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Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 12:35 pm
by Woof
Bah. Overthought the atmosphere question. Stratosphere's too easy for a 12-pointer, so I'll go with thermosphere.

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 12:37 pm
by morbeedo
Back in my acting days, I was an extra (technically a supernumerary) in Writing to Vermeer, an absurdly highbrow opera about three women who write letters to Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer in the year 1672. The opera was performed on a raked stage, and I'm surprised I didn't trip in my period shoes and tumble into the orchestra!

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 1:04 pm
by newtrat
For people in the thread who haven't heard of it, "Friday"https://youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0 is a song by then-unknown singer (more like "random person") Rebecca Black. You can pay some companies to let you star in your own music video, and that's how she ended up recording the song and accompanying video. It gained fame online as a joke/novelty song for its inane lyrics ("yesterday was Thursday / today is Friday") and out-of-place rap section.

If you haven't watched it, I think you should -- it's very funny. There's more information about the song and its rise to infamy on Know Your Meme: https://amp.knowyourmeme.com/memes/rebecca-black-friday

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:50 pm
by seaborgium
"Panthalassia" wouldn't pass muster on the show, but I'm hoping for "close enough" leniency here.

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 3:09 pm
by RJRouge
Huh. I loved watching Glee. Just shows how much I hate that song (or how forgettable the last couple seasons were).

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:06 pm
by xxaaaxx
MarkBarrett wrote: Fri Aug 10, 2018 12:27 pm The song sequel had me too chicken to risk it even with the small penalty. My fear was it being some kind of trick and having a longer title such as "Saturday Night."
I'm usually (too) neg-averse, and I tell myself every summer that I should take more chances (it's not like I'm in contention for the playoffs, after all). I figured if I can't take a 2pt WAG at Saturday being a 'calendar-themed' sequel to Friday, when will I ever? ;)

As often as I encounter the term Pangaea, I feel like 'Panthalassa' should be familiar to me, but if I'm come across it before I've completely forgotten about it.

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:07 pm
by heppm01
immaf wrote: Fri Aug 10, 2018 12:07 pm I haven't the foggiest idea what that Friday category is about. Is it a band? A song? A TV show?
Same here. Eventually figured out it is a song, but with only passing familiarity with other references in the category I had to take a pass on the whole thing. And considering I had only one sure thing in the second category, I am thinking about sitting out this round altogether. Yes, I would be giving up a handful of points but I am nowhere close to being competitive and my average/day would not suffer.

(Note that I am not at all being critical of whowho?, he/she just managed to focus in on something that I've never been exposed to).

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 7:15 pm
by Magna
MarkBarrett wrote: Fri Aug 10, 2018 12:27 pm The song sequel had me too chicken to risk it even with the small penalty. My fear was it being some kind of trick and having a longer title such as "Saturday Night."
Or "Weekend".

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 12:31 am
by Magna
I'm still wondering what the answer to r2d5's 3-pointer was. Various sources tell me the earth's core is made up of an alloy of two transition metals, but they don't identify which one predominates.

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 8:19 am
by NoWhammies10
I have no idea how to solve cryptic crosswords. RIP my score :P

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 8:28 am
by teapot37
NoWhammies10 wrote: Sat Aug 11, 2018 8:19 am I have no idea how to solve cryptic crosswords. RIP my score :P
Usually, cryptic clues will have two parts: a definition or synonym, and then some sort of word play that will lead you to the answer.

3: Flutist hiding in Mississippi perfume factory (5)

This one tells you you are looking for a flutist hiding in a Mississippi perfume factory -> PIPER

6: Sea criminals frightened a priest. (7)

"Sea criminals" is the definition; "frightened" usually means some words are getting scrambled. A PRIEST -> PIRATES

9: Sharp play on words, sir. (7)

"Sharp" is the definition. This one is putting two synonyms together. "Play on words" = PUN, "sir" = GENT, pun + gent -> PUNGENT

12: Ape into its messy plant (10)

In this case the definition, "plant", is at the end. "Messy" is like "frightened" before, signaling an anagram. APE INTO ITS -> POINSETTIA

15: Serving of butter in a thin, shiny layer (6)

"Thin, shiny layer" is the definition. "Serving of butter" is a PAT. Pat + "in a" -> PATINA.

