Thursday, December 21, 2023

Puzzle Seventy-Seven: Peak Performance (meta) + 2023 Puzzle Pack Announcement


It's the last contest meta of the year. This one is reportedly difficult -- I'm thinking a Week 4 on the Gaffney Scale. And I'll try to be available to provide hints, but I'm going to be out of town... Hopefully solvers can trade hints among themselves? The deadline, in keeping with Crosshare's features, is 12 PM EST Thursday (not Tuesday), December 28. 

The meta answer is a six-letter name.

Please submit answers and contact info through the Crosshare applet below.

And another announcement:

The contest meta prize this year has been a Puzzle Pack containing the following:

One 22x21 Sunday-style puzzle
2-part puzzle hunt puzzle
One cryptic crossword
Two themed crosswords
One Marching Bands variety puzzle
One Something Different crossword
One Packing Crates variety puzzle
Two freestyle crosswords

And I'm now going to send it to anyone who emails a record of a donation to a charitable organization made between December 1, 2023 and January 1, 2024 to lexicondevillive@outlook.com. No specific dollar amount required. 

I would prefer that donations be to Doctors Without Borders or other organizations providing aid to civilians in Gaza, but I don't want to exclude other good causes. 

Thanks as always for solving.

Puzzle Ninety-One: Hangers-On (meta)

Heading out of town so rushing this one a little. Should have come out yesterday but such is life. The meta answer is an eight-letter word ....