@Numinous's next cryptic -- Got a lot of it, or most of it. Then asked to be shown wrong letters, cleared those, figured out everything except 1 A and 3 D, just had to ask for them letter-by-letter. All in all, about the way most cryptics go for me.
Another one that @Numinous let me test and it still took me 20:08 and one Check. Looks like a couple of weeks is all it takes to wipe my memory slate clean.
And @Bob, I agree on the spoiler - as a neighbor to the clued state, I'm acquainted with the area. Nice job, time-wise.
I see that @r.alph, @Bob and I all finished on the same clue.
Still workin thru the latest Numi-cryptic, but am making better progress, so far, this time. I can feel previously-unused brain muscles ache, a bit. Fun.
@M&A I was very impressed with your creative solution a while back to getting 1 letter atomic abbreviations into the puzzle. You had them kissing in trees. I then thought that it would be interesting to see what clues you could come up with if you could have one letter answers in the grid so I modified my program to handle these correctly.
You have determined that Across Lite won't accept 1 letter answers but if you are interested we can figure out a way for you to do this.
Coming To Town took me about 30 minutes but in my defense, I had to find paper and a pencil and draw a grid and then had to figure out what I thought the answer was and then reveal it letter by letter because this solving app doesn't work on my iPad. Still, there are a few M&A conventions with which I'm unfamiliar.
Yeah, I break out my Windows laptop when I do Runtz 'cause it's so much fun to compare solutions and with the danger of spoilers, it is the only way to comment. But I was where you are a month or two ago, drawing a grid.
I'd like to get my PC out of storage if there were someplace here that I could put it. Maybe I can work something out. I really want to get Crossword Compiler, it has some great tools for creating cryptics.
Icy Einstein–I letter checked 7A and change Avg to ALL and finally got it ALL. Had me wondering for a while though. I thought the avast throng was cute.
Icy Einstein http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTYwMTc0NDgyMzEyNzgw
@Numinous A bit of a spoiler there which I fortunately didn't see. People solving with the runtpuz app can put comments in their solutions and post a link to the uploaded solution.
Yeah, I didn't realize that until after it was posted and I kind of understand the applet. I'll get ahold of my PC eventually. And, I'll be careful about posting spoilers in future.
Total spoilers for today's "Easy Cryptic" which I won't publish until asked. I don't want to ruin it for y'all but I have a bunch of INSIGHT (spoiler) into the solutions which are "Arfuli Anglish". I managed 93% without help and I'm ashamed of one of those helps.
I cheated on the 12/18 Easy Cryptic after about 70%. I think 9A is the only truly UK answer. Even 21A is well-known enough, I think.
@Bob, 1A Cryptic from a couple of days ago, the bird-plant clue, you are oh so correct that no one in the US would ever get the second half of that answer, even if they had the first half guessed. But the rest of that puzzle was mostly easy, even for me.
@r.alph: Works somewhat better. Now I get this kinda message:
To solve online, use URL http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=OTYwNTkyNTQxNzUzNDcz.json To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
Originally, the second "Across Lite" is a blue link jobber, but doesn't copy over to here. Shouldn't it also be a url, like the one in the first part of the message?
I deleted another runtpuz intro message -- decided to wait until I'm sure I'm doing this new method correctly.
Server corruption problems! During the melee, this mongrel runt unexpectedly escaped from the pen. (This is the final version, not the earlier test version, btw.)
"Galaxy of the Christnas Guardian" - 7x7 mongrel:
To solve online, use URL http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MTExNDU3NTQ1ODE4MTM0.json To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
Galaxy of the Christmas Guardian -- Couple of words in the clues I didn't get, and a couple of answers I couldn't quite parse, but as usual got most of it on my own.
I'm just going to put this out here. I'd like to try setting a puzzle, a normal 15x grid but clued cryptically and seeing if Will would consider it for a Thursday. The clues would have to be fairly easy and and full of good AHA!
@r.alph: Yeah, I've had some (sorta) offers from Andrea darlin and muse darlin to NYTPuz-collaborate, in the past. Always have to say "I'm really flattered, but no can do". For reasons U mention, plus just the fact that I'd be too day-um unreliable. Plus, I get more puzs rejected than Patrick Berry ever got published, so I'd be a bad source for (sane) advice.
I'm confused but think I be probably due to post a Christmas runt tonight, usin this neat new technique of r.alph's. Since it's so fun, gettin the hang of this new toy, I'm gonna go ahead and post the next runt early …
Sweet Carol Line http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTE1NzIyNTYyODEwMzA3 Nice title. Would have been faster if I had bothered to read the clues more carefully.
Galaxy of the Christmas Guardian - What, no "Maddog" rating on this one. Runt meets Cryptic = brutal.
Please disregard the time on this solve. I was trying to do it last night after my relatives all left and after drinking wine since noon and I fell asleep with the timer running. It is probably more like 20 minutes total, but the Check button was liberally used, as I always do with Cryptics.
Not sure why. It displayed okay for me and Teedmn. Please try http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Mzc2NTk3MDM0NjcyMTk again, possibly refreshing the browser.
@r.alph: nope. Same results, on both my iPad and iMac (which I had just powered up). I checked, and even comments that worked yesterday, on "Sweet Carol Line" also no longer work.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/CompareSolutions?p1=OTc1NjgzNzA0NjEyOTA2:teedmn&p2=Mzc2NTk3MDM0NjcyMTk:r.alph All thats missing is a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll! BTW, I realize now that the unchecked squares actually are checked.
The new feature showed up just fine on my iPad, or, at least as well as it can. Did I mention the puzzle which I thought was cute. I'm still getting the hang of M&A's cluing.
As the one here with the least knowledge of tech, I should probably keep quiet, but once upon a time I had a somewhat similar problem in another interactive site, and I was told, "Clean out your cookies!" I did, and the problem was solved. Any relevance here?
"Christmas Drones" -- 3:34. For once, it didn't hurt to finish that bottle of wine. For first time, I have used new and improved comment form to make a few unnecessary observations.
Tete a tete http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/CompareSolutions?p1=ODQxMTA3Mzg3MTI0Mjc:teedmn&p2=NDczOTE0NzU1MzMxOTc3:r.alph Very glad that the letters I had prevented me from putting in what @teedmn put in for 10A
p.s. Christmas daily runtiness will continue into Christmas Day. Then M&A will dump a Maddog Runt [shudder] on y'all, and disappear for a little "truce" period. Please lay in yer emergency supplies, accordingly.
@"Up To Duplicity" solvers. This runt kinda had a mini-theme, hinted at by its title. Main theme, other than draggin U all over creation with cross-references, was a Christmassy one, at least.
7:09 or something with no Chex. Was there supposed to be cereal in there? Oops. I had a couple false starts but . . . Thought it was a nice Christmassy tribute to . . . Er . . . Someone!
Here is a quotation from the Guardian that struck me. It refers to cryptic puzzles but I believe it relates. It's something I'm going to take to heart.
Once you’ve acquired the habit, you might be tempted to create a puzzle yourself. You’ll have no difficulty finding technical tools online, but you might find you make it too hard. A baffling puzzle is easier to set and much less satisfying to solve.
Remember: a decent puzzle has some easy clues, strategically placed, to get things going – and the harder clues must all yield eventually. The setter’s job is to put up a fight, but let the solver win, with a completed grid and a happy expression.
