A metapuzzle, also known as a meta-puzzle or meta, is a puzzle that uses the solutions to a set of puzzles to create or provide data for a final puzzle.[1]
Game designer Cliff Johnson defines a meta-puzzle as "a collection of puzzles that, when solved, each give a piece of a master puzzle."[2] A metapuzzle is a puzzle that unites several puzzles that feed into it. For example, five puzzles that had the answers BLACK, HAMMER, FROST, KNIFE, and UNION would lead to the metapuzzle answer JACK, which combines with all of those words to make new words and phrases.
A "meta-meta" can exist in larger sets of puzzles, uniting several metapuzzles. So if that metapuzzle answer JACK was alongside three metapuzzles with the answers TEN, QUEEN, and ACE, the meta-meta answer would be KING, the remaining card in an ace high straight.
The structure of a metapuzzle often makes it possible to guess, with a greater or lesser degree of certainty, the solutions to the puzzles that feed into it without solving them. This technique is called backsolving. For instance, in the above example, after solving the puzzles whose answers were BLACK, HAMMER, FROST, and KNIFE, and the metapuzzle answer JACK, a backsolver might, instead of solving the fifth puzzle, correctly guess UNION as its answer simply based on the knowledge that it must form a word or phrase with JACK. Backsolving is not infallible; the same backsolver might incorrectly guess SPRING-HEELED as the answer just as easily as correctly guessing UNION.
Types
Rally
In a rally metapuzzle, individual puzzles are checkpoints in a race or maze; solving the puzzle unlocks the location of the next puzzle.[1]
Compilation
In a compilation metapuzzle, the answers to puzzles unite as components used to solve a final puzzle. This form of puzzle is particularly inclined towards backsolving, where some of the component puzzle answers are used to solve the final metapuzzle, and the metapuzzle's solution is used to solve the remaining component puzzles.[1]
Cascade
A cascade is a metapuzzle where the solution to one puzzle becomes the basis for the next puzzle. For instance, a cryptogram might produce clues for a crossword puzzle, and the crossword's solution might form a word search.[1]
Crossword metapuzzles are crosswords that, when correctly solved, provide the basis for a second puzzle. Crosswords with metapuzzle components started to grow in popularity in the 2010s, after Matt Gaffney began making crossword metapuzzles in 2008.[3]
metapuzzle, metapuzzle, also, known, meta, puzzle, meta, puzzle, that, uses, solutions, puzzles, create, provide, data, final, puzzle, contents, overview, types, rally, compilation, cascade, crossword, also, puzzle, hunts, that, have, metapuzzles, puzzle, game. A metapuzzle also known as a meta puzzle or meta is a puzzle that uses the solutions to a set of puzzles to create or provide data for a final puzzle 1 Contents 1 Overview 2 Types 2 1 Rally 2 2 Compilation 2 3 Cascade 2 4 Crossword 3 See also 3 1 Puzzle hunts that have metapuzzles 3 2 Puzzle games that have metapuzzles 3 3 Puzzle books that have metapuzzles 3 4 Websites that have metapuzzles 4 ReferencesOverview EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed July 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Game designer Cliff Johnson defines a meta puzzle as a collection of puzzles that when solved each give a piece of a master puzzle 2 A metapuzzle is a puzzle that unites several puzzles that feed into it For example five puzzles that had the answers BLACK HAMMER FROST KNIFE and UNION would lead to the metapuzzle answer JACK which combines with all of those words to make new words and phrases A meta meta can exist in larger sets of puzzles uniting several metapuzzles So if that metapuzzle answer JACK was alongside three metapuzzles with the answers TEN QUEEN and ACE the meta meta answer would be KING the remaining card in an ace high straight Metapuzzles are frequently found in puzzle hunts The structure of a metapuzzle often makes it possible to guess with a greater or lesser degree of certainty the solutions to the puzzles that feed into it without solving them This technique is called backsolving For instance in the above example after solving the puzzles whose answers were BLACK HAMMER FROST and KNIFE and the metapuzzle answer JACK a backsolver might instead of solving the fifth puzzle correctly guess UNION as its answer simply based on the knowledge that it must form a word or phrase with JACK Backsolving is not infallible the same backsolver might incorrectly guess SPRING HEELED as the answer just as easily as correctly guessing UNION Types EditRally Edit In a rally metapuzzle individual puzzles are checkpoints in a race or maze solving the puzzle unlocks the location of the next puzzle 1 Compilation Edit In a compilation metapuzzle the answers to puzzles unite as components used to solve a final puzzle This form of puzzle is particularly inclined towards backsolving where some of the component puzzle answers are used to solve the final metapuzzle and the metapuzzle s solution is used to solve the remaining component puzzles 1 Cascade Edit A cascade is a metapuzzle where the solution to one puzzle becomes the basis for the next puzzle For instance a cryptogram might produce clues for a crossword puzzle and the crossword s solution might form a word search 1 Crossword Edit Main article Crossword Metapuzzles Crossword metapuzzles are crosswords that when correctly solved provide the basis for a second puzzle Crosswords with metapuzzle components started to grow in popularity in the 2010s after Matt Gaffney began making crossword metapuzzles in 2008 3 See also EditPuzzle hunts that have metapuzzles Edit MIT Mystery Hunt Microsoft Puzzle Hunt Microsoft Puzzle Safari College Puzzle Challenge PEA Puzzle Hunt 4 Puzzle games that have metapuzzles Edit The Fool s Errand 3 in Three System s Twilight The Fool and His Money Baba Is YouPuzzle books that have metapuzzles Edit The Librarian s Almanaq The Maze of Games The Year of PuzzlesWebsites that have metapuzzles Edit Some Puzzles by Mark Halpin PlanetariumReferences Edit a b c d Selinker Mike Snyder Thomas 2013 Puzzles within Puzzles Puzzle Craft Puzzlewright Press ISBN 9781402779244 Johnson Cliff November 2003 Questions asked by Martin Mathers from Paragon Publishing www thefoolsgold com Interview Interviewed by Martin Mathers Archived from the original on 2005 03 10 Kassel Matthew 2015 11 23 Chasing The Aha Moment The Rise of the Meta Puzzle Observer Retrieved 2022 07 10 About the Hunt PEA Puzzle Hunt Retrieved 2023 03 18 This puzzle logic game related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Metapuzzle amp oldid 1165115799, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
