MEOW #60 Divine Punishment

[MaineMarge]

Cat: ”Me owtta here!”
And once again

Well done, Dr Tom!

[DrTom]

Humble apologies! I missed BarbaraK on the leaderboard, Holy smokes!!!

[lbray53]

The cat is out of the bag!

[Dplass]

@DrTom, I have truly groan to enjoy your puzzles and your humor.

What did the church mouse say to his little congregation before they all died?
“Beware! the cat is roamin’, Catholics!”

Did the cat say "Let us spray?"

That would be cause to celibate!

Did you mean: "Did the cat say "Let us spay?" "?

[Joe Ross]

Attempting to WAG its way out and awaiting

[woozy]

Did you mean: "Did the cat say "Let us spay?" "?

No cat ever says "Let us spay" unless it is followed with either "the dog" or "you-- see how you like it".

[ImOnToo]

Cat is out of the bag!

762B4E80-B0E4-450F-8B01-871F7BFB4376.jpeg

That is funny for reasons you don't even know yet!

I look forward to the reveal.

[DrTom]

@DrTom, I have truly groan to enjoy your puzzles and your humor.

What did the church mouse say to his little congregation before they all died?
“Beware! the cat is roamin’, Catholics!”

Did the cat say "Let us spray?"

That would be cause to celibate!

Did you mean: "Did the cat say "Let us spay?" "?

No the cat would NEVER say that, and probably not even "cut that out"!

[DrTom]

Well now, the solvers have trickled down quite a bit, only three more of you opened the bag today:
30 lbray53
31 Joe Ross
32 TomRunner

Probably all doing that "other" puzzle that came out - the nerve!!!!

[DrTom]

Well, only 1 more person today - darn that MGWCC, it has everyone tied up trying to decide whose side they are on. Well here is someone on the right side of the MEOW:

33 Carolyn

and maybe folks need a spoiler or two?

Anyone who remembers Know no End (02/21/21) had an idea of my fondness for homophones, combine that with my fondness for puns and the mechanism is almost transparent.

The 6 necessary letters are derived from the 6 religious to secular puns ex. "cannon" versus "canon" law.

Notice that the parenthetical numbers all seem to coincide with the length of the "punny word". For example the parenthetical number for 32A could not possibly have been (4)

[Hidden in 3D]

Sort of late to the party, but Tom confirmed a little while ago that the kitty is out and back on the prowl.

[Ergcat]

Waiting for confirmation but I do believe the cat is out of the bag!

[DrTom]

Some more solvers have "released the hounds" uh, well "released the Himalayans"

34 Hidden in 3D
35 Ergcat
36 vandono

Hmm maybe Ill get some more solvers now that the WSJCC nad MGWCC are either solved or thrown in a crumpled mess in the corner?

[vandono]

Finally! Sweet wife has had my computer all week because hers isn't connecting. I've been missing these puzzles!

[DrTom]

I can feel the tap closing, BUT one more for the leaderboard!

37 markhr

[DrTom]

OK, this just in!

38 cbarbee002

[DrTom]

I doubt there is anyone who still needs this, but remember this is a guy who HAS to finish the GRID even if he knows the answer. Sheldon had nothing on me....

This was a fairly popular puzzle, I got 38 solvers before it was all over. Very few people had trouble with it, and those that did tried using the first letters of the theme answers, which of course gave them an unholy mess. Others tried to use the replaced letters so CANON for CANNON (N), WINE for WHINE (H), etc. which also yielded an irreverent solution.

I realized after I posted the puzzle that I probably tipped my hand WAY too much when I started the forum with “Good morning all you cat chasers…” but by the same token someone said they thought that was a misdirection so people would not automatically lock onto chased.

Regardless, people said they enjoyed it and laughed at it and really that is always my goal. I will NEVER be the subject of a “Zoom Solve” because I am just not that clever. BUT, if I can make you chuckle (or groan as the case may be) my job here is done.

Thanks to all who tried this one.