The Weekly Whoop #5: Clue #2
Sometimes one and one make three...
Useful Links: The Key | The Word Search (Interactive) | Clue #1 (Post) | Clue #1 (Interactive Crossword)Howdy, weekend warriors!
I come bearing hints!
The second and final clue for The Weekly Whoop #5, features addenda, clarifications, and ruminations.
But first, let’s recap the word search and the first clue’s crossword.
The Word Search
The Weekly Whoop #5 presents the word search below as the central quest. Complete the word search using the key, the 20 prompts below, and the clues.
An online, interactive version of the above word search grid is available here.
The Crossword
The first clue was a crossword.
As I noted during The Turkey Hunt (which debuted the current format), solving the crossword will help you with word lengths and validation via overlapping letters and findability in the word search.
You can see the crossword below or use the interactive version.
All caught up? Let’s hop on to the second and final clue.
Addenda and Clarifications
These pertain to the Across and Down prompts of the first clue’s crossword. Their equivalents from the original word search are notified in parentheses.
3 Across (prompt 17 in the word search): the subject (or protagonist) of a flattery to the namesake of Blaise’s grand mentee; the aforementioned namesake created a character who was an alchemist of sorts and is a namesake of the protagonist
9 Across (6): The likely name on an early picture of the most portrayed man in moving pictures (not the name of the portrayed man)
10 Down (1): The creator of an inspiration for the three-pipe problem solver once called himself ______ (a pseudonym); an English poet (namesake)
12 Down (8): The Woman’s consort; a well-known antivirus software (namesake)
Ruminations
The prompts for The Weekly Whoop #5’s word search/crossword are one of the more straightforward sets I have created.
A simple reading of the prompts makes the key redundant and clarifies the focus of this weekend’s puzzle.
Oh no! No, no, no. I ain’t spelling it out for ya! But they really do clarify the focus, and you can build your search operations around that.
The important thing here is to maintain a certain level of malleability of meaning and freedom of framing.
Someone who maintains these two will ask a lot of questions. Here are some questions they might ask:
“Is it a person? Is it an object?”
“Is it a first name, a last name, a middle name, a pseudonym, a nom de plume, or even an assumed name?”
“Is it a photograph, a sketch, a painting, an illustration, or a film?”
Say they see a clue and go, “Merlin’s beard, that’s a mouthful!” They will also know that, “If it's too big to swallow, break it down into morsels.”1
And the more adventurous of their lot might also think that one of the clues here might indeed have something to do with Merlin or his beard or both or not. It's on the off chance anyway.
Bottomline: Don’t be bound by initial contextual assumptions no matter how clear the context seems to be. Sometimes it’s not elementary Watson!
(Wink, wink)
I hope you find these additions useful.
Please remember that the hunt closes on December 09, 2024, at 1800 hours PT.
The crossword is just a clue. To complete the hunt, you must send in the completed word search.
DM me for clarifications and counting sheep.
Love,
waveman
Recall that this discussion also came up during The Lamps & Lanterns Hunt.