Agatha Christie once reflected on clues in a whodunnit. “It’s like making crossword puzzles,” she wrote. “You think it’s too idiotically simple and that everyone will guess it straight off, and you’re frightfully surprised when they simply can’t get it in the least.”
@Numinous: yep. Really a big consideration, especially for a themed runtpuz. If almost half the puz is themers that the solver can't figure out from the get-go, then there'd better be a few easy clues, to give em a fightin chance to gain entrance.
M&A often stumbles over the "easy" concept. Once had a set of openin crossing clues in a runt, that looked like this: 1-A: What you get when you cross an emu with an eel 1-D: What you get when you cross an eel with an emu Answers were EMU and EEL. Almost every solver had to come back and get those two as part of late puz cleanup, even tho M&A had intended them to be gimmes.
Atomic scoreboard entries are usually near-gimmes, but stay away from antimony (Sb). For some reason, a lot of M&A's double-?? clues are fairly easy gets, for seasoned runtpuz solvers.
Sometimes a runt can start out easy, and wind up hard, anyhoo. I predict this could well be the case, for today's offering …
Christmas Wish http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODM4MzQxMTA0OTA1Njc2MQ Should be required solving on Christmas day.
Christmas Cucumber http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDQ5MzY2MTA0OTYyMDMwNQ Best cucumber clue in the history of crosswords.
@M&A: thanks for putting the M&A back into Christmas. And thanks to BobK, Teedmn and Numinous for keeping this blog lively. I really hope that I get to spend some face time with all of you at some point.
I have been working on adding a Pause button to my program and I am hoping that it will be finished today. You might want to delay solving the Maddog Runt I puzzle until the new version ships. I for one hope to solve the Maddog Runt I puzzle without having to cheat even if it takes me all year.
"Maddog Runt I" -- Unlike @r.alph, I wasn't ready to take all year to solve, so after completing the bottom half, I started asking for a few letters. Comments included in my summary.
Mad Dog Runt http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDMwNTMxMjU0NDU0OTc5
As promised, no cheats.
There are now three kinds of time
Time until puzzle is correct: 157 min 59 sec (includes pauses)
Time when puzzle actually checked for correctness: 163 min 31 sec (stared at puzzle not believing that it was correct for 5.5. minutes)
Adjusted time for handing in: 60 min 52 sec (Removing almost an hour when I was away from the puzzle. Actually more like 40 min because I forgot to hit the Pause button before leaving for 20 minutes.)
When you solve there is now a Pause button in upper right corner. This will stop the clock. But there is another clock that is still running which keeps track of the total time including pauses.
The comments will now also include information about cheating
{!} means that before the corresponding answer was correct, the puzzle failed a correctness check.
{abc...} lower case letters means that those letters were flagged as incorrect before the corresponding answer was correct.
{A} capital letter means that letter was revealed before the corresponding answer was correct.
To see the new version you may need to refresh the browser when you load it.
@r.alph, I nearly fell off my chair laughing at your time, as shown by the new features, but your explanation above helps. Good job with no cheats!! I just don't have the patience.
@r.alph: 163 minutes! Way to hang in there. Think UR right -- Maddogs are definitely reminiscent of Trip Payne Cuckoo Crosswords -- altho those Cuckoos go without the ohso-helpful double-?? clues, on the tricky entries.
Have been enjoyin watchin Chistmas-present-movies with the spouse, and eatin way too much "Moose Munch", while watchin em.
Hope everyone is havin a good ol time this week. Will try to let a runt out of the pen every once in awhile, after this week's truce, to give y'all a fix. M&A also will be spendin some time (desperately) tryin to make a NYT-worthy puz, which tends to constipate the runtz.
Ain't made any runtz lately -- only NYTimes-sized ones. Have made four, so far. This one was kinda imperfect, so I immediately thought of Runtpuz.org … maybe it'll offer something worthwhile to do? …
Exciting news. My bicycling buddy from grad school, David Briggs, came up with idea for a brilliant puzzle while grading Java programs and I implemented it as a 7x7 puzzle and am billing it as the opposite of a pangram.
The PDF version is here: http://puzzlecrowd.com/mysteryLetter.pdf The AcrossLite version is here: http://puzzlecrowd.com/mysteryLetter.puz
Let's welcome David to the select group of constructors who have created a runt puzzle!
Always real good to see new runtpuz inventors stop by. Welcome, David Briggs. Actually, I thought "Unknown Letter" was up to something slightly else, at first -- so it gave old M&A an idea for a future runt! Thanx. That "Unknown Letter" runt was kinda low on U's, btw, but long on fun.
Figured So http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTM3NjIwMjI3NTMzNzIwNA
There is a new version runtpuz.org that has a show solvers button. It shows the comments of all solvers of the puzzle interlaced. To use it you should click on the options link at the top of the puzzle grid page and enter what name you want to use in the comments. Then solve as normal, upload the puzzle and click show solvers to merge your comments with other solvers.
Figured So -- As often, I didn't "get" it. If there is a reference to a recent NYTXwd, I seem to have missed it. Even so, mostly quite fair, actually got all but one letter.
@BobK I noticed that you handed the puzzle in at 0 seconds and that none your your incorrect entries are saved (e.g. RKO-->MGM). Did you hit the Clear Button by mistake? I should really get rid of it; I only use it for debugging the program.
@r.alph Not sure what I did. I solved the puzzle before I read your comment about the new feature (something I always do to avoid unintentional spoilers.) So the new info took me by surprise, and I may have done things out of order, although I don't think hitting the Clear button was one of them.
Regarding your instructions in your earlier post, will we need to enter our name each time we do a puzzle? Or will it recognize us on re-visits? After all, on that day when Dan Feyer does the puzzle in 19 seconds and I match his performance, I wouldn't want to add 2 seconds to my time because I stopped to enter my name. :>)
@r.alph: Don't forget to work thru "Vampire Mollusk", in yer "spare time", btw. I'm air-droppin the runtz in a bit more sporadically these days, so don't let me sneak any by U.
@BobK You just have to enter the name once and as long as you use the same browser it will be there. I will try to reproduce what you did to get the 0 time.
@M&A Vampire Mollusk (did it when it came up but was debugging the new version of the program and neglected to post solution) http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTUxNDU0MjIwNDQ1ODAzNg
If you open http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=ODg5MDk2MjE4MzU4MzU5MA.json and click Show solvers you should see 4 solvers mentioned. The anonymous ones are probably Teedmn, BobK and you.
"Figure So" - Figures, whenever I do well on the NYTimes, I tank here and vice versa. And thanks for the reassurance, @r.alph, on not having to reenter my name. I was laughing at the thought of losing those precious nanoseconds off my time. On the other hand, it's actually a concern for you and @Bob.
"BBQ UFO" -- Sorry, messed up again, have to go back to see how to enter my name. Did the puzzle with no cheats, though, a little slower than Teedmn, but with the ACPT scoring, we come out with the same final number.
It is a hybrid cryptic/American puzzle. It mostly has American clues but several clues are cryptic and are signaled by the word lengths in the answers in parentheses.
Here is my solution http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjM5MDUyNTM4NzEzOTA0
Exciting news! We have a new runt puzzler who says he has been lurking here and has offered a puzzle of their own. It is a classic runt puzzle and is well worth your time to try. M&A will be proud!
