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Chain Letters

◆ · By DrTom · Published 2023-01-11T05:01:13.698Z

Meta Prompt
The meta is something that promises to bring you big rewards
NUDGE DAY!
Nudge 1 The theme answers are symmetrically placed
Nudge 2 If you had to put together "chains" of letters, how would you know where one ended and the other started?
Nudge 3 What if instead of "chains" they were line segments, would that nudge you better?
Nudge 4 There are 8 theme answers
Nudge 5 All of the theme answers are Across
Nudge 6 A variation of the mechanism was used in a Matt Gaffney in the first quarter of 2010
Checking for previous play data...

Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • Hector solved 2023-01-11T13:52:11.589Z
  • rjy solved 2023-01-11T14:29:42.525Z
  • Ergcat solved 2023-01-11T14:58:55.918Z
  • whimsy solved 2023-01-11T15:15:10.086Z
  • boharr solved 2023-01-11T15:37:13.483Z
  • KayW solved 2023-01-11T16:23:41.427Z
  • Meg solved 2023-01-11T16:56:16.879Z
  • Cindy Weatherman solved 2023-01-11T17:28:59.111Z
  • I K Snamhcok solved 2023-01-11T18:11:41.350Z
  • Gutman solved 2023-01-11T21:44:04.633Z
  • Laura M solved 2023-01-11T22:10:02.217Z
  • heidi solved 2023-01-11T23:28:37.373Z
  • edestlin solved 2023-01-12T14:02:42.515Z
  • Pair O Ducks solved 2023-01-12T16:27:53.790Z
  • MajordomoTom solved 2023-01-12T17:22:50.539Z
  • BarbaraK solved 2023-01-12T19:30:13.977Z
  • Mwoychick solved 2023-01-12T19:38:27.669Z
  • benchen71 solved 2023-01-12T21:21:47.876Z
  • dplass solved 2023-01-13T00:57:03.624Z
  • markhr solved 2023-01-13T03:44:25.307Z
  • CPJohnson solved 2023-01-13T14:42:20.482Z
  • lbray53 solved 2023-01-13T15:04:21.515Z
  • Cindy Heisler solved 2023-01-13T15:20:03.455Z
  • Abide solved 2023-01-13T16:06:05.957Z
  • Mr Tex solved 2023-01-13T16:14:56.693Z
  • ReB solved 2023-01-14T00:08:17.596Z
  • Tyrpmom solved 2023-01-14T15:13:21.208Z
  • JM solved 2023-01-14T15:21:46.956Z
  • Bbaack solved 2023-01-14T19:17:50.035Z
  • ajk solved 2023-01-14T20:45:53.568Z
  • MatthewL solved 2023-01-15T18:32:57.597Z
  • Dave C solved 2023-01-16T00:52:21.182Z
  • ChrisCross solved 2023-01-16T01:38:10.541Z
  • THC solved 2023-01-16T16:55:40.242Z
  • Mikey G solved 2023-01-16T22:14:10.617Z
  • Dow Jones solved 2023-01-17T06:29:47.069Z
  • sledge solved 2023-01-20T09:26:17.491Z
  • clev solved 2023-03-15T07:53:09.540Z

