"End of the Line"

A weekly meta crossword created by members of the forum. Difficulty levels will vary. Hints are usually available starting Wednesday, and solutions are posted on Sunday.
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BrianMac
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"End of the Line"

#1

Post by BrianMac »

Posting this from Lake Placid, NY, where the family and I have escaped to for a few days.

The title is "End of the Line" and the answer is a four-word question. I will be trying to stay mostly unplugged this week, so I probably won't be checking PMs for a while. Even so, you can PM me your answer and I will reply later in the week.

End of the Line.puz

End of the Line.pdf

I'm going to give a preemptive nudge since I don't know if I will log in for nudge Wednesday. I also feel like I should note that the meta is dependent upon familiarity with one piece of information. I think that most in this group will have that information, but in case not, this nudge should give you a Google starting point.

37-Across is not part of the theme set of answers, but is a hint to the theme.

Good luck and enjoy!
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Joe Ross
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#2

Post by Joe Ross »

Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ.
๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ถ๐˜€ ENORMOUS ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ:
๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ต, ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ & ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜‚๐—บ๐—ฎ. ๐—ฃ๐—Ÿ๐—˜๐—”๐—ฆ๐—˜ ๐—ฆ๐—›๐—”๐—ฅ๐—˜!
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ChrisKochmanski
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#3

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Off the couch!

Awaiting Brian's confirmation. Though as he warned, it may take a while. (No rush, Brian. Enjoy Lake Placid!)

EDIT: Brian has confirmed.
Last edited by ChrisKochmanski on Wed Dec 30, 2020 11:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
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boharr
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#4

Post by boharr »

Off the couch and submitted to Brian, who I hope is enjoying Lake Placid.

EDIT:
Confirmed.
Last edited by boharr on Wed Dec 30, 2020 11:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Joe Ross
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#5

Post by Joe Ross »

Having submitted, then read the nudge, I am confident that I am

Image
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ.
๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ถ๐˜€ ENORMOUS ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ:
๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ต, ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ & ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜‚๐—บ๐—ฎ. ๐—ฃ๐—Ÿ๐—˜๐—”๐—ฆ๐—˜ ๐—ฆ๐—›๐—”๐—ฅ๐—˜!
Schmeel
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#6

Post by Schmeel »

I am off the couch.
I accidently posted the answer I got to here instead of in a PM for a few seconds - if you saw it, I do apologize! Just me being a 17A.
In any case it was a fun puzzle!
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Hector
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#7

Post by Hector »

Submitted. Fun and funny.
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oldjudge
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#8

Post by oldjudge »

Solved, I guess.
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Bird Lives
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#9

Post by Bird Lives »

After step one, I had an idea (which I still like) that worked for two out of four. So I went elsewhere, submitted, and said, to quote a regular contributor to this board, "final answer."

Did anyone elese remember that the AG at 21A had a sheet thrown over a larger-than-life statue of The Spirit of Justice in the DoJ because said female Spirit had two exposed larger-than-life cast-aluminum breasts? (You can make your own jokes here about what our current vice-president would have done and then what his boss would have done.)

Anyway, as Prof. Spooner, after he'd quit Oxford and become a horse thief, asked a potential customer, "Would you . . . .?"
Jay
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Richard B.
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#10

Post by Richard B. »

Solved, awaiting confirmation.

And confirmed.
Last edited by Richard B. on Wed Dec 30, 2020 11:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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cbarbee002
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#11

Post by cbarbee002 »

Bird Lives wrote: โ†‘Mon Dec 28, 2020 6:21 pm After step one, I had an idea (which I still like) that worked for two out of four. So I went elsewhere, submitted, and said, to quote a regular contributor to this board, "final answer."

Did anyone elese remember that the AG at 21A had a sheet thrown over a larger-than-life statue of The Spirit of Justice in the DoJ because said female Spirit had two exposed larger-than-life cast-aluminum breasts? (You can make your own jokes here about what our current vice-president would have done and then what his boss would have done.)

Anyway, as Prof. Spooner, after he'd quit Oxford and become a horse thief, asked a potential customer, "Would you . . . .?"
It was John Ashcroft, not Danforth. Official line was that the cover improved the room's use as a TV backdrop. Who knows . . .
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Bird Lives
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#12

Post by Bird Lives »

cbarbee002 wrote: โ†‘Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:18 pm
Bird Lives wrote: โ†‘Mon Dec 28, 2020 6:21 pm After step one, I had an idea (which I still like) that worked for two out of four. So I went elsewhere, submitted, and said, to quote a regular contributor to this board, "final answer."