Thank you, @Teedmn. I had no idea what the Meta was, and had given up on it. But even though I get all the others, I still can't figure out 11 D. -- But, wait, as I was typing this, I thought, "The minute I hit Publish, I will get it." Fortunately, I did think of the answer to 11 D just before hitting the button. All is well! Thanks again.
I once read, long ago, possibly in a London Times Crossword book about a guy who was boarding a train. On the platform, he picked up a copy of the Times to while away the time. As he glanced through the pages, he found the crossword and decided to try it out. He recounted that he finally managed to complete the puzzle at the end of his journey – twenty four hours later. He also went on to say that from then on, he was hopelessly hooked.
@Numinous -- I hope I didn't give the impression that I didn't like your puzzle. I find that cryptics are fun, but I can only solve them very slowly, say at the beach, where I might look at a clue and turn it over in my mind for half an hour. Doing them with a clock running isn't my style. (I did knock off the easy ones in today's puzzle nicely, but did an awful lot of revealing wrong letters and asking for right letters to finish.)
Har - @Bob, I ran your solution using the Fast option and I thought I must have copied and pasted MY solution instead. I think we took the exact same path except for the last two letters (and you were faster). Funny!
Final Jeopardy http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDIyNTI1Mjc5MTA2MTE3Ng Figuring out title increased my appreciation of the puzzle.
@Teedmn Interesting observation. Will try to make it easier to detect similar solve patterns.
Our lurker (@bodgit1) has struck again with another ingenious puzzle:
What color am I?" To solve online, use URL http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NDUxOTUxMjc5NjkxMzY2Mg.json To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
My comments are here http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTM1MjM4MjgwMjc0MjUwNw
1. Did anyone work this week's FireballPuz by Jeff Chen? I spent about 3 hours on it -- clever, but brutally tough. So nasty, you'da swore it was raised by wolves. Feisty, even by Fireball standards. Recommended, in the sense that U have to experience it, to believe it.
Hey M&A, after you mentioned Fireball puzzles in regards to Hippocrepiform, I took a look at them and signed up for them but I haven't had the guts to try them yet. I have 3 waiting for me. Maybe I'll start with #3.
Boxing Ring http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzMzMzUyOTk0MTE1Njkx
@BobK, @bodgit1 The problem was a couple of lower case letters. I have fixed it so that @teedmn and @M&A can enjoy the puzzle without hassle. Be sure to understand the appropriateness of the title!
Sorry about the problem with Boxing Ring. Apparently the problem involves upper case vs lower case. I tried uploading a new version but now I go directly to my solution and can't seem to find a way to test out if the problem is solved.
@bodgit1 If you try it in another browser you should see that I was able to fix the problem. I will modify program so that it automatically will convert lower case to upper case so this won't happen again.
"Boxing Ring" - was going to ask about the lower case letters after seeing them in the Solvers section but the comments above explain that. It was fixed by the time I got here.
@Numinous's next cryptic
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetPuzzle?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpuzzlecrowd.com%2Fcryptics%2FCryptic05b.puz&hidden=
My solution and comments
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Njk4NDgyMzYwOTg4MDM2
@Numinous's next cryptic -- Got a lot of it, or most of it. Then asked to be shown wrong letters, cleared those, figured out everything except 1 A and 3 D, just had to ask for them letter-by-letter. All in all, about the way most cryptics go for me.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODQ4ODM5MDY3NTE1Ng
Thanks.
SPOILER ALERT!
ReplyDeleteAnd sort of a complaint :>)
¡uɐƃᴉɥɔᴉW ɟo ʇɹɐd sᴉ ,,ɐlnsuᴉuǝԀ ɹǝdd∩,,
I'm so sorry for that mistake although the UP is above Wis. LOL. I've sent a revision to Ralph.
DeleteAnother one that @Numinous let me test and it still took me 20:08 and one Check. Looks like a couple of weeks is all it takes to wipe my memory slate clean.
ReplyDeleteAnd @Bob, I agree on the spoiler - as a neighbor to the clued state, I'm acquainted with the area. Nice job, time-wise.
I see that @r.alph, @Bob and I all finished on the same clue.
At least three of the clues were changed since you saw that puzzle last. Good practice to revisit and re-analyze.
DeleteStill workin thru the latest Numi-cryptic, but am making better progress, so far, this time. I can feel previously-unused brain muscles ache, a bit. Fun.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, at the Runt Corral …
"Coming To Town" - 7x7 themed:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NDkxMDc1NDEyMjA1MjUz.json
M&A
"Coming To Town" -- No Christmas presents for me, apparently. With my wooden head, I'll always be in the first category!
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjQ4MjI1NDUzODExNTUz
Thanks.
@M&A I was very impressed with your creative solution a while back to getting 1 letter atomic abbreviations into the puzzle. You had them kissing in trees. I then thought that it would be interesting to see what clues you could come up with if you could have one letter answers in the grid so I modified my program to handle these correctly.
ReplyDeleteYou have determined that Across Lite won't accept 1 letter answers but if you are interested we can figure out a way for you to do this.
Anyway as a proof of concept, I offer this puzzle
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetPuzzle?url=001reb.json&hidden=
As per the policy of this site, no refunds.
"Coming To Town" - At 9:14, I wasn't exactly "going to town" but no cheats.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTkxNzY0NDE0MTY5MjU3
I'm over halfway done with yesterday's "easy" UK Cryptic. We'll see how far I get.
Coming To Town took me about 30 minutes but in my defense, I had to find paper and a pencil and draw a grid and then had to figure out what I thought the answer was and then reveal it letter by letter because this solving app doesn't work on my iPad. Still, there are a few M&A conventions with which I'm unfamiliar.
ReplyDeleteNo letter I revealed was unexpected though.
Yeah, I break out my Windows laptop when I do Runtz 'cause it's so much fun to compare solutions and with the danger of spoilers, it is the only way to comment. But I was where you are a month or two ago, drawing a grid.
DeleteI'd like to get my PC out of storage if there were someplace here that I could put it. Maybe I can work something out. I really want to get Crossword Compiler, it has some great tools for creating cryptics.
Delete@Numinous
ReplyDeleteHere is the "Coming to Town" puzzle in Across Lite format.
Can you open this on your iPad?
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NDkxMDc1NDEyMjA1MjUz.puz
If so, then I can modify the program that M@A uses so that it will display this URL so he can display it in his post of the puzzle.
Yes, I have Across Lite. That would be great! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteComing to Town
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTIxNTIzNDQ3NDU0ODE2
@Numinous
Does this link get the puzzle for you on your iPad.
Across Lite
If not, I will make the URL puzzlecrowd.com/kf/nu.puz so it is easy for you to type.
Yes it does, perfect, thanks!
DeleteI'm trying something out
ReplyDeleteThis runt didn't come out very Christmassy (not even X-massy), so the runtz kicked it out of the litter early …
ReplyDeleteStumpy Stumper: "Icy Einstein" - 7x7 "Big U(™)" themeless:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NjE3MzA4NDY1OTQ3OTgw.json
M&A
"Icy Einstein" -- Froze me out.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjAxOTQyNDY3MTkyNjQ3
Thanks.
@BobK: Oops. Well, the runtz are all hopin to thaw U out again, real soon.
DeleteM&A
Runtpuz Ornicer Recap for solution to "Coming to Town".
