MEOW #92: The Hardest Crossword

A weekly meta crossword on the forum started by member Josh (aka madhatter5). These puzzles are often very creative with solving mechanisms out of the norm and skewing towards the more challenging. Puzzles are posted every Wednesday, and the solution appears the following Tuesday.
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lbray53
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#41

Post by lbray53 »

I can hardly wait until Friday.
My avatar proves that it is sometimes better to be lucky than good!
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MikeyG
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#42

Post by MikeyG »

I think I got 1-Down!!!
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 134. Think Twice
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Al Sisti
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#43

Post by Al Sisti »

Like a lot of you, I have a completed grid; however, my first attempt at Step 2 didn't yield anything concrete yet.
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boharr
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#44

Post by boharr »

MikeyG wrote: Thu Aug 25, 2022 12:51 pm I think I got 1-Down!!!
Makes you eligible for bonus points!
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BrennerTJ
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#45

Post by BrennerTJ »

A fun one in the end!
-Tamara
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hoover
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#46

Post by hoover »

MikeyG wrote: Thu Aug 25, 2022 12:51 pm I think I got 1-Down!!!
I think you can get a cream for that at CVS or Walgreens.
I don't have anything clever to say, but if I did, it would go here.
Eli
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jhseeman
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#47

Post by jhseeman »

At some point I'd break down and look at the clues for hints....but that would require me to actually understand what is in the clues.
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KayW
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#48

Post by KayW »

Whew. Grid done. Wait, what? There's more?!

Image

I need a nap, first.
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rjy
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#49

Post by rjy »

Came back to it post-WSJ and freed the cat, pending confirmation. Really, really great Josh! Love when constructors take such creative, imaginative turns. Kudos!
Ray
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DrTom
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#50

Post by DrTom »

I think my cat is free, but my eyes may never be the same! Joshy you have outdone yourself, I cannot imagine how much time went into this. Besides now I have a bunch of new words for my puzzles!

Tom
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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rjy
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#51

Post by rjy »

DrTom wrote: Fri Aug 26, 2022 1:06 am Besides now I have a bunch of new words for my puzzles!
Don't you even think about it!!
Ray
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KayW
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#52

Post by KayW »

Doh!!! That nice long nap helped. Went back to it and got it immediately (pending confirmation). Fantabulous puzzle, Josh!

..and I daresay you spent more time on this than all of us solvers put together!
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lbray53
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#53

Post by lbray53 »

I finally completed the grid. Unfortunately the mechanism that I thought was developing never materialized. I have fragments but nothing close to an answer. I am hoping for nudges today.
My avatar proves that it is sometimes better to be lucky than good!
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madhatter5
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#54

Post by madhatter5 »

Nudge Saturday!

Read the clues

Google is not the answer, nor is it at all necessary

Once you solve the grid I can't really offer any advice other than to stare at it. And keep staring. Soon you will see the answer
https://pandorasblocks.org/crosswords-for-cancer
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woozy
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#55

Post by woozy »

madhatter5 wrote: Sat Aug 27, 2022 10:31 am Nudge Saturday!



{Nudge 3} Once you solve the grid I can't really offer any advice other than to stare at it. And keep staring. Soon you will see the answer

Don't overthink it! As a nudge I can tell you a strategy not to use. But... I'm not supposed to give nudges.
GUAVA is not an anagram of VAGUE and PEPPER is not a palindrome.
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MikeyG
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#56

Post by MikeyG »

Similar to a few of you, before I take nudges, I think I know what I have to do? Hmmm.

(Narrator: He did not, after all, have 1-Down.)
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 134. Think Twice
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rjy
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#57

Post by rjy »

MikeyG wrote: Sun Aug 28, 2022 12:49 am (Narrator: He did not, after all, have 1-Down.)
Same. My earlier post…
rjy wrote: Wed Aug 24, 2022 8:15 am Got an entry! I'll call that success for now and carry on with my day. Will try for another later...
… was similarly premature. Sure was proud of my googling there :roll:
Ray
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MikeyG
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#58

Post by MikeyG »

woozy wrote: Sat Aug 27, 2022 12:24 pm
madhatter5 wrote: Sat Aug 27, 2022 10:31 am Nudge Saturday!



{Nudge 3} Once you solve the grid I can't really offer any advice other than to stare at it. And keep staring. Soon you will see the answer

Don't overthink it! As a nudge I can tell you a strategy not to use. But... I'm not supposed to give nudges.
After it's all over, I wonder if your initial strategy was also mine.
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 134. Think Twice
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edestlin
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#59

Post by edestlin »

I'm... stymied. The grid hasn't yielded a single answer. The nudges were not as enlightening as I'd hoped. Fistfuls of hair this week.

UPDATE:
Awaiting confirmation but I'm confident the cat is out. Kind nudges from another muggle got me rolling and then it came together. Such a fantastic puzzle.
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madhatter5
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#60

Post by madhatter5 »

Solution: LATERAL THINKING

The answer to each entry was provided and defined in the clue to another entry. So no Googling was required. This metanism was actually not original - it came from a children's book called "The Mysterious Benedict Society", in case anyone is interested. Oh and thanks to Kay for the awesome graphic.


TheHardestCrossword.png


I also need to make a rather sad announcement here:

MEOW #94 (co-constructed with DrTom) will be my last for the forseeable future. I'm sorry to say I feel a bit overworked and need to pare down my cruciverbal responsibilities. This isn't a goodbye, however. I will continue to act in an administrative role, setting up the puzzle line-up each week, if MEOW is to continue with guest constructors as I very much hope it will. Perhaps we can rename the forum "Muggle Enigma on Wednesdays". I think it's a much-needed sandbox for nonconformists like me to break all the rules they want and still get a decent audience. So I feel there is value in its continuation.

Or alternatively, if any intrepid Muggle constructor can handle a puzzle a week and would like to take the baton, that would be awesome as well!
https://pandorasblocks.org/crosswords-for-cancer
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