Head Out on the Road
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Head Out on the Road

· By Mikey G

Meta Prompt
[Level 2] The answer to the meta is my message to you if you solve it.
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Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • Hector solved 2023-08-12T17:28:22.041Z
  • BrennerTJ solved 2023-08-12T17:33:00.246Z
  • FrankieHeck solved 2023-08-12T18:06:47.412Z
  • spotter solved 2023-08-12T18:07:02.519Z
  • markhr solved 2023-08-12T18:12:17.518Z
  • Philip Chow solved 2023-08-12T19:01:35.870Z
  • boharr solved 2023-08-12T19:01:58.318Z
  • I K Snamhcok solved 2023-08-12T19:20:36.765Z
  • rjy solved 2023-08-12T19:40:43.993Z
  • merlinnimue solved 2023-08-12T19:50:21.708Z
  • oldjudge solved 2023-08-12T19:58:49.605Z
  • Meg solved 2023-08-12T20:11:03.865Z
  • whimsy solved 2023-08-12T20:21:19.171Z
  • MatthewL solved 2023-08-12T22:04:58.537Z
  • heidi solved 2023-08-12T22:34:20.799Z
  • KayW solved 2023-08-12T22:38:45.861Z
  • Gutman solved 2023-08-12T23:31:46.269Z
  • benchen71 solved 2023-08-13T00:49:02.911Z
  • Darth solved 2023-08-13T01:12:25.696Z
  • BarbaraK solved 2023-08-13T01:54:43.787Z
  • Bob J solved 2023-08-13T02:41:25.390Z
  • Alex Sisti solved 2023-08-13T12:47:39.863Z
  • DJB solved 2023-08-13T13:26:43.123Z
  • Pair O Ducks solved 2023-08-13T14:29:11.790Z
  • Berto solved 2023-08-13T15:20:13.572Z
  • Schmeel solved 2023-08-13T15:28:46.330Z
  • Darrell solved 2023-08-13T18:55:50.383Z
  • woozy solved 2023-08-14T00:20:33.557Z
  • Joe solved 2023-08-14T12:59:35.109Z
  • lbray53 solved 2023-08-14T13:24:47.363Z
  • JM solved 2023-08-14T20:23:56.487Z
  • Toast solved 2023-08-15T15:56:11.664Z
  • JR solved 2023-08-15T19:49:28.518Z
  • Tane solved 2023-08-15T23:08:22.039Z
  • Laura M solved 2023-08-16T07:02:28.445Z
  • CPJohnson solved 2023-08-16T16:04:34.501Z
  • DIS solved 2023-08-16T16:08:25.623Z
  • Cindy Heisler solved 2023-08-16T16:15:13.723Z
  • Tyrpmom solved 2023-08-16T19:26:23.358Z
  • ReB solved 2023-08-16T21:15:14.706Z
  • Matt A solved 2023-08-17T00:16:13.925Z
  • Abide solved 2023-08-17T00:31:13.354Z
  • andeux solved 2023-08-17T01:29:33.808Z
  • syoustra solved 2023-08-17T06:05:26.208Z
  • Dow Jones solved 2023-08-17T06:56:17.024Z
  • Qmark solved 2023-08-17T10:24:24.122Z
  • hoover solved 2023-08-18T16:14:27.544Z
  • kurtalert solved 2023-08-18T16:22:47.111Z
  • Bbaack solved 2023-08-20T00:52:47.334Z

Comments

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  • Mikey G constructor · 2023-08-12T17:04:18.918Z
    Answer: WAY TO GO
    Explanation: As per the clue to ABBR, this puzzle deals with thoroughfare abbreviations. Seven common ones are concealed in across entries in the grid: LN, CIR, DR, RTE, ST, AVE, CT. These do not occur anywhere else in the grid, and I used the USPS directory of common abbreviations to ensure others didn't make it in, but things like BR, TER, and UN still did, hence the qualifier on the ABBR clue. (I have a feeling a "terrace" might be more common in street addresses than a "circle" is! If anyone can find any data on this, I'd love to see it!). Per the directive "Head Out on the Road," we take the first letter (head) atop (on) each of these abbreviations. These spell WAY TO GO in grid order - my message to you for solving it, apropos since roads definitely are a way to go!
