Take a Letter, Maria by Al Sisti

STARTING APRIL 30, 2023

Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 meta puzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related organizations. Many of the constructors and test solvers involved with the project are members of the Muggle community. The bundle is available in exchange for a donation to any cancer-related charity. For more information, visit CrosswordsForCancer.com or email CrosswordsForCancer@gmail.com.
Post Reply
User avatar
AnswerPfinder
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 9:49 pm
Location: Hadley, MA

Take a Letter, Maria by Al Sisti

#1

Post by AnswerPfinder »

Take a Letter, Maria by Al Sisti.

The answer to this meta is a fitting five-letter title of note.

ribbonrow.png

This puzzle is part of the CCCC bundle. To access the bundle and for more information, see this post.
Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 metapuzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related charities. It is available at CrosswordsForCancer.com.
Top
User avatar
Conrad
Posts: 142
Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2019 2:16 pm
Location: Peaks Island, ME
Contact:
Contact Conrad

#2

Post by Conrad »

Fun meta! Thanks, @Al Sisti!

I haven't heard this wonderful song in a million years (no spoilers): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9Y0x1jLkLg
Check out my meta crossword writeups on Crossword Fiend: https://crosswordfiend.com/author/conrad/
Top
User avatar
boharr
Moderator
Posts: 3408
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:57 am
Location: Westchester, NY

#3

Post by boharr »

Nice one. Thanks, Al.
Top
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 2919
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:
Contact benchen71

#4

Post by benchen71 »

I had the answer before finishing the grid, but this is a wonderful meta idea that has been beautifully executed. Loved it! Thanks, @Al Sisti!
Check out "The MOAT Mini Pack of Marching Bands" here. US$5 gets you 7 Marching Bands which, hard enough on their own, now contain metas too. And once again there's a mega-meta! :D
Top
Schmeel
Posts: 1962
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 2:38 pm

#5

Post by Schmeel »

Good cause, good puzzle. I liked this one.
Thanks for the puzzle!
Top
User avatar
sharkicicles
Posts: 1119
Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 12:03 pm
Location: Chicago, Walter the Shih-Tzu's home town

#6

Post by sharkicicles »

I haven’t finished the meta yet, but I did address a copy of the puzzle to my wife.

Edit: got it! Clever.
Top
User avatar
Cindy
Posts: 1287
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:39 pm
Location: Matthews

#7

Post by Cindy »

Solved. Took me a hot minute to see it.
Top
User avatar
BarbaraK
Posts: 2782
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Virginia

#8

Post by BarbaraK »

Nothing, dead end, nothing, nothing, wait a minute, aha, wow! Very nicely done!
If you want help with a meta, feel free to PM me. The more specific you are about what you have and what you want, the more likely I can help without spoiling.

(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
Top
User avatar
Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 4741
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#9

Post by Bob cruise director »

Really cool meta and well done cluing

I am a bit disappointed that Utica is not on the grid somewhere :lol:

Great job and I am off to @MarkWoychick Fifth Wheel

And then on to savor the constructors that are new to me.

@AnswerPfinder - Will - great job putting this together
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
Top
User avatar
Al Sisti
Posts: 2134
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:28 pm
Location: Whitesboro NY

#10

Post by Al Sisti »

I'm not sure if we're allowed or expected to provide nudges for our individual puzzle, so if you don't want or need a nudge, don't click on the Spoiler button... but if you do:

The original wording for 34D was "According to them, taking a letter is a crime; in this meta, it is not (abbr.)"
Top
User avatar
whimsy
Posts: 3153
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:51 am
Location: Hopkinton MA

#11

Post by whimsy »

Dare I say it? Very cute! ...and fun too.
Had a few Spidey sensings while filling in the grid that I fortunately remembered when it came to crunch time.
Also, absolutely loved the imagery for 41A.
Thanks, Al!
Top
User avatar
DrTom
Posts: 4309
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#12

