"Down at the Mall"

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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Al Sisti
Posts: 2037
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:28 pm
Location: Whitesboro NY

#61

Post by Al Sisti »

Thursday morning leaderboard update:

38 MamaE
39 Cinny
40 ricky
41 whimsy
42 dplass
43 joequavis
44 Scott Medvetz
45 Snood
46 Anita
47 hoover
48 KayW
49 auee89
50 Tom Mueller
51 bhamren
52 lbray53
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Cinny
Posts: 805
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2020 2:53 pm
Location: Minoa, NY
Contact:

#62

Post by Cinny »

OTC ---- finally!!
Cindy Heisler
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Jeremy Smith
Posts: 970
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:45 pm
Location: Tampa Bay area

#63

Post by Jeremy Smith »

Finally off the couch! Another great one by Al.
Heading out on a long bike ride, so I’ll be late getting to WSJCC (and the beach party).
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CPJohnson
Posts: 1078
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:38 pm
Location: Kingsport, TN

#64

Post by CPJohnson »

oops. (How do I delete a post sent in error?)
Cynthia
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Al Sisti
Posts: 2037
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:28 pm
Location: Whitesboro NY

#65

Post by Al Sisti »

Friday morning leaderboard additions (please let me know if you should be on there; don't forget, there is a prize at stake!).

53 BrianMac
54 Jeremy Smith
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BethA
Posts: 624
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 6:44 pm
Location: Beaver, PA

#66

Post by BethA »

My first try at a MUGgle Meta - enjoyed it! I guess I am off the couch!
minimuggle
Posts: 553
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2020 7:33 am

#67

Post by minimuggle »

Thanks to everyone with all of the help with my technical difficulties :) You guys are great! Enjoy the weekend.
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LadyBird
Posts: 872
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:20 pm
Location: Chicagoland

#68

Post by LadyBird »

Just now had a chance to look at this and I am confirmed off the couch. I loved the twist of 15A.
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DrTom
Posts: 3765
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#69

Post by DrTom »

What make's Al's METAs so much fun is only partly the mechanisms, which are always unique. However, it is his cluing that sometimes gets a down right belly laugh out of you. We all try to chase Al in our attempts to amuse, and misdirect. I think 56 solvers may be some kind of record!

Great job!
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!
JeanneC
Posts: 616
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 11:25 am
Location: Florida

#70

Post by JeanneC »

DrTom wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 5:59 pm What make's Al's METAs so much fun is only partly the mechanisms, which are always unique. However, it is his cluing that sometimes gets a down right belly laugh out of you. We all try to chase Al in our attempts to amuse, and misdirect. I think 56 solvers may be some kind of record!

Great job!
Absolutely agree! Al’s metas are always fun!
“I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions”. Lillian Hellman
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Al Sisti
Posts: 2037
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:28 pm
Location: Whitesboro NY

#71

Post by Al Sisti »

11th hour (prorated) leaderboard update:

55 BethA
56 NaptownKid
57 Cindy N
58 LadyBird
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Al Sisti
Posts: 2037
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:28 pm
Location: Whitesboro NY

#72

Post by Al Sisti »

The answer to this meta, as found by 58 solvers, was FOYER.

So how did we get there? There’s nothing much in the grid that stands out...no long themed entries… no asterisks, no enumerations… So let’s go to the clues.

Not much there, except in that southeast corner – often used by constructors as a go-to place to get a hint. Nudge Corner, if you will. The clue at 58A tells us “Mall symbol used to let you know "You Are Here,” with the answer ARROW (and how does that sign always know where I am???). Again, there are no ARROWs in the grid, except for the unintentional arrow-like visual formed by the placement of the black squares. Ah, but the letter V can be an arrow-head symbol, especially when there’s an I representing the shaft above it in five Down entries. And the letters being pointed to by those five “arrows” are, in order, F-O-Y-E-R.

