -- 3:44. Another very elegant grid.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzE4NjM3NTY4Mjc0Nzc4MA
Thanks.
Puzzle Dungeon
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTQwODQxNTY4NzIwNjE1MA
Some M&A clues of answers in today's Saturday NYT
{ End of cash and a cigarette??} _ _ _
{ Worker dealing with cell storage, often} _ _ _
@Teedmn
Puzzle Dungeon is now available at puzzlewriter.com
Thanks, @Ralph. I'm thinking I might have to get my laptop out after all and solve Runtz in Windows. Your app is great but the lack of opportunity to share the experience as you and @Bob do is beginning to annoy me.
ReplyDeleteAs it was, I got up super early, and having finished the NYTXword, I went back to my hand solving for Runtz. My first entry was the same as yours. After yesterday's über oeuvre, I was looking for today's meta. Still looking :-).
I also did the Saturday Stumper for the first time (another of those I have to print out, along with the WSJ - at least Buzzfeed has an AcrossLite version). That was my first Sat Stumper and it was certainly harder than this morning's NYT. I failed in the NE.
Thanks, M&A.
Hey, I figured out how to do it. Here's my solve on steroids.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTEzNDQyNTcwMjk4NjEzMA
"Step Runt" - 7x7 themed:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=ODQ3NTc5NTc0NTczOTU5MA.json
M&A
"Step Runt" -- 4:54. Nice one, as always.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTI5NTE1NTc2OTc1NTkwMQ
Thanks.
Step Runt
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTc0NzU1NTc3NTM0ODIzNg
Thanks, M&A, for the brain tickler.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzExODk4NTc4MDI2MzQyMA
"Hitting the Bricks" - 7x7 themed biter runt:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NjQwMzg1NTgxNTQ3MDk3NQ.json
M&A
"Hitting the Bricks" -- Bit me, alright, bit me good.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to the explanation of 11 A.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjQ1MTQxNTgyMTg0MTc3Mg
Thanks.
"Hitting the Bricks"
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTk0MDgwNTgyMDIwOTMzNw
I don't get why the clue for 10A is both singular and plural
I'm not even going to show my solution - I cheated shamefully. Like hitting my head against a brick wall. I look forward to seeing the explanation.
ReplyDeleteFrom https://ngotblog.wordpress.com/ on today's BuzzFeed puzzle:
ReplyDeleteRe 32A: {Lttrs tkn frm ths cl.}
Rex Parker: Yeah, that clue was nice. I don’t mind “bad” fill so much when it’s redeemed by fun clues.
Unfortunately the answer to that clue is not in the runtpuz corpus.
@r.alph: We may yet get @009 to come over to the dark side, and start commentin on some of the runtz.
DeletePrimo clue; must look up the author. (U weren't suspectin that it was m&e, were U?)
M&A
M&A somehow senses that some immediate explanation may be in order …
ReplyDeleteRuntpuz Recap Roundup for "Hitting the Bricks":
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Mjc2Mzk5NTg3NzE2NDk1Nw
M&A
This is like getting the right answer to a Rorschach test.
ReplyDelete@r.alph: Sounds like a runtpuz theme idea, to m&e …
DeleteM&A
@M&A
ReplyDeleteThe constructor is Neville Fogarty. He published puzzles at https://nevillefogarty.wordpress.com/
Check out his impossible puzzles
https://nevillefogarty.wordpress.com/category/impossible/
Ok, so this puppy oughta lift the spirits of most any of the recent Rorschach test flunk-ees, out there …
ReplyDeleteand bring renewed hope to Atomic Scoreboard fans, everywhere …
Stumpy Stumper: "I Got Lutetium Babe" - 7x7 themeless:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=OTQ0NzcwNTg3OTkzODk2OA.json
M&A
"Good Cop"
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTk3NTI4NTg4MTAzMTA4Ng
DeleteThanks.
"Rorschach Test" - 7x7 themed:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=Mjk2MDU5NTkxMjE2MzYzMA.json
M&A
"Rorschach Test" -- 11:05, but I did have to be shown one wrong letter.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTE3NzQ2NTk0NjQ5OTk2NA
Thanks.
"Lutetium" easier than "Bricks" but still a DNF.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjIxNzc2NTkxMzQ1OTkwNQ
Thanks.
I hope you aren't sending these solutions to any psychologists. I don't know what they would conclude from my Rorschach solution. (Runtz challenged, obviously).
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDE5MTY1NTkxNDc0OTc0Mg
I Got Lutetium Babe
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTY0OTI4NTg5NjM1ODAzMg
Rorschach Test
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDQyMDM1OTU2NjQ1MDY3
Brilliant puzzle!
From today's BuzzFeed
M& A:{ Water over Van Damme?} _ _ _ (BuzzFeed: Liquid with aucun consonnes)
What makes the M&A clue more interesting is that Van Damme appears to be Belgian not French.
Runtpuz Recap Roundup for "Rorschach Test":
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjQ4MjMyNTk2MjAyODEzNQ
M&A
p.s.
Thanx to @r.alph, for the inspiration on this one.
"Otherwise High-Quality" - 7x7 themeless:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NjI5Nzg0NTk5ODU1NDA5MQ.json
M&A
"Otherwise High-Quality" -- I tried.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTQ2ODM5NTk5OTUxMDk1OQ
Thanks.
