"A Puzzle Of Cities" by benchen71
- benchen71
- Posts: 2545
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
"A Puzzle Of Cities" by benchen71
Welcome to...
benchen71's Metas on a Tuesday (MOAT)
Can you storm the castle by getting across the MOAT? This crossword is a response to Matt Gaffney's recent "A City of Puzzles". It has to be said that metas can be rather US-centric, which often means Internet research for those of us without the requisite general knowledge. In my attempts to solve "A City of Puzzles", I came up with what I thought was the meta mechanic, based on a number of Google Map searches, only to discover that my browser tabs were in the wrong order which completely invalidated the whole thing. But then I thought: I could use that mechanic in one of my own puzzles. All this to say that anyone not living in Australia might need to make use of Google as you try and find the answer to the meta which is an Australian city containing 4 of the 5 vowels and which you will never have seen in any crossword ever!
PM me with your submissions or submit on Crosshare. Either way, I'll compile a list of those who successfully solve the meta.
A Puzzle Of Cities - Online Form
A Puzzle Of Cities - PUZ
A Puzzle Of Cities - PDF
A Puzzle Of Cities - 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? This crossword is a response to Matt Gaffney's recent "A City of Puzzles". It has to be said that metas can be rather US-centric, which often means Internet research for those of us without the requisite general knowledge. In my attempts to solve "A City of Puzzles", I came up with what I thought was the meta mechanic, based on a number of Google Map searches, only to discover that my browser tabs were in the wrong order which completely invalidated the whole thing. But then I thought: I could use that mechanic in one of my own puzzles. All this to say that anyone not living in Australia might need to make use of Google as you try and find the answer to the meta which is an Australian city containing 4 of the 5 vowels and which you will never have seen in any crossword ever!
PM me with your submissions or submit on Crosshare. Either way, I'll compile a list of those who successfully solve the meta.
A Puzzle Of Cities - Online Form
A Puzzle Of Cities - PUZ
A Puzzle Of Cities - PDF
A Puzzle Of Cities - spreadsheet
Nudges are here.
The solution is here.
Last edited by benchen71 on Sun Mar 06, 2022 4:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta!
- Jeremy Smith
- Posts: 1027
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:45 pm
- Location: Tampa Bay area
Thank goodness for Mr G! Confirmed on Crosshare. Thank you, Ben!
- Darth
- Posts: 780
- Joined: Sat May 15, 2021 6:51 pm
- Location: Champaign, IL
Bounded across the moat... (after going down under a time or two)
- Attachments
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- Cindy
- Posts: 1261
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:39 pm
- Location: Matthews
- Meg
- Posts: 2202
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
- Location: St. Petersburg, FL
I’m across the moat and in the courtyard with the chickens and peacocks. I went down a lovely rabbit hole, which, though quite meaningful, led nowhere. Interesting.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
- boharr
- Moderator
- Posts: 3252
- Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:57 am
- Location: Westchester, NY
- oldjudge
- Posts: 1649
- Joined: Fri Apr 19, 2019 4:16 am
- Location: Pasadena, CA
Interesting puzzle and a great Australia geography lesson--thanks Ben!
- woozy
- Posts: 2295
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
Okay.... I submitted and confirmed.
Now I just have to wait for the explanation.
EDIT: The more I look at this the more impossible it seems that it's possible to solve this. I'm fairly perplexed.... how did any of your solve it?
Now I just have to wait for the explanation.
EDIT: The more I look at this the more impossible it seems that it's possible to solve this. I'm fairly perplexed.... how did any of your solve it?
Stinky Pinkies!
My Entry to the May 2024 CrossHare Midi Contest
Not a meta, but, yeesh!, that was tough to create.
My Entry to the May 2024 CrossHare Midi Contest
Not a meta, but, yeesh!, that was tough to create.
- lbray53
- Posts: 1263
- Joined: Fri May 08, 2020 8:34 am
- Location: Elkhorn, WI
I also found the answer by guessing. Well, more like a brute force attack. My fifth guess was correct.
Now to figure out why it is right. Hmmmm!
EDIT: Found the solution with collaboration and an assist from Ben. Very nice. I had it laid out in front of me but needed to squint a little bit to see it.
Last edited by lbray53 on Wed Feb 23, 2022 6:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
My avatar proves that it is sometimes better to be lucky than good!
- benchen71
- Posts: 2545
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
Guesswork shouldn't be necessary, if you take everything into consideration. You will still need Google, though!
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta!
-
- Posts: 365
- Joined: Thu Apr 18, 2019 7:56 pm
I'm trying to use logic and it is failing miserably. Five incorrect submittals.
I'd rather not resort to simple brute force. Maybe put this aside for a while.
I'd rather not resort to simple brute force. Maybe put this aside for a while.
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- Posts: 379
- Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2020 4:56 pm
- whimsy
- Posts: 2866
- Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:51 am
- Location: Hopkinton MA
- benchen71
- Posts: 2545
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
Solvers list at the end of the first 24 hours:
Jeremy Smith
Darth
Cindy Weatherman
Meg
oldjudge
boharr
woozy
ChrisKochmanski
lbray53
dplass
Gutman
whimsy
Spid4567
vandono
Jeremy Smith
Darth
Cindy Weatherman
Meg
oldjudge
boharr
woozy
ChrisKochmanski
lbray53
dplass
Gutman
whimsy
Spid4567
vandono
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta!
- sharkicicles
- Posts: 941
- Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 12:03 pm
- Location: Chicago
Ben, you have now passed both Paul Hogan AND Yahoo Serious for my premier source of all things Australian.
- benchen71
- Posts: 2545
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
I'm in great company! "Throw another shrimp on the barbie!"sharkicicles wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 12:25 am Ben, you have now passed both Paul Hogan AND Yahoo Serious for my premier source of all things Australian.
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta!
- DrTom
- Posts: 3945
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
To which I'm sure Muggle Chris Barbee would say "I beg your pardon!!"benchen71 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 1:12 amI'm in great company! "Throw another shrimp on the barbie!"sharkicicles wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 12:25 am Ben, you have now passed both Paul Hogan AND Yahoo Serious for my premier source of all things Australian.
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!
- benchen71
- Posts: 2545
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
An update on the solvers list for you:
Sharkicicles
Bbaack
DrTom
THC
africh
Cindy Heisler
And amazingly "A Puzzle of Cities" was Crosshare's top puzzle this week. I wasn't even expecting to make the list that Mike sends out in his weekly email, because my puzzle was not featured on Crosshare's homepage. So it is all thanks to you, my loyal xword-muggles!
Nudges coming tomorrow...
Sharkicicles
Bbaack
DrTom
THC
africh
Cindy Heisler
And amazingly "A Puzzle of Cities" was Crosshare's top puzzle this week. I wasn't even expecting to make the list that Mike sends out in his weekly email, because my puzzle was not featured on Crosshare's homepage. So it is all thanks to you, my loyal xword-muggles!
Nudges coming tomorrow...
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta!
- Cinny
- Posts: 837
- Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2020 2:53 pm
- Location: Minoa, NY
- Contact:
MOAT crossed thanks to Google. Now I need to look back at the grid and see how to get the meta.
Cindy Heisler