"Earthquake Zone" by benchen71

Can you storm the castle by getting across the MOAT? A weekly meta crossword constructed by forum member Ben (aka benchen71). These metas range from relatively easy to more challenging, depending on how many Australianisms he puts in them! Puzzles are posted in a new thread every Tuesday, with nudges appearing on Saturdays, and the solution coming out on Mondays. (At least, that's the plan. Given he lives in Australia, and they are so far ahead of the US time-zone-wise, things may get posted early!)
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 3400
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

"Earthquake Zone" by benchen71

#1

Post by benchen71 »

Welcome to...

benchen71's Metas on a Tuesday (MOAT)

Can you storm the castle by getting across the MOAT? Melbourne experienced an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale on the 22nd of September 2021. It was the biggest earthquake I've ever experienced, even though it only lasted for about 30 seconds and just made the house shake a little. What made it interesting, though, was that Melbourne was still in lockdown, but this was something we all experienced together. I made this crossword later that day to commemorate the moment!

PM me with your submissions or submit on Crosshare. Either way, I'll compile a list of those who successfully solve the meta.

Earthquake Zone - Online Form
Earthquake Zone - PUZ
Earthquake Zone - PDF
Earthquake Zone - spreadsheet

Nudges are here.
The solution is here.

havefun.gif
Last edited by benchen71 on Sun Sep 25, 2022 7:27 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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
User avatar
Cap'n Rick
Posts: 1966
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:44 pm
Location: Nahant, MA
Contact:

#2

Post by Cap'n Rick »

MOAT crossed! Nice one, Ben!
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles! Also check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays"!
Schmeel
Posts: 2222
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 2:38 pm

#3

Post by Schmeel »

Over the moat.
Fun puzzle!
User avatar
Darth
Posts: 1080
Joined: Sat May 15, 2021 6:51 pm
Location: Champaign, IL

#4

Post by Darth »

De-MOATed... [Ben, You rock!]
temblor-el.gif
User avatar
lbray53
Posts: 1508
Joined: Fri May 08, 2020 8:34 am
Location: Elkhorn, WI

#5

Post by lbray53 »

Crossed the MOAT! Do I spy with my little eye, an Easter Egg? It could be my imagination.
My avatar proves that it is sometimes better to be lucky than good!
User avatar
boharr
Moderator
Posts: 3601
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:57 am
Location: Westchester, NY

#6

Post by boharr »

Got it.
User avatar
ChrisKochmanski
Posts: 2675
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:51 pm
Location: Saline, Michigan

#7

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Trans-moat. Fun!
User avatar
Cinny
Posts: 1042
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2020 2:53 pm
Location: Minoa, NY
Contact:

#8

Post by Cinny »

Crossed the moat. Nicely constructed meta. Thanks, Ben!
Cindy Heisler
User avatar
woozy
Posts: 3173
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am

#9

Post by woozy »

Well, I don't know what it is but I got my idea for my next construction.
GUAVA is not an anagram of VAGUE
User avatar
KayW
Moderator
Posts: 5398
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 12:10 am
Location: Chicago

#10

Post by KayW »

:tornado: :european_castle: :crossed_swords: :rabbit: Well done, Ben - thanks!
User avatar
ReB
Posts: 772
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 9:34 pm
Location: East Tennessee

#11

Post by ReB »

Crossed the MOAT without a tremor. Good construction.
User avatar
whimsy
Posts: 3745
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:51 am
Location: Hopkinton MA

#12

Post by whimsy »

Tumbled to it -- --

Untitledcastle.png
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 3400
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

#13

Post by benchen71 »

Getting close to the first 24-hour mark, and here's the solvers who survived the Earthquake Zone!

Tobonic
Tom Wilson
Capn Rick
Schmeel
jbird
Darth
boharr
lbray53
DIS
ChrisKochmanski
Andrew Bradburn
Cindy Heisler
KayW
LindaPRmaven
Meg
Wendy S HeadinHome
markhr
ReB
Tyrpmom
Hector
SeamusOL
whimsy

22 is not bad for day 1 of a "week 3" puzzle.
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
Qmark
Posts: 461
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2022 4:33 pm
Location: Ottawa, Canada

#14

Post by Qmark »

Nice one, Ben! Challenging fill, enjoyable mechanism.
User avatar
HeadinHome
Posts: 1459
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2020 9:06 am
Location: Charlotte, NC

#15

Post by HeadinHome »

An enjoyable storming of the castle (I love the smell of trebuchets in the morning?). Needed google on some things, but the result was learning a couple new actually useful words/terms!
The other Wendy. :roll:
User avatar
DrTom
Posts: 4906
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#16

Post by DrTom »

I was shaking when I entered my answer, but I have crossed the MOAT! Great puzzle Ben, thanks
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges IF ASKED; metas should be about fun, not frustration. PM me what you have done so far, because often you are closer than you think, and I will try to help you move along.
User avatar
jhseeman
Posts: 988
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2020 3:33 pm
Location: Charleston, SC

#17

Post by jhseeman »

I've jumped the moat....excellent puzzle.
User avatar
CPJohnson
Posts: 1313
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:38 pm
Location: Kingsport, TN

#18

Post by CPJohnson »

Finally got it after a push.
Cynthia
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 3400
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

#19

Post by benchen71 »

Solver update before the nudges:

Bbaack
Qmark
DrTom
JHSeeman
Byron
Ergcat
MrTheHan
CPJohnson

We're up to 30 now.
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
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 3400
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

#20

Post by benchen71 »

Nudges, in order of increasing blatancy:

1. The central entry includes a hint in its clue: "Study of Earth's shifting crust, one feature of which can be found in this puzzle and provides the answer to the meta".

2. You're looking for something hidden in the grid.

3. Actually, you can find 4 somethings.

4. Look diagonally.
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
Post Reply