    • boharr 4s · 2023-08-12T20:04:26.120Z
      Hey I live on a circle! That enough data? Haha
      • BarbaraK 8s · 2023-08-13T01:58:09.946Z
        And I used to live on a Circle but have never lived on a Terrace. Case closed :)
      • Mikey G constructor · 2023-08-12T17:15:30.541Z
        Oh, and I almost forgot, this puzzle was clearly crafted in honor of ROUTE 66!
        • Hector 3s · 2023-08-12T17:29:37.128Z
          Nice. Solid 2 I think.
          • Philip Chow 🤓10:09 · 2023-08-12T19:25:28.393Z
            beautifully constructed!
            • boharr 4s · 2023-08-12T19:02:20.101Z
              Nice one thanks.
              • I K Snamhcok 4s · 2023-08-12T19:21:05.716Z
                And the same message back at you, Mikey. Very nice!
                • oldjudge 3s · 2023-08-12T20:02:47.598Z
                  Great job Mikey!
                  • merlinnimue 🤓6:35 · 2023-08-12T20:13:35.220Z
                    this felt like a solid week 32... tbh after puzzling this for several hours i made a desperate guess and only saw the metanism after confirmation... sorry for the constant refrain, but i want so bad it hurts to see what you geniuses see and i just cant i guess
                    part of what held me up was that in looking for usps abbreviations i found IS in both 44a and 54a... but i guess an island isnt really a thoroughfare is it... sry for being dumb
                    all in all thanks for the puzzle... and thanks for including meta enumeration in 31d, that really helped :) (for real, that was my only in, intentional or not)
                    • whimsy 18:08 · 2023-08-12T20:32:59.694Z
                      Had to remind myself: We no need no stinkin' Terrace, Branch, or Union! Head out on the road took some deciphering. Nice work, Mikey -- my only issue is that you couldn't get MEWS in there! :-)
                      • MatthewL 🤓10:12 · 2023-08-12T22:08:20.272Z
                        Took me a while, and tried every rabbit hole out there before finally reading the title again and seeing "on the road". Doh. Sometimes I outsmart myself. Thanks for the puzzle, Mikey!
                        • KayW 🤓7:11 · 2023-08-12T22:50:37.179Z
                          Nice one!! Haha, you were tempting me. I just had time to solve the grid and see what the metanism was going to be before I had to leave for a matinee theater performance. Was thinking of possible street abbreviations all through the music of MJ. And I thought of a few too many... I also tried ALLofit for Alley (which is pretty lame and not really an abbreviation). I also tried decapitating the abbreviations, or the letters above, before it occurred to me to try the reverse. And ditch the ALLEY-OOP. An apt road-themed meta for puzzle #66 - I got my kicks! Thanks, Mikey!
                          • Gutman 7s · 2023-08-12T23:31:59.664Z
                            Nice
                            • Darth 21:19 · 2023-08-13T01:15:33.613Z
                              Cool! I spent my summer just down the Pacific Coastal Hwy from Santa Monica, end of the trail for Route 66.
                              • Hector 3s · 2023-08-13T02:59:13.306Z
                                This morning I was 3 places down to oldjudge on the leaderboard. I beat him by 10 places. Now I'm 20 places down. I get that it's not really a leaderboard, because test solvers are allowed to enter despite having already solved puzzles before they're posted and they get bonus leaderboard points as well. But, whah?!
                                • Mikey G constructor · 2023-08-13T16:05:35.012Z
                                  I think next summer, the leaderboard will have to have some changes, if it even exists at all. Not sure what yet, but I do see what you mean. I need to have test solvers and editors, but I might just make the board based on number of solves and streaks. I think it's getting too convoluted and sinuous otherwise, and ideally, the main focus should be on the puzzles anyway.
