On the Spot
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On the Spot

· By Mikey G

Meta Prompt
[Level 2.5] The answer to the meta is a title.
Hello, all! I just published 100 puzzles last week, and so now this is my 101st. Hope you enjoy it, but I did make a last-minute addendum that might push it to a Level 3 or beyond. Hopefully, this nudge will help push things down a bit if you want it to:
42-A's clue originally read as "Advice you should follow in the morning - or good advice to follow when you have to do things on the spot!
Checking for previous play data...

Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • oldjudge solved 2024-07-13T17:01:18.635Z
  • kurtalert solved 2024-07-13T17:43:30.929Z
  • Hector solved 2024-07-13T18:05:29.980Z
  • Philip Chow solved 2024-07-13T18:48:46.527Z
  • Darth solved 2024-07-13T18:52:48.592Z
  • BrennerTJ solved 2024-07-13T20:05:44.305Z
  • Meg solved 2024-07-13T20:15:52.283Z
  • KayW solved 2024-07-13T20:49:24.457Z
  • Cindy Weatherman solved 2024-07-13T21:02:53.532Z
  • boharr solved 2024-07-13T21:31:44.295Z
  • damefox solved 2024-07-13T22:51:26.281Z
  • woozy solved 2024-07-13T23:06:05.376Z
  • I K Snamhcok solved 2024-07-14T00:18:03.026Z
  • Pair O Ducks solved 2024-07-14T00:34:31.383Z
  • MatthewL solved 2024-07-14T21:13:47.966Z
  • lbray53 solved 2024-07-15T00:35:45.923Z
  • benchen71 solved 2024-07-15T05:25:24.591Z
  • DIS solved 2024-07-15T13:01:41.242Z
  • LarsCaine solved 2024-07-15T16:34:37.181Z
  • Berto solved 2024-07-16T00:37:27.371Z
  • heidi solved 2024-07-16T18:13:02.684Z
  • rjy solved 2024-07-17T16:15:37.954Z
  • DrTom solved 2024-07-17T20:39:04.750Z
  • whimsy solved 2024-07-18T02:50:51.608Z
  • markhr solved 2024-07-18T13:43:03.995Z
  • FrankieHeck solved 2024-07-18T14:53:16.314Z
  • Carolyn solved 2024-07-18T15:57:57.491Z
  • andeux solved 2024-07-18T18:03:49.889Z
  • Dave C solved 2024-07-18T18:38:44.370Z
  • DCBilly solved 2024-07-18T19:03:40.559Z
  • JM solved 2024-07-18T19:47:28.296Z
  • Laura M solved 2024-07-18T22:23:03.151Z
  • HeadinHome solved 2024-07-18T22:46:34.160Z
  • CPJohnson solved 2024-07-18T23:10:57.247Z
  • BarbaraK solved 2024-07-19T02:35:36.494Z
  • hoover solved 2024-07-19T03:37:28.042Z
  • Toast solved 2024-07-19T04:09:32.635Z
  • Qmark solved 2024-07-19T16:40:23.854Z
  • syoustra solved 2024-07-19T20:31:51.524Z
  • edestlin solved 2024-07-20T13:51:14.986Z
  • axmszr solved 2024-07-27T19:49:26.769Z
  • lukadisgre solved 2024-09-23T15:54:10.306Z

