Ultimate Statesmen

[whimsy]

Bill and I have finally parted ways --

Quite nifty! Thanks, Chris!

[Cap'n Rick]

Finally OTC! Let's just say that I was over-"stating" things a bit.

Great meta, @cbarbee002!

[cbarbee002]

Additional folks with empty settee's (59 now). Please let me know if I missed you! Also, if still in need of a nudge, please PM me.

Schmeel
benchen71
kamashdad
HeadinHome
MikeyG
frostyjhammer
Anita
Richard
Ergcat
BarbaraK
Bob cruise director
Qmark
Dow Jones
JeanneC
rjy
whimsy
minimuggle
Cap'n Rick
bhamren
MaineMarge
ReB
Sharkicicles
rayyandroid
david
Johnny Luau
JM

[ky-mike]

Got it after a couple of nudges. I had the gist from the start, but just didn't follow through earlier this week when I first did the grid.

Thanks Chris!

[cbarbee002]

And a few more OTC (up to 69):

LauraM
Ky-Mike
LindaPRmaven
Jaclyn
Wendy Walker
michaelm
jbird
Steve M
SeamusOL
Katiedid

[cbarbee002]

Ok, hate to step on my own post, but 7 more Off the Couch (76 total):
Darrell
Pedro
eisense
PuzNewbie
AlexR
JR
Jerry Miccolis

[cbarbee002]

Final update

Jasonbr
Naptown Kid

AND, the solution:

My original "meta answer" was going to be Wall Drug Store in Wall, SD (anyone who has been in the area of South Dakota will have seen road signs for Wall Drug, literally for hundreds of miles before you get to it). But thinking about South Dakota and the national memorials (not Parks . . more later) there, and knowing that I would be using state abbreviations in the grid, it hit on me that "Statesmen" was a great tie in to Mt. Rushmore. But I digress.

As hinted by the title, the states were at the end (ultimate) of each word in the themers. Once you saw that, you of course had to figure out how to turn that into an answer, and as most of you found, there are eight 3-letter grid entries where the first and last letter are the same as the state abbreviations used in the themers. The middle letter of those 3-letter grid entries spelled (when taken in grid number order) RUSHMORE. Originally I only had RUSHMORE as a valid answer, but quickly realized (and added) that Mt Rushmore or Mount Rushmore also should be accepted, and probably (not added) South Dakota as well. Anyway, many of you got there in spite of my omission. AND in spite of my incorrect assertion that the meta answer was the location of a well-known "national park". As was pointed out to me by several of you, it is a national monument, not a park. Forgive my mistake - - hoping it didn't cause too much extra work.

Thanks for the kind comments, and thanks to everyone who took the time to solve!

[dsbened]

Good puzzle with very valid answers and no "cheats". I'll look forward to your next one!

[Streroto]

Had it after nudges and pre reveal very nice. Agree w priors great construction.