All Things Being Equal
■ · Por Mwoychick · Publicado 2023-06-25T04:37:17.377Z
Meta Prompt
The meta answer is a phrase
As with many of my puzzle ideas, I'll hear something - a word, a phrase - and think, "I wonder if that could be a meta?" That's exactly what happened in this case, and then I had to figure out how to do it. Did it work? You're about to find out.
Here are some nudges in case you need them:
There are two mechanisms in play here, and you likely need to find only one of them to solve
For one of the mechanisms, look in the two longest answers
For the other mechanism, look for six symmetrically placed grid answers that have something in common
You'll find the results of the two mechanisms to be without a difference...or, put another way, equal.
The answer is NOT eight letters long; instead, the meta phrase is nine words long
The internet tells me this phrase is an idiom that means that two alternatives will render the same outcome; two options are virtually the same; there is no difference between two possibilities. It does not matter which alternative you choose–the outcome will be the same.
I won't impose the E word on your puzzle-solving experience, so let's just say it'll be....like Sunday morning (hat tip to the Commodores).
Comprobando datos de juego anteriores…
Tabla de clasificación (actualizada cada hora)
- Hector solved 2023-06-25T04:41:13.760Z
- Cindy Weatherman solved 2023-06-25T04:42:37.051Z
- PuzNewbie solved 2023-06-25T06:32:59.228Z
- Dow Jones solved 2023-06-25T07:02:48.258Z
- Mr Tex solved 2023-06-25T10:47:39.038Z
- BarbaraK solved 2023-06-25T11:47:30.945Z
- boharr solved 2023-06-25T13:17:05.594Z
- Bird Lives solved 2023-06-25T13:34:25.658Z
- lbray53 solved 2023-06-25T13:36:20.821Z
- Wendy Walker solved 2023-06-25T13:41:53.640Z
- I K Snamhcok solved 2023-06-25T14:43:28.071Z
- Meg solved 2023-06-25T15:08:48.822Z
- heidi solved 2023-06-25T15:49:13.115Z
- Gutman solved 2023-06-25T16:03:06.238Z
- JM solved 2023-06-25T16:32:10.552Z
- woozy solved 2023-06-25T16:36:25.504Z
- DIS solved 2023-06-25T16:58:58.166Z
- imontoo solved 2023-06-25T18:06:10.179Z
- rjy solved 2023-06-25T18:43:34.887Z
- KayW solved 2023-06-25T19:25:19.043Z
- Snood solved 2023-06-25T19:29:37.848Z
- Laura M solved 2023-06-25T19:38:46.622Z
- GR solved 2023-06-25T20:42:17.222Z
- Jaclyn solved 2023-06-25T21:23:06.808Z
- BrennerTJ solved 2023-06-25T21:28:53.130Z
- Berto solved 2023-06-25T21:49:40.037Z
- Alex Sisti solved 2023-06-25T23:16:42.921Z
- ajk solved 2023-06-25T23:24:28.662Z
- CPJohnson solved 2023-06-26T00:28:13.818Z
- SeamusOL solved 2023-06-26T00:50:00.472Z
- whimsy solved 2023-06-26T01:09:15.729Z
- HeadinHome solved 2023-06-26T01:23:04.833Z
- StephieG19 solved 2023-06-26T01:32:51.169Z
- ReB solved 2023-06-26T01:50:06.383Z
- Qmark solved 2023-06-26T02:33:38.073Z
- Tom Wilson solved 2023-06-26T04:23:32.441Z
- Rick solved 2023-06-26T04:45:10.754Z
- JHSeeman solved 2023-06-26T12:10:39.079Z
- kurtalert solved 2023-06-26T15:11:05.794Z
- hoover solved 2023-06-26T15:54:38.477Z
- DrTom solved 2023-06-26T16:40:03.558Z
- MatthewL solved 2023-06-26T18:09:51.118Z
- Schmeel solved 2023-06-26T20:14:59.671Z
- Sharkicicles solved 2023-06-26T21:22:27.695Z
- Carolyn solved 2023-06-27T03:49:17.555Z
- Jim23809 solved 2023-06-27T04:49:50.563Z
- mimka solved 2023-06-27T10:13:14.895Z
- Mikey G solved 2023-06-27T13:50:43.476Z
- Cindy Heisler solved 2023-06-28T14:46:09.440Z
- Darrell solved 2023-06-28T20:05:11.048Z
- Pair O Ducks solved 2023-06-29T17:07:44.899Z
- jbird solved 2023-06-30T03:23:29.485Z
- dooiemus solved 2023-06-30T09:56:57.232Z
- sledge solved 2023-06-30T22:32:31.211Z
- Flora Wynn solved 2023-07-09T05:40:38.736Z
- Kulea solved 2024-05-26T02:53:09.270Z
- Darth solved 2024-07-31T03:18:02.470Z
- Serafin solved 2025-01-25T04:37:34.902Z
Comentarios
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- Hector 2s · 2023-06-25T04:44:28.565ZEnjoyed the clean grid, thank you!
