"Better Together" by benchen71
- benchen71
- Posts: 3400
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
"Better Together" by benchen71
Welcome to...
benchen71's Metas on a Tuesday (MOAT)
Can you storm the castle by getting across the MOAT? The path from meta idea to the grid you see before you was not exactly an easy one. Let's just say that it really helps if you spell things correctly in your rough notes! Suffice to say the end result should be a good "week 3" meta. There might be some tricky entries in the grid, but I've endeavoured to provide you with assistance in the other direction. The answer to the meta is a musical genre.
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.
Better Together - Online Form
Better Together - PUZ
Better Together - PDF
Better Together - spreadsheet
Nudges are here.
The solution is here.
benchen71's Metas on a Tuesday (MOAT)
Can you storm the castle by getting across the MOAT? The path from meta idea to the grid you see before you was not exactly an easy one. Let's just say that it really helps if you spell things correctly in your rough notes! Suffice to say the end result should be a good "week 3" meta. There might be some tricky entries in the grid, but I've endeavoured to provide you with assistance in the other direction. The answer to the meta is a musical genre.
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.
Better Together - Online Form
Better Together - PUZ
Better Together - PDF
Better Together - spreadsheet
Nudges are here.
The solution is here.
Last edited by benchen71 on Sun Jan 22, 2023 5:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Check out "The MOAT Mini Pack of Marching Bands" here. US$5 gets you 7 Marching Bands which, hard enough on their own, now contain metas too. And once again there's a mega-meta! 

- MikeyG
- Posts: 1925
- Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 2:52 pm
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
The MOAT is stormed at roughly 1 in the morning or so. It seems that's when I function best, haha.
Thanks, as always, for the puzzle! Time to play some tunes!

Mikey G
Thanks, as always, for the puzzle! Time to play some tunes!

Mikey G
- rjy
- Posts: 1442
- Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2021 12:52 pm
- Location: Gaithersburg, MD
Crossed and Stormed, also at a ridiculous hour… good one, Ben, thx!
Ray
- benchen71
- Posts: 3400
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
It's fun to see who the night owls are!
That, and the muggles in non-US time zones.
That, and the muggles in non-US time zones.

Check out "The MOAT Mini Pack of Marching Bands" here. US$5 gets you 7 Marching Bands which, hard enough on their own, now contain metas too. And once again there's a mega-meta! 

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- Posts: 492
- Joined: Thu May 09, 2019 11:02 pm
- Location: Yakima, WA
Across the moat !! Thanks for the puzzle, Ben. It's almost midnight here in the Pacific Northwest.
- benchen71
- Posts: 3400
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
I'm loving all these solver time stamps!
Living in Australia I feel quite distant both physically and temporally from most of you. But it has been nice to join the occasional Zoom session recently, so I will endeavour to do that when I can.
Living in Australia I feel quite distant both physically and temporally from most of you. But it has been nice to join the occasional Zoom session recently, so I will endeavour to do that when I can.
Check out "The MOAT Mini Pack of Marching Bands" here. US$5 gets you 7 Marching Bands which, hard enough on their own, now contain metas too. And once again there's a mega-meta! 

- rjy
- Posts: 1442
- Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2021 12:52 pm
- Location: Gaithersburg, MD
Was dealing w my dad with RNs and DRs in the ER least night (I’ll refer you to any crossword if you don’t know what that means)… all good, but kept hitting Refresh to see when the MOAT would drop 

Ray
- edestlin
- Posts: 294
- Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2022 9:22 am
- Location: Michigan
- Contact:
Moat? What moat? That thing I crossed back there? Brutal grid but a much kinder meta. Thanks, Ben!
- Abide
- Moderator
- Posts: 1785
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:16 pm
- Location: Biloxi
- Contact:
Nice one! This one falls into the “set aside and look with fresh eyes” category..
The site is just a web page, a meeting place, a clubhouse - it's the group that's special.
—Brian MacDonald
—Brian MacDonald
- Meg
- Posts: 2500
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
- Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Why are these solvers up so late or so early depending on your point of view? Anyway, I’m herding my gaggle of geese across the drawbridge. They bite, you know.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
- lbray53
- Posts: 1507
- Joined: Fri May 08, 2020 8:34 am
- Location: Elkhorn, WI
Crossed the MOAT! Fun.
My avatar proves that it is sometimes better to be lucky than good!
- boharr
- Moderator
- Posts: 3600
- Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:57 am
- Location: Westchester, NY
- BarbaraK
- Posts: 2965
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
- Location: Virginia
Crossed the moat this morning.
But if I had done it in the middle of the night, I'd have waited until this morning to submit to avoid having to admit (to myself? does anyone else care?) that I'd been awake at some ridiculous hour. Yup, happened a week or so back, and I really did wait for just that reason:)
But if I had done it in the middle of the night, I'd have waited until this morning to submit to avoid having to admit (to myself? does anyone else care?) that I'd been awake at some ridiculous hour. Yup, happened a week or so back, and I really did wait for just that reason:)
If you want help with a meta, feel free to PM me. The more specific you are about what you have and what you want, the more likely I can help without spoiling.
(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
- Cinny
- Posts: 1042
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- Location: Minoa, NY
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- woozy
- Posts: 3173
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am
Definitely a clever and original idea!
But a week two. Very enjoyable. Love the clue for 44D
But a week two. Very enjoyable. Love the clue for 44D
GUAVA is not an anagram of VAGUE
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- Posts: 1126
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- Location: Atlanta, GA
Moat crossed, castle stormed, treasure house raided. Nice one, Ben!
Matthew
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