Reoriented
◆ · Por DrTom · Publicado 2025-01-29T09:00:50.623Z
Meta Prompt
An event named for the stranded grid guests
Good Morning Muggles (sounds like your name should be Mr. Phelps, doesn’t it?) this meta, should you choose to solve it, is a bit different than the norm but hopefully will not be a Mission: Impossible.
There is a major event and many event “guests” are stranded in the grid. Even if you don't find them all you should be able to name it.
The answer isn't spelled out or homophonic or any other orderly method of solving, it is implied, but the implication is strong with this one. This is a far from perfect meta, but I and my two testers (THANK YOU THANK YOU, lbray53 and rjy) labored LONG and hard over it and we all decided that even if it was not perfect it was likable and getable and you are the Muggles and are much more concerned with the last two than the first one.
I'd say it was somewhere between a Kitten and a Persian (yeah I know; "I'm giving you somewhere between an A and a C") but that is only a function of how well you can read my mind (a PG read on a GOOD day).
֎Kitten-Persian
Puma
Lion
Now that I have stoked your curiosity I won't keep you from it longer. Nudges, if needed, will be on Friday.
Well are the usual obvious nudges are obvious but maybe clarification would help:
Nudge 1] The Title contains a subtle hint to an area that will be important
Nudge 2] The banner for the puzzle also contains the same subtle nudge. What did you think of when you saw it?
[Nudge 3] The middle answer (40A) is, as 49A tells you, a nudge. What famously hides in the grass?
Nudge 4] Answer 55D is another nudge of course and it tells you something about positioning of the meta components; they wind and they move from higher to lower.
Nudge 5] The prompt and introduction BOTH use a particular word that has taken on new meaning to many puzzlers since the introduction of a relatively new NYT daily game? ]
Really big nudge] When did this puzzle appear? Any event on that day that these guests would be the honorees at?
REVEAL
The prompt and intro both mentioned "stranded" guests, like the "Strands" game in the NYT
Seven (or more) "guests" were, in strands that went from higher to lower (like clue 55D suggests)
Clue and answer 40A suggest where you would look for the guests i.e. "snake in the grass"
The release date of the puzzle was January 29th, 2025, the beginning of the Chinese New Year - the "Year of the Snake" this year
The "guests" were:
ADDER starting 4D
RATTLER starting 10D
PYTHON starting 33D
ASP starting just below 41D
COBRA starting 54D
BOA starting 64D
MAMBA starting just under 61D
People found others but these were the intended
Because there may have been ambiguity in what I wanted I accepted YEAR OF THE SNAKE, CHINESE NEW YEAR and LUNAR NEW YEAR
For a graphic representation of the solve go to:
Comprobando datos de juego anteriores…