                                  • Hector 3s · 2023-08-14T00:26:36.901Z
                                    Cool, thank you. Maybe an alternative would just be to put asterisks next to those whose "points" come from things other than solving, similar to how constructors in many muggle forums list test solvers at the top with "(TS)". It's good that they're being recognized and honored.
                                • Berto 🤓3:00 · 2023-08-13T15:22:20.849Z
                                  I live on a Circle too!!! Took me way too long to get this, but finally cracked it. Way to go Mikey!
                                  • Mikey G constructor · 2023-08-13T16:13:50.697Z
                                    Haha, that's great! Sometimes, they don't come for a while and then, all of a sudden, they do. Thanks for solving!
                                  • Joe 🤓10:38 · 2023-08-14T13:01:25.270Z
                                    Got distracted by ALL (was thinking alley). But made it with a nudge (or two). Great, as always!
                                    • Tyrpmom 4s · 2023-08-16T19:28:47.963Z
                                      Nice.
                                      • ReB 4s · 2023-08-16T21:27:06.695Z
                                        Needed the nudges finally to pull me up after tripping over step 2, though I was close to the solution, having tried looking at the letters above the street abbreviations. But this is where the title and my acquaintance with cryptic puzzle clues totally misdirected me. I read the title as "Head out..." - which cryptically would mean to drop the first [head] letter, not to selectively use the first letters. Oh well, a well constructed puzzle even if I found an unintended red herring.
                                        Also I would note that there was a glitch - second word with an RT: 44A aRTesian. I marked that in my mind with as question mark as a possible oversight duplicate since 39A had to be valid as the central grid entry and none of the other street abbreviations were duplicates. And as it turns out, since this R has a black square over it, doesn't fit your metanism.
                                        • Abide 3s · 2023-08-17T00:41:44.336Z
                                          I’ve been in a cul-de-sac for two days chopping heads off things. Happy for the green light 🚦!
                                          • Qmark 3s · 2023-08-17T10:27:25.946Z
                                            Thanks Mikey! I had the mechanism but had used a couple of wrong abbreviations (TER and CR) and missed LN and ST...doh! Your nudges helped get me on the correct route to the finish line.
                                            • kurtalert 🤓10:43 · 2023-08-18T16:24:19.065Z
                                              Very nice! I was on the right track with the abbreviations but was somehow completely overlooking LN, even though I specifically looked for LN, for a while. Oy. But I was oblivious to the "Head On" part of this until your nudge. Great puzzle, thanks Mikey!
                                              1A
                                              What good crossword constructors do to their clues (let me remember this)
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                                              Across
                                              1. 1A
                                                What good crossword constructors do to their clues (let me remember this)
                                              2. 5A
                                                Felipe or Moises of baseball
                                              3. 9A
                                                Mexican bread?
                                              4. 14A
                                                His first breakthrough role was in the 1994 teen drama "My So-Called Life"
                                              5. 15A
                                                Aphorisms
                                              6. 16A
                                                Stag, in certain contexts
                                              7. 17A
                                                Not pepper (a meta throwback, kind of)
                                              8. 18A
                                                John Grisham's hypothetical novel about pottery: "A Time to ___"
                                              9. 19A
                                                About
                                              10. 20A
                                                The works!
                                              11. 22A
                                                Some chemical suffix
                                              12. 24A
                                                "Put Your Records On" singer Corinne Bailey ___
                                              13. 25A
                                                "What a wild grammar lecture!" "Yeah, things got ___!"
                                              14. 27A
                                                "The ___ Sweater" (Scott Hilburn comic)
                                              15. 29A
                                                Robotic human (I promise I'm not one)
                                              16. 32A
                                                Apprehend
                                              17. 34A
                                                A house with a stream behind it is prime ___ estate
                                              18. 35A
                                                One of the first products distributed on this now-outdated PC medium was the Grolier Academic Encyclopedia (1986)
                                              19. 36A
                                                39 of 118
                                              20. 38A
                                                Vane dir. (You're so vane, you probably think this compass is about you)
                                              21. 39A
                                                Tipped off
                                              22. 41A
                                                Message spelled out in my alphabet soup last week (oh, wait, it was my Cheerios)
                                              23. 44A
                                                What a crafty individual!