Thanks, M&A
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTY1NTYyNjAzMzAyNzE1MA
Otherwise High Quality
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTk2MjIwNjA0OTUzMTM4OQ
Best improvement of a BuzzFeed clue by M&A:
M&A clue { Missing set member in: {Ryes, ___, Tyes, Uno, ...}} _ _ _ (BuzzFeed clue: Commercial cold-weather prefix)
This was an interesting puzzle so it is fitting that I roll out my comparison program using it.
Open
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/CompareSolutions
Copy and paste two of the IDs following the : below to compare the solutions of any two solvers. Please be sure there are no trailing blanks and that you do not copy the :.
@Teedmn:NTY1NTYyNjAzMzAyNzE1MA
@BobK:OTQ2ODM5NTk5OTUxMDk1OQ
@r.alph:NTk2MjIwNjA0OTUzMTM4OQ
I will be interested in hearing any features that you would like added to the program.
@r.alph: yep. Primo comparison program. U really tempted M&A to wanna copy that there : into a box, tho.
DeleteKnew what ACPT score was, but not sure what the score on the line below that was all about.
Even without this prog, it has always fascinated M&A, how different folks fill in the runt grids using completely different attack path strategies. Rarely see a runt filled in left-to-right, top-to-bottom. Almost always kinda scattershot, for some reason.
M&A
M&A
ReplyDeleteDo you play an oud? Some are made of padauk wood. And luthiers are makers of stringed instruments.
M&A
ReplyDeleteSee
http://www.wimp.com/man-plays-luthier/
@Ralph, that indeed is a cool app. I love the stats at the bottom.
ReplyDelete"Candy Crush" - 7x7 themed:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NDM5ODc5NjA4NjI0NjU1OA.json
M&A
"Candy Crush" -- Is this the runt's first venture into quantum mechanics?
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTU5OTI2NjExNzc4MjMwOQ
Thanks.
@BobK: Good healthy question. After 350+ runtz, heck if M&A can remember.
DeleteYou'da thought this kinda gimmick woulda made a cool NYTPuz theme, especially for this particular week. Maybe it's been used by them somehow before?
M&A
Candy Crush
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjU5Mzg3NjEyMTEyODEyMw
M&A: { It's right here in front of your face!!} _ _ _ (BuzzFeed: '___ Just Not That Into You' (possible sequel to 22-Across about objects))
@r.alph: Man, tough Buzzfeed clue for IT'S. M&A runtpuz clues are always so much more neighborly, yes?
DeleteM&A
Runtpuz Recap Roundup for: "Candy Crush" …
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjczMjkwNjEzNjY5MTc0Mg
M&A
Hmmm, if you visited here some time between 7:30 and 8:30 AM CDT, I had my solution up. I must have self destructed at some point. 14D was my fave plus the Schroedinger effect.
ReplyDeleteThanks OML (our masked leader)!
@Teedmn: Didn't see the other message, as U get up too early for M&A.
DeleteBut I am a witness; U definitely sent one here at 4:51pm, Runtpuz Std Time. U R welcome.
M&A, SIL (Sleep-In Leader)
Already feelin kinda sorry for @r.alph's analysis program, on this puppy ...
ReplyDelete"Skeleton in the Closet" - 7x7 themed:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MTQ4NTM1NjE2OTg1ODMzOQ.json
M&A
"Skeleton in the Closet" --
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjE0ODg5NjE3MjUyNjE1MA
Thanks.
"Skeletons". Nice, thanks.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Njc3OTA4NjIwOTk2OTc4MA
p.s.
ReplyDeleteThe above "Skeleton in the Closet" version has a typo. 5-D clue should cross-reference 1-A, not 1-D. The following version does not have that typo:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NDAyNTExNjIxMjIzODI2Mw.json
M&A
"Scary Quality Control"
M&A
ReplyDeleteAs you predicted my playback did not work correctly with the "Skeleton in the Closet" puzzle. I have fixed the problem on my machine but need to test if a clued single letter answer will work. Could you modify the Skeleton puzzle to add Across clues for the two Us in the puzzle, e.g. {Should be the first letter of the alphabet} and {_r late}
Thanks.
@r.alph: When I add the two extra Across clues, AcrossLite flags the resulting .txt file as having errors, which stops me from generating the .puz file.
ReplyDeleteM&A
@r.alph: M&A is off to dinner & a movie, soon. Won't be around for a few.
ReplyDeleteI'll add that AcrossLite hardly ever numbers an unchecked letter, unless it is at the start of a one-way longer entry. And even then, it does not expect a clue for the single unchecked letter. So, M&A has never had to (or been able to) directly clue a 1-letter word.
Sorry. On the other hand, it ergo don't seem like something you'd have to test yer program for, either. But M&A will, as ever, endeavor to find new weird stuff to do in a grid to mess up the works as much as possible, tho.
M&A
"Trick or Treat!"
Skeleton in the Closet
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTU5NzIwNjE3MTQ2NDA2OA
The program can now handle unclued unchecked squares. If you figure out how to clue a one character unchecked square let me know.
Ironic that Skeleton in the closet didn't add boron to the atomic scorecard
ReplyDeleteOnly after reading @r.alph's analysis did it soak into my thick skull that this (Skeleton in the Closet) is a modified letter-bank puzzle with a four letter bank!
ReplyDeleteP.S. - @r.alph - Please post a note at the end of this thread when you start a new thread, since we are very near 200 comments. I almost never go to the blog itself!
@BobK
ReplyDeleteNew post started.
Thanks.
DeleteTest. Scram.
ReplyDelete**gruntz**
M&A