Can't You Be Serious?
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Can't You Be Serious?

· By Mikey G

Meta Prompt
[Level 2.5] The answer to the meta is a 13-letter phrase that describes the chances I'm being serious.
Checking for previous play data...

Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • oldjudge solved 2024-07-06T17:00:59.254Z
  • Pair O Ducks solved 2024-07-06T17:12:36.117Z
  • Hector solved 2024-07-06T17:13:25.256Z
  • KayW solved 2024-07-06T17:23:41.660Z
  • MatthewL solved 2024-07-06T17:32:39.590Z
  • dannyvee solved 2024-07-06T17:38:59.127Z
  • Cindy Weatherman solved 2024-07-06T17:53:29.983Z
  • Meg solved 2024-07-06T18:00:54.558Z
  • andeux solved 2024-07-06T18:03:08.236Z
  • BarbaraK solved 2024-07-06T18:04:02.350Z
  • damefox solved 2024-07-06T18:43:43.051Z
  • woozy solved 2024-07-06T18:52:27.809Z
  • Cindy Heisler solved 2024-07-06T19:19:31.685Z
  • rjy solved 2024-07-06T19:23:54.908Z
  • FrankieHeck solved 2024-07-06T19:28:56.620Z
  • boharr solved 2024-07-06T19:49:59.876Z
  • Schmeel solved 2024-07-06T20:00:23.592Z
  • LesY solved 2024-07-06T21:04:06.562Z
  • Laura M solved 2024-07-06T21:05:10.169Z
  • I K Snamhcok solved 2024-07-06T21:48:30.627Z
  • Julie bookworm solved 2024-07-06T21:53:02.775Z
  • Bob J solved 2024-07-06T21:55:46.367Z
  • Bird Lives solved 2024-07-06T21:56:31.943Z
  • Toast solved 2024-07-06T23:29:30.108Z
  • kurtalert solved 2024-07-06T23:41:06.506Z
  • heidi solved 2024-07-06T23:49:52.622Z
  • benchen71 solved 2024-07-06T23:52:56.634Z
  • DCBilly solved 2024-07-07T00:29:59.042Z
  • Rick solved 2024-07-07T01:56:15.249Z
  • Abide solved 2024-07-07T03:42:44.810Z
  • Darth solved 2024-07-07T03:47:11.213Z
  • Tyrpmom solved 2024-07-07T04:11:09.214Z
  • SJ solved 2024-07-07T08:54:19.065Z
  • DJB solved 2024-07-07T09:11:12.084Z
  • Alex Sisti solved 2024-07-07T14:06:50.274Z
  • Adam Simon Levine solved 2024-07-07T16:54:19.625Z
  • Myelbow solved 2024-07-07T18:41:19.042Z
  • BrennerTJ solved 2024-07-07T18:43:43.114Z
  • CPJohnson solved 2024-07-07T18:53:40.140Z
  • JM solved 2024-07-07T19:49:40.092Z
  • DrTom solved 2024-07-07T20:04:17.229Z
  • Joe solved 2024-07-08T03:25:37.801Z
  • AZinDC solved 2024-07-08T16:44:03.537Z
  • kamashdad solved 2024-07-09T03:35:58.576Z
  • markhr solved 2024-07-09T07:03:39.295Z
  • HeadinHome solved 2024-07-09T11:25:11.729Z
  • Steve M solved 2024-07-09T15:49:58.795Z
  • Philip Chow solved 2024-07-09T18:38:21.405Z
  • Berto solved 2024-07-10T02:23:45.701Z
  • Alvibu67 solved 2024-07-10T02:48:19.604Z
  • Mike D solved 2024-07-11T15:26:05.016Z
  • HoldThatThought solved 2024-07-11T22:05:52.929Z
  • DIS solved 2024-07-12T00:30:24.734Z
  • Dave C solved 2024-07-12T13:47:07.620Z
  • edestlin solved 2024-07-12T14:41:32.546Z
  • LarsCaine solved 2024-07-12T16:30:51.482Z
  • hoover solved 2024-07-12T18:28:45.718Z
  • whimsy solved 2024-07-12T23:50:59.534Z
  • Qmark solved 2024-07-13T01:15:32.580Z
  • Meta World Peace solved 2024-07-13T03:22:32.825Z
  • iceman solved 2024-08-22T04:08:24.384Z
  • lukadisgre solved 2024-09-23T16:25:17.761Z

Comments

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  • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-06T17:00:26.130Z
    Answer: ONE IN A PUNDRED
    Explanation: I hope you're okay after all those puns! Almost all clues in this puzzle involve a pun, a question-marked misdirect (indicated by 15A as quasi-humorous), and other attempts at humor by yours truly. Exactly 13 entries are clued in the most dictionary-definition based way with nary a pun in sight. The initial letters of those 13 entries, in standard grid order, spell out ONE IN A PUNDRED, the answer to the meta. I could've done PUN IN A HUNDRED but didn't realize that until...oh, about 10 minutes ago or so. A huge thanks to all of you joining me on this journey! Here's to more puzzling days ahead!
