"Cluedo" 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!)
User avatar
woozy
Posts: 2255
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am

#21

Post by woozy »

DrTom wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 11:50 pm So 1/3 found (the easiest) the other 2/3 escape me. Guess I'll just have to keep throwing darts. Pandora is kicking my butt as well, sigh....
Funny thing, is depending on your viewpoint, any one could be considered "the easiest". The one that was the hardest and took me the longest could easily be considered the easiest.
Stinky Pinkies!

My Entry to the May 2024 CrossHare Midi Contest

Not a meta, but, yeesh!, that was tough to create.
User avatar
MikeyG
Posts: 1425
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 2:52 pm
Location: Chicago
Contact:

#22

Post by MikeyG »

woozy wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 2:01 am
DrTom wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 11:50 pm So 1/3 found (the easiest) the other 2/3 escape me. Guess I'll just have to keep throwing darts. Pandora is kicking my butt as well, sigh....
Funny thing, is depending on your viewpoint, any one could be considered "the easiest". The one that was the hardest and took me the longest could easily be considered the easiest.
Agreed! I wonder which 1/2 of my 2/3 is the easiest - or if it's the piece that still eludes me!
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 93. Person of Letters
User avatar
lbray53
Posts: 1248
Joined: Fri May 08, 2020 8:34 am
Location: Elkhorn, WI

#23

Post by lbray53 »

Crossed the MOAT! Such great fun. I had a bit of a challenge getting my answer submitted correctly. Mostly typing errors.
My avatar proves that it is sometimes better to be lucky than good!
markhr
Posts: 361
Joined: Thu Apr 18, 2019 7:56 pm

#24

Post by markhr »

Finally found the missing element this morning. This was a pretty amazing effort by Ben.
User avatar
DrTom
Posts: 3879
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#25

Post by DrTom »

Guess I'll wait for nudges...again!
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!
User avatar
rjy
Posts: 1058
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2021 12:52 pm
Location: Gaithersburg, MD

#26

Post by rjy »

Sitting on just one third here, but enjoying the journey and loving the concept, Ben
Ray
User avatar
BarbaraK
Posts: 2642
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Virginia

#27

Post by BarbaraK »

I’m also in the 2/3 club. Thought I might have the 3rd, but crosshare said no.
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.)
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 2507
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

#28

Post by benchen71 »

Another 24 hours and only 3 solvers have been added, bringing us to 26:

Pair O Ducks
lbray53
markhr

From the comments it sounds like some of you are close. Hopefully the nudges (due Friday morning, Australia time) will help!
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! :shock:
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 2507
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

#29

Post by benchen71 »

Friday morning! Before I release the nudges, here's who solved the murder since last time:

Darrell
Spid4567
MrTheHan
DrTom

We're up to 30. Let's see if nudges can help all those struggling sleuths out there!
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! :shock:
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 2507
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

#30

Post by benchen71 »

Nudges, in order of increasing blatancy:

1. You have to find three pieces of information: the name of the murderer, the location the murder took place, and the murder weapon.

2. If you don't know the game, Cluedo, then you will need to use Google. You will need to use a process of elimination to discover two of the three pieces of information.

3. Some of the clues end in a room that can be found on the Cluedo game board. The room that is not referenced will be the murder location.

4. The grid entries for the clues that end in a room are also worth examining closely.

5. For the weapon, you'll need to search the grid even more closely.
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! :shock:
hoover
Posts: 1503
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:26 pm

#31

Post by hoover »

Stormed the castle! Wow, @benchen71 , you have outdone yourself this time!
User avatar
woozy
Posts: 2255
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am

#32

Post by woozy »

Nudge 3 One could argue this was the easiest to find. But I bet a lot like me thought this was the hardest and was the last to be found.

Nudge 4I think this is the one people thought was the easiest


What was fun about this puzzle was It actually uses the rules and mechanism of the board game
Stinky Pinkies!