Post by DrTom »

A fortunate error led me home. Clever idea and lovely grid. Thanks Al.
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
Top
User avatar
Wendy Walker
Posts: 1963
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:44 pm
Location: Unionville, PA

#13

Post by Wendy Walker »

Fun one, Al, thanks! I remember the song well.
Good luck, fellow Muggles!
Top
User avatar
Jeremy Smith
Posts: 1108
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:45 pm
Location: Tampa Bay area

#14

Post by Jeremy Smith »

Nice meta! Thanks, Al!
Top
User avatar
KayW
Moderator
Posts: 4236
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 12:10 am
Location: Chicago

#15

Post by KayW »

Loved the cluing and the meta. Thanks Al!

Still giggling at 41 across. 9 down taught me what an octothorpe was. Who knew? Not me. And 8 across brought to mind an adage I heard in grade school: If you expect to rate, don't expectorate.
Top
User avatar
MikeyG
Posts: 1675
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 2:52 pm
Location: Chicago
Contact:
Contact MikeyG

#16

Post by MikeyG »

BarbaraK wrote: ↑Wed May 03, 2023 10:11 am Nothing, dead end, nothing, nothing, wait a minute, aha, wow! Very nicely done!
Absolutely! I had no idea how to pull this off at first, since nothing jumped out but then all of it sudden the light emerged!

Also, per the title: that is a great song. I love songs that frame things differently or tell a story - and bonus points if you can do it in roughly 3 minutes ("Take a Letter, Maria" is 2:44).

Others that come to mind, roughly from the same era (since I was raised properly)

"Bad Bad Leroy Brown" (3:02)
"Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" (3:06)
"Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show" (3:31)

Feel free to let me know others I would like based on this, not to turn this puzzle into musical matchmaking. (Although Al knows I was humming a bit as I was doing this one!)

Again, thanks for the great puzzle!!

Mikey G
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 113. Where's the Rest?
Top
User avatar
Al Sisti
Posts: 2134
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:28 pm
Location: Whitesboro NY

#17

Post by Al Sisti »

MikeyG wrote: ↑Tue May 09, 2023 12:48 pm
BarbaraK wrote: ↑Wed May 03, 2023 10:11 am Nothing, dead end, nothing, nothing, wait a minute, aha, wow! Very nicely done!
Absolutely! I had no idea how to pull this off at first, since nothing jumped out but then all of it sudden the light emerged!

Also, per the title: that is a great song. I love songs that frame things differently or tell a story - and bonus points if you can do it in roughly 3 minutes ("Take a Letter, Maria" is 2:44).

Others that come to mind, roughly from the same era (since I was raised properly)

"Bad Bad Leroy Brown" (3:02)
"Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" (3:06)
"Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show" (3:31)

Feel free to let me know others I would like based on this, not to turn this puzzle into musical matchmaking. (Although Al knows I was humming a bit as I was doing this one!)

Again, thanks for the great puzzle!!

Mikey G
That (video recording of you solving) was so cool to watch! And yeah, you have a great memory and a great voice...
Top
User avatar
rjy
Posts: 1223
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2021 12:52 pm
Location: Gaithersburg, MD

#18

Post by rjy »

Wow, Al! Great theme, metanism, and construction… really! Had to park it, nothing caught my eye, but gave it one more shot to solve, resisting the nudge aaaaaaand got it. Fun journey with a perfect answer!
Ray
Top
User avatar
ChrisKochmanski
Posts: 2446
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:51 pm
Location: Saline, Michigan

#19

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Nice!

Only one CCCC puzzle left. 😕
Top
Hidden in 3D
Posts: 415
Joined: Sun Nov 17, 2019 11:42 pm

#20

Post by Hidden in 3D »

Fun one, Al! And now I have a catchy earworm playing in my head - but this is a fun one and will be much enjoyed as I work in the yard today!
Sara
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC)”