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benchen71's Metas on a Tuesday (MOAT)

Can you storm the castle by getting across the MOAT? We all like to play games, both the board kind (nice!) and the inter-personal relationship manipulative kind (not so nice!) So this meta is for all you game-players out there. Good luck at winning out in the end by finding the answer to the meta which is an eight-letter game that can be played by two people.

The easiest way to submit is on Crosshare (and you get instant feedback and unlimited attempts!) But you can also PM me with your submission. Either way, I'll compile a list of those who successfully solve the meta.

Two Can Play At That Game - Online Form
Two Can Play At That Game - PUZ
Two Can Play At That Game - PDF
Two Can Play At That Game - spreadsheet

Nudges are here.
The solution is here.

Crossed. Stormed.

Fun!

Thanks, Ben!

I pulled my cartful of parsnips across the drawbridge. Nice one, Ben.

...and twelve hours after Ben posted this puzzle, it does appear that just two can play at this game.

Well, that was a fun walk across the bridge! Hopefully that bodes well for the week, my first thought was NOT my typical “OK turn all the words into numbers, square them, take a cube root, compare that to atomic numbers, write out the chemical formula derived, find out what the dd/mm/yyyy that was discovered and use those numbers to find letter squares.

Nope this time I sais “Hey, what if…” and I was right.

Thanks Ben

DrTom wrote: Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:00 pmWell

Done

Nice one. Thanks.

BarbaraK wrote: Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:02 pm

DrTom wrote: Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:00 pmWell

Done

Indeed “Well Done Ben..and that is not a rare occasion”

DrTom wrote: Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:00 pm Well, that was a fun walk across the bridge! Hopefully that bodes well for the week, my first thought was NOT my typical “OK turn all the words into numbers, square them, take a cube root, compare that to atomic numbers, write out the chemical formula derived, find out what the dd/mm/yyyy that was discovered and use those numbers to find letter squares.

Nope this time I sais “Hey, what if…” and I was right.

Thanks Ben

Well, crap, that eliminates my method...

DrTom wrote: Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:00 pm Well, that was a fun walk across the bridge! Hopefully that bodes well for the week, my first thought was NOT my typical “OK turn all the words into numbers, square them, take a cube root, compare that to atomic numbers, write out the chemical formula derived, find out what the dd/mm/yyyy that was discovered and use those numbers to find letter squares.

That would make for an awesome meta.

I have tried several things that get me about 3 letters! Nudges on Friday I guess.

There's still a little while until the end of the first 24 hours, but this puzzle is proving to be a tough nut to crack! So far, the following solvers have successfully solved the meta:

Hector
Laura M
ChrisKochmanski
Cindy Weatherman
Meg
boharr
BarbaraK
DrTom
woozy
DIS
Tyrpmom
joe

Just 12 to get us going!

DrTom wrote: Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:00 pm Well, that was a fun walk across the bridge! Hopefully that bodes well for the week, my first thought was NOT my typical “OK turn all the words into numbers, square them, take a cube root, compare that to atomic numbers, write out the chemical formula derived, find out what the dd/mm/yyyy that was discovered and use those numbers to find letter squares.

Nope this time I sais “Hey, what if…” and I was right.

Thanks Ben

My method was surprisingly similar. I saw one entry in the grid and that "if it were mmmm it would be nnnnn and that would ggggggg" but it seems the think that is just a solvers whim. It felt too loose and I thought it wouldn't work and it gave me too much stuff but... dang if it didn't give me something I could work with. It felt too loose but I have since figured out why it works so very tightly.

I'd prefer it if the nutcracker were more bcbcbcbc rather than ssssssss, but it's does turn into a real solid fit.

Good puzzle, Ben.

lbray53 wrote: Tue Jan 10, 2023 10:11 pm I have tried several things that get me about 3 letters! Nudges on Friday I guess.

That's 3 more than me...

Here's a solver update for you:

JoshSolves
Slothrop
Account

Since that's a total of 15 - and I thought this would be a "week 2" puzzle! - I think it's time for some early nudges...

Nudges, in order of increasing blatancy:

1. There is a hint in the clue for 41 across: It takes two to do this (which is also a vague hint concerning something you need to do eight times in the grid to solve the meta).

2. Did you notice that there are no double letters in the entire grid?

3. Look for squares containing letters that can be doubled and still form words across and down.

4. The clues for 34 across and 25 down might help to discover one tricky letter!

Nudged across the moat. Very clever. The meta, that is. Me, not so much

Ahhhhhh, finally! Needed the second nudge and got off the couch, thru the moat or out of the bag, whatever it is, I just can't remember anymore. But really cool concept, Ben!

2nd nudge got me across the moat as well. Very nice puzzle.

Needed the third nudge (although the second one had me in the same ballpark and I probably should just have been patient ). Also needed to backsolve one letter, but finally got it. Fun stuff, thanks.