    • oldjudge 4s · 2024-07-06T17:03:33.439Z
      Congratulations, Mikey, on reaching this milestone. It's not just reaching 100, but reaching it with really high quality puzzles.
      • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-07T20:25:35.702Z
        Thank you for your friendship and your eagle-eye editing skills!!
      • Pair O Ducks 🤓7:00 · 2024-07-06T17:14:56.022Z
        This puzzle was seriously hilarious. Congrats on 100 puzzles -- here's to many more!
        • Hector 🤓4:19 · 2024-07-06T17:15:52.026Z
          100! Please consider me to have SENT YOUR E-card in thanks and congratulations.
          • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-07T20:25:54.140Z
            Okay, I read this yesterday and didn't get it - now I do, hahaha.
          • MatthewL 🤓6:59 · 2024-07-06T17:33:55.180Z
            Well than was more "pun" than a barrel of monkeys. Thanks for the puzzle, Mikey, and congrats on No. 100!
            • KayW 🤓3:03 · 2024-07-06T17:25:43.289Z
              Fantastic meta to mark this milestone! Congrats on a PUNDRED metas, and many many more, please!
              • woozy 🤓11:02 · 2024-07-06T18:53:57.659Z
                Oh my god. I don't believe you did it but you did.
                • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-13T15:34:00.240Z
                  I did pun-ish you all quite a bit with this one.
                • Cindy Heisler 3s · 2024-07-06T19:20:39.373Z
                  Huge milestone, Mikey. Congratulations!
                  • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-08T19:00:46.674Z
                    Thankful and honored. Wild - and here's to the next 100!
                  • boharr 8s · 2024-07-06T19:50:33.546Z
                    Congrats, Mikey. Loved it.
                    • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-13T15:34:11.041Z
                      Thank you! You've been there right there from the beginning!
                    • Laura M 🤓9:07 · 2024-07-06T21:06:52.876Z
                      Loved it! Thank you so much for 100 great puzzles, hoping for many more!
                      • Bird Lives 4s · 2024-07-06T22:07:27.705Z
                        Cent' Anni (or in thi case Cent' Metas). In any case, Centennial Congratulations.
                        From the title and the tennis reference in the intro, I thought John McEnroe ("You cannot be serious") might be part of it. But no. Instead, 53 MikeyG clues and 12 boring ones, but a great payoff at the end. (I might not have gotten it so quickly had not DrTom done something similar a while back.)
                        • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-08T19:00:29.570Z
                          I had to make sure, "Okay, how do I make sure to be extra boring for these." Oooh, McEnroe would be a good one for that prompt, yes!
                        • kurtalert 🤓3:49 · 2024-07-06T23:43:50.047Z
                          Hah. Beautiful. At first, I was like... jeez, he's REALLY laying the puns on thick this week... I thought it was JUST a celebratory 100th puzzle thing. Fortunately it didn't take me too long to realize that it wasn't simply you flexing for flexing's sake!
                          • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-08T19:01:03.351Z
                            Yeah, I needed to make sure there was a rhyme to the reason!!
                          • benchen71 7s · 2024-07-06T23:54:17.686Z
                            That was fun, or should I say pun? Keep 'em coming!
                            • FrankieHeck 🤓7:30 · 2024-07-07T01:43:22.250Z
                              Wow! 100 already? Congratulations and thanks so much for all the fun!
                              • Darth 🤓9:43 · 2024-07-07T03:52:43.877Z
                                "Pun-gratulations" on reaching 100, Mikey! Keep 'em coming! All the best to you.
                                • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-13T15:34:26.001Z
                                  You as well, friend!
                                • Abide 🤓6:56 · 2024-07-07T03:44:43.399Z
                                  Well, that was pun of a kind-- how meta is that?
                                  • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-08T19:01:43.636Z
                                    That title was chosen in about ten seconds when I was like, "Let me pun on 'pun.'" Glad I can halfway tolerate it now!! 🤣
                                  • Tyrpmom 3s · 2024-07-07T04:14:01.377Z
                                    Loved it! Congratulations!
                                    • JM 8:35 · 2024-07-07T20:00:24.867Z
                                      Me: “Wait—I’m missing a word that starts with H. Oh, I get it!” Czyk puzzle!
                                      • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-13T15:34:36.687Z
                                        Oooh, nice there!!