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 10:35 am
by John Boy
teapot37 wrote: Sat Aug 11, 2018 8:28 am
NoWhammies10 wrote: Sat Aug 11, 2018 8:19 am I have no idea how to solve cryptic crosswords. RIP my score :P
Usually, cryptic clues will have two parts: a definition or synonym, and then some sort of word play that will lead you to the answer.

3: Flutist hiding in Mississippi perfume factory (5)

This one tells you you are looking for a flutist hiding in a Mississippi perfume factory -> PIPER

6: Sea criminals frightened a priest. (7)

"Sea criminals" is the definition; "frightened" usually means some words are getting scrambled. A PRIEST -> PIRATES

9: Sharp play on words, sir. (7)

"Sharp" is the definition. This one is putting two synonyms together. "Play on words" = PUN, "sir" = GENT, pun + gent -> PUNGENT

12: Ape into its messy plant (10)

In this case the definition, "plant", is at the end. "Messy" is like "frightened" before, signaling an anagram. APE INTO ITS -> POINSETTIA

15: Serving of butter in a thin, shiny layer (6)

"Thin, shiny layer" is the definition. "Serving of butter" is a PAT. Pat + "in a" -> PATINA.


criminy. maybe if he had said "anagram" instead of some "signal" for anagram :roll: I might have had a chance. I've been solving NYT crosswords for decades and do not remember ever encountering those "secret words" for "anagram." sheesh.

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 11:31 am
by Linear Gnome
John Boy wrote: Sat Aug 11, 2018 10:35 am criminy. maybe if he had said "anagram" instead of some "signal" for anagram :roll: I might have had a chance. I've been solving NYT crosswords for decades and do not remember ever encountering those "secret words" for "anagram." sheesh.
She, for the record.

Cryptic crosswords are kind of their own thing with their own rules. Within the universe of cryptic crosswords, I aimed for 85 mph fastballs down the middle, since I don't consider myself to be good at them. Mainly, I was hoping to follow the rules successfully and write clues I thought I could solve if I hadn't written them.

There was a thread on cryptic crosswords earlier this year, so I hoped the category would not be too far into left field. Here's the link, if I did it right:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4542

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 12:11 pm
by NoWhammies10
Seeing each clue explained, I feel you did a good job with your clues. I've just never really done cryptics before so I had no real place to start. Learning something new isn't ever a bad thing!

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 12:38 pm
by twelvefootboy
I thought the Friday theme was cleverly clued. You could take obvious guesses at the first three (which I did), and then you need to know something pop cultural, then something category specific. We all learned something we didn't know (and may not care about ;)).
I failed to connect to the theme of "cryptic" crossword, and just took it at "regular crossword". But there was an earlier thread I think prompted by morbeedo (no caps!). I didn't lose anything with the confusion, I can't solve these things. In a million years I don't get the piper and priest connotations. Great set of clues, TOC worthy.
This is a fun diversion - thanks to all the writers! And hopes for a speedy recovery for our host!

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 1:00 pm
by seaborgium
I'm one of the few who didn't get that Gandhi was protesting a salt tax. Afterwards I felt like a dope, but if the clue had said he led a march to the sea I might have had a better chance on it. Of course, since I was trying to draw parallels to the Boston Tea Party, maybe going to the sea wouldn't have made a difference.

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 1:03 pm
by MattKnowles
I appreciate the cryptic crossword category more after reading the explanation here.

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 1:06 pm
by 9021amyers
I feel dumb for not getting “pungent,” but there’s no way I was ever getting “poinsettia.”

I couldn’t figure out the point of the cryptic category until I connected butter to pat.

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 1:36 pm
by morbeedo
I should note that ‘As You Like It’ was my back-up question, and it was edited to take out a clue that would have helped. I didn’t want to include 2 theatre questions, but I don’t remember the question that got thrown out

Re: Summer Hiatus Challenge 2018--Round 2 Instant Replay (SPOILERS)

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 1:41 pm
by Elijah Baley
Now that I see the explanations, I get it; are there any other clues to watch out for, i.e., "frightened" and "messy"? It's a fun category when you know what you're looking for so maybe something to run again towards the end of the challenge?