Comments

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  • oldjudge 3s · 2024-07-13T17:01:52.854Z
    This puzzle was spot on
    • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-13T17:00:41.703Z
      Answer: 101 DALMATIANS
      Explanation: It does matter what's "on the spot" here - if we're talking about the black square in the grid as a "spot." Every character above a black square (that isn't another black square or off the grid), in standard top-down order, spells out IOI DALMATIANS, letting the vowels do double-duty as numbers, the answer to the meta.
      It's SAD in that regard, but there's plenty of alternate routes. Obviously, the numeric tie-in is a big push (there won't be as many of these in the next 100, I feel, but who knows!), but there are some other Easter eggs as well...that I completely forgot about since I made this puzzle several months ago. We have ANITA (the mother), SMITH (the original book's author is Dodie Smith), and CLOSE (Glenn Close played the villain in a remake). Those were intentional, but I think I just forgot them.
      And, THEN, during test-solving rounds, I realized there were exactly 101 white squares in the grid. I do NOT remember doing this intentionally, but that seems too wild to be a coincidence, right? Right??? I don't know, haha. But, ideally, some or any of those (or the actual mechanism even, haha) got you to your title! No bones about it!
      • kurtalert 🤓2:57 · 2024-07-13T17:47:16.902Z
        OK... this has to be the craziest rabbit hole ever... was this intentional?
        Between "A Team" in 40A, Mr. T going up-right in the center of the puzzle, SMITH at 6A (John "Hannibal" Smith), and the plethora of BA instances around the grid- for B. A. Baracas... especially 11A where it starts BABA... how was this not an A-Team puzzle in some way?!? I was sure it had to be.
        Removing myself from that rabbit hole was very hard!
        • LarsCaine 🤓11:00 · 2024-07-15T16:36:20.902Z
          Went down the same hole!
          • Berto 1s · 2024-07-16T00:58:38.450Z
            Totally fell down that same rabbit hole. Ask @kayW - I sent her all of the above lol.
          • Hector 3s · 2024-07-13T18:33:19.263Z
            Nice construction! Possibly the "spot = black square" aspect is enough of a leap to make this harder than a level 2? On the other hand, I just WAGged after reading the prompt, so ...
            • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-13T19:57:42.595Z
              Yeah, I'm thinking this might go to Level 3 as a result.
              • woozy 🤓3:07 · 2024-07-13T23:14:10.445Z
                Well... actualing solving it may be a 3 or 4 or 7.
                But doing it is most definitely a 1 and no higher. I mean.... the 101 puzzle? With the title "spot on"? I don't think anyone can miss it.
                (That said backsolving it was... well beyond me)
            • Philip Chow 🤓4:30 · 2024-07-13T18:52:28.098Z
              please disregard the wrong guess it was just me being silly to see if IOI was accepted 😝
              • KayW 🤓3:28 · 2024-07-13T21:04:41.818Z
                Brilliant construction!!
                • boharr 5s · 2024-07-13T21:34:31.950Z
                  Took me two tries to correctly spell those dogs. Thanks Mikey and thank the Cubbies for help with the O’s.
                  • Darth 🤓6:35 · 2024-07-13T19:05:45.074Z
                    Nice! I "intuited" the meta right away from the title and knowing it was puzzle #101. I also remembered ANITA "Darling" from my Disney days and recognized Glenn CLOSE as Cruella in the 1996 live-action version. ALMs also stood out as a "spot" of interest. Thanks, Mikey.
                    • damefox 🤓3:47 · 2024-07-13T23:02:46.643Z
                      Lol well that was a WAG although a semi-informed one once I made the connection between "spot" and "101." Fun puzzle! I would put this closer to a 4 in difficulty if it weren't for the numeric tie-in - equating "spot" to the black squares is a level 2 leap on its own, and then needing to convince yourself IOID is the right path further ups the difficulty. But perhaps worth nothing that the numeric tie-in is only visible over on the Muggles Forum - anyone who just stumbles upon this puzzle on Crosshare may have a harder time.
                      • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-14T03:38:07.950Z
                        I think I need to add the 101 on the tagline here - that is true. The phrase "GET UP" initially had a bonus clue indicating it was a relevant, so I think I'll put that in the constructor notes.
                      • Pair O Ducks 🤓4:24 · 2024-07-14T00:37:22.885Z
                        Needed a little help (mostly to get me to stop looking at those B's and A's... I guess it wasn't a puzzle about rhyme schemes after all😆) Very SAD indeed (and fun!)
                        • MatthewL 🤓8:49 · 2024-07-14T21:18:37.522Z
                          Finally got it, but only with a couple of huge shoves from a friendly muggle. Was also struck by all the Bs and As in the grid and just could not drag myself away from that.
                          • lbray53 2s · 2024-07-15T00:55:04.989Z
                            Spelling error costed me two guesses.
                            • benchen71 6s · 2024-07-15T05:27:17.865Z
                              I definitely wanted to guess "101 DALMATIANS" based on the puzzle's number. But, no, I told myself. That would be too obvious! The answer has to be in the puzzle somewhere... but it took me days to see it!
                              • rjy 4s · 2024-07-17T16:21:43.675Z
                                Man! Had this immediately, just could NOT spell Dalmatians properly... geez!
                                And Mikey: I did have ANITA, SMITH, and CLOSE. But I also had MARC - Marc Davis is the Disney animator who designed and animated Cruella. You probably forgot you put that in there too 😉
                                • DrTom 3s · 2024-07-17T20:40:14.140Z
                                  Needed a hint from KayW because I was desperately trying to make the O the spot or work from the AMs int he puzzle, obviously to no avail. With a nudge towards the squares as spots I was off.
                                  T
                                  • whimsy 🤓2:22 · 2024-07-18T02:58:04.467Z
                                    Yup, ALMS, the puzzle # and the title clued me in -- fun figuring out the mechanism! Who's a good constructor?! Thanks, Mikey!
                                    • Carolyn 3s · 2024-07-18T15:58:55.845Z
                                      Tried all the other dots but never considered the blanks. Good one!
                                      • Dave C 2s · 2024-07-18T18:39:05.720Z
                                        I agree - it was SAD
                                        • HeadinHome 🤓4:08 · 2024-07-18T22:52:19.729Z
                                          Also I think it’s almost eeeerie that you ended up with 101 letters without even trying (that you know of) !
                                          • HeadinHome 🤓4:08 · 2024-07-18T22:48:54.904Z
                                            That first “incorrect” may have been an auto-correct… i know i typed -tians the first time! Whooo this one beat me up. I had all the letters above “dots” highlighted, thinking the dots/spots would be the isolated blank spaces, so I had IOIIAN forever. Thanks to BarbaraK for helping me out a little.. and even then I had to write it out before I saw the 101 instead of IOIDALMATIANS.!
                                            • BarbaraK 2s · 2024-07-19T02:40:00.742Z