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T12:43:39.519ZThanks for solving, Hector!
- PuzNewbie 13:09 · 2023-06-25T06:33:32.069ZFun solve. Thanks!
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T12:43:52.295ZGlad you enjoyed it, thanks for sovling
- Dow Jones 2s · 2023-06-25T07:04:23.809ZVery nice, Mark. It's nice to solve a grid without resorting to Google. Thanks !!
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T12:44:57.863ZNo Googling is nice, I agree - glad it was a smooth experience!
- boharr 8s · 2023-06-25T13:17:45.806ZNice "one." Thanks!
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T14:19:37.808ZThanks for solving, Bob!
- lbray53 3s · 2023-06-25T13:37:14.875ZFun. Thanks.
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T14:20:00.033ZGlad you liked it!
- Bird Lives 3s · 2023-06-25T13:45:23.370ZVery enjoyable, and some nice cluing. I kept wondering how a SIX might have been embedded, but it looks like it's impossible.
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T14:20:31.109ZGreat idea to embed SIX - I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for solving, Jay
- Wendy Walker 7s · 2023-06-25T13:43:18.183ZNice "one," Mark!
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T14:20:51.430ZThanks, Wendy - congrats on solving!
- Meg 10s · 2023-06-25T15:09:40.048ZVery nice! It’s great to have a meta on Sunday, so thanks Mark.
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T16:24:51.028ZThanks, Meg, and congrats on solving!
- imontoo 3s · 2023-06-25T18:06:39.286ZAwesome! Thanks for the puzzle.
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T18:52:12.235ZThanks, and congrats on solving!
- Laura M 🤓6:25 · 2023-06-25T19:40:15.025ZI wasn't sure how exactly to word the answer, but you must have entered a lot of acceptable alternatives :-) Nice one!
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T20:41:11.661ZCongrats, and glad you got it, Laura!
- KayW 🤓6:35 · 2023-06-25T19:26:17.865Zvery cool! thanks Mark
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T20:41:20.790ZThanks for solving, Kay
- Snood 🤓2:48 · 2023-06-25T19:32:40.653ZSuperb! So clean and I am always a fan of symmetry! I knew the phrase as "...half dozen of another" so had to pause and then re-enter the longer version you had in mind. Could be regional or just me not knowing the real phrase! Fun both ways - sort of like the answer!
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T20:42:46.926ZGlad you got it. The long phrase and its variations made the meta answer trickier than I intended
- GR 2s · 2023-06-25T20:48:35.939ZAfter missing the other metas this weekend, it was nice to find one easy enough that I could get it
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T21:54:53.483ZGlad you got it - thanks for solving
- Berto 🤓2:44 · 2023-06-25T21:52:00.967ZFound the six ones, didn’t look for the half dozen others - but assumed that’s all i needed! Fun one, especially after the MGWCC and WSJ hell. Thank you, Mark!!