Comments

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  • Hector 3s · 2023-01-11T13:52:51.433Z
    Nice aha. Thanks, sawbones!
    • DrTom constructor · 2023-01-11T14:58:05.498Z
      Thank YOU! At least now I know it is solvable. Granted it is solvable by a "super solver" so that may not be the ultimate test, but I am glad that it is not complete gibberish. Any comments on what you think the level of difficulty is?
      • Hector 3s · 2023-01-11T16:45:30.313Z
        Definitely medium. Week 2 or 2.5?
        • MajordomoTom 18:07 · 2023-01-12T17:24:46.694Z
          agree with that scale - there are a few "humm, is it this?" paths, and then once you see the pattern, it's (in hindsight) very obvious.
          I like these that are "hidden in plain sight".
    • Hector 3s · 2023-01-11T14:27:08.747Z
      Plus, an elegant construction with the ordering, symmetry, and inconspicuous theme entries, PLUS thematically connecting block-chain and chain-letters scams.
      • MajordomoTom 18:07 · 2023-01-12T17:26:02.805Z
        SW corner of the grid challenged me. the rest of the fill was pretty straightforward
      • rjy 2s · 2023-01-11T14:31:08.739Z
        Nice one, DrT! And loved the groaners… like 36D? 🤣
        • DrTom constructor · 2023-01-11T16:44:53.847Z
          Have to admit I REALLY liked that one. One edit of the puzzle removed it and I went back in and reworked the puzzle so it could stay. If the English language is a dangerous weapon, giving it a Teutonic ally is even more sinister😄
          • Meg 2s · 2023-01-11T16:58:54.429Z
            I know! Why would someone on a diet want/have a crowd?? A slight change of pronunciation and language, and there you go!
          • Ergcat 17:49 · 2023-01-11T15:01:13.838Z
            Aha! Thought it was an “alphabetical “ and Got it on my first try! Rare for me! Lol! Thanks, DrTom!
            • boharr 4s · 2023-01-11T15:37:41.324Z
              Thanks DrTom. Fun puzzle with great cluing.
              • Meg 2s · 2023-01-11T16:56:51.177Z
                That was a good challenge! Nicely hidden.
                • I K Snamhcok 1s · 2023-01-11T18:12:35.413Z
                  Got it with a slight nudge. (I’m pressed for time today.) Good one! Thanks, Dr. T!
                  • Laura M 🤓17:23 · 2023-01-11T22:12:30.827Z
                    Good one!
                    • MajordomoTom 18:07 · 2023-01-12T17:23:16.270Z
                      I HATE digital currencies, but was able to solve it, nice construction.
                      • dplass 7:34 · 2023-01-13T00:57:28.484Z
                        Needed about 17 nudges to get it. I just can't notice these kinds of things...
                        • markhr 🤓13:59 · 2023-01-13T03:56:20.871Z
                          Finally caught on after several false starts. I'm surprised you didn't use HAWAII as the final word. Maybe the crosses didn't work. Clever puzzle though -- very topical.
                          • DrTom constructor · 2023-01-13T05:40:06.105Z
                            Thought about it, actually one of my testers thought I ought to rework it so the answer was ISLANDS since HAWAII is part of a chain but W is a more difficult cross AND Islands is only 7 letters so could not start with A and if I did I could not end with HAWAII
                          • ReB 3s · 2023-01-14T00:13:15.381Z
                            The "line segments" nudge (#3) threw me for a loop, but once I recovered and went back to looking for matching first and last letters, I finally found the themers - and step two to the answer was straightforward. Very clever that you were able to spell out the alphabet letters in the grid and formulate corresponding clues that generated the answer.
                          • Bbaack 5:04 · 2023-01-14T19:21:31.355Z
                            Nicely done! The last nudge and searching through the archives finally got me home!
                            • Dave C 7s · 2023-01-16T00:53:11.695Z
                              Nice one. I just got to it today and was fortunately able to solve it without the nudges, except for one from my wife...
                              • THC 🤓1:42 · 2023-01-16T17:01:09.279Z
                                Liked this one almost as much as your "Devil Lived"! Thanks, DrT!
                                Play today's daily mini crossword
                                1A
                                Sage
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                                Across
                                1. 1A
                                  Sage
                                2. 5A
                                  Frisbee, e.g.
                                3. 9A
                                  Night vision
                                4. 14A
                                  Seasonal hot winds of Southern California; Santa ___
                                5. 15A
                                  Your foot has more than one
                                6. 16A
                                  Mr. Ed was one, of course
                                7. 17A
                                  Johns
                                8. 18A
                                  Final Four org.
                                9. 19A
                                  Embarrass
                                10. 20A
                                  ___ light (film-set need)
                                11. 22A
                                  Blot up a spill
                                12. 24A
                                  Innovative electromechanical limb, ___ arm
                                13. 26A
                                  "Rhoda" and "Lou Grant" production co.
                                14. 27A
                                  Big fuss
                                15. 30A
                                  Desire, maybe for money?
                                16. 31A
                                  Sticky situations
                                17. 34A
                                  Type of unposed picture
                                18. 36A
                                  Contribute unselfishly
                                19. 38A
