"Exterior Decoration" by benchen71
- benchen71
- Posts: 3409
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
"Exterior Decoration" by benchen71
Welcome to...
benchen71's Metas on a Tuesday (MOAT)
Can you storm the castle by getting across the MOAT? With sincerest apologies to my US solvers, I tentatively present this puzzle. The answer to the meta is a phrase that describes what each themer has.
The easiest way to submit is on Crosshare (and you get instant feedback and unlimited attempts!) But you can also PM me with your submission. Either way, I'll compile a list of those who successfully solve the meta.
Exterior Decoration - Crosshare
Exterior Decoration - PUZ
Exterior Decoration - PDF
Exterior Decoration - spreadsheet
Nudges are here.
The solution is here.
benchen71's Metas on a Tuesday (MOAT)
Can you storm the castle by getting across the MOAT? With sincerest apologies to my US solvers, I tentatively present this puzzle. The answer to the meta is a phrase that describes what each themer has.
The easiest way to submit is on Crosshare (and you get instant feedback and unlimited attempts!) But you can also PM me with your submission. Either way, I'll compile a list of those who successfully solve the meta.
Exterior Decoration - Crosshare
Exterior Decoration - PUZ
Exterior Decoration - PDF
Exterior Decoration - spreadsheet
Nudges are here.
The solution is here.
Last edited by benchen71 on Sun Nov 19, 2023 4:18 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! 

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- Posts: 651
- Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:10 pm
- Location: Michigan
Moat crossed (nice tinsel on the drawbridge), castle looking spiffy.
- boharr
- Moderator
- Posts: 3607
- Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:57 am
- Location: Westchester, NY
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- Posts: 1129
- Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2020 11:57 am
- Location: Atlanta, GA
Moat crossed, castle stormed, towers festooned with ribbons. Thanks, Ben!
Matthew
- Cinny
- Posts: 1045
- Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2020 2:53 pm
- Location: Minoa, NY
- Contact:
Moat crossed after getting tripped up a bit. Thanks, Ben.
Cindy Heisler
- woozy
- Posts: 3178
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
Wascally wabbit holes and nagging doubts (are those the themers...) and ... stumped. It'll come to me I hope but... wow... what an opaque screen.
GUAVA is not an anagram of VAGUE
- CPJohnson
- Posts: 1315
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:38 pm
- Location: Kingsport, TN
- benchen71
- Posts: 3409
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
First solver update, followed by early nudges!
SeamusOL
Laura M
Berto
Mr Tex
boharr
Meg
Hector
Tyrpmom
MatthewL
Cindy Weatherman
Cindy Heisler
merlinnimue
CPJohnson
kurtalert
14 solvers to get us started.
SeamusOL
Laura M
Berto
Mr Tex
boharr
Meg
Hector
Tyrpmom
MatthewL
Cindy Weatherman
Cindy Heisler
merlinnimue
CPJohnson
kurtalert
14 solvers to get us started.
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! 

- benchen71
- Posts: 3409
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
Nudges, in order of increasing blatancy:
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
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! 

- HeadinHome
- Posts: 1461
- Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2020 9:06 am
- Location: Charlotte, NC
Stormed without nudges, and appreciate the redecorated castle!
The other Wendy. 

- whimsy
- Posts: 3760
- Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:51 am
- Location: Hopkinton MA
Never without Nudge #3!
Thanks for the puzzle as well as the lesson in empathy, Ben!
(Some castles getting a little exterior decoration.)
Thanks for the puzzle as well as the lesson in empathy, Ben!

(Some castles getting a little exterior decoration.)
- ChrisKochmanski
- Posts: 2682
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:51 pm
- Location: Saline, Michigan
- rjy
- Posts: 1445
- Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2021 12:52 pm
- Location: Gaithersburg, MD
Needed nudge 3 as well, but tiptoed across the moat and politely entered the castle. Thanks, Ben!
Ray
- Jeremy Smith
- Posts: 1164
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:45 pm
- Location: Tampa Bay area
I had the correct metanism, but couldn't have solved without nudge 3. Thanks, Ben!
- woozy
- Posts: 3178
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
Response to nudges:
All in all I can't feel too bad for not getting this. Apology accepted.
All in all I can't feel too bad for not getting this. Apology accepted.
GUAVA is not an anagram of VAGUE
- hcbirker
- Posts: 2532
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:24 pm
- Location: Studio City, CA
- KayW
- Moderator
- Posts: 5421
- Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 12:10 am
- Location: Chicago
- ajk
- Posts: 1724
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2020 4:22 pm
- Location: Colorado
lol very glad for nudges this week.
Fun idea though, thanks.

Fun idea though, thanks.
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
- benchen71
- Posts: 3409
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
Solver update!
Darrell
whimsy
HeadinHome
Pair O Ducks
Dow Jones
I K Snamhcok
rjy
Jim23809
Jeremy Smith
JM
KayW
lbray53
Spid4567
Johnny Luau
Darth
Jaclyn
DebbieC
woozy
heidi
Grant Law
MrTheHan
iceman
Katiedid
ajk
That's a running total of 38.
Darrell
whimsy
HeadinHome
Pair O Ducks
Dow Jones
I K Snamhcok
rjy
Jim23809
Jeremy Smith
JM
KayW
lbray53
Spid4567
Johnny Luau
Darth
Jaclyn
DebbieC
woozy
heidi
Grant Law
MrTheHan
iceman
Katiedid
ajk
That's a running total of 38.
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! 

- benchen71
- Posts: 3409
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
Here's another update for you:
markhr
Carolyn
Mikey G
DCBilly
Philip Chow
Pekka Erajorma
We're up to 44 now. Next (and final) update before the answer reveal, Monday morning Australia time.
markhr
Carolyn
Mikey G
DCBilly
Philip Chow
Pekka Erajorma
We're up to 44 now. Next (and final) update before the answer reveal, Monday morning Australia time.
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! 