Did anyone elese remember that the AG at 21A had a sheet thrown over a larger-than-life statue of The Spirit of Justice in the DoJ because said female Spirit had two exposed larger-than-life cast-aluminum breasts? (You can make your own jokes here about what our current vice-president would have done and then what his boss would have done.)

Anyway, as Prof. Spooner, after he'd quit Oxford and become a horse thief, asked a potential customer, "Would you . . . .?"
It was John Ashcroft, not Danforth. Official line was that the cover improved the room's use as a TV backdrop. Who knows . . .
Right. Interesting that their names share five out of eight letters, which is probably why I confused them. I should have checked Google.
Jay
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cbarbee002
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#13

Post by cbarbee002 »

Bird Lives wrote: โ†‘Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:21 pm
cbarbee002 wrote: โ†‘Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:18 pm
Bird Lives wrote: โ†‘Mon Dec 28, 2020 6:21 pm After step one, I had an idea (which I still like) that worked for two out of four. So I went elsewhere, submitted, and said, to quote a regular contributor to this board, "final answer."

Did anyone elese remember that the AG at 21A had a sheet thrown over a larger-than-life statue of The Spirit of Justice in the DoJ because said female Spirit had two exposed larger-than-life cast-aluminum breasts? (You can make your own jokes here about what our current vice-president would have done and then what his boss would have done.)

Anyway, as Prof. Spooner, after he'd quit Oxford and become a horse thief, asked a potential customer, "Would you . . . .?"
It was John Ashcroft, not Danforth. Official line was that the cover improved the room's use as a TV backdrop. Who knows . . .
Right. Interesting that their names share five out of eight letters, which is probably why I confused them. I should have checked Google.
Too funny. When I read the clue, I also went to "Ashcroft".
Laura M
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#14

Post by Laura M »

Off the couch! Not officially verified, but no question; I did use the hint though. Really nice!
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C=64
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#15

Post by C=64 »

Solved, nice aha moment.
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Abide
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#16

Post by Abide »

I think I have it. Not sure...

I got a good chuckle out of 17-Across.

edit: confirmed!
Last edited by Abide on Wed Dec 30, 2020 12:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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FrankieHeck
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#17

Post by FrankieHeck »

Schmeel wrote: โ†‘Mon Dec 28, 2020 2:18 pm I am off the couch.
I accidently posted the answer I got to here instead of in a PM for a few seconds - if you saw it, I do apologize! Just me being a 17A.
In any case it was a fun puzzle!
I haven't made this mistake yet, but I have anxiety about it every time I send an answer via pm! I did actually see your spoiler post, so I don't have to worry about solving this one. I'm not sure I would have gotten it anyway. Almost certainly not without the nudge, but I don't think my chances were great.
Schmeel
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#18

Post by Schmeel »

FrankieHeck wrote: โ†‘Tue Dec 29, 2020 11:36 am
Schmeel wrote: โ†‘Mon Dec 28, 2020 2:18 pm I am off the couch.
I accidently posted the answer I got to here instead of in a PM for a few seconds - if you saw it, I do apologize! Just me being a 17A.
In any case it was a fun puzzle!
I haven't made this mistake yet, but I have anxiety about it every time I send an answer via pm! I did actually see your spoiler post, so I don't have to worry about solving this one. I'm not sure I would have gotten it anyway. Almost certainly not without the nudge, but I don't think my chances were great.
Re the anxiety - so do I.
I just happened to be posting in the middle of a teenage fracas going on around me, and my level of concentration was not as it should have been. In retrospect I probably should have waited until quiet decended on my house. Maybe 10 years.
In any case, I'm sorry yet again for the spoiler. To you and any other schlimazel I happened to be a 17A for. :oops:
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cbarbee002
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#19

Post by cbarbee002 »

Off the couch (not confirmed, but seems obvious). Very fun puzzle - - was difficult (for me) to find the "hook" to begin, but once I found that, the rest was muscle memory. :-)
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KayW
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#20

Post by KayW »

Confirmed :couch_and_lamp:
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.
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