Now, a couple of points. Yes, some malls have foyers. I didn’t think so, but test solver extraordinaire Peter Abide assured me there was. Secondly, a sports “mea culpa.” Leon Lett – the football version of Bill Buckner – did indeed make two highly-aired gaffes, but only one was in a Super Bowl. Then there was this – the absolute perfect answer, suggested by two solvers, that I didn’t think of when I was making the meta. The perfect place at a mall, pointed to by an Arrow? Target, of course.

Oh, finally, people ask sometimes where I get the ideas for my metas. This one actually came from a meta that one of our Muggle friends recently did, where one of the clues was (I’m paraphrasing) “letters under the arrow at a basketball game,” with the answer being “POS” (for “possession arrow”). I remember circling that clue, sure that it was going to be the key to the mechanism. Well, it wasn’t… for that puzzle. So I stole it.

The random winner this week was Cap’n Rick, who will receive his choice of a) a Blarney Rebel Band CD, b) a Utica Club keepsake or c) a $15 donation I will make to a charity of his choice (Cap'n Rick, PM me with your address so I can get it to you).

Anyway, thanks for solving, and I hope to be back on a Monday in the not-too-distant future!

[graphic contributed by the inimitable Joe Ross]
Picture4.png
JeanneC
Posts: 616
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 11:25 am
Location: Florida

#73

Post by JeanneC »

The head smack heard ‘round the world! Brilliant construction. Wish I had seen it. 🤦‍♀️
“I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions”. Lillian Hellman
Dplass
Posts: 1739
Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:09 am

#74

Post by Dplass »

Facepalm...I didn't see the Is above the Vs forming the.arrows...thought it was just the Vs...
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Joe Ross
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Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
Location: Cincinnati

#75

Post by Joe Ross »

Dplass wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:25 pm Facepalm...I didn't see the Is above the Vs forming the.arrows...thought it was just the Vs...
As did I, until I thought, "arrows have shafts," looked, again, & saw the "I"s. Al is meticulous, as well as hugely entertaining. All MMM creators are impressive! We're lucky to have them.
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Al Sisti
Posts: 2037
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:28 pm
Location: Whitesboro NY

#76

Post by Al Sisti »

Joe Ross wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:35 pm
Dplass wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:25 pm Facepalm...I didn't see the Is above the Vs forming the.arrows...thought it was just the Vs...
As did I, until I thought, "arrows have shafts," looked, again, & saw the "I"s. Al is meticulous, as well as hugely entertaining. All MMM creators are impressive! We're lucky to have them.
For all the metas that gave me the shaft, it seemed almost fitting. Thanks for the compliments, for the whole stable.
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whimsy
Posts: 2718
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:51 am
Location: Hopkinton MA

#77

Post by whimsy »

Others of you must have been like myself and seen Al everywhere -- especially in the SCADS/ITALICS area of the NE and certainly sitting on the LAILA/PISTOLS bench under the "escalator" --- He looked a little broken up so I was glad to see Zsa Zsa next to him cheering him up.

Thanks muchly, Al -- lots of fun!
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BrennerTJ
Posts: 433
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2021 2:54 pm
Location: Chicago suburbs

#78

Post by BrennerTJ »

JeanneC wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:46 am The head smack heard ‘round the world! Brilliant construction. Wish I had seen it. 🤦‍♀️
Me too! Not even close... --> even though I use arrow characters in text all the time. Nice puzzle!
-Tamara
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sharkicicles
Posts: 798
Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 12:03 pm
Location: Chicago

#79

Post by sharkicicles »

Doh, I stopped at "ROOFTOP" as it was under the first IV I saw. Just saying, more malls have rooftops than foyers. ;)

Nice puzzle, and like others said I enjoyed the cluing. Had to google to figure out what 39A meant, though. :)
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Tripod
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri May 08, 2020 10:19 pm
Location: Massachusetts

#80

Post by Tripod »

This is where using Capital "I" with a an I-Beam shape hurt me...nice puzzle.
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