                                      • DrTom 3s · 2024-07-07T20:18:10.744Z
                                        Very nice! I got carried away and tried to infer (infernal inferring!) the H I could not find so I got it wrong the first submission. I should have KNOWN it would not be a straight answer. Celebrate your achievement Mikey, perhaps you can place a football on a cracker and then kick it away - I believe that is called PUNTING ON THE RITZ?
                                        We may have to rename you Frank Castle though, cause you ARE the Punisher!!!
                                        • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-13T15:34:54.216Z
                                          I love RITZ crackers, so I should make that a meta answer one time, haha.
                                        • Joe 🤓7:09 · 2024-07-08T03:26:23.451Z
                                          Oh, my. That's just... I can't...
                                          • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-08T19:02:35.005Z
                                            I'll need to have a "Solver's Mailbag" on the website - I'd put that comment on there. 🤣
                                          • HeadinHome 🤓1:00 · 2024-07-09T11:40:23.667Z
                                            Missed the P when I rounded up the boring ones… so kept looking for that H! Is he saying it with a cockney accent? Do I have an entry wrong?? Ohhhhh…. PUNdred. Heh heh heh. Okay here’s my favorite groaner: BEE. (Grade on apiary exam). I would think that whole field would be rich with pun opportunities (almost attempted one, but I hive never been that great at punning).
                                            • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-13T15:35:19.395Z
                                              Don't worry, hive got one for you!
                                            • Steve M 🤓23:05 · 2024-07-09T16:05:03.214Z
                                              Thanks for the very punny puzzle! So unusual to see those unpunny clues. Congratulations on 100!
                                              • Philip Chow 🤓7:40 · 2024-07-09T18:48:07.879Z
                                                happy 100! 🥳🎉💯 thank you for sharing your insanity genius with the world
                                                • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-13T15:35:58.336Z
                                                  You might have been right the first time. 😂
                                                • Berto 1s · 2024-07-10T02:25:19.133Z
                                                  FINALLY!!! Ugh, I was highlighting all the punny words, then just where the non-punny entries crossed, and then finally saw I needed a few more letters! (I had a WAG with One in a Hundred just before I found the solution lol)
                                                  • HoldThatThought 🤓11:37 · 2024-07-11T22:09:11.251Z
                                                    After solving that one, I think I need a meta physical.
                                                    • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-13T15:36:08.202Z
                                                      Bahaha, that one takes the cake.
                                                    • Dave C 2s · 2024-07-12T13:48:22.762Z
                                                      Well done - congratulations on 100.
                                                      • hoover 6s · 2024-07-12T18:29:42.314Z
                                                        Congrats!
                                                        • whimsy 🤓6:31 · 2024-07-13T00:00:51.822Z
                                                          Thanks for Nudge #2! I was down a bunny hole ADDing Roman numerals from the grid, trying to get some numerical ratio! A big CONGRATULATIONS and many thanks for all the fun!
                                                          • Qmark 3s · 2024-07-13T01:18:25.385Z
                                                            Let the filled in grid sit for a few days...came back to it today and noticed the wording at 15 across...did some counting and found the 13 "serious" clues. No hints needed. Thanks for this and the previous 99 puzzles! Congrats, Mikey!
                                                            • Meta World Peace 5s · 2024-07-13T03:26:21.859Z
                                                              The weather forecast for today's solve says: 100% chance of pun! Happy century, Mikey!
                                                              • Mikey G constructor · 2024-07-13T15:36:26.718Z
                                                                I don't feel a day over 99!
                                                              • axmszr 🤓9:30 · 2024-07-15T23:47:45.483Z
                                                                I hate it. I doubted everything when I first saw 41D - there HAD to be a joke somewhere. Excellent work, and congratulations on 100!
                                                                1A
                                                                Money when it's borrowed: "I think I'm a ___ now"
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                                                                Across
                                                                1. 1A
                                                                  Money when it's borrowed: "I think I'm a ___ now"
                                                                2. 5A
                                                                  ___-relief (I guess if you made an urn using this technique, it'd be a relief pitcher)
                                                                3. 8A
                                                                  Behind the scenes, perhaps Mr. Guinness was a smart ___
                                                                4. 12A
                                                                  Superior relative, har har har
                                                                5. 13A
                                                                  If I ever forget who played Blanche on "The Golden Girls," I'll ___ the day!
                                                                6. 14A
                                                                  "Look at this canvas bag I just got!" "Whoa! That's ___-ally awesome!"
                                                                7. 15A
                                                                  Start to bat? (Please pretend all question-marked clues - and a bunch of others also - are hilarious.)
                                                                8. 16A
                                                                  Front teeth adapted for cutting
                                                                9. 18A
                                                                  Coming into existence recently
                                                                10. 20A
                                                                  Fictional show about high school hockey players: "Freaks and ___"
                                                                11. 21A
                                                                  When I think of this breakfast food, my mind gets scrambled (and that's no yolk!)