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODM4MTU0NzM5NzkxNTU
M&A
"Icy Einstein" - Nice grid shape. Not my best, not my worst. 8:04 with Checks.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTM2MTc0NDc0NTY3Nzg0
And, from the good old days of an older block of comments …
ReplyDeleteRuntpuz In Retrospect Recap of solution for "Holiday Inn".
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTE3ODc5NDc1Mzk4MDY5
M&A
Icy Einstein–I letter checked 7A and change Avg to ALL and finally got it ALL. Had me wondering for a while though. I thought the avast throng was cute.
ReplyDeleteIcy Einstein
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTYwMTc0NDgyMzEyNzgw
@Numinous
A bit of a spoiler there which I fortunately didn't see. People solving with the runtpuz app can put comments in their solutions and post a link to the uploaded solution.
Yeah, I didn't realize that until after it was posted and I kind of understand the applet. I'll get ahold of my PC eventually. And, I'll be careful about posting spoilers in future.
ReplyDeleteTotal spoilers for today's "Easy Cryptic" which I won't publish until asked. I don't want to ruin it for y'all but I have a bunch of INSIGHT (spoiler) into the solutions which are "Arfuli Anglish". I managed 93% without help and I'm ashamed of one of those helps.
ReplyDeleteI cheated on the 12/18 Easy Cryptic after about 70%. I think 9A is the only truly UK answer. Even 21A is well-known enough, I think.
Delete@Bob, 1A Cryptic from a couple of days ago, the bird-plant clue, you are oh so correct that no one in the US would ever get the second half of that answer, even if they had the first half guessed. But the rest of that puzzle was mostly easy, even for me.
@r.alph: Tried uploading a runtpuz, but service was flagged not available.
ReplyDeleteWill try again, later.
M&A
@M&A
ReplyDeleteSomething got corrupted on the server and the way I fixed it was to rename the upload program:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/UploadRunt/Upload
This now also provides a link to the Across Lite version of the puzzle.
@r.alph: When I took the new upload program out for a spin, it did this:
ReplyDelete/usr/local/apache/htdocs/kf/test.xxx (Permission denied)
M&A
p.s.
day-um! It's Apaches!
@M&A
ReplyDeleteSorry, the URL should have been
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/UploadRunt
Let's hope that third time is the charm.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete@r.alph:
ReplyDeleteWorks somewhat better. Now I get this kinda message:
To solve online, use URL http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=OTYwNTkyNTQxNzUzNDcz.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
Originally, the second "Across Lite" is a blue link jobber, but doesn't copy over to here. Shouldn't it also be a url, like the one in the first part of the message?
I deleted another runtpuz intro message -- decided to wait until I'm sure I'm doing this new method correctly.
Thanx,
M&A
@M&A
ReplyDeleteFixed. This is what should have appeared when you copied and pasted the Across Lite link:
To solve with Across Lite: use Across Lite
@Numinous
This link should get the Across Lite version of the puzzle.
@r.alph:
ReplyDeleteOK. So, now it gives me this:
To solve online, use URL http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MzMxMjM4NTQ0MjYwNjg5.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
Server corruption problems! During the melee, this mongrel runt unexpectedly escaped from the pen. (This is the final version, not the earlier test version, btw.)
ReplyDelete"Galaxy of the Christnas Guardian" - 7x7 mongrel:
To solve online, use URL http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MTExNDU3NTQ1ODE4MTM0.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
p.s. Seasons Greetings, @Numinous.
Galaxy of the Christmas Guardian
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTM4NDk4NTQ4MDAzMjUw
@Numinous
Please email me your opinion of this and I will add to my comments
Galaxy of the Christmas Guardian -- Couple of words in the clues I didn't get, and a couple of answers I couldn't quite parse, but as usual got most of it on my own.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTI3OTkzNTQ5NjU3MTA3
Thanks.
I'm just going to put this out here. I'd like to try setting a puzzle, a normal 15x grid but clued cryptically and seeing if Will would consider it for a Thursday. The clues would have to be fairly easy and and full of good AHA!
ReplyDeleteThoughts?
Solution to the Saturday stumper. Probably timed for Hanukah
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzU3NDQzNTU0MjQ4OTM5
@Numinous
ReplyDeleteProblems that have to be overcome to collaborate with M&A
1. He has an unlisted email address (if any)
2. Your name would be listed as a co-author and I know your real name so I would be able to deduce M&A's name
@r.alph: Yeah, I've had some (sorta) offers from Andrea darlin and muse darlin to NYTPuz-collaborate, in the past. Always have to say "I'm really flattered, but no can do". For reasons U mention, plus just the fact that I'd be too day-um unreliable. Plus, I get more puzs rejected than Patrick Berry ever got published, so I'd be a bad source for (sane) advice.
ReplyDeleteI'm confused but think I be probably due to post a Christmas runt tonight, usin this neat new technique of r.alph's. Since it's so fun, gettin the hang of this new toy, I'm gonna go ahead and post the next runt early …
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MzU0ODg1NjAwODk5NTg.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
See that, @r.alph? The layout's even more professional-lookin, already!
M&A
p.s. On that there "Christmas Guardian" cryptic: everyone note, that each clue in it has complete Double-?? Immunity.
p.p.s.s. Almost Forgot Dept.
ReplyDeleteFor completeness, name of above runt is "Sweet Carol Line" - 7x7 sittin duck easy themed.
(Still tryin to get the hang of this new pro look, but I'll master it, eventually.)
M&A
"Sweet Carol Line" -- 2:57, no cheats. Precious nanoseconds lost to laughter! That's the way to construct a truly easy puzzle!
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTI4MzEyNTYxMDE2NjEy
Thanks.
Sweet Carol Line
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTE1NzIyNTYyODEwMzA3
Nice title. Would have been faster if I had bothered to read the clues more carefully.
Shouldn't 13D be "Stocking stuffers, at times"?
ReplyDeleteThis one cracked me up. I put COAL in first. Overall, I liked this puzzle a bunch.
Galaxy of the Christmas Guardian - What, no "Maddog" rating on this one. Runt meets Cryptic = brutal.
ReplyDeletePlease disregard the time on this solve. I was trying to do it last night after my relatives all left and after drinking wine since noon and I fell asleep with the timer running. It is probably more like 20 minutes total, but the Check button was liberally used, as I always do with Cryptics.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzkyMzY2MDQ1MzAyNTY
"Sweet Carol Line" - refreshingly easy. 3:44, no cheats.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzY4MzEyNjA4Mjg1NTM2
M&A, I did the "Galaxy" Cryptic using AcrossLite - I liked your copyright tagline.
"Saturday Stumper" Tough as usual.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTIxODM0NjEyODQ2ODQw
"Winter Hangout" - 7x7 themed:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=Mjc3NDU5NjcxMTUyODg3.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
"Winter Hangout" -- 4:36, no cheats. That's one cool puzzle!
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODUxMzI5Njk4NDg2NTIy
Thanks.
Winter hangout
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Mzc2NTk3MDM0NjcyMTk
@r.alph, Nice comments on 11A and 10D!
Delete@r.alph: When I viewed your solution file, it appeared as an empty shell, with the boxes, but no grid or comments. Bummer.
DeleteM&A
Not sure why. It displayed okay for me and Teedmn. Please try
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Mzc2NTk3MDM0NjcyMTk
again, possibly refreshing the browser.
