"One Short" by benchen71

Can you storm the castle by getting across the MOAT? A weekly meta crossword constructed by forum member Ben (aka benchen71). These metas range from relatively easy to more challenging, depending on how many Australianisms he puts in them! Puzzles are posted in a new thread every Tuesday, with nudges appearing on Saturdays, and the solution coming out on Mondays. (At least, that's the plan. Given he lives in Australia, and they are so far ahead of the US time-zone-wise, things may get posted early!)
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Ergcat
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#21

Post by Ergcat »

Crossed the moat! Nudges 5 & 6 did the trick ( already was going in the right direction). Clever construction, Ben!
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ajk
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#22

Post by ajk »

ajk wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 2:58 pm Feel like I know what to do but can't quite get it all to work.
Yep, I did. But needed nudge 6, to constrain it, and then I just guessed the answer and backsolved. Cool idea though, and impressive construction.
Check out this very cool project by many of your favorite muggles to raise money to fight cancer. You get a fun puzzle bundle and good causes get $. Win-win: Crosswords for Cancer
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Dow Jones
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#23

Post by Dow Jones »

Crossed the moat. There was no shortage of fun with this one. Thanks for the nudges, Ben.
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benchen71
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#24

Post by benchen71 »

One more solver update before lights out:

rjy
MatthewL
kymike
Sharkicicles
SeamusOL
Ergcat
Johnny Luau
woozy
ajk
frostyjhammer
Dow Jones
Spid4567
LauraPRmaven

That brings us up to 30!
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! :D
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Cinny
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#25

Post by Cinny »

Ran into a snag on Tuesday when I started this. Picked it up again this morning and it all fell into place. And without the nudges!

Castle stormed!!
Cindy Heisler
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MikeyG
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#26

Post by MikeyG »

I think they commonly ask musicians to describe a song they would have loved to have written.

This is a puzzle I would have loved to have constructed: what a delightful mechanism.

Well done, Ben! This MOAT is stormed!
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 134. Think Twice
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Cap'n Rick
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#27

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Great one, Ben! Very clever.
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles! Also check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays"!
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hoover
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#28

Post by hoover »

Wow! Great one! I needed nudge 3--I figured out nudges 1-2 on my own but was doing it wrong.
I don't have anything clever to say, but if I did, it would go here.
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DrTom
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#29

Post by DrTom »

Limped across with nudges, nice puzzle that I completely misread the mechanism on. Clever lad though Ben.
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.
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jhseeman
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#30

Post by jhseeman »

Have crossed the Moat, great puzzle setup.

But I was lazy, should have done this yesterday pre-hints. :-)
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whimsy
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#31

Post by whimsy »

Lazily on vacation and so used nudges --

Got over the moat and now knocking on castle door so I can be in Ben's Count.
Untitledsueandcount.png
Very nice! Thanks, Ben.
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benchen71
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#32

Post by benchen71 »

Some more solvers:

Cindy Heisler
Schmeel
Pair O Ducks
Adam Simon Levine
Mikey G
Capn Rick
Bbaack
hoover
Matt A
DrTom
DebbieC
Caroline
Jim23809
JHSeeman
CPJohnson
whimsy
rfj

That's 47. One more solver update directly before the answer reveal Monday morning (Oz time!)
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! :D
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edestlin
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#33

Post by edestlin »

Crossed the moat with nudges. Great puzzle, Ben!
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benchen71
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#34

Post by benchen71 »

Just two more solvers, bringing us to a grand total of 49:

edestlin
BarbaraK

And now, on to the reveal...
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! :D
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benchen71
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#35

Post by benchen71 »

Here's the solution to "One Short":

One Short (solution).png

I was a little unsure how this one would go over. The "trial and error" nature of getting to the answer was a bit of a gamble. Sure, there was the hint in 43 down, but where was should the column be added? In order to retain rotational symmetry, it had to be right down the middle. I also hoped you would find HEATHY and OFFRED suspiciously weird, with one obvious word that could be made in each case, so that would then confirm that decision. After that, well, that's where the TRIAL AND ERROR would come into it!

Successful solver comments were almost unanimously positive, so I guess the gamble paid off!
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! :D
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Dplass
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#36

Post by Dplass »

I kept trying to mutate DISCOER into DISCOVER and AMBLERS into GAMBLERS...but after a huge hint and a few iterations, and some... ok I'll say it... _trial and error_... I did find the path.
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dsbened
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#37

Post by dsbened »

I'm still a rookie at this website and I truly appreciate all of the constructors who take the time (days) to compose these great crosswords. But I'm stumped about the spelling of 40A. I thought the name was "Roz" instead of "Ros". Help!
Seattle DB
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benchen71
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#38

Post by benchen71 »

dsbened wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 9:49 pm I'm still a rookie at this website and I truly appreciate all of the constructors who take the time (days) to compose these great crosswords. But I'm stumped about the spelling of 40A. I thought the name was "Roz" instead of "Ros". Help!
Oof, you are correct! I think I made the same error in another of my puzzles, too. Sorry if that made solving the meta harder! :oops:
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! :D
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benchen71
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#39

Post by benchen71 »

benchen71 wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 10:16 pm
dsbened wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 9:49 pm I'm still a rookie at this website and I truly appreciate all of the constructors who take the time (days) to compose these great crosswords. But I'm stumped about the spelling of 40A. I thought the name was "Roz" instead of "Ros". Help!
Oof, you are correct! I think I made the same error in another of my puzzles, too. Sorry if that made solving the meta harder! :oops:
@dsbened, I went back and changed the clue. It's now "The girl whose eyes the lead singer of Toto sings about wanting to wake up in the morning and see, for short" :D
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! :D
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dsbened
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#40

Post by dsbened »

benchen71 wrote: Wed Mar 01, 2023 3:16 am
benchen71 wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 10:16 pm
dsbened wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 9:49 pm I'm still a rookie at this website and I truly appreciate all of the constructors who take the time (days) to compose these great crosswords. But I'm stumped about the spelling of 40A. I thought the name was "Roz" instead of "Ros". Help!
Oof, you are correct! I think I made the same error in another of my puzzles, too. Sorry if that made solving the meta harder! :oops:
@dsbened, I went back and changed the clue. It's now "The girl whose eyes the lead singer of Toto sings about wanting to wake up in the morning and see, for short" :D
Ah yes, Toto's song "Rosanna" Arquette. She also dated Peter Gabriel, I think.
Seattle DB
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