Pun of a Kind

PDF  /  PUZ Hello, everyone! As always, thanks so much for solving these metas. It never ceases to amaze me how passionate the meta community is, and I'm forever grateful to be a part of it! We had a challenging one last week - and another challenging one this week! The difficulty will reset when August comes, which isn't too far off! 1.  Puzzle #31 recap Puzzle #31 answer:  UPBEAT Correct entries:  23 - toughie! (Although I'm fully aware this would've been a high number in 2021, so perspective is everything!) I love music. You really didn't need to know that to do this meta, and I don't ever want to turn these into, "How well do you know Mikey G?" Here's how I envisioned the plan of attack: a) The title, coupled with the entries with the parentheticals, seem to give some "almost famous" people toward the end of it (note that the film of the same name also centers on the music industry): From top to bottom: PINK, ADELE, STING, SEAL, ENYA,...

PDF  /  PUZ 1.  Puzzle #30 recap Puzzle #30 answer: TRADE RUMORS Correct entries:  49 - I think this also might be a record! So close to the half-century mark! You know I love my baseball - but it wouldn't be fair to use prior knowledge of Mikey G to solve this one. Given the title, as well as some bizarre entries such as LIGERS, MAILINS, and TRIOLES, we might think that baseball is in play (especially since those entries look suspiciously like TIGERS, MARLINS, and ORIOLES, three MLB teams). Other longer examples, such as PILATES and DANGERS, turn into PIRATES and RANGERS with a letter swap, and we should be off to the races. There are 11 of these swaps, which also matches with the 11-letter prompt. When all the "trades" are made, the correct letters of the baseball teams (highlighted in yellow above) spell TRADE RUMORS , the answer to the meta. (And I have heard so many about the Cubs' beloved catcher Willson Contreras, it's not even funny.) 2. It's the fourt...

PDF  /  PUZ 1. Puzzle #29 recap Puzzle #29 answer:  7-UP Correct entries: 40   There are 7 UP s in the grid, for the drink 7-Up. Nothing more to say, haha. 2.  It's the middle of a month, which means it's time for a Level 3 meta.   If you know me, that's already a hint. Good luck! Mikey G The answer to the meta, 11 letters in 2 words, is an alternate title for the puzzle.

  PDF  /  PUZ 1.  Puzzle #29 recap Puzzle #28 answer: SATURDAY IN THE PARK Correct entries:  38 Could there be a better jam for the patriotic weekend? The first words of each multiword across entry of 8 or more letters spells out "I think it was the Fourth of July," a lyric in the first verse of Chicago's 1972 bop "Saturday in the Park."  Far be it from me, the millennial, to use the phrase, but this was certainly a time when music was music. I'm sure quality music exists today, but it seems like you have to search a lot more for it! 2. My mom was the test solver on this one, and I tried to make the clues and meta as easy as possible. To quote my mother, "Oh, there was a theme?" This, on both counts, should be as much of a Level 1  as I can offer. Good luck! Mikey G The answer to the meta is a drink.

PDF  /  PUZ 1.  Puzzle #27 recap Puzzle #27 answer:  VIBRANT Correct entries: 25 Perhaps one of the hardest challenges I've created and rightful of its place as a Week 4  (at least!!). Math story: Often, you have to solve proofs in geometry class. Sometimes, I'll look at one and think, "Oh, that's maybe just 3 or 4 steps," and then it ends up being 10. That's kind of what happened with this one! I knew it was a Level 4, but I didn't realize how intricate was until I actually went to explain how we get to our meta answer of VIBRANT . Here's the journey: 1. Recognize that the seven longest, symmetrically placed themers (all of which are followed by a number in parentheses) have a word within that are linked to another phrase or title. 2. Each of these phrases contains a color in the rainbow, in ROYGBIV, from top to bottom: PAINT THE TOWN RED ORANGE  IS THE NEW BLACK FOLLOW THE YELLOW  BRICK ROAD ANNE OF GREEN  GABLES ONCE IN A BLUE  MOON MOOD I...