"Just Beyond the Surface" - September 2020

A monthly, music-themed meta crossword published at noon on the first Tuesday of every month. The puzzles increase in difficulty each month, and at year end there is a 13th puzzle (the "Mega-Meta") that invokes each of the 12 monthly puzzles. Currently available at https://pmxwords.com/, as well as through the Washington Post website here: MMMM at WaPo
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Hector
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"Just Beyond the Surface" - September 2020

#1

Post by Hector »

The meta for this puzzle is a hit song from the '70s.
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Hector
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#2

Post by Hector »

What a tough grid. Liberal reliance on google here. Sweet meta, though.
Leslie
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#3

Post by Leslie »

Fun meta, great song. Grid was a slog. I only got about half of it filled out before I finally gave up and resorted to google.
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spotter
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#4

Post by spotter »

I found the grid easier than I usually do with these, but haven't found the meta yet! To each their own.
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Cindy
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#5

Post by Cindy »

Tough grid. Nice meta!
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TMart
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#6

Post by TMart »

This was a great one. Agree, tough grid.
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hcbirker
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#7

Post by hcbirker »

On the board! Fun one! Agree the grid was tough without Google.
Heidi
Dplass
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#8

Post by Dplass »

Can't even finish the grid... maybe next month.
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oldjudge
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#9

Post by oldjudge »

From my very limited experience it seems like Peter’s grids are really a lot of fun, and reflect what he has done recently. I enjoyed the grid and the song is one of my favorites.
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RPardoe
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#10

Post by RPardoe »

Nothing, nothing, nothing, then noticed something and the pieces slowly came together. AHA!
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Meg
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#11

Post by Meg »

That grid was haaaaaard. Meta just fine!
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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C=64
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#12

Post by C=64 »

Also had some inky write-overs in the grid. Fun meta mechanism.
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BarbaraK
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#13

Post by BarbaraK »

I enjoyed the challenge of Pete's grid, as I usually do. Started with a bunch of stuff I had no idea about, but slowly but surely managed to get a word here and there and ended up with only 3 blank squares that I had to google.

Clever meta. Need to take another crack at the mega one of these days.
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Hector
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#14

Post by Hector »

How come no one is talking about the glaring error in 27D?
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RPardoe
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#15

Post by RPardoe »

Hector wrote: Tue Sep 01, 2020 4:31 pm How come no one is talking about the glaring error in 27D?
Because the award was given in 1964 for 1963 work?
So does the year describe the actual year the award was received?
Or the award for accomplishments in the listed year?

I didn't consider it an error at all as I used the second definition in my mind as the same often happens for other awards (eg Academy Awards). The award is presented in the calendar year after the work, but is generally referenced by the year when the work is performed.
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Hector
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#16

Post by Hector »

Well I suppose you have a point, there.
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BarbaraK
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#17

Post by BarbaraK »

RPardoe wrote: Tue Sep 01, 2020 5:01 pm
Because the award was given in 1964 for 1963 work?
So does the year describe the actual year the award was received?
Or the award for accomplishments in the listed year?

I didn't consider it an error at all as I used the second definition in my mind as the same often happens for other awards (eg Academy Awards). The award is presented in the calendar year after the work, but is generally referenced by the year when the work is performed.
This is why, whenever there’s an award year in a clue, if I google, I check both years.
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ChrisKochmanski
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#18

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

I was thinking I was done with puzzling for the day -- "Now to some reading" -- when I suddenly realized, "It's the first Tuesday of the month -- MULLER MONTHLY MUSIC META !!!! !!!!" ("The Guest List" could wait.)

Tough grid; slogged through almost all of it, needing to google just a bit. Then did the usual staring, until noticing something, and ... there it was!

Good one!
damefox
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#19

Post by damefox »

Got it. Now it's in my head.

Definitely one of those "stare and wait for a miracle" puzzles, as others have remarked as well.
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Anita
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#20

Post by Anita »

We noticed something interesting, but aren't sure what comes next. And wow, that was a tough grid!
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