@r.alph: nope. Same results, on both my iPad and iMac (which I had just powered up). I checked, and even comments that worked yesterday, on "Sweet Carol Line" also no longer work.
DeleteM&A
p.s.
DeleteThe compare-a-runt file still works fine for m&e, on both platforms.
M&A
M&A
DeleteOn my Mac it works on Chrome but does not work on Safari so I know the problem. Will post a fix soon.
M&A
DeleteIt now works on Safari on my Mac. Let me know if it works on yours.
@r.alph: Works great, both on my iPad and iMac, now. Thanx.
DeleteM&A
"Winter Hangout" - 8:38, one check. Nice one and nice new Runt feature for comments.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTc1NjgzNzA0NjEyOTA2
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/CompareSolutions?p1=OTc1NjgzNzA0NjEyOTA2:teedmn&p2=Mzc2NTk3MDM0NjcyMTk:r.alph
ReplyDeleteAll thats missing is a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll!
BTW, I realize now that the unchecked squares actually are checked.
The new feature showed up just fine on my iPad, or, at least as well as it can.
ReplyDeleteDid I mention the puzzle which I thought was cute. I'm still getting the hang of M&A's cluing.
FWIW, the link in r.alph's 12:22 post works fine on my iMac.
ReplyDeleteAs the one here with the least knowledge of tech, I should probably keep quiet, but once upon a time I had a somewhat similar problem in another interactive site, and I was told, "Clean out your cookies!" I did, and the problem was solved. Any relevance here?
ReplyDeleteM&A Christmas schedule is gettin kinda nuts, so posting "tonight's" runtpuz early …
ReplyDeleteStumpy Stumper: "Christmas Drones" - 7x7 themeless:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MzgyOTczNTMzMzUzNQ.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
"Christmas Drones" - 8:51 and multiple checks on the same letter. Very tricky SE corner, but no ?? clues in that section.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODQxMTA3Mzg3MTI0Mjc
"Christmas Drones" -- 3:34. For once, it didn't hurt to finish that bottle of wine. For first time, I have used new and improved comment form to make a few unnecessary observations.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzA1NTYwNzU0NDgzMjA5
Thanks.
Christmas Drones
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDczOTE0NzU1MzMxOTc3
Tete a tete
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/CompareSolutions?p1=ODQxMTA3Mzg3MTI0Mjc:teedmn&p2=NDczOTE0NzU1MzMxOTc3:r.alph
Very glad that the letters I had prevented me from putting in what @teedmn put in for 10A
@Bob and @r.alph, nice solve times on Christmas Drones, congrats. And glad to have you joining the comments club, @Bob!
ReplyDeleteRuntpuz Recap and public hanging for solution to "Winter Hangout".
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDM2MTQ3ODE0MzQ1MTU2
M&A
p.s.
Christmas daily runtiness will continue into Christmas Day.
Then M&A will dump a Maddog Runt [shudder] on y'all, and disappear for a little "truce" period.
Please lay in yer emergency supplies, accordingly.
"Up To Duplicity" - 7x7 themed:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MzgyMDY0ODIwNTgzMjYx.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
Up to duplicity
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDQ0MzI1ODIzMzE5NDA5
Took me about twice as long as @r.ralph but I'm still learning. Not getting 1A immediately really ticked off, LOL. Good brain-bender.
ReplyDelete. . . Ticked me off.
Delete"Up To Duplicity" -- I wasn't up to it.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODI2ODExODM5MjU3NTg2
Thanks.
"Up to Duplicity" 10:06 and a Check. Great puzzle, thanks M&A.
ReplyDeleteOops, forgot to paste my solution to "Up to Duplicity".
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDUzODY3ODgxMDA5MjAx
Latest cryptic from @Numinous
ReplyDeleteMade it all the way to the last clue without help.
My solution with some remarks from @Numinous
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTMzOTgwMzE0NTExMw
@"Up To Duplicity" solvers. This runt kinda had a mini-theme, hinted at by its title. Main theme, other than draggin U all over creation with cross-references, was a Christmassy one, at least.
ReplyDeleteM&A
@M&A
ReplyDeleteGot it. Have updated my comments accordingly
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDQ0MzI1ODIzMzE5NDA5
While frustrating, I rather liked the way the cross references led from one to the other. I kept having to think "Oh, yeah, that!"
ReplyDeleteLatest cryptic from @Numinous -- 6:21, no cheats.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzAyNDU3ODk4NTgxNDcx
Thanks.
Numinous Cryptic - second solve's the charm.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDQ4ODk1ODk5NjYyNjgy
"Visitors from Back East" - 7x7 singing themer:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=OTk4ODk5MDY2NzkxODc.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
7:09 or something with no Chex. Was there supposed to be cereal in there? Oops. I had a couple false starts but . . . Thought it was a nice Christmassy tribute to . . . Er . . . Someone!
ReplyDelete"Visitors from Back East" - 3:48, no cheats. Dang, now I've finished my Runt for the day. :(
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjUxMDk3OTA4MDE0ODQ1
"Visitors from Back East" -- 3:38, no cheats.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjE1MDg4OTA4MDg0OTMx
Thanks.
Visitors from Back East
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDM0MTY4OTA5OTk3NTcy
Great time @r.alph. No surprise you didn't see some of the clues :-).
Delete@Teedmn: yep. Everybody got well, on the "Visitors" runtpuz. And, indeed -- @r.alph's time was amazin! What got into that dude?!
DeleteRuntpuz Recap, duplicity included, for: "Up To Duplicity".
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODgyMDUzOTEzMTkyNzc0
M&A
Here is a quotation from the Guardian that struck me. It refers to cryptic puzzles but I believe it relates. It's something I'm going to take to heart.
ReplyDeleteOnce you’ve acquired the habit, you might be tempted to create a puzzle yourself. You’ll have no difficulty finding technical tools online, but you might find you make it too hard. A baffling puzzle is easier to set and much less satisfying to solve.
Remember: a decent puzzle has some easy clues, strategically placed, to get things going – and the harder clues must all yield eventually. The setter’s job is to put up a fight, but let the solver win, with a completed grid and a happy expression.
Agatha Christie once reflected on clues in a whodunnit. “It’s like making crossword puzzles,” she wrote. “You think it’s too idiotically simple and that everyone will guess it straight off, and you’re frightfully surprised when they simply can’t get it in the least.”
@Numinous: yep. Really a big consideration, especially for a themed runtpuz. If almost half the puz is themers that the solver can't figure out from the get-go, then there'd better be a few easy clues, to give em a fightin chance to gain entrance.
ReplyDeleteM&A often stumbles over the "easy" concept. Once had a set of openin crossing clues in a runt, that looked like this:
1-A: What you get when you cross an emu with an eel
1-D: What you get when you cross an eel with an emu
Answers were EMU and EEL. Almost every solver had to come back and get those two as part of late puz cleanup, even tho M&A had intended them to be gimmes.
Atomic scoreboard entries are usually near-gimmes, but stay away from antimony (Sb). For some reason, a lot of M&A's double-?? clues are fairly easy gets, for seasoned runtpuz solvers.
Sometimes a runt can start out easy, and wind up hard, anyhoo. I predict this could well be the case, for today's offering …
"Christmas Wish" - 7x7 themed:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MTE4MDg1OTgwMzI2OTI5.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
Merry Christmas Eve, everybody.
