MEOW #128 Before And After

A weekly meta crossword on the forum started by member Josh (aka madhatter5). These puzzles are often very creative with solving mechanisms out of the norm and skewing towards the more challenging. Puzzles are posted every Wednesday, and the solution appears the following Tuesday.
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DrTom
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MEOW #128 Before And After

#1

Post by DrTom »

I guess we should have put up a message "The MEOW will be delayed until 1:00 PM Thursday, sorry for the inconvenience". Josh was busy, I was asleep at the wheel BUT here it is a day late. Hopefully people will still stop and take a look. I won't try to handicap this puzzle because I do a bad job, but I think it should be relatively quick to spot what I'm going for.

Think of this as the inaugural (and no doubt last) MEOTSDAWSC!

The meta answer is a popular frozen dessert.

There will be Nudges Friday if needed.

For now the Crosshare link is the only thing available, but the puz and pdf should be on line later.

"Before and After" - Crosshare
(NOTE: If you enjoy solving on Crosshare, help keep the site running by donating a few bucks).

"Before and After" - PUZ

"Before and After" - PDF

Image
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!
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whimsy
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#2

Post by whimsy »

Whew! I knew I'd met up with this critter before, perhaps a couple of months ago? -- while testing? or at a crazy noisy party?
But for longer than I care to admit, I was thinking I would have to go hide behind the potted plant, or make use of a lampshade, because...
I COULDN'T REMEMBER ITS NAME!
Untitledcatlampshade.png
Solved now, but dontcha hate when that happens?
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schmidzy
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#3

Post by schmidzy »

There's no hope for me if the only person to solve it so far had already test solved it!
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DrTom
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#4

Post by DrTom »

whimsy wrote: Thu May 11, 2023 10:12 pm Whew! I knew I'd met up with this critter before, perhaps a couple of months ago? -- while testing? or at a crazy noisy party?
But for longer than I care to admit, I was thinking I would have to go hide behind the potted plant, or make use of a lampshade, because...
I COULDN'T REMEMBER ITS NAME!
Untitledcatlampshade.png
Solved now, but dontcha hate when that happens?
Nothing is worse...well maybe if the person whose name you don't remember comes up to you when you are with your significant other and greets you like a long lost friend. Then you have to fake some kind of introduction.

Thanks for re-solving Claudia.
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!
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DrTom
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#5

Post by DrTom »

schmidzy wrote: Thu May 11, 2023 10:57 pm There's no hope for me if the only person to solve it so far had already test solved it!
Don't despair, actually the is one other solver but they are on Crosshare, and besides because it was late I don't know how many folks have actually tried it. If you were going through the puzzle and thought to yourself at some point, "boy you know what that makes me think of" you were probably right!
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!
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woozy
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#6

Post by woozy »

Wait! So the Hitchcock meta question is no more? I'm about 85% percent of the way through my Hitchcock 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.
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benchen71
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#7

Post by benchen71 »

I've completed the grid. Not seeing anything yet...
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! :shock:
madhatter5
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#8

Post by madhatter5 »

woozy wrote: Fri May 12, 2023 1:44 am Wait! So the Hitchcock meta question is no more? I'm about 85% percent of the way through my Hitchcock meta...
I pulled it because it did not seem to be popular (and people were confused how it should work). But I want to see your meta anyway!
https://pandorasblocks.org/crosswords-for-cancer
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schmidzy
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#9

Post by schmidzy »

Oh! I got it (and confirmed on Crosshare)! Thanks, @DrTom!
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Joe Ross
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#10

Post by Joe Ross »

madhatter5 wrote: Fri May 12, 2023 9:14 am
woozy wrote: Fri May 12, 2023 1:44 am Wait! So the Hitchcock meta question is no more? I'm about 85% percent of the way through my Hitchcock meta...
I pulled it because it did not seem to be popular (and people were confused how it should work). But I want to see your meta anyway!
Looking forward to solving this Hitchcock-themed-MEOW-to-be-#ed-later.
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woozy
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#11

Post by woozy »

hmm... Have the grid. I think I know what I need to do but I think this may be a matter of batting at threads and thinking "is this strong enough".
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.
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DrTom
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#12

Post by DrTom »

benchen71 wrote: Fri May 12, 2023 6:59 am I've completed the grid. Not seeing anything yet...
WARNING - the answer is not spelled out, it is derived!
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!
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DrTom
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#13

Post by DrTom »

Joe Ross wrote: Fri May 12, 2023 10:27 am
madhatter5 wrote: Fri May 12, 2023 9:14 am
woozy wrote: Fri May 12, 2023 1:44 am Wait! So the Hitchcock meta question is no more? I'm about 85% percent of the way through my Hitchcock meta...
I pulled it because it did not seem to be popular (and people were confused how it should work). But I want to see your meta anyway!
Looking forward to solving this Hitchcock-themed-MEOW-to-be-#ed-later.
Sounds mysterious to me! The chills are already going down my spine.
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!
Katiedid
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#14

Post by Katiedid »

Solved. That was fun!
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DrTom
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#15

Post by DrTom »

OK, so I kind of expected that when this was not available Wednesday it would be a slow starter. All the same we have
1 DIS
2 whimsy
3 DJB
4 Pair O Ducks
5 boharr
6 Katiedid

who have solved and there are a bunch more who are trying or submitted incorrect answers. I think it is time for a round of nudges...
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!
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DrTom
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#16

Post by DrTom »

Before and After Nudges:

I have already mentioned this, but to reiterate, the answer is not spelled out, it is implied.

"before and after" refers to the position of each part of the answer (which happens 4 times)

There are certain words that you see that immediately bring to mind other words

What was the first thing that popped into your head when you read clue 21A and filled in the answer

Ditto the above for 49A, did you say "Oh yes, the Spanish Explorer
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!
hoover
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#17

Post by hoover »

Oh dear, I needed all those nudges, but the cat is out of the bag/box/couch!
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ReB
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#18

Post by ReB »

Second nudge did it for me - cat is out of the bag.
MatthewL
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#19

Post by MatthewL »

Needed the nudges, but really clever puzzle. Cat has been loosed, and just in time for the weekend.
Matthew
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benchen71
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#20

Post by benchen71 »

I'm still not seeing anything in this one, even with all the nudges. I think @DrTom is getting his own back for my Strine puzzle! :D
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! :shock:
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