My Entry to the May 2024 CrossHare Midi Contest

Not a meta, but, yeesh!, that was tough to create.
User avatar
rjy
Posts: 1058
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2021 12:52 pm
Location: Gaithersburg, MD

#33

Post by rjy »

Got it! Really enjoyed this one, Ben, clever concept and construction
Ray
User avatar
schmidzy
Posts: 317
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2021 8:56 am
Contact:

#34

Post by schmidzy »

Huh, after looking at the nudges, I realize I took a completely wrong path one of the elements... It didn't feel right, but the answer was correct so I shrugged it off. I'll try to remember to post my "alternate" mechanism after the reveal.
User avatar
jhseeman
Posts: 497
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2020 3:33 pm
Location: Charleston, SC

#35

Post by jhseeman »

The Moat has been crossed and castle stormed.

I absolutely loved this Meta, great idea Ben. I had 2 of 3, before going to the nudges. Y was a gimmie but I played a LOT of clue, X was close after, but Z was the tough one for me.
User avatar
woozy
Posts: 2255
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am

#36

Post by woozy »

jhseeman wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 10:12 am The Moat has been crossed and castle stormed.

I absolutely loved this Meta, great idea Ben. I had 2 of 3, before going to the nudges. Y was a gimmie but I played a LOT of clue, X was close after, but Z was the tough one for me.
Y, although the easiest, was the last I found because I haven't played Clue in decades and it never occurred to me to not take the puzzle at face value. X was the first for me because it follows meta rules. But Z was were the construction is just ... wow, just, wow...I thought it was impressive when I thought "Oh, I know it's <wrong guess> because I see it" but the realize... Oh, I see all this other stuff was just ... wow
Stinky Pinkies!

My Entry to the May 2024 CrossHare Midi Contest

Not a meta, but, yeesh!, that was tough to create.
User avatar
jhseeman
Posts: 497
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2020 3:33 pm
Location: Charleston, SC

#37

Post by jhseeman »

woozy wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 3:01 pm
jhseeman wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 10:12 am The Moat has been crossed and castle stormed.

I absolutely loved this Meta, great idea Ben. I had 2 of 3, before going to the nudges. Y was a gimmie but I played a LOT of clue, X was close after, but Z was the tough one for me.
Y, although the easiest, was the last I found because I haven't played Clue in decades and it never occurred to me to not take the puzzle at face value. X was the first for me because it follows meta rules. But Z was were the construction is just ... wow, just, wow...I thought it was impressive when I thought "Oh, I know it's <wrong guess> because I see it" but the realize... Oh, I see all this other stuff was just ... wow
Understand and makes sense.
Fully agree about the wow factor.
User avatar
ajk
Posts: 989
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2020 4:22 pm
Location: Colorado

#38

Post by ajk »

jhseeman wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 10:12 am The Moat has been crossed and castle stormed.

I absolutely loved this Meta, great idea Ben. I had 2 of 3, before going to the nudges. Y was a gimmie but I played a LOT of clue, X was close after, but Z was the tough one for me.
All of this, except that I was an idiot and didn’t try the obvious thing to get X for a bit. Great stuff Ben, thanks.
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
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 2507
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

#39

Post by benchen71 »

Nudges have brought more successful detectives out of the woodwork!

hoover
ChrisCross
LindaPRmaven
BarbaraK
rjy
Account
SJ
JHSeeman
JR
Johnny Luau
somylai
Jerry Miccolis
ajk

We're up to 43 now. Last update will occur before the answer reveal!
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! :shock:
User avatar
Cinny
Posts: 832
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2020 2:53 pm
Location: Minoa, NY
Contact:

#40

Post by Cinny »

Moat crossed --- finally. I had the first two right away, but the third had me stumped until I got a nudge from a fellow muggle. Should have had it sooner. Sometimes I just don't see what is right in front of me. Excellent construction made for a fun meta. Thanks, Ben!
Cindy Heisler
Post Reply