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Illegal (META)

■ · By noneuclidean · Published 2023-07-05T23:16:18.091Z

Meta Prompt
Unfortunately, you won't be able to solve this puzzle without recommitting a crime similar to a recent high-profile theft.
Checking for previous play data...

Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • sus solved 2023-07-06T02:31:04.715Z
  • Anonymous Crossharer solved 2023-07-06T03:42:53.501Z
  • paolo solved 2023-07-06T08:17:39.424Z
  • andeux solved 2023-07-07T00:13:08.709Z
  • Account solved 2023-07-07T07:55:46.214Z
  • edderiofer solved 2023-07-08T21:49:11.980Z
  • Zimonze solved 2023-07-09T03:34:10.279Z
  • Anonymous Crossharer solved 2023-07-09T13:29:32.048Z
  • zmaj solved 2023-07-09T16:47:10.614Z
  • Jeffrey solved 2023-07-10T13:27:13.666Z
  • Joah solved 2024-11-21T09:50:21.703Z

Comments

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  • noneuclidean constructor · 2023-07-05T23:27:39.720Z
    Solution path:
    The four starred clues are ROYAL WE, SEE YOU, DEAD CALM, and SEA MONKEY. From 59A, we can read aloud all of the right words of these two word phrases to obtain the phrase WII U COMMON KEY, matching the enumeration. The Wii U common key is a 32 digit hexadecimal number, which matches 53A. From 32D, 39A, and 8D we can infer that we have to split this number into 16 pairs, each dictating a row and a column of the puzzle. Taking the letter at each coordinate pair (ignoring the duplicated A2) we find that IT WAS ON PORPOISE, referring to the PLACE where the Wii U common key was found (on Dolphin emulator) and the INTENTIONality of this theft.
    • sus 🤓3:07 · 2023-07-06T02:33:56.952Z
      good puzzle but i got it pretty quick. i think it would have been harder if i hadnt testsolved it an hour ago
      • noneuclidean constructor · 2023-07-06T04:25:26.253Z
        i'll try to keep that in mind for next time
      • paolo 🤓1:57 · 2023-07-06T08:19:56.939Z
        Meta answer rocks
        • Account 🤓28:30 · 2023-07-07T07:58:54.318Z
          Very clever puzzle and genius extraction! You really never fail to impress!
          Play today's daily mini crossword
          1A
          Nativity trio
          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
          61
          62
          63
          64
          65
          66
          67
          68
          69
          70
          71
          72
          73
          74
          Across
          1. 1A
            Nativity trio
          2. 5A
            French "yes"
          3. 8A
            *Sovereign's self-reference
          4. 15A
            Shakespeare's river
          5. 16A
            Young ___ (kids)
          6. 17A
            Length of some old short films
          7. 18A
            History
          8. 19A
            Vintage film channel
          9. 20A
            Armed conflict
          10. 21A
            *"Later!"
          11. 23A
            Short time
          12. 24A
            Renter
          13. 25A
            Raise a child together
          14. 30A
            Airport security org.
          15. 31A
            Most wavy
          16. 32A
            Beaver's creation
          17. 35A
            *Not at all wavy
          18. 37A
            Hawaiian instrument
          19. 38A
            Type of arrest
          20. 39A
            For this puzzle, the leftmost one is 0 and the rightmost one is F (abbr.)
          21. 42A
            Dessert choice
          22. 43A
            Altitudes (abbr.)
          23. 44A
            Selfishness
          24. 47A
            Main dish
          25. 49A
            Surveillance org.
          26. 52A
            Lucifer
          27. 53A
            Evil spell, or a certain numbering system employed in this puzzle
          28. 54A
            *Brine shrimp, essentially
          29. 56A
            Small songbird
          30. 58A
            Confess
          31. 59A
            What cops are required to do for criminal suspects... or a way to interpret the starred clues together to get a description of something similar to the stolen item with enumeration (3 1 6 3), which will help you to find the meta answer
          32. 66A
            Sum up
          33. 67A
            High-IQ group
          34. 68A
            Unacceptable
          35. 69A
            Also
          36. 70A
            Sword material
          37. 71A
            Words on a Wonderland cake
          38. 72A
            TV buying channel
          39. 73A
            Hockey star Bobby
          40. 74A
            Pranked with Charmin
          Down
          1. 1D
            Traveler's aid
          2. 2D
            Nautical "Halt!"
          3. 3D
            "Have a look!"
          4. 4D
            Aspect of the theft revealed by the meta answer
          5. 5D
            At the movies, perhaps
          6. 6D
            Full-length, as a film
          7. 7D
            School of thought
          8. 8D
            For this puzzle, the bottommost one is 0 and the topmost one is F
          9. 9D
            ___ roll (winning)
          10. 10D
            Slangy possessive pronoun
          11. 11D
            Barking sound
          12. 12D
            What 24A​s have
          13. 13D
            Failed to be
          14. 14D
            Vote in
          15. 22D
            "___ queen!"
          16. 25D
            Kid ___ ("Day 'N' Nite" artist)
          17. 26D
            Killer whale
          18. 27D
            Aspect of the theft revealed by the meta answer
          19. 28D
            Trouble
          20. 29D
            Sleep stage
          21. 31D
            Scoundrel
          22. 32D
            For example, one of the sixteen consecutive 39A/8D pairs, which you should ignore
          23. 33D
            Related
          24. 34D
            Clash directly
          25. 36D
            Hesitant sounds
          26. 38D
            Square cereal brand
          27. 39D
            Quote
          28. 40D
            National anthem start
          29. 41D
            K-O connector
          30. 45D
            Prize-winning TV channel
          31. 46D
            Sturdy tree
          32. 48D
            Tear apart
          33. 49D
            One who's just created an account
          34. 50D
            Flip-flop
          35. 51D
            Asian river
          36. 54D
            Not later
          37. 55D
            Express a view
          38. 56D
            Fury
          39. 57D
            Makeovers
          40. 60D
            Morning hrs.
          41. 61D
            Morbius man
          42. 62D
            Capricorn's symbol
          43. 63D
            URL starter
          44. 64D
            Big book
          45. 65D
            Timetable, for short
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