21. Help Wanted

Puzzles! Puns! The occasional crosswordese! Solve a new meta at the end of each of month at https://punofakind.blogspot.com/
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MikeyG
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21. Help Wanted

#1

Post by MikeyG »

PDF and PUZ

Crosshare

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Hope you like blackjack (that's not the meta answer) - it's meta #21!

Super shout-out to @whimsy for another great test-solve; she and I agreed this would be a Level 3 of 5.

The answer to the meta is a six-letter word.

The deadline is Tuesday, May 10 at noon EST

Leaderboard of Destiny:

0. whimsy
1. Frankie
2. Hector
3. LesY
4. oldjudge
5. LuckyGuest
6. Darth
7. Schmeel
8. Meg
9. boharr
10. benchen71
11. Abide
12. DIS
13. lbray53
14. DrTom
15. Alex R

Good luck!

Mikey G
Last edited by MikeyG on Mon May 09, 2022 10:34 am, edited 5 times in total.
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 93. Person of Letters
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oldjudge
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#2

Post by oldjudge »

Job filled—really a clever puzzle Mikey!
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Darth
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#3

Post by Darth »

Loved it! And a perfect start to the day! ;) [Confirmed on Crosshare]
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Schmeel
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#4

Post by Schmeel »

Nice puzzle.
Thanks Mikey!
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Meg
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#5

Post by Meg »

Fun! It’s so nice when you have a thought and it turns out to be the bunnyful tunnel.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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boharr
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#6

Post by boharr »

Tough but enjoyable. Thanks Mikey.
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benchen71
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#7

Post by benchen71 »

Solved, after a couple of sleeps gave me a chance to think about things differently. Thanks for the puzzle (and the shout-out), Mikey!
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta! :shock:
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Abide
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#8

Post by Abide »

Nice puzzle! You know what they say about the last place you look...
The site is just a web page, a meeting place, a clubhouse - it's the group that's special.
—Brian MacDonald
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lbray53
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#9

Post by lbray53 »

I was definitely in a Help Wanted situation. Fortunately I got some great help to reel me in from a very, very deep and convoluted rabbit hole.
My avatar proves that it is sometimes better to be lucky than good!
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MikeyG
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#10

Post by MikeyG »

lbray53 wrote: ↑Tue May 03, 2022 9:56 am I was definitely in a Help Wanted situation. Fortunately I got some great help to reel me in from a very, very deep and convoluted rabbit hole.
As always, I look forward to hearing what that rabbit hole was after deadline!
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 93. Person of Letters
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MikeyG
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#11

Post by MikeyG »

Answer: MAYDAY
Solvers: 15 - a little tougher!
Winner: @boharr - congrats!

Image

Path to success:
  • The only spanner is MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE, which is clued referencing its mistitled name.
  • Due to its refrain, the song is often (incorrectly) titled "Sending out an SOS."
  • This, along with the title, suggests that "SOS" is going to be important.
  • Six clues have the letter string "SOS" appear in some way: MEMBRANES (lySOSomes), ALAS (SO Sad), YOUN (ActresS OScar), DISPLAY (pompouS, OStentatious), ANGLES (iSOSceles), YOUTH (PicasSO Said)
  • The first letters of those clues spell MAYDAY, the answer to the meta!
That's all for right now - get ready for the Summer of Solves, coming soon to a computer near you! Until next time, happy puzzling!

Mikey G
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 93. Person of Letters
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lbray53
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#12

Post by lbray53 »

MikeyG wrote: ↑Fri May 06, 2022 6:14 pm
lbray53 wrote: ↑Tue May 03, 2022 9:56 am I was definitely in a Help Wanted situation. Fortunately I got some great help to reel me in from a very, very deep and convoluted rabbit hole.
As always, I look forward to hearing what that rabbit hole was after deadline!
Here you go!

Help Wanted - I noticed tha I could "help" MANY entries around the edge of the grid by adding one letter. Clockwise:
(F)AIRE, (S)ALAS, TRAS(H), YOUN(G), DAS(H), YEAS(T), HEAT(H), (S)CRAM, (R)STU, (G)LEN, (P)ERMA (A)LIEN
Many of these "new" words were more common, which seemed to support my theory. The clue for 62A seemed like a nudge.

Then I found SOS. So close to ESSO and LESSSO.
Should I look at COS, SYS, MOS only one letter off.

How about the ABA pattern found within words. L(OGO), CATS(EYE)S, ORTH(ODO)XY, B(EHE)ST
My avatar proves that it is sometimes better to be lucky than good!
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