                                  Cork's location
                                20. 39A
                                  Box full of military chow: Abbr.
                                21. 40A
                                  Patriotic women's org.
                                22. 41A
                                  Ash can
                                23. 42A
                                  Mötley bunch
                                24. 44A
                                  Overwhelm
                                25. 46A
                                  In retreat
                                26. 49A
                                  Do like the Bible says?
                                27. 50A
                                  Creator of Gremlins, Matadors and Javelins
                                28. 53A
                                  Wordsmith's ref.
                                29. 54A
                                  Superbowl 1969
                                30. 56A
                                  Nasty person, particularly around the holidays
                                31. 58A
                                  Sexually explicit Japanese cartoons
                                32. 61A
                                  Urging from a priest
                                33. 62A
                                  Cymbal sound?
                                34. 65A
                                  RR terminals
                                35. 67A
                                  Ruthless boss
                                36. 68A
                                  Genre of 58A
                                37. 69A
                                  Soviet fighter jets
                                38. 70A
                                  Superbowl 2019
                                39. 71A
                                  Tangerine exteriors
                                40. 72A
                                  Famous school a row away from Windsor Castle
                                41. 73A
                                  School where you might find lost lambs
                                Down
                                1. 1D
                                  Go past
                                2. 2D
                                  Where some criminals get caught
                                3. 3D
                                  Glover who spends a lot of time going tap, tap, tap
                                4. 4D
                                  Big Bertha's birthplace
                                5. 5D
                                  Cacophony
                                6. 6D
                                  Ancient Andean
                                7. 7D
                                  Someone who won't go out with people from work
                                8. 8D
                                  Gorge
                                9. 9D
                                  TV's "___ and Greg"
                                10. 10D
                                  Eldest of the Stark children on "Game of Thrones"
                                11. 11D
                                  Victorian, for one
                                12. 12D
                                  Sancho Panza's mount
                                13. 13D
                                  Verbal shrug
                                14. 21D
                                  Boy toy
                                15. 23D
                                  Meds you can buy without a Rx
                                16. 25D
                                  Let go
                                17. 27D
                                  Winning position, perhaps?
                                18. 28D
                                  N, S, E or W.
                                19. 29D
                                  Work for a hero
                                20. 32D
                                  Earned
                                21. 33D
                                  Bear
                                22. 35D
                                  Soft ball
                                23. 36D
                                  Dieter's crowd
                                24. 37D
                                  Descartes' adverb
                                25. 39D
                                  Booth tender?
                                26. 41D
                                  The "U" in UHF
                                27. 42D
                                  Initial name of a comptroller
                                28. 43D
                                  "Norma ___"
                                29. 45D
                                  Appomattox initials
                                30. 47D
                                  Clan members
                                31. 48D
                                  Bathtub liquid?
                                32. 50D
                                  A reason for getting air
                                33. 51D
                                  Manufacturer of Tylenol®
                                34. 52D
                                  A French sweetheart
                                35. 55D
                                  "Who's there?" reply
                                36. 57D
                                  Booted NATO country
                                37. 58D
                                  Letters from the WWW
                                38. 59D
                                  Toiling away
                                39. 60D
                                  "Otello" villain
                                40. 62D
                                  Liquid that comes in a trunk
                                41. 63D
                                  Three Dog Night's singular hit
                                42. 64D
                                  Giant syllable
                                43. 66D
                                  April's most used ID: Abbr.
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