CROSSHARE
Print Puzzle
Download .puz File
Account / Settings
Construct a Puzzle

I Want My Quarter Back

· By DrTom · Published 2024-08-21T11:30:48.093Z

Meta Prompt
What you hope to be if you get your wish
Like a bolt from the blue! That is how this idea arrived and with relatively little effort it became a possibility. My testers (KayW, meg and lbray53) got it pretty quick and there were minimal changes to be made. That all adds up to skepticism on my part because that is not how it goes usually.
This should be a Calico/Persian depending on your experience but it is hopefully not daunting for anyone.
Kitten
CALICO
PERSIAN
Puma
Lion
I HATE it when I get so wrapped up in other things and puzzles that I forget somehting, and this week I forgot ...
NUDGES:
Nudge 1] Despite my efforts to hide it, the title of the puzzle SCREAMS sports
Nudge 2] I know when puzzles scream sports some puzzlers just scream, but this is pretty easy for a sports puzzle because team names are hard to disguise
Nudge 3] There are 6 team names badly disguised as other things...prospective Californians indeed!
Nudge 4] Once you have the 6 teams, you have already been told what I want.
Perhaps this will stimulate some last minute solvers because this puzzle started well and then fizzled out about 35+ solvers in.
The Reveal:
There are six teams named in the grid: SAINTS, CHARGERSBILLS, CHIEFS, NINERS, and RAMS.
Their quarterbacks are:
CARR
HERBERT
ALLEN
MAHOMES
PURDY
STAFFORD
Taking the first letter of their last names gives you CHAMPS, the meta answer
Thanks for solving everyone; for a graphic representation of the solve go to:
Checking for previous play data...

Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • Darth solved 2024-08-21T12:02:31.984Z
  • boharr solved 2024-08-21T12:39:27.927Z
  • Pair O Ducks solved 2024-08-21T12:42:58.986Z
  • rjy solved 2024-08-21T12:45:57.116Z
  • kymike solved 2024-08-21T13:07:37.933Z
  • Cindy Heisler solved 2024-08-21T13:15:46.431Z
  • Hector solved 2024-08-21T13:27:19.085Z
  • ajk solved 2024-08-21T14:31:17.416Z
  • JM solved 2024-08-21T14:35:37.413Z
  • woozy solved 2024-08-21T15:05:12.639Z
  • LarsCaine solved 2024-08-21T15:57:52.817Z
  • hoover solved 2024-08-21T16:02:35.306Z
  • Meg solved 2024-08-21T16:06:45.448Z
  • Carolyn solved 2024-08-21T16:12:18.370Z
  • Dave C solved 2024-08-21T16:47:58.103Z
  • I K Snamhcok solved 2024-08-21T16:52:22.497Z
  • Berto solved 2024-08-21T17:09:37.945Z
  • omnilynx solved 2024-08-21T17:09:59.672Z
  • Bird Lives solved 2024-08-21T17:27:17.271Z
  • markhr solved 2024-08-21T17:32:00.707Z
  • Qmark solved 2024-08-21T18:38:32.870Z
  • Tim solved 2024-08-21T18:41:58.351Z
  • Capn Rick solved 2024-08-21T19:06:55.686Z
  • kurtalert solved 2024-08-21T19:22:35.746Z
  • heidi solved 2024-08-21T19:25:19.192Z
  • KayW solved 2024-08-21T21:26:15.656Z
  • lbray53 solved 2024-08-21T23:08:27.168Z
  • Tyrpmom solved 2024-08-21T23:12:27.294Z
  • DebbieC solved 2024-08-22T00:03:01.154Z
  • HeadinHome solved 2024-08-22T00:05:18.442Z
  • Tom Wilson solved 2024-08-22T01:02:29.388Z
  • CPJohnson solved 2024-08-22T01:09:02.199Z
  • andeux solved 2024-08-22T03:16:29.779Z
  • DCBilly solved 2024-08-22T13:51:54.429Z
  • edestlin solved 2024-08-22T16:54:39.167Z
  • Laura M solved 2024-08-22T18:16:28.719Z
  • Cindy Weatherman solved 2024-08-22T18:48:52.574Z
  • MatthewL solved 2024-08-22T20:34:03.979Z
  • whimsy solved 2024-08-25T18:22:32.321Z
  • atsiricajr111191 solved 2024-08-25T21:53:45.674Z
  • SJ solved 2024-09-04T12:11:55.551Z
  • lukadisgre solved 2024-09-09T13:14:06.698Z

Comments

Sign in with google to leave a comment of your own:

  • Darth 🤓11:01 · 2024-08-21T12:04:19.946Z
    Looks like you got a touchdown! Way to go, DrTom! :D
    • DrTom constructor · 2024-08-21T14:34:26.419Z
      Yes, and although there was a deke or two I did not have to resort to PUNting!
      Thanks for playing
    • boharr 6s · 2024-08-21T12:41:09.015Z
      Yay. Sports ball. Thanks, DrTom.
      • DrTom constructor · 2024-08-21T14:38:41.328Z
        I appreciate you being a sport and solving.
      • Pair O Ducks 🤓8:13 · 2024-08-21T12:45:54.644Z
        Wow look at me, I solved a sports puzzle? Had a little trouble with the list from Wikipedia but going back to trusty Mr. G got me there. Also, 39D was such a good clue!
        • DrTom constructor · 2024-08-21T14:27:45.150Z
          Thank you! I was kind of proud of that one myself - I love our odd language!
          Thanks for solving
        • Cindy Heisler 2s · 2024-08-21T13:18:06.809Z
          First meta I have solved in a couple days! And a sports meta, at that. Thanks, Dr Tom.
          • DrTom constructor · 2024-08-21T14:35:15.952Z
            See, sports metas are not hard.
            Thanks for taking the field.
          • ajk 🤓7:43 · 2024-08-21T14:32:30.022Z
            Initially resisted the mechanism on the grounds that it wouldn't be too accessible, but eventually started a list and there it was. Fun idea, thanks.
            • Carolyn 3s · 2024-08-21T16:12:44.949Z
              Winner!
              • omnilynx 🤓15:48 · 2024-08-21T17:11:45.707Z
                Necessary google for anyone who isn't a football fan, but pretty straightforward, at least!
                • Dave C 3s · 2024-08-21T16:48:50.422Z
                  Nice. Once I saw the teams, I figured it had to be their QBs.
                  • hoover 2s · 2024-08-21T16:05:03.126Z
                    At first I didn't see anything, and then I pushed the laptop away to arms' length and saw 28A and 42A. Looked for more and saw the rest. Once I had the pieces, I stupidly tried to grab the city names before looking again at the title. Oh duh. At that point I had to look up most of the corresponding bits, except for KC. Those guys all move around so often it's hard to keep up if you're not playing in a fantasy league. Nicely done!
                    • DrTom constructor · 2024-08-21T19:22:00.685Z
                      Actually I had to rewrite this twice because QB's who were with one team no longer were. I was going ot publish this later in the year but figured that after the season started it probably would have spelled something else.
                      A solvable puzzle with few glitches is in my fantasy league.
                      Thanks for hanging in.
                    • Bird Lives 3s · 2024-08-21T17:43:32.926Z
                      Thanks for the (pre)seasonal meta. I forget from year to year and had to Google three of these. At least I knew Montana was no longer in the running. I should pay more attention. In my QB searches I also learned that none of the Steelers' three from last year (I actually remembered the names of two of them) are still on the team and that their starter will be this kid (he's only 35) named Wilson. Oh well, Go Steelers, whoever you are.
                      • Qmark 3s · 2024-08-21T18:39:15.723Z
                        Fun one, DrTom! Needed to google for a couple of them.
                        • Capn Rick 🤓8:07 · 2024-08-21T19:23:11.052Z
                          Good one, DrTom! At this point I can't tell you who the Patriots starting QB will be.
                          • kurtalert 🤓5:50 · 2024-08-21T19:27:22.351Z
                            Oy. Football is about half of the entertainment I consume right now, and the team names didn't jump right out at me immediately... I kept trying to find clues/answers that might be missing a quarter of their letters relative to other clues/answers. Good grief. Then I was like... wait a second... QUARTER BACK? QUARTERBACK? FOOTBALL! OH COME ON, KURT. facepalm
                            Fortunately, it was about a 15 second solve once I made that connection. I consume waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much NFL right now. But I'm a Bears fan, and these are (finally) exciting times for us!
                            • KayW 🤓4:06 · 2024-08-21T21:27:49.737Z
                              Yay! I solved a sportsing meta TWICE. It was just as much fun on the replay. Thanks, Tom!
                              • HeadinHome 4:21 · 2024-08-22T00:07:08.026Z
                                Had to reveal because my Roman math was bad (and couldn’t tell an MMA from a CMA). This was educational, having to look up every single one of these names. I recognized a few (Mahones for one). Well done! Has THEMAPPLES ever been in a puzzle? My dad says that all the time.
                                • DrTom constructor · 2024-08-22T01:41:31.110Z
                                  Don't know if it has been used, but I grew up with "How do you like THEM apples!" which I always took to men, "Take That!"
                                  So glad you enjoyed it.
                                • andeux 🤓6:15 · 2024-08-22T03:25:46.417Z
                                  The very last thing I filled in was 32A, which triggered an automatic GO BILLS in my head, and from that and the title it was a very quick path to the solution.
                                  • DrTom constructor · 2024-08-22T18:43:02.132Z
                                    It's funny, lots of people did not see the team affiliation thing for quite some time. I guess it was not as evident as I thought.
                                    Thanks for solving.
                                  • whimsy 🤓8:07 · 2024-08-25T18:36:10.492Z
                                    I saw the teams from the kick-off but as ajk mentions, I too resisted that route thinking things were still too "up in the air" -- the way the Cap'n references the Patriots who are the news in our neck of the woods. When googling brought too many cases of multiple names, I took a time out. Later I came back and approached things backwards. When I found more definitive names for the last few letters -- AMPS, I back-field-in-motion-solved for the C and H. Glad I eventually went the whole ? yards. Thanks, Tom!
                                    1A
                                    Russian prison camp
                                    1
                                    2
                                    3
                                    4
                                    5
                                    6
                                    7
                                    8
                                    9
                                    10
                                    11
                                    12
                                    13
                                    14
                                    15
                                    16
                                    17
                                    18
                                    19
                                    20
                                    21
                                    22
                                    23
                                    24
                                    25
                                    26
                                    27
                                    28
                                    29
                                    30
                                    31
                                    32
                                    33
                                    34
                                    35
                                    36
                                    37
                                    38
                                    39
                                    40
                                    41
                                    42
                                    43
                                    44
                                    45
                                    46
                                    47
                                    48
                                    49
                                    50
                                    51
                                    52
                                    53
