Mind the Gap

[MarkWoychick]

Hello Muggles, and thank you for trying my very first meta! I’ve been solving on and off for a few years with the WSJ Friday contest and have expanded to many of the daily puzzles now over the past year. I had been thinking about trying to construct a puzzle for a while, and I found a lot of good advice on a thread in the Acapulco Lounge - if you are interested in constructing, too, check it out - this community is very supportive and willing to help.

I’m honored to have the opportunity to debut my puzzle on Muggle Meta Monday, and it wouldn’t have been possible without expert advice and insight from the following test solvers: @BarbaraK, @whimsy, @benchen71, @Cap'n Rick,@Al Sisti, and @Abide. Their collective feedback and suggestions have made this puzzle infinitely better than the original - thank you!

Thanks also to @Joe Ross for his patience and assistance in getting the puzzle ready to be shared with you today.

While the list of test solvers is long, I hope there are some remaining Muggles who are willing to solve - if so, I hope you enjoy the puzzle.

The puzzle title is Mind the Gap, and the meta answer is an appropriate four-letter word.

I will update the leaderboard as we go and offer nudges on Wednesday. I am traveling on Wednesday this week, but I will be able to respond to messages once I can reconnect.

Happy solving,
Mark

Mind the Gap on Crosshare

Mind the Gap PUZ

Mind the Gap PDF

Mind the Gap spreadsheet

[Meg]

Thanks, Mark. That was fun! Wiki has a different spelling for 38A. Just curious about that.

[Schmeel]

Off the couch.
Great debut Mark - thanks!

[boharr]

Couch abandoned.
Thanks for very nice and fun debut, Mark.

[ky-mike]

Off the couch. Fun Monday morning meta.

[Hidden in 3D]

Off the couch after enjoying your excellent first MMM! Thanks so much, Mark!

[MarkWoychick]

Thanks, Mark. That was fun! Wiki has a different spelling for 38A. Just curious about that.

Thank you, Meg, and you are correct about the 38A, my error - insufficient fact checking on my part.

[Meg]

Thanks, Mark. That was fun! Wiki has a different spelling for 38A. Just curious about that.

Thank you, Meg, and you are correct about the 38A, my error - insufficient fact checking on my part.

I assumed that @Abide told you it was perfectly fine to use your own spelling.

[KayW]

Delightful debut - Congrats and thanks, Mark!

[Dplass]

Off the couch. Thanks!

[oldjudge]

🛋. Great job Mark!

[ChrisKochmanski]

Free of couch!

Welcome to meta construction, Mark! Very enjoyable!

[Darth]

Off the couch. [And literally, as I have been "couch surfing" Scandinavia for the past 12 days]

Great puzzle, Mark! Hope you'll keep them coming!

[woozy]

Thanks, Mark. That was fun! Wiki has a different spelling for 38A. Just curious about that.

Thank you, Meg, and you are correct about the 38A, my error - insufficient fact checking on my part.

I assumed that @Abide told you it was perfectly fine to use your own spelling.

I'm not sure I see how as her name is what it is.

Of course, there are plenty of other clues one can use; "Muhammad's third wife", for example.

Still a fun and impressive debut and .... oh, I just got something! (Ha! That's clever!)

[MikeyG]

Fantastic debut! The gap is minded, and I'm off the couch! (And on another one.)

[michaelm]

Off the couch and sadly now back to 47D (the clue, not the fill...)
Thanks Mark. Loved it!

[Beth Tyrpin]

Nicely done! Thanks.

[whimsy]

Though I was a test solver, I was delighted to do this once more.
Firstly, because it's different from back then -- you made a lot of great changes, Mark!
And secondly, because... well....because...you know... I got a mind here with several gaps!

[Anita]

Off the couch!

[Wendy Walker]

Mark, as soon as you told us that you'd created an MMM, I knew I was going to like it ... but it was even better than I expected. Fun, original clues (1D made me laugh) and -- hey! -- you included my buddy 36D. Great job!