MEOW #179 Are the Stars Out Tonight

A weekly meta crossword on the forum started by member Josh (aka madhatter5). These puzzles are often very creative with solving mechanisms out of the norm and skewing towards the more challenging. Puzzles are posted every Wednesday, and the solution appears the following Tuesday.
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Meg
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#21

Post by Meg »

Cat was getting nowhere until i got some muggle help. I’m pretty sure I didn’t test solve this. Or I did and apparently doing crosswords does not prevent memory loss.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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DrTom
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#22

Post by DrTom »

and apparently making them doesn't either! I could have sworn you tested this, but if you don't remember you probably did not because it is the kind of thing you would remember!

Thanks for giving it a go!
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!
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DrTom
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#23

Post by DrTom »

Cap'n Rick wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2024 8:27 am Cat is out! Excellent job, @DrTom! I loved this mechanism and may have to "borrow" it someday. :D
Absolutely, Lord Knows I have "appropriated" any number of Cap ideas into metas.

Glad you enjoyed it, I figured you might being a seafaring guy and all.

T
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!
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whimsy
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#24

Post by whimsy »

Cat's out of the bag but not the picture --
Untitledzzvangoghcat.png
Thanks for another work of art, Tom!
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MMe
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#25

Post by MMe »

DrTom wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2024 10:55 am
Cap'n Rick wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2024 8:27 am Cat is out! Excellent job, @DrTom! I loved this mechanism and may have to "borrow" it someday. :D
Absolutely, Lord Knows I have "appropriated" any number of Cap ideas into metas.

Glad you enjoyed it, I figured you might being a seafaring guy and all.

T
There is at least one precedent in muggle meta history. Nothing new under the starry skies?
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hoover
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#26

Post by hoover »

I needed all of those nudges. As anyone following me on the Thrice game thread knows, the Entertainment category is my bane. Count me among those who rate this not as a "persian+" but as a lion. At least it wasn't a TikTok or Instagram A-Lister!
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HeadinHome
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#27

Post by HeadinHome »

Just needed the first nudge (yesterday’s), and really should not have. That idea occurred to me but I did not follow it through… though I think I fell asleep with my iPad on my face working on this, I was so weary last night. Great meta, and great to have you posting puzzles again!
The other Wendy. :roll:
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sharkicicles
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#28

Post by sharkicicles »

I think I know what to do, I just don’t know how… still any DrTom puzzle is a good one!
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woozy
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#29

Post by woozy »

Oh. Now that I've had my tattoo of "Do it in grid order" removed from my forehead, I guess there is something else I should replace it with....
I guess I should change my signature, and start promoting this meta: Hungry Little Creature. I was going to sent it to people for testing but I dropped the ball on it.
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DrTom
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#30

Post by DrTom »

OK, somewhat better but it still is evading a lot of folks. I am trying to think of nudges that are not PUSHES for tomorrow. In the meantime there are now 27 people firmly ensconced in the "cat is out" category:

17 markhr
18 whinsy
19 Ergcat
20 Alex Sisti
21 Capn Rick
22 LarsCaine
23 hoover
24 Carolyn
25 HeadinHome
26 Jaclyn
27 woozy
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!
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DrTom
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#31

Post by DrTom »

More spoilers...

"Stars" in a VERY particular placement pattern, what does that suggest

A lister nicknames...Chris Pratt = Monkeyboy, Emma Stone= M, Hugh Jackman = Sticks, Ryan Gosling= Mouseboy. None of those could be easily represented graphically (well Emma could but that is not it), which is the secret here. So what might be?

These are clearest if combined with what you have been given in earlier spoilers!!!
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!
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Berto
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#32

Post by Berto »

Cat is finally OUT!!! (and without those last two nudges, although it was an absolute WAG!!)
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DrTom
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#33

Post by DrTom »

I know I am competing with the MG and the WSJ but one last nudge:

There is a hint in the graphic and even the difficulty rating!!!
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!
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KayW
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#34

Post by KayW »

:crossed_swords: :rabbit: :cat: Whacked across the head with enough 2-by-4 nudges to finally see stars :star: :star: :star: and free the cat. Thanks Tom!

Image
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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DrTom
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#35

Post by DrTom »

KayW wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2024 8:18 pm :crossed_swords: :rabbit: :cat: Whacked across the head with enough 2-by-4 nudges to finally see stars :star: :star: :star: and free the cat. Thanks Tom!

Image
Look, up in the sky, its a bird, its a plane, its a freed kitty!!
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!
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DrTom
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#36

Post by DrTom »

So, if you are tired of wracking your brain trying to come up with a meta answer to one thing or another, take a look at the "Other Puzzles" then "Other Muggle Puzzles" (or just follow this link - viewtopic.php?t=2875) for a non meta bit of nonsense.
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!
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markhr
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#37

Post by markhr »

DrTom wrote: ↑Sat May 04, 2024 6:49 pm So, if you are tired of wracking your brain trying to come up with a meta answer to one thing or another, take a look at the "Other Puzzles" then "Other Muggle Puzzles" (or just follow this link - viewtopic.php?t=2875) for a non meta bit of nonsense.
Done. As expected-- silly and fun. Recommended.
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DrTom
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#38

Post by DrTom »

markhr wrote: ↑Sat May 04, 2024 9:47 pm
DrTom wrote: ↑Sat May 04, 2024 6:49 pm So, if you are tired of wracking your brain trying to come up with a meta answer to one thing or another, take a look at the "Other Puzzles" then "Other Muggle Puzzles" (or just follow this link - viewtopic.php?t=2875) for a non meta bit of nonsense.
Done. As expected-- silly and fun. Recommended.
Thanks Mark!!

T
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!
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DrTom
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#39

Post by DrTom »

Well OK, a few more solvers since the last update. Maybe with WSJ out of the way (pretty much) I'll see some more MEOWers?

28 Berto
29 Tyrpmom
30 andeux
31 Tom Wilson
32 KayW
33 Bird Lives
34 Cindy Heisler
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!
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DrTom
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#40

Post by DrTom »

One more soul braved the stars:

35 Steve M
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!
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