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.
This puzzle is brought to you by the "probably should have left this one in the ideas book!" school of meta construction. For xword-muggle patrons, it's definitely more of a MEOW than a MOAT! The answer to the meta is a 2-word phrase.
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.
Last edited by benchen71 on Mon Sep 02, 2024 5:06 pm, edited 4 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!
Note: This puzzle was my attempt to give you something a little less like the usual meta, much like the occasional puzzle we used to get from @madhatter5 himself! Remember when the weekly MEOW might be an unusual grid, or a word search, or even a puzzle involving colours? Well, this is a bit like that. And I have two more MEOWs in this vein coming up in September!
If you find yourself struggling to complete the grid on Crosshare or your device, this one might be slightly easier to solve on paper than computer screen. So print out the PDF and try again!
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!
Don’t know if it’s just an anomaly for me, but a quick heads up that the PDF has a few of the final across clues missing. They appear in crosshare correctly.
rjy wrote: Wed Aug 28, 2024 7:29 am
Don’t know if it’s just an anomaly for me, but a quick heads up that the PDF has a few of the final across clues missing. They appear in crosshare correctly.
No, I've checked and the PDF has all the same clues as Crosshare.
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!
rjy wrote: Wed Aug 28, 2024 7:29 am
Don’t know if it’s just an anomaly for me, but a quick heads up that the PDF has a few of the final across clues missing. They appear in crosshare correctly.
No, I've checked and the PDF has all the same clues as Crosshare.
The PDF available from the link above definitely has missing across clues.
rjy wrote: Wed Aug 28, 2024 7:29 am
Don’t know if it’s just an anomaly for me, but a quick heads up that the PDF has a few of the final across clues missing. They appear in crosshare correctly.
rjy wrote: Wed Aug 28, 2024 7:29 am
Don’t know if it’s just an anomaly for me, but a quick heads up that the PDF has a few of the final across clues missing. They appear in crosshare correctly.
No, I've checked and the PDF has all the same clues as Crosshare.
26, 27 and 29 A are cut off.
GUAVA is not an anagram of VAGUE and PEPPER is not a palindrome.
Hey, Ben, I welcome these Mad Hatter styles of puzzles. Shakes things up, keeps us from getting complacent. As long as not every puzzle breaks the usual rules.
The cat is out and a bit dizzy. A fantastic and different meta very much in the Mad Hatter spirit. I'm so glad you didn't leave this one in the idea book!
The cat is out and walking a little askew. Heck of a time with the PDF because I was saying "Wow Ben has a LOT more faith in my ability to guess what these are than I actually possess", then I went to the PUZ and Crosshare. What an impressive idea and construction, Ben has obviously been going to longer sermons if he came up with this.
Kay is right, if Josh sees this he'll be delighted!! Thanks for the exercise!
Well that took some doing!
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.
rjy wrote: Wed Aug 28, 2024 7:29 am
Don’t know if it’s just an anomaly for me, but a quick heads up that the PDF has a few of the final across clues missing. They appear in crosshare correctly.
No, I've checked and the PDF has all the same clues as Crosshare.
Maybe formatting for A4 vs US letter size paper? I’m also seeing the pdf with 3 missing clues.
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.)
rjy wrote: Wed Aug 28, 2024 7:29 am
Don’t know if it’s just an anomaly for me, but a quick heads up that the PDF has a few of the final across clues missing. They appear in crosshare correctly.
No, I've checked and the PDF has all the same clues as Crosshare.
The PDF available from the link above definitely has missing across clues.
Darn it all, but you're right. The PDF is not right. I'll try and fix it, but not sure when I'll have time! So sorry about that.
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!
rjy wrote: Wed Aug 28, 2024 7:29 am
Don’t know if it’s just an anomaly for me, but a quick heads up that the PDF has a few of the final across clues missing. They appear in crosshare correctly.
You were right. I've fixed the PDF now. So sorry!
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!
rjy wrote: Wed Aug 28, 2024 7:29 am
Don’t know if it’s just an anomaly for me, but a quick heads up that the PDF has a few of the final across clues missing. They appear in crosshare correctly.
No, I've checked and the PDF has all the same clues as Crosshare.
Maybe formatting for A4 vs US letter size paper? I’m also seeing the pdf with 3 missing clues.
I've fixed it now. Sorry about that!
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!
rjy wrote: Wed Aug 28, 2024 7:29 am
Don’t know if it’s just an anomaly for me, but a quick heads up that the PDF has a few of the final across clues missing. They appear in crosshare correctly.
I had the same issue.
I've fixed it. So sorry about that!
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!
rjy wrote: Wed Aug 28, 2024 7:29 am
Don’t know if it’s just an anomaly for me, but a quick heads up that the PDF has a few of the final across clues missing. They appear in crosshare correctly.
No, I've checked and the PDF has all the same clues as Crosshare.
The PDF available from the link above definitely has missing across clues.
You are right. I've uploaded a fixed version now. So sorry!
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!
The cat is out and a bit dizzy. A fantastic and different meta very much in the Mad Hatter spirit. I'm so glad you didn't leave this one in the idea book!
