Happy Anniversary!

[Clark E. Tripe]

Four more Muggles are off their comfy couches since yesterday, bringing our solver total to 90:

bereolos
HeadinHome
AaronT
Tane

Look for the big reveal(s) tonight or tomorrow a.m.

[Clark E. Tripe]

The final tally adds four more, as we finish with 94

ricky billingsgate
Katiedid
Naptown Kid
Nick

Crosshare stats for Happy Anniversary! (Meta)
Total completions: 207
Average completion time: 0:08:00
Completions without helpers: 75
Correct contest submissions: 83
Total contest submissions:87

Stay tuned for reveal and the prizewinner!

[Clark E. Tripe]

Well, my first MMM week has come to a close, but I have to confess something. There is no place called "Linux Habitation", nor is there a constructor named "Clark E. Tripe". This meta was created by @Abide, @Al Sisti, and @Cap'n Rick (aka "The Three Musketeers of Muggledom") who got the idea from @BrianMac's Paper Anniversary meta which had the diagonal message in the grid.

As the awesome graphics by Jose Posh, Sr. illustrate below, solvers first had to locate the 8 symmetrically-placed rivers whose clues all started with "River running through...". The first letters of these rivers spelled "YEAR FOUR". A 4th-year anniversary gift with 7 letters is the meta answer "Flowers" (or "flow-ers" if you're talking about rivers). The special message "running through" the grid from TOP to bottom is "THANK YOU MUGGLES". The Three Musketeers want to thank everyone for indulging our hijinks and solving our anniversary meta.

Our lucky mug winner is @SewYoung who will receive a "Happy Anniversary" mug bearing the image of the finished reveal.



Credit: Jose Posh, Sr. (Acini Inn, CT)



Special thanks to our test solvers - @Wendy Walker, @whimsy, and @MarkWoychick (who did a great job impersonating me during the Muggle Zoom).

[MaineMarge]

Oh, @Clark E. Tripe, say it ain’t so🥲. I’m crushed, as are the other members of your fan club. Why, we were about to fly out to Linux Hab. to camp out on your doorstep. Hope this doesn’t mean you are a 1 trick pony?
Al, Rick, and Peter are great guys and amazing Muggles, but individually don’t seem to have your special “Je ne sais quoi “ enigmatic quality.
Please, please stay here in Muggledom with us
❤️❤️Marge

[SewYoung]

Wow!! I'm so excited!! I can't believe I won!! I'm touched (in addition to being "tetched"). This mug will be more prized than if I had won the WSJ mug. I can't wait. I thought it was a great puzzle. Thanks Peter, AL , and Rick.
Keep up the good work.

[sharkicicles]

I’m not going to lie… this is the most fun thing ever on this site. All hail Clark E. Tripe and his legion of Cheeto-stained dew swillers!

[MikeyG]

What a bunch of Tripe.

I wouldn't have it any other way!

[dsbened]

Holy crap! This puzzle was brilliant, and the diagonal message was the coup de grâce! Bravo to the trio for creating Clark E. Tripe and for posting that goth-like photo. I hope to see "him" again soon!