M&A
"Christmas Wish" -- 6:48, no cheats.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTIzNTU5OTgyNDIxMjIz
And a Merry Christmas Eve and Day to all from me, too!
Thanks.
"Christmas Wish" - Thanks, M&A, I hope yours comes true, along with all y'all.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDgxNjM0OTkzMDcyOTAx
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
ReplyDeleteStumpy Stumper: "Christmas Cucumber" - 7x7 themeless:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NjY5NzcxMDIwNDI5MDM3.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
MERRY CHRISTMAS to M&A. Thanks for the bonus Christmas gift. 10:41 and one "check", so I took my time opening it :-).
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Mjc4ODQ3MTA1NDA5ODc4MQ
Christmas Wish
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODM4MzQxMTA0OTA1Njc2MQ
Should be required solving on Christmas day.
Christmas Cucumber
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDQ5MzY2MTA0OTYyMDMwNQ
Best cucumber clue in the history of crosswords.
@M&A: thanks for putting the M&A back into Christmas. And thanks to BobK, Teedmn and Numinous for keeping this blog lively. I really hope that I get to spend some face time with all of you at some point.
Thanks to all of you for making this a fun place! Have a happy!
ReplyDeleteChristmas Cucumber == 6:26, no cheats.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzgzMjQxMTA5NjA4Mjk3OA
Thanks.
This one ought keep y'all busy for awhile, if U don't do any "cheats" …
ReplyDelete"Maddog Runt I" - 8x7 unusual:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NzMwNjM3MTEwNDE4NjY4Ng.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
p.s.
M&A Runtpuz truce goes into effect for a bit after this, so everybody can rest up. M&A needs to catch up on family, and other stuff. Thanx.
I have been working on adding a Pause button to my program and I am hoping that it will be finished today. You might want to delay solving the Maddog Runt I puzzle until the new version ships. I for one hope to solve the Maddog Runt I puzzle without having to cheat even if it takes me all year.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOK, @r.alph, I will wait until you give the go ahead. I'll more than likely need the new feature.
ReplyDelete@Bob, loved your MIL story on @Rex. Gold, Frankincense and murder, kind of prophetic in a way.
@M&A, thanks for the pre-truce challenge (I say now before being bitten by the Maddog!) Enjoy your hiatus from feeding the Runt addicts.
"Maddog Runt I" -- Unlike @r.alph, I wasn't ready to take all year to solve, so after completing the bottom half, I started asking for a few letters. Comments included in my summary.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzE3OTQzMTE0MzQ1ODY0Mw
Thank you for a fun year of runts, and looking forward to another good year for all.
Mad Dog Runt
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDMwNTMxMjU0NDU0OTc5
As promised, no cheats.
There are now three kinds of time
Time until puzzle is correct: 157 min 59 sec (includes pauses)
Time when puzzle actually checked for correctness: 163 min 31 sec (stared at puzzle not believing that it was correct for 5.5. minutes)
Adjusted time for handing in: 60 min 52 sec (Removing almost an hour when I was away from the puzzle. Actually more like 40 min because I forgot to hit the Pause button before leaving for 20 minutes.)
When you solve there is now a Pause button in upper right corner. This will stop the clock. But there is another clock that is still running which keeps track of the total time including pauses.
The comments will now also include information about cheating
{!} means that before the corresponding answer was correct, the puzzle failed a correctness check.
{abc...} lower case letters means that those letters were flagged as incorrect before the corresponding answer was correct.
{A} capital letter means that letter was revealed before the corresponding answer was correct.
To see the new version you may need to refresh the browser when you load it.
Stumper solution.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjQxNTg1MTI3NzI1MzE2NQ
No cheats! Easy for a stumper.
"Maddog Runt I" - my resolve to not cheat didn't last long - not a good omen for any New Year's resolutions I might make!
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzYxOTA1MTMxNDcyNzQ5Mw
@r.alph, I nearly fell off my chair laughing at your time, as shown by the new features, but your explanation above helps. Good job with no cheats!! I just don't have the patience.
"Saturday Stumper" - the usual story. Used the Check button more than I should have.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Nzc1NjAxMTMyMzM5MzcxNA
@r.alph: 163 minutes! Way to hang in there. Think UR right -- Maddogs are definitely reminiscent of Trip Payne Cuckoo Crosswords -- altho those Cuckoos go without the ohso-helpful double-?? clues, on the tricky entries.
ReplyDeleteHave been enjoyin watchin Chistmas-present-movies with the spouse, and eatin way too much "Moose Munch", while watchin em.
Hope everyone is havin a good ol time this week. Will try to let a runt out of the pen every once in awhile, after this week's truce, to give y'all a fix. M&A also will be spendin some time (desperately) tryin to make a NYT-worthy puz, which tends to constipate the runtz.
Happy New Year!!
M&A
Happy New Year tomorrow, everyone. I look forward to chasing those greased Runts in 2016.
ReplyDeleteHowdy, U nice folks.
ReplyDeleteAin't made any runtz lately -- only NYTimes-sized ones. Have made four, so far. This one was kinda imperfect, so I immediately thought of Runtpuz.org … maybe it'll offer something worthwhile to do? …
"Inganimate Objects" - 15x15 Non-Runt themed:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=Mzg2MDI1MTg2MzUyMzU0NA.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
"Inganimate Objects" -- 15:37. Some hesitation, couple of write-overs, but no cheats.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTg3NDcxODY5ODgwNzc3
Thanks.
Inganimate Objects
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODIzNzIyMTkyMzAzMDY1Nw
Felt like a sitting duck in SW corner
http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/4/10707100/elements-added-to-periodic-table-discovery-confirmed
ReplyDeleteWill update chemistry.html as the names are announced.
Exciting news. My bicycling buddy from grad school, David Briggs, came up with idea for a brilliant puzzle while grading Java programs and I implemented it as a 7x7 puzzle and am billing it as the opposite of a pangram.
ReplyDeleteThe PDF version is here: http://puzzlecrowd.com/mysteryLetter.pdf
The AcrossLite version is here: http://puzzlecrowd.com/mysteryLetter.puz
Let's welcome David to the select group of constructors who have created a runt puzzle!
"Inganimate Objects" - 20:49, no cheats. Thanks, M&A.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, and my solution: "Inganimate Objects".
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTcyNjYxOTUwNzQ5MDA0
"Unknown Letter" 2:35 in AcrossLite. The grid looks like the slot in a prison door. Fun!
ReplyDeleteSaturday Stumper, the usual outcome:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTExNjA3MTk1NTc5NjY2Mw
This one was inspired by an entry in today's NYTPuz. Guess which one?
ReplyDelete"On Second Thought" - 7x8 themed:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NTY2NjY1MTk2MjUwNzk1MA.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
On Second thought
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTk5Mzc5MTk2NTQzMDY0NA
"On Second Thought" -- LOL! Is it the puzzle, or cleaning up the leftover champagne?
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTMyMDczMTk2NjUyNDg4Mw
Thanks.
"On Second Thought" - Some champagne might have helped me -
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTQyMzU2MTk2NjUyMDQ4Ng
Always real good to see new runtpuz inventors stop by. Welcome, David Briggs. Actually, I thought "Unknown Letter" was up to something slightly else, at first -- so it gave old M&A an idea for a future runt!