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-25T21:55:16.943ZYep, you got it - congrats and thanks for solving
- whimsy 🤓8:20 · 2023-06-26T01:14:49.096ZThat's funny -- I first looked in the "longs", saw half dozen and went on that basis -- never noticed the ones!Thanks for some good old simple fun, Mark!
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-26T02:18:38.898ZYes, there's a couple of ways you can get to this answer - congrats on solving, Whimsy!
- HeadinHome 🤓3:38 · 2023-06-26T01:24:17.959Zthis would make a perfect intro for people who want to learn metas! A nice smooth grid, a helpful hint, and a creative mechanism.
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-26T02:18:04.999ZMy oldest son solved this one - one of my proudest moments as a puzzle constructor
- ReB 3s · 2023-06-26T01:54:15.081ZActually I went with the answer based on 36A and finding HALF DOZEN. Reading the comments, I went back and found the six ONEs. Very well constructed to fit this all in the puzzle symmetrically. Fun solve given the other metas this weekend.
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-26T04:06:51.246ZThanks for solving, Bob!
- Qmark 4s · 2023-06-26T02:34:46.742ZFun meta...thanks Mark! I'm old enough that use this phrase all the time.
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-26T04:07:32.598ZGlad you enjoyed it! Congrats on solving it!
- JHSeeman 2s · 2023-06-26T12:10:57.104ZFun one, thanks Mark
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-26T12:39:52.229ZThanks for solving, John!
- hoover 2s · 2023-06-26T15:55:31.788ZHooray, solvable without Googling! Nice to have a SSS after a brutal WSJ.
- DrTom 3s · 2023-06-26T16:49:42.121ZTook me several tries because I was entering it the way I have always heard it, "Six of one and half dozen of another". Unfortunately Crosshare doesn't say "you are close dummy, you are just saying it wrong!" I had six ONES, a HALF a DOZEN and an AND in 41A plus 6 AN's in the horizontals. There may well be 6 "others" hidden in the grid because I know Mark tends to leave nothing to chance in his very tightly constructed metas. I was all set to delve into the Marshall Plan and see if the economic reparation of Post war Europe was based on an equality thing. Thank heavens I did not have to; Geography and History are my very WORST areas; apparently you did not need those to manage disease states (though history in a pandemic was helpful!)
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-27T01:29:06.104ZCongrats on solving, Dr. Tom, and I didn't account for the number of variations possible with the meta answer. My thinking was that HALFA and DOZEN, split equally across the two long themers, might help identify which one I was looking for. I think it might be a challenge to make the Marshall Plan into a meta, but you never know!
- DrTom 3s · 2023-06-29T02:46:52.019ZThat would have worked beautifully if some of your silly solvers didn't only see HALF and not HALFA. Enjoyed it no matter what. You are the one Mark...well actually you are six of the ones!
- DrTom 3s · 2023-06-26T16:53:57.001ZOh, and as for your Commodores - for me it was originally like a brick house and I thought I was going to have to sail on or at least need a Zoom, but though I first said Oh No, now I feel sanctified.
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-27T01:29:37.820ZLove it!
- MatthewL 🤓5:08 · 2023-06-26T18:12:02.758ZFun one Mark. Just got to this today, but very enjoyable (especially after bombing out on the WSJ). Thanks!
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-27T01:30:06.167ZThanks for solving, Matthew - that WSJ was tough! No way I would have got it without help.
- Carolyn 3s · 2023-06-27T03:50:27.067ZJust got to it, but didn't need the hints. One of my mom's favorite expressions!
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-27T12:29:52.124ZThanks for solving, Carolyn!
- Tyrpmom 🤓11:29 · 2023-06-27T03:57:36.349ZNice Sunday meta to do late on a Monday.
- Mwoychick constructor · 2023-06-27T12:30:22.987ZCongrats, and thanks for solving