                                                                12. 22A
                                                                  When the archer takes her boyfriend along, she has a ___ and arrow
                                                                13. 23A
                                                                  Acid found in proteins
                                                                14. 26A
                                                                  You'll pay a steep price for this!
                                                                15. 27A
                                                                  Alternatives to Macs
                                                                16. 30A
                                                                  "They wanted to charge you full price for that used board game?" "Yeah! No ___!"
                                                                17. 31A
                                                                  She brings in the bucks (I'm hilarious)
                                                                18. 32A
                                                                  State with Salt Lake City
                                                                19. 33A
                                                                  This period of time isn't mine or yours - it's hours
                                                                20. 34A
                                                                  Type of income made by tennis players?
                                                                21. 35A
                                                                  Precipitation type that would always cancel our plans because it's so "flaky" LOL
                                                                22. 36A
                                                                  "You're not packing your cargo appropriately." "___ what?"
                                                                23. 38A
                                                                  When I didn't listen to my coxswain, we had a ___
                                                                24. 39A
                                                                  Spoiled, with "on"
                                                                25. 41A
                                                                  Cool-looking square root symbol - that reminds me, my nerdy family tree has a lot of square roots
                                                                26. 45A
                                                                  Illinois city home to Northwestern University
                                                                27. 47A
                                                                  Double negative?
                                                                28. 48A
                                                                  "Ernie, would you like a fruity frozen treat?" "Sure, ___!"
                                                                29. 49A
                                                                  Tabloid writer's favorite musical style?
                                                                30. 50A
                                                                  Selected a card from the deck
                                                                31. 51A
                                                                  "Do you know what uno plus dos is?" "It's ___!" "That's ___ bien!"
                                                                32. 52A
                                                                  Boiling point?
                                                                33. 53A
                                                                  Puts people in stitches?
                                                                Down
                                                                1. 1D
                                                                  Said the Tower of Pisa to its visitors, "Come on, I ___!"
                                                                2. 2D
                                                                  Black-and-white whale
                                                                3. 3D
                                                                  Things you shouldn't put on?
                                                                4. 4D
                                                                  Early geologic period now typically spelled with a "G" in the middle (not meta-related, except to say, I'm not being funny here)
                                                                5. 5D
                                                                  An omelet chef can really ___ home the bacon
                                                                6. 6D
                                                                  If you don't like your mom's sister, bring ___ repellent
                                                                7. 7D
                                                                  "Can you take the reciprocal of cos?" "Yeah, give me a ___"
                                                                8. 8D
                                                                  I'm surprised so many WSJ metas are not about water, since I'm often ___!
                                                                9. 9D
                                                                  "Your brother's so tall!" "Yeah, I really ___ him"
                                                                10. 10D
                                                                  "To be": French
                                                                11. 11D
                                                                  Introduction to pool? (Certainly not the kind you'd want to jump in, though!)
                                                                12. 17D
                                                                  Bean sprout?
                                                                13. 19D
                                                                  "The temperamental actor's on set now." "Great, the ___ has landed"
                                                                14. 22D
                                                                  Grade I got on my apiary exam
                                                                15. 23D
                                                                  Do sum thing (It was funny the first time I used it - it's funny now)
                                                                16. 24D
                                                                  "I forgot the last word in the title of the ABBA musical! ___ culpa!"
                                                                17. 25D
                                                                  I got one from the rude polar bear
                                                                18. 26D
                                                                  What Mr. Potato Head's newborn is
                                                                19. 28D
                                                                  Said one crow to another, "Just ___ me sometime!"
                                                                20. 29D
                                                                  Retiring partner?
                                                                21. 31D
                                                                  "Should I water my lawn?" "Yeah, just ___ it!"
                                                                22. 32D
                                                                  What the clock spring does after a hard day at the office
                                                                23. 34D
                                                                  Acknowledges tacitly
                                                                24. 35D
                                                                  If you're the only person on your block who hasn't prepared your lawn yet, you must be the ___ one out
                                                                25. 37D
                                                                  Camping is in ___!
                                                                26. 38D
                                                                  "Why are all these y-coordinates in your kitchen?" "Oh, that's my new ___" (math humor)
                                                                27. 39D
                                                                  What you might be in if you write "Owed on a Grecian Urn"
                                                                28. 40D
                                                                  "More hurdles to surmount? I'm so ___ these..."
                                                                29. 41D
                                                                  Lion's sound
                                                                30. 42D
                                                                  When an apple farmer exercises, he works on his ___
                                                                31. 43D
                                                                  Adverb that sounds like one singular wildebeest (please laugh)
                                                                32. 44D
                                                                  Working as a weatherperson has its highs and ___
                                                                33. 46D
                                                                  Angular opening? (See? Funny!)
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