ReplyDeleteThanx. That "Unknown Letter" runt was kinda low on U's, btw, but long on fun.
M&A
"Vampire Mollusk" - 7x7 themeless:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=ODg5MDk2MjE4MzU4MzU5MA.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
"Vampire Mollusk" -- 3:57, no cheats.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTc5NTg3MjE4NTgwOTU0Ng
Thanks.
Hah, I needed that one to soothe my bruised ego after flopping on the Thurs. NYTIMES. 3:50, no cheats.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTY0MDg1MjE5MzA3NzY0MA
"Figured So" - 7x7 themed:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NDIwNTQ0MjI3MzAwODg1Mw.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
Figured So
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTM3NjIwMjI3NTMzNzIwNA
There is a new version runtpuz.org that has a show solvers button. It shows the comments of all solvers of the puzzle interlaced. To use it you should click on the options link at the top of the puzzle grid page and enter what name you want to use in the comments. Then solve as normal, upload the puzzle and click show solvers to merge your comments with other solvers.
Figured So -- As often, I didn't "get" it. If there is a reference to a recent NYTXwd, I seem to have missed it. Even so, mostly quite fair, actually got all but one letter.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Mjg2MTk2MjI3NzUzMzg1Nw
Thanks.
@BobK
ReplyDeleteI noticed that you handed the puzzle in at 0 seconds and that none your your incorrect entries are saved (e.g. RKO-->MGM). Did you hit the Clear Button by mistake? I should really get rid of it; I only use it for debugging the program.
Runtpuz reparsed recap for solution to "On Second Thought".
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTYwMzA3MjI3ODc3NjE1Mw
M&A
@r.alph
ReplyDeleteNot sure what I did. I solved the puzzle before I read your comment about the new feature (something I always do to avoid unintentional spoilers.) So the new info took me by surprise, and I may have done things out of order, although I don't think hitting the Clear button was one of them.
Regarding your instructions in your earlier post, will we need to enter our name each time we do a puzzle? Or will it recognize us on re-visits? After all, on that day when Dan Feyer does the puzzle in 19 seconds and I match his performance, I wouldn't want to add 2 seconds to my time because I stopped to enter my name. :>)
@BobK.--Neither would Dan Feyer, tho …
Delete@r.alph: Don't forget to work thru "Vampire Mollusk", in yer "spare time", btw. I'm air-droppin the runtz in a bit more sporadically these days, so don't let me sneak any by U.
M&A
@BobK
ReplyDeleteYou just have to enter the name once and as long as you use the same browser it will be there. I will try to reproduce what you did to get the 0 time.
@M&A
Vampire Mollusk (did it when it came up but was debugging the new version of the program and neglected to post solution)
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTUxNDU0MjIwNDQ1ODAzNg
If you open
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=ODg5MDk2MjE4MzU4MzU5MA.json
and click Show solvers you should see 4 solvers mentioned. The anonymous ones are probably Teedmn, BobK and you.
"Figure So" - Figures, whenever I do well on the NYTimes, I tank here and vice versa. And thanks for the reassurance, @r.alph, on not having to reenter my name. I was laughing at the thought of losing those precious nanoseconds off my time. On the other hand, it's actually a concern for you and @Bob.
ReplyDeleteThanks, M&A, this is another creative gem.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzE0NTIwMjI5NTU0MzcwNA
Saturday Stumper - Not so bad.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODkwMDg3MjM2Mzg1MzA1Mg
Stumpy Stumper: "BBQ UFO" - 7x7 themeless:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NTg2MzIxMjQwNDc1NTY4Mw.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
"BBQ UFO" - Fun. 5:03, no cheats. Thanks, M&A.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjExNzg3MjQzNzQzNTQ3MA
"BBQ UFO" -- Sorry, messed up again, have to go back to see how to enter my name. Did the puzzle with no cheats, though, a little slower than Teedmn, but with the ACPT scoring, we come out with the same final number.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDMwNDc2MjQzNzg1MDUzMg
Thanks.
Nice, @Bob, only one erasure!
DeleteThanks, and, honest, that was just a slip of the finger. :>)
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTI2NzI2MjQ3OTYyNjA0Mw
ReplyDeleteTry http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NTg2MzIxMjQwNDc1NTY4Mw.json
to see collated comments.
@Numinous sent me a puzzle right after the candy cane NYT puzzle and it got lost in my in box. Here it is
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetPuzzle?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpuzzlecrowd.com%2Fkf%2FTheXword.puz&hidden=
It is a hybrid cryptic/American puzzle. It mostly has American clues but several clues are cryptic and are signaled by the word lengths in the answers in parentheses.
Here is my solution
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjM5MDUyNTM4NzEzOTA0
Exciting news! We have a new runt puzzler who says he has been lurking here and has offered a puzzle of their own. It is a classic runt puzzle and is well worth your time to try. M&A will be proud!
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetPuzzle?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpuzzlecrowd.com%2Fkf%2FRUNTZB.puz&hidden=
Here are my comments:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTM0NDU3MjU0MTM2MjM1NQ
Continuing previous post:
ReplyDeleteYour job is to grok the theme and come up with an appropriate title for the puzzle
_ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The Numinous hybrid, my solution (Now with my name and comments):
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjE3OTYyMjU0OTM0ODM4MQ
The new anonymous runt, my solution and notes:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODg0OTAwMjU1MDY4NzEyMA
Very very nice runtpuz by Mr. (Ms.?) Lurker.
ReplyDeleteM&A's struggles with it are chronicled here:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjY5NDk3MjU1NTU3MTg4Ng
M&A
"Numinous Runt" - Hybrids hard to keep straight but fun.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDYwNTQ2MjU1OTgxMzE3Ng
"Anon Runt" - Very much in the Runt style, nice. And I got the Meta - I never get the Meta. @Bob, funny comment on 19A.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjEzNjQxMjU2MTY3ODkyNA
Thank you, @Teedmn. I had no idea what the Meta was, and had given up on it. But even though I get all the others, I still can't figure out 11 D. -- But, wait, as I was typing this, I thought, "The minute I hit Publish, I will get it." Fortunately, I did think of the answer to 11 D just before hitting the button. All is well! Thanks again.
DeleteCool crypto-hybrid runtpuz experiment, from the @Numimeister.
ReplyDeleteM&A's captioned solution:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDU2NTk2MjU2NDcwMTMyOA
M&A
p.s.
Thanx to all these new extra runtpuz inventors. Deeply appreciate the company.
Awesome. You guys are great!
ReplyDeleteTo see the collated comments on @Numinous's puzzle open the original puzzle, in this case:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetPuzzle?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpuzzlecrowd.com%2Fkf%2FTheXword.puz&hidden=
and click Show Solvers.
-------------------------------------------------
To see the collated comments for our lurker's puzzle open the original puzzle, in this case
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetPuzzle?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpuzzlecrowd.com%2Fkf%2FRUNTZB.puz&hidden=
and click Show Solvers.
Well, foo. This runtpuz pales by comparison with today's earlier offerins …
ReplyDelete"The Hippocrepiform 7" - 7x7 sorta mildly themed:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=Mjc5NzMyMjU3NDgyMjMzNg.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
"The Hippocrepiform 7" --
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODk4NzQyNjExNjUxNTIx
Thanks.
