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!)
Can you storm the castle by getting across the MOAT? We're all fascinated by magicians: sleight of hand, misdirection, smoke, mirrors, and elaborate mechanical devices. Well, this meta has all of those things and more! Your task is to work out how it's done and come up with the answer to the meta, which is an adjective.
PM me with your submissions or submit on Crosshare. Either way, I'll compile a list of those who successfully solve the meta.
Last edited by benchen71 on Sun Nov 07, 2021 4:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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!
Funny story. I was all set to enter Par for the course for the CrossHare midi contest for April but I mistakenly thought midi meant 7x 7 and not 11 x 11. Oops. Well.... Here's a complex but **small** meta on the subject of golf.
The lake on which I was kayaking this weekend had a paper sign taped up that said "Alligators have been active in this area" but I was disappointed not to see any (October is a comparatively safe month in which to encounter gators. April-August, not so much!). I did, however, rescue a turtle which had wedged itself upside down in a no-longer-submerged tree branch that had receded to about a foot above the water. Poor guy was still alive, barely. His head was sticking out and moving. When I reached my paddle out to try to free him, he stuck his little legs out and started waving them around but he couldn't reach anything to propel himself with.
Whew - SUPER tough grid for me, luckily nothing interfered with my solve (confirmed on Crosshare). Way too much Australian specific stuff for this other-sider, but then I'll bet Australians look at the WSJ and Gaffney puzzles and say: "Strewth", I don't have Buckley's chance of getting 'Fast train between Washington and Boston', or 'Nine Digit ID' - "damn don't these blokes like to yammer on, one more like that and I'll spit my dummie!"
Ah well - solved is solved, and there appears to be more than one way to cross a MOAT.
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!
DrTom wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 2:38 pm
Whew - SUPER tough grid for me, luckily nothing interfered with my solve (confirmed on Crosshare). Way too much Australian specific stuff for this other-sider, but then I'll bet Australians look at the WSJ and Gaffney puzzles and say: "Strewth", I don't have Buckley's chance of getting 'Fast train between Washington and Boston', or 'Nine Digit ID' - "damn don't these blokes like to yammer on, one more like that and I'll spit my dummie!"
I do, indeed, struggle with Americanisms in crosswords. But that is to be expected, since most crossword creators and most solvers are Americans. As a crossword creator you want to give your solvers the best chance! I know that in the early days I wanted to get my revenge - and this puzzle is one of my earlier ones! But now, I'm happy to use Americanisms and Australianisms, and clue for both. Next week's puzzle is one I created a few weeks ago, so you might notice a difference. (Then again, you might not!)
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!