                                              24. 46A
                                                "Did you visit that fancy pizzeria?" "No, it's too upper ___ for me"
                                              25. 48A
                                                I planned to sign Paul to a songwriting contract, but then we had to drop ___
                                              26. 50A
                                                Band aid
                                              27. 51A
                                                Angle symbols in trigonometry (pardon the tangent, will you cosine my loan?)
                                              28. 52A
                                                Allay
                                              29. 54A
                                                They're often worn over cholis
                                              30. 56A
                                                Big Bird's is 6
                                              31. 57A
                                                One push-up, say (my limit for the year)
                                              32. 59A
                                                Surname of speaker who declares "that which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet"
                                              33. 63A
                                                Buff that rhymes with a bird
                                              34. 65A
                                                "New to you," basically
                                              35. 67A
                                                The entomologist just took out a ___ IRA
                                              36. 68A
                                                Cheri who has hundreds of cameos in crosswords
                                              37. 69A
                                                Amount of ice cream I'll gladly eat
                                              38. 70A
                                                Plasm prefix
                                              39. 71A
                                                Import
                                              40. 72A
                                                Rd., or any other common thoroughfare shortening (nobody's living on a "branch," "terrace," or "union" today, sorry)
                                              41. 73A
                                                Ostracize
                                              Down
                                              1. 1D
                                                Girl's name that anagrams to an aquatic mammal
                                              2. 2D
                                                "Want to play cards?" "You've got yourself a ___!"
                                              3. 3D
                                                "___ be fun!" (words said before one of Mikey G's lectures...by Mikey G)
                                              4. 4D
                                                Two reassuring words from Glinda (made up of just two letters!)
                                              5. 5D
                                                Type of price
                                              6. 6D
                                                French coffee additions
                                              7. 7D
                                                Said one avian predator to another, "___ be seeing you!" (These puns are a hoot!)
                                              8. 8D
                                                Annapolis sch.
                                              9. 9D
                                                Hoosier hoopster
                                              10. 10D
                                                High priest of Shiloh
                                              11. 11D
                                                "Yeah, yours truly is no longer attending your calculus party, Mikey..."
                                              12. 12D
                                                Standing by
                                              13. 13D
                                                Conger, e.g.
                                              14. 21D
                                                Mathematician whose "last theorem," first posited in 1637, remained unproven until the mid-1990s
                                              15. 23D
                                                Hockey player that really Buffaloes his opponents LOL
                                              16. 26D
                                                Stings, perhaps
                                              17. 28D
                                                Steve Carell's "Despicable Me" character
                                              18. 29D
                                                IV amounts
                                              19. 30D
                                                NFL gains
                                              20. 31D
                                                Doesn't win...but doesn't lose either
                                              21. 33D
                                                FYI cousin
                                              22. 36D
                                                Polite assent
                                              23. 37D
                                                It can help bring a lost Lassie back home
                                              24. 40D
                                                Author Moriarty of "Big Little Lies" and "Nine Perfect Strangers"
                                              25. 42D
                                                She-bear, in Seville
                                              26. 43D
                                                NFL tiebreakers
                                              27. 45D
                                                Dorm VIPs that are supposed to quiet the rager in the study hall and not join in (this may or may not have happened)
                                              28. 47D
                                                Picks up again
                                              29. 48D
                                                Los ___ (New Mexico city)
                                              30. 49D
                                                Countermand
                                              31. 51D
                                                "You said you were staying at home but you went to the stock exchange instead?? You ___!"
                                              32. 53D
                                                Banks of Chicago
                                              33. 55D
                                                Astringent
                                              34. 58D
                                                Adidas rival (and I'm not lion!)
                                              35. 60D
                                                "I can't get into this Scottish lake anymore." "They must have changed the ___"
                                              36. 61D
                                                "Come on, Brutus, aren't you done betraying me in these crosswords by now?"
                                              37. 62D
                                                Math-a-___ (this is an actual thing, apparently; its volunteers make sum difference)
                                              38. 64D
                                                IV areas
                                              39. 66D
                                                Type of story
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