                                              Ha! I tried that days ago but dropped it because IOID is obviously not the start of anything. Needed the nudges to try it again and keep going.
                                              • hoover 2s · 2024-07-19T03:37:34.765Z
                                                Facepalm!
                                                • Qmark 3s · 2024-07-19T16:43:34.883Z
                                                  Took me longer than it should because the "eye-owe-eye" over the first black squares didn't register, even with it being the puzzle after your 100th...duh! My fault not yours...fun puzzle. Thanks Mikey!
                                                  1A
                                                  Ekberg of "La Dolce Vita"
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                                                  38
                                                  39
                                                  40
                                                  41
                                                  42
                                                  Across
                                                  1. 1A
                                                    Ekberg of "La Dolce Vita"
                                                  2. 6A
                                                    "White Teeth" author Zadie
                                                  3. 11A
                                                    Cakes with a kick
                                                  4. 12A
                                                    Actress, playing herself, who likes "funny, quirky, bald men" in a "Seinfeld" episode
                                                  5. 13A
                                                    Terse response from you regarding what you did to my pineapple pizza
                                                  6. 14A
                                                    Former ABC exec Arledge
                                                  7. 15A
                                                    [Look at me, I'm wool-behaved!]
                                                  8. 16A
                                                    Civil rights activist Wells
                                                  9. 18A
                                                    Neighbor voiced by Harry Shearer
                                                  10. 19A
                                                    Some contributions
                                                  11. 21A
                                                    It happens close to home
                                                  12. 23A
                                                    Hair-raising
                                                  13. 25A
                                                    Censure
                                                  14. 27A
                                                    They're great to take
                                                  15. 31A
                                                    With 4-Down, tiki bar order
                                                  16. 32A
                                                    Middle of an episode?
                                                  17. 34A
                                                    Maxim
                                                  18. 35A
                                                    "That book about grizzlies was ___ to get through"
                                                  19. 37A
                                                    Magnetic induction unit
                                                  20. 39A
                                                    Price twice (how nice)
                                                  21. 40A
                                                    Best of the best
                                                  22. 41A
                                                    Kind of call
                                                  23. 42A
                                                    Advice you should follow in the morning
                                                  Down
                                                  1. 1D
                                                    Second word in Ethiopia's capital
                                                  2. 2D
                                                    Birth-related
                                                  3. 3D
                                                    When people compliment my ability to construct steel girders, ___
                                                  4. 4D
                                                    See 31-Across
                                                  5. 5D
                                                    Source for spumante
                                                  6. 6D
                                                    Some clouds
                                                  7. 7D
                                                    [Yeah, well, look at me, I'm an udder delight!]
                                                  8. 8D
                                                    "Is that croissant decorated with your face?" "Yeah, ___ roll!"
                                                  9. 9D
                                                    Palindromic precept
                                                  10. 10D
                                                    Hightailed it
                                                  11. 17D
                                                    Throws down the gauntlet
                                                  12. 20D
                                                    Red, e.g.
                                                  13. 22D
                                                    Big thing in London
                                                  14. 24D
                                                    Exit one's inner sanctum
                                                  15. 25D
                                                    Mumford & Sons song with line "The walls of my town, they come crumbling down"
                                                  16. 26D
                                                    Deceive, in a way
                                                  17. 28D
                                                    "I know the difference between liabilities and equity." "That's an ___!"
                                                  18. 29D
                                                    Its capital is Ngerulmud
                                                  19. 30D
                                                    Quagmire
                                                  20. 31D
                                                    Summers, e.g.
                                                  21. 33D
                                                    How male deer show up to a party (this pun has hart)
                                                  22. 36D
                                                    Batteries in a Walkman (a what now?)
                                                  23. 38D
                                                    Nice season
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