Yes, I supposed I could've also used something like "AWN" and "EST", Berto. Thanks for solving!
Bird Lives 3s · 2024-02-26T12:51:51.297Z
What a fun way to start the week, and praise be to symmetry.
I found the three slanters, reread the prompt closely and guessed the answer, then backsolved. I found the "I," but even then, I didn't see how it was going to play out till I got to the M and MAI, then finished the rest with a smile on my face.
Caught all the "oped" endings and the "BIASED OPINION PIECES," and then sounded out the six entries. Clever, clean and as usual, symmet-RICK-al. (Speaking of which, do you suppose we could ever collaborate with Brian Cimmet and do a Cimmet-Rick-Al puzzle? I'll let myself out now...).
Did it the “hard” (non logical) way. Saw the opeds and looked at the clues IMH -PERFECT, then BPY, WHAT????. I went with IMHO just because (having first done OPED and SANE (letters in a row on slant) I went back and found biased opinion but never “pieces”? Then finally I sounded it out…DELIGHTFUL and so typically Rickish. Thank you.
Thanks, DrTom. There were a couple of different ways to attack this one, but a lot of folks got bogged down in the conversion of 6 clues/entries to 4 letters in the answer. I did a meta a couple of years ago called "A Farewell to R's" in which I embedded PAK THE CAW INN HAW VID YOD. That was sorta the inspiration for this one.
hoover 6s · 2024-02-26T22:23:14.035Z
Whew! I found the diagonal words and tried a few bad guesses (the first of which was OPED) before going back to the puzzle and realizing that OPED was embedded in a bunch of the clues... That led me to IMHPBY, from which it was but a short hop to the right answer.
Thanks for solving, hoover! As I expected, "OPED" is the most-submitted wrong answer. That's why I cautioned everyone to not be hasty in my intro. Glad you enjoyed it!
KayW 🤓6:01 · 2024-02-26T23:19:43.487Z
The advantage of a poor memory. I got to solve this twice, and loved it just as much the second time around! (and haha. When re-solving, I'm always just a little anxious that I WONT be able to find the answer at all the second time)
Thanks, Kay. Yes, that would be quite embarrassing if a Test Solver couldn't re-solve when a meta was published. Glad you were able to pull it off a second time! This wasn't any easy one.
Cindy Heisler 3s · 2024-02-26T23:49:18.341Z
I found the diagonal words and got oped. I then submitted several wrong answers before being nudged to the next step by a kindly muggle. Very clever meta. Thanks!
Thank you, Cindy. Yes, the leap from OPED to the 6 clues to verbalizing the 6 entries was a tall order. Thanks for hanging in there, though, and solving this puppy!
HeadinHome 🤓1:35 · 2024-02-27T01:01:49.822Z
Tried several ways to submit “Op Ed.” Back to the drawing board, and remembered there were some very odd little clues (one being 1A!). Then it was off to the races. So fun!
Finally got it, after being led by the nose to the correct solution. Really violated one of my most important meta solving rules -- when you don't see anything else, look at the clues. Which, of course, I never did, until prompted to do so. Doh! Thanks for the puzzle, Cap'n!
Thanks, Sharkicicles. I kinda figured that those 3 slanters would be difficult to spot, so I wanted to give folks another way to get to OPED via the clues.
JM 🤓11:54 · 2024-02-27T21:55:59.559Z
I need an ice pack for when I slapped my forehead. Maybe even a blue-tent-concussion-protocol. Elegant puzzle!
Perfect, but too clever for me! I submitted OP ED even though I knew it was wrong, because I couldn't figure out what on Earth I was supposed to be sounding out! I needed the third nudge, and then forehead slap.
Thanks for solving, SJMcK. This particular puzzle was tricky to construct because I needed to maintain both rotational and diagonal symmetry. The diagonal “BIASED OPINION PIECES” phrase/hint (which wouldn't have been symmetrical without PIECES being plural) was intended to hint at the 6 clues ending in "oped", or in other words, the 6 "opeds" among the clues whose answers led to INNMAIHUMBLOPINYEN ("IMHO").
so good.... i needed hint 4... i didn't sound them out which was so stupid because i sounded out the 3 diagonal entries over and over slowly but not the 6 3-letter words... the gratuitous cluing of "pooped" right off the bat at 1A let me know something was going on with that entry... very nice construction - love when a puzzle has multiple (and logical) layers... i'm just so mad at myself i didn't see it
Thanks, Phil. Yeah, there was a lot going on with this one. Glad you liked it!
Qmark 5s · 2024-03-05T14:14:54.888Z
Got to this a week late, but didn't peek at the solution. I found the 3 slanted entries, made the "OPED" connection, but needed nudge 3 to remind me to look in the clues for the next step. Got the rest without nudges...thanks for another great meta Cap'n Rick!
P.S. I loved how the entry "Blo" made a nice transition from "hum-ble" to "o-pinion".