XWord Muggles Forum

Submitted what I believe is the answer.

Thanks for the puzzle!

Update: Off the couch!

Grid filled - - hard to go forward as I’m still laughing at 46D.

Submitted. Well done, Al.

ChrisKochmanski wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 3:19 pm Off the couch!

Thank you, Al, for 16a. Though poor Lynne -- now she'll have to listen to me quoting Blazing Saddles lines all day.

Do you know that Madeleine Kahn was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for playing Lily von Schtupp? True! And well deserved!

Sadly, though, this master thespian was prescient in understanding the risk to his own chances for the the Best Supporting Actor award:

From time to time we have "movie themed" parties ('cause, you know, otherwise it'd be just drinking), and one of the more recent ones we did was "Blazing Saddles," complete with a whoopie cushion for every person for the beans scene. Yeah, we're all 5th graders at heart.

Off the couch. Good meta.
Thanks for the puzzle!

Excellent! Off the couch.

So, solved and confirmed off the couch. I am ashamed that it took me forever to see the light and I needed a flashlight shone. In my defense I was down some pretty deep, but very reasonable rabbit holes (well reasonable for me but you all know how that goes), I struggled for HOURS trying to make this something it wasn't (wow, first time for that of course) because it was so perfect and reasonable. I'm sure he will deny it but if it was by accident then fate truly is fickle and if on purpose a MASTERFUL stroke of misdirection.

Typical of an Al puzzle, superbly (and LOL humorously) clued.

The cat has escaped, but was NOT happy being in there so long...

Haven't even looked at it yet. Heading to the beach for a few days. Printing puzzles now to take with me.

SewYoung wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 9:57 am Haven't even looked at it yet. Heading to the beach for a few days. Printing puzzles now to take with me.

Well definitely take it, its fun and a pleasant diversion out in the sand.

I guess we won't see you this evening - have fun!

Submitted an answer of which I’m 99% sure. Great puzzle!! [Confirmed OTC]

cbarbee002 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 7:17 pm Grid filled - - hard to go forward as I’m still laughing at 46D.

Goes well with 47U.

Got it, very nice puzzle.

Confirmed off the couch.
Unlike in the final Quick Draw McGraw spinoff episode (1962!), I did not encounter a wacky Martian rabbit.
Thanks for the great puzzle, Al!

Solved, submitted, and confirmed last evening after the muggles zoom… a fun and cleverly clued puzzle; thanks Al!

Wednesday morning leaderboard (if I missed you, please let me know... Test Solvers too):

1  madhatter5 
2  Meg 
3  Dannyvee 
4  lbray53 
5  boharr 
6  Cinny 
7  Cap'n Rick 
8  Hector 
9  ky-mike 
10  LesY 
11  Beth Tyrpin 
12  michaelm 
13  FrankieHeck 
14  Darth 
15  oldjudge 
16  hoover 
17  woozy 
18  Laura M 
19 Cindy
20  ChrisKochmanski 
21  Bird Lives 
22  Bbaack 
23  RPardoe 
24  Wendy Walker 
25  Dplass 
26  Anita 
27  Dow Jones 
28  dudeski 
29  cbarbee002 
30  BrennerTJ 
31  Schmeel 
32 DrTom
33  TMart 
34  eagle1279 
35  Bob cruise director 
36 DCBilly
37  MaineMarge 
38 docison
39  Small Wave Dave 
40  m5rammy 
41  DebbieC 
42  Snood 
43  HeadinHome 

Nudges start in an hour... but this one's a freebie: There are two "things" in Down entries that you might think are part of the meta (they're like the "things" you do want to use in the long acrosses). They are unintended red herrings that I should have caught. Ditto with what might read as a hint/solving instruction in a down entry in the SE portion.

Okay, it's Nudge Wednesday, so here goes:

Look for nothing… when you find it, it should lead you to something.

Often, the long acrosses hold the key to what you want. This time is no different.

Sometimes, there are solving hints carefully placed either in a central row/column entry or in the SE corner. Sometimes, they’re in both places.

Come on people, you got this!!

Confirmed off the couch.

Al, 46D is one of my favorite crossword clues to date!

I think I've finally solved my first Meta - took me all morning and a peek at the hints - but we all have to start somewhere I guess!

Finally off the couch. Before seeing nudges. Not that anyone but me cares about that

This one was very, very good.