Stupid Time Sink

[rhu]

I wasn't going to bother with the Starbuck's Crossword contest. (I figure that I can name a few dozen solvers who are faster than I -- and those are just the ones I can name off the top of my head -- so why waste the time?) Then I started doing it for fun and I got hooked. Solved the six basic puzzles fairly quickly, and solved all the metapuzzles I could find. Now I'm stuck looking for the next metapuzzle and I'm not sure if it's already where it's supposed to be or if it's going to be revealed sometime in early April.

If it's already available and I give up looking, I'll feel really stupid. If it's not there yet and I waste more time looking for it, I'll feel really stupid.

I should be searching for chometz, not treasure.

sigh

Comments

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

What's a Corssword? Is it a special type of crossword puzzle? I haven't heard of this game, but then again, I'm not as big a puzzle person as you are.

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

Corssword is a special typo of crossword. :-)

[Edited to fix]

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Oh, one of the special typos! I should have realized. (shaking my head)

But what is the game in general? Perhaps there's a webpage to explain it?

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

For the last six Sundays, Starbuck's has been distributing an extra crossword puzzle with the New York Times. (No purchase necessary, you can just walk in and pick 'em up or ask for 'em, depending on the store, it seems.) Each of those six puzzles has, in addition to the main crossword puzzle, some additional steps to follow.

The first person to combine all the available information and call an 800 number with the final answer word wins "coffee for life" -- i.e., an annuity that pays the equivalent of $4 a day.

It's been quite entertaining, actually, and when it's all over I want to hear Patrick Berry and Will Shortz explain how they came up with all the clever things they did.

But in the meantime, I'm frustrated not knowing if I've done all I can for now!

Where You Are

[(Anonymous)]

I think I'm where you are, or you're a bit ahead if I missed something. I think I read somewhere that there will be a 1-800 number to call on the 4th with "the answer", but I don't know what that number is or if I just gave you the right date.

Some help I am. ;{)}

--Jeffurry

[angwantibo.livejournal.com]

Not my thing and the hardest sudokus are boring now. I'd be interested in some real math puzzles. Do you know of any good ones?

The mensa puzzle books are boring as well.

[elainetyger.livejournal.com]

Xeipon in the NPL has a math puzzle website. Sorry I don't know the url; I'm into visual logic & word puzzles.

[rubrick.livejournal.com]

The aforementioned math puzzle site is http://www.mathpuzzle.com/

[angwantibo.livejournal.com]

That link didn't work for me.

[rubrick.livejournal.com]

Hm, it must have gone down sometime recently. It's the top Google hit for "math puzzle", if you want to look at the cached version.

[angwantibo.livejournal.com]

Bummer.

[rubrick.livejournal.com]

It's back up again.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Good luck, I hope you get to make "the call"!