Table Setting by Evan Birnholz

STARTING APRIL 30, 2023

Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 meta puzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related organizations. Many of the constructors and test solvers involved with the project are members of the Muggle community. The bundle is available in exchange for a donation to any cancer-related charity. For more information, visit CrosswordsForCancer.com or email CrosswordsForCancer@gmail.com.
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AnswerPfinder
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Table Setting by Evan Birnholz

#1

Post by AnswerPfinder »

Table Setting by Evan Birnholz.

One of this puzzle's theme answers is the wrong one. The answer to this meta is the theme answer that should replace it, formed by combining two entries in the completed grid.

ribbonrow.png

This puzzle is part of the CCCC bundle. To access the bundle and for more information, see this post.
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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edestlin
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#2

Post by edestlin »

My first solve of the batch and it was smooth, fun sailing. Thanks for the meta!
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BarbaraK
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#3

Post by BarbaraK »

I'm generally leery of metas where you have to find grid entries; that last step can be a slog. But not this time. It was obvious enough what I was looking for so just a quick scan of the grid was enough to find it. Very clever meta!
If you want help with a meta, feel free to PM me. The more specific you are about what you have and what you want, the more likely I can help without spoiling.

(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
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Al Sisti
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#4

Post by Al Sisti »

Such a nice, tight and clever meta!
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Conrad
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#5

Post by Conrad »

Wow, another one of my favorites. It's deeper than it appeared (to me) on first sight.
Check out my meta crossword writeups on Crossword Fiend: https://crosswordfiend.com/author/conrad/
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benchen71
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#6

Post by benchen71 »

The meta prompt looked a bit forbidding upon starting out, but it turned out to be quite straightforward. And fun!
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
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Cindy
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#7

Post by Cindy »

Solved. Fun one.
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ChrisKochmanski
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#8

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Fun!
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Bird Lives
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#9

Post by Bird Lives »

I think it's just the right level for the CCCC, but I wonder what the response would be if it were a WaPo puzzle.
Jay
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rjy
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Location: Gaithersburg, MD

#10

Post by rjy »

Nice construction, Evan… I missed a crucial piece of info and ended up in some fruitless rabbit holes, but really nice aha! when the lightbulb flipped on
Ray
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ajk
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#11

Post by ajk »

Very fun, thanks (though I might be a bit biased by my day job :lol: )
Check out this very cool project by many of your favorite muggles to raise money to fight cancer. You get a fun puzzle bundle and good causes get $. Win-win: Crosswords for Cancer
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Bob cruise director
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#12

Post by Bob cruise director »

Brilliant - excellent construction. And I like the easter egg even though I did not need it.

Thanks
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
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jhseeman
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#13

Post by jhseeman »

Great fun, and right up my alley as a geek.

Did appreciate the egg, but had the idea before the recognition of that.
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whimsy
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#14

Post by whimsy »

Yikes -- just realized I'd forgotten to post my success with this very successful and enjoyable puzzle.
I think it was because I got confused/distracted picking out what "Casual Shorts" (Evan's WaPo) to wear to dinner...
Untitledcasualdownton.png
Thanks, Evan!
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DrTom
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#15

Post by DrTom »

Loved it but (shame on me) blew it!

I got on to a very odd rabbit trail that ked me an answer but a wrong one. I should have known that with an Evan Birnholz it would be a locked tight GRID, answer and mechanism. Such a dodo...

But, my ineptitude should not reflect one whit upon this fine puzzle.
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.
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KayW
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#16

Post by KayW »

An excellent and well-crafted meta. This is definitely NOT my area of expertise, so it took me a while to figure out "what's wrong with this picture". Thanks!
Image
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ReB
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Location: East Tennessee

#17

Post by ReB »

Almost botched this, but then took another look and spotted the critical connection I had overlooked before, and then it was a straight shot. Another excellent construction by Evan.
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MarkWoychick
Site Admin
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#18

Post by MarkWoychick »

Got it! Thanks for the puzzle, Evan - always a pleasure!
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Berto
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Location: Michigan

#19

Post by Berto »

I know I’m sooooooo late to the party with these, but LOVED this puzzle, saw the first step, had my 7 year-old bring up an image on his iPad and we figured it out together. Fun!
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TeamDoubleTow
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#20

Post by TeamDoubleTow »

We had fun working on this! Thanks so much for this delightful puzzle Evan!
Team DoubleTow=Ali (who posts here) & Alex
with occasional assistance from son
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