                                    54
                                    55
                                    56
                                    57
                                    58
                                    59
                                    60
                                    Across
                                    1. 1A
                                      Russian prison camp
                                    2. 6A
                                      Good in a lunchbox, not in a mailbox
                                    3. 10A
                                      Piping used around the house; Abbr.
                                    4. 13A
                                      Make things right
                                    5. 14A
                                      Something that will make you scratch your head
                                    6. 15A
                                      Delight
                                    7. 16A
                                      Phones that used to have to be shared
                                    8. 18A
                                      Heads up
                                    9. 19A
                                      Cow or sow
                                    10. 20A
                                      Playing with all 52 cards
                                    11. 21A
                                      John, Francis, and Anthony
                                    12. 23A
                                      Secretary, e.g.
                                    13. 24A
                                      Acted like a timid horse
                                    14. 25A
                                      Pen pals for ever
                                    15. 28A
                                      Knight time rides
                                    16. 31A
                                      Big stars
                                    17. 32A
                                      Monthly pains
                                    18. 33A
                                      Dead letters?
                                    19. 34A
                                      Harp's cousin; no really!
                                    20. 35A
                                      Squalid digs
                                    21. 36A
                                      Dry riverbed
                                    22. 37A
                                      Could be amber or ginger
                                    23. 38A
                                      Subject of an annual festival in Holland, MI
                                    24. 39A
                                      Object people always threaten to fix
                                    25. 40A
                                      Coldly analytic
                                    26. 42A
                                      They always seem to outnumber the Indians on a project
                                    27. 43A
                                      Sterotypical techies
                                    28. 44A
                                      Stamped out messages
                                    29. 45A
                                      Early prospective Californians, for short
                                    30. 47A
                                      Goal of Olympians
                                    31. 48A
                                      Sport for caged fighters; Abbr.
                                    32. 51A
                                      Still sleeping
                                    33. 52A
                                      Something people sarcastically ask how you like
                                    34. 55A
                                      "Dear" ones
                                    35. 56A
                                      Legal tender on the Isle of Capri
                                    36. 57A
                                      The love of Archie's life
                                    37. 58A
                                      Balaam's mount
                                    38. 59A
                                      Dodge pick-ups
                                    39. 60A
                                      Prelude to a bluff
                                    Down
                                    1. 1D
                                      Holes in your memory
                                    2. 2D
                                      The Deseret state
                                    3. 3D
                                      Anecdotes from elders
                                    4. 4D
                                      Certain colonist
                                    5. 5D
                                      These are always spouting off
                                    6. 6D
                                      Move away in shame
                                    7. 7D
                                      Car-freshener scent
                                    8. 8D
                                      Snoopy or the Red Baron
                                    9. 9D
                                      Unappetizing sounding place to eat
                                    10. 10D
                                      Booty
                                    11. 11D
                                      Blow off steam
                                    12. 12D
                                      Undesirable type of pool
                                    13. 15D
                                      "Hall of the Mountain King" composer
                                    14. 17D
                                      Scotch sweetie
                                    15. 22D
                                      Attitude people will often don
                                    16. 23D
                                      Drop
                                    17. 24D
                                      Lug
                                    18. 25D
                                      Pastel purple flower
                                    19. 26D
                                      Tennyson poem
                                    20. 27D
                                      Xenophobes fear
                                    21. 28D
                                      Kind of engineer
                                    22. 29D
                                      Eliminate, like a piper
                                    23. 30D
                                      Whirls
                                    24. 32D
                                      Gauchos' weapons
                                    25. 35D
                                      Snake oil salesman
                                    26. 36D
                                      Cry out
                                    27. 38D
                                      Parking garage location
                                    28. 39D
                                      Library volume?
                                    29. 41D
                                      Demands
                                    30. 42D
                                      Water to wine wedding town
                                    31. 44D
                                      Cork board postings at work
                                    32. 45D
                                      Astronaut's suit insignia
                                    33. 46D
                                      Nile bird of many puzzles
                                    34. 47D
                                      Six years for a senator
                                    35. 48D
                                      DXXVI doubled
                                    36. 49D
                                      Subway Series team
                                    37. 50D
                                      "Hard Road to Glory" author
                                    38. 53D
                                      Mao's successor
                                    39. 54D
                                      Kiss on the street, quickly
                                    Loading...