"Talking To Camera" by benchen71

[Meg]

Ben, I hope you are not in too much pain. I’ve crossed the moat and the lambs in the courtyard are jumping around.

[benchen71]

And at the end of the first 24 hours, we're up to 28 solvers, with 24 more:

Cindy Weatherman
kieranjboyd
ChrisKochmanski
Wendy S HeadinHome
lbray53
CromsFury
Tom Wilson
Bird Lives
rjy
Meg
DIS
boharr
woozy
Dave C
LindaPRmaven
kymike
cwillmore
Gutman
whimsy
SJMcK
Jack Sullivan
dplass
atom
markhr

Thanks for your good wishes! I'm doing OK. Procedure booked in for next Wednesday, so there's a little way to go. But it should be bearable.

[CPJohnson]

Ben, I got it! Crosshare confirmed. Wishing you comfort as you wait for the procedure.

[DrTom]

Well, thank goodness, finally crossed the MOAT, now all I have to do is get a bead on that kitty! I was making this one way too difficult, maybe I had better go back and simplify my MEOW approach?

Ben sorry to hear about your predicament, be sure to find out what type they were because there are some simple things you can do to prevent them (allopurinol, potassium citrate, urinary acidification with various liquids) but you have to know what they were in order to determine what to do. Unfortunately a BIG risk for future kidney stones is having a current one. I’m sure your Doc will take good care of you.

[Laura M]

Loved this puzzle! And I found the grid crunchy but doable which is my preference. I was waiting to comment until I found out a little more about the answer, which I now have; I'm not sure it's really my sort of thing, but maybe I like it? Thanks for the puzzle and the new thing to watch, @benchen71! And I hope that you're well-medicated, and that your discomfort continues to be bearable and resolves quickly after the procedure. I've never experienced those evil pointy things myself (knock on wood), but my husband did and was not a fan.

[benchen71]

Before the nudges, here's the additional solvers:

Tyrpmom
KayW
Carolyn
CPJohnson
Cindy Heisler
LuckyGuest
Bbaack
DrTom
LisaT
maturin
africh

That's 39 in total. Let's see if the nudges can bring in a few more...

[benchen71]

Nudges, in order of increasing blatancy:

1. Three entries combine to form the puzzle's theme: 34A, 35A and 38A: THE FOURTH WALL. This theme is then referenced in 7 other clues using an *.

2. The 7 down clues that have an * are all examples of breaking the fourth wall. But they don't fit into the grid.

3. So break the fourth wall: allow the entries to go below the grid.

[benchen71]

Monday morning, here in Australia and it's time for the answer reveal. But first, a solvers update:

Darth

Yep, that's it. 40 solvers in total.

[benchen71]

And now for the answer reveal...

Fleabag would have to be one of the most creative uses of breaking of the fourth wall I have ever seen, particularly in season 2 and her interactions with the "hot priest" (as Andrew Scott's character came to be known). If you haven't seen it, it is definitely worth checking out.

By the way, this might be the only crossword in the history of crosswords to have DEADPOO as a grid entry!

This week, we have a guest MOAT coming your way. I will be involved in things medical, hoping to see the last of these kidney stones. But you will be in good hands!

[Darth]

Monday morning, here in Australia and it's time for the answer reveal. But first, a solvers update:

Darth

Yep, that's it. 40 solvers in total.

Crossed just as Ben was raising the drawbridge! [One of those weeks... ]

[KayW]

@benchen71 A great meta concept and beautifully executed. Hope all goes well with your RENAL adventures this week