@Numinous has a new cryptic. Needed help but felt mostly in control. I am definitely getting better at cryptics thanks to his contributions here.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to the puzzle:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetPuzzle?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpuzzlecrowd.com%2Fkf%2FCryptic07.puz&hidden=
And here are my comments
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MzE3NjYyMjYxNzI4MjI4NQ
The Hippocrepiform 7
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTIzMTAwMjYxOTA1NjE2OQ
Have seen hippocrepifrom in a recent puzzle. If you look up what it means before solving you are probably cheating.
@r.alph: Were U able to find all seven of em? Yer comments mention 6 of the lil darlins.
DeleteI think I learned this neat Hippo-word from a recent Fireball puz, maybe?
(Primo solve time, btw.)
M&A
@M&A
ReplyDeleteGot it. I have updated my comments.
@r,alph: Not quite. Them Hippocreps are all in the runtpuz grid.
DeleteM&A
@M&A
ReplyDeleteLove it! I am sure I got it this time.
@r.alph: yep. Better.
DeleteM&A
"Hippocrepiform" - Classic runt, fun. And I thought I had done so well till I saw all y'all's times.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTUzNjA4MjYzOTY5MDA0NQ
Numinous cryptic -- Sorry, I shouldn't even have tried.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjUxNTQyNjQ2OTI3MzM5
@Bob, No idea why you say that, I think you did really well .
DeleteI once read, long ago, possibly in a London Times Crossword book about a guy who was boarding a train. On the platform, he picked up a copy of the Times to while away the time. As he glanced through the pages, he found the crossword and decided to try it out. He recounted that he finally managed to complete the puzzle at the end of his journey – twenty four hours later. He also went on to say that from then on, he was hopelessly hooked.
ReplyDeleteI hope y'all come to enjoy these as much as I do.
@Numinous -- I hope I didn't give the impression that I didn't like your puzzle. I find that cryptics are fun, but I can only solve them very slowly, say at the beach, where I might look at a clue and turn it over in my mind for half an hour. Doing them with a clock running isn't my style. (I did knock off the easy ones in today's puzzle nicely, but did an awful lot of revealing wrong letters and asking for right letters to finish.)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing with us!
I'd suggest you simply ignore the time. The only competition is between you and the setter, with the goal being for you to win . . . eventually.
DeleteIf you can access the puzzle in Across Lite, I believe there is a provision to a. Print it out or b. Solve it with the timer not running.
"Final Jeopardy!" - 7x7 themed:
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=Nzg4Njc3MjcwODM3NDY1OA.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
"Final Jeopardy" - No cheats, yay, yeah, yea, hurreah :-).
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTcyMjAzMjcyNTMxNzMyMA
"Final Jeopardy" -- What @Teedmn said!
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=Mzk1NzYyNzMzODE0MDg4
Thanks.
Har - @Bob, I ran your solution using the Fast option and I thought I must have copied and pasted MY solution instead. I think we took the exact same path except for the last two letters (and you were faster). Funny!
DeleteFinal Jeopardy
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NDIyNTI1Mjc5MTA2MTE3Ng
Figuring out title increased my appreciation of the puzzle.
@Teedmn
Interesting observation. Will try to make it easier to detect similar solve patterns.
Everyone had superb solve times, on the "Final Jeopardy!" themed runt. Congrats, all around. M&A be proud of y'all.
ReplyDeleteNext runtpuz will be yer final M&A jeopardy for several days, due to a roadtrip. Lay in emergency supplies, appropriately.
M&A
Our lurker (@bodgit1) has struck again with another ingenious puzzle:
ReplyDeleteWhat color am I?"
To solve online, use URL http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=NDUxOTUxMjc5NjkxMzY2Mg.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
My comments are here
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MTM1MjM4MjgwMjc0MjUwNw
@bodgit1 is a real good runtstructioneer. Just keep on strikin, again and again!
ReplyDeleteMy solution experience …
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTU0NTI4MTcyMDU1MTM
M&A
"What color am I" - Is it a DNF if you can't see the forest for the trees? Thanks @bodgit1!
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzUwMjE5MjgyMjE0NzYzOQ
Couple of things …
ReplyDelete1. Did anyone work this week's FireballPuz by Jeff Chen? I spent about 3 hours on it -- clever, but brutally tough. So nasty, you'da swore it was raised by wolves. Feisty, even by Fireball standards. Recommended, in the sense that U have to experience it, to believe it.
2. Stumpy Stumper: "Squares #1, 2 and 5" - 7x7 themeless:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=MzI5MDU3MjgzMjc4MTExNQ.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
M&A
Hey M&A, after you mentioned Fireball puzzles in regards to Hippocrepiform, I took a look at them and signed up for them but I haven't had the guts to try them yet. I have 3 waiting for me. Maybe I'll start with #3.
Delete"Squares #1, 2 and 5" I had an effective solve time of 5:41 but a long, necessary pause wrecked my ACPT score. No cheats.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=MjU0MjAyODY4NzE1MDEz
Squares #1, 2, 5
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTg2NDEyMjg3OTc2NTE2Mg
Fireball
My sad story:
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTMwNzI5Mjg3ODQ0NTM0NQ
Small triumph in figuring out the theme after the puzzle was solved.
Stumper did not stump today!
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NTMwMjQwMjk2MTU2NjQyNA
"Stumpy Stumper", not my worst showing. Nice job, @r.alph, laughed at your 12D comment and you answered my question for 42D.
Deletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NjU0MzU2MzA0Njc4OTk5NA
Catching up after a few days -
ReplyDeleteWhat Color Am I? --
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzkxNTgwMjk3OTY0OTgxMg
Still working on catching up:
ReplyDeleteStumpy Stumper: "Squares #1, 2 and 5" --
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=ODA2OTE3Mjk4MDIzNzAyNA
"Boxing Ring" - 7x7 themed
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetRunt?url=ODQ5MjUxMjk4NzEwNDE2OQ.json
To solve with Across Lite, use Across Lite
"Boxing Ring" -- Good puzzle, but see my comment for a problem.
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzI0MTc1Mjk5MzA2OTg3MQ
Boxing Ring
ReplyDeletehttp://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=NzMzMzUyOTk0MTE1Njkx
@BobK, @bodgit1
The problem was a couple of lower case letters. I have fixed it so that @teedmn and @M&A can enjoy the puzzle without hassle. Be sure to understand the appropriateness of the title!
Sorry about the problem with Boxing Ring. Apparently the problem involves upper case vs lower case. I tried uploading a new version but now I go directly to my solution and can't seem to find a way to test out if the problem is solved.
ReplyDelete@bodgit1
ReplyDeleteIf you try it in another browser you should see that I was able to fix the problem. I will modify program so that it automatically will convert lower case to upper case so this won't happen again.
"Boxing Ring" - was going to ask about the lower case letters after seeing them in the Solvers section but the comments above explain that. It was fixed by the time I got here.
ReplyDeleteI laughed out loud at our triple take on 2D.
http://puzzlecrowd.com:8080/CrowdSource/GetSolution?id=OTg5MDU2MzA0ODY1NDU1Nw
Comments Alert - This should be #197!
ReplyDelete@BobK
ReplyDeleteThanks. I have started a new post.
Test. Waste of time to look at.
ReplyDeleteM&A
**gruntz**