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.
It's time for another BenChen71-attempts-to-channel-Madhatter5 puzzle. Once again, the conventions of crosswords have been thrown out the window! Well, it's perhaps not quite as drastic as all that. OK, so there's no symmetry, but I made sure to avoid 2-letter words this time (which was hard, let me tell you!) All told, I consider this one to be "Persian" in difficulty (equivalent of a "week 3"). The answer to the meta is a hero.
And there's a prize! The randomly-drawn name will win a MOAT Music Meta Pack valued at $US10.
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.
Last edited by benchen71 on Mon Sep 11, 2023 7:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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!
Wow - there is a whole lot of something going on in this grid… meta themers or Easter eggs? Or just coincidences? No idea what to do with all these loosely related parts…
HeadinHome wrote: ↑Wed Sep 06, 2023 10:18 am
Wow - there is a whole lot of something going on in this grid… meta themers or Easter eggs? Or just coincidences? No idea what to do with all these loosely related parts…
@HeadinHome, I agree. Not sure what to do with everything I'm seeing. I'm holding out for a hero!
OMG! My WAG was correct! Except I don’t understand it. Some interesting backsolving coming up.
(Later) With the help of some kind muggles, I now understand everything! Nice, Ben.
Last edited by Meg on Wed Sep 06, 2023 7:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
HeadinHome wrote: ↑Wed Sep 06, 2023 10:18 am
Wow - there is a whole lot of something going on in this grid… meta themers or Easter eggs? Or just coincidences? No idea what to do with all these loosely related parts…
@HeadinHome, I agree. Not sure what to do with everything I'm seeing. I'm holding out for a hero!
Meg wrote: ↑Wed Sep 06, 2023 4:18 pm
OMG! My WAG was correct! Except I don’t understand it. Some interesting backsolving coming up.
(Later) With the help of some kind muggles, I now understand everything! Nice, Ben.
My first wag wasn't but my second one was.
Now to back solve. I have absolutely no idea about this meta. The only thing I know is the answer.
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.
We're nearing the end of the first 24 hours, and here are all of the successful solvers so far:
Hector
Danny K Bernstein
Meg
Cindy Weatherman
I K Snamhcok
woozy
That's only 6! It seems this cat is not a Persian but a Puma!
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!
HeadinHome wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 12:29 pm
Glad it’s not just me!
And some of those solvers either WAG’d or had help.
Not sure what WAG means but in context I WAGged my second guess.
It might be hard to solve but it's pretty easy to guess and there will quite a bit of circumstantial confirmation once you guess[*]. And coming up with a back rationale is not too weird. But I kind of doubt that anyone actually did a direct solve.
Actually depending on what WAG means I might not have been 100% WAG but only 54% wag. But I probably should learn what WAG means before I make any such pronouncements.
[*]My first wrong guess has a bit of circumstantial confirmation but nowhere near as much as my second.
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.
I'm not making any progress with this one yet, I think I'm also going to hold out for nudges lol
Shannon PS: If you want help with a meta, PM what you have so I can help without spoiling too much. I've received lots of help in the beginning and I love to pay it forward!
1. There are no obvious clues in the grid. The long entry (16 A) is just a long entry; and 1A and 69A are not clues either.
2. That said, there must be *something* going on with 48A since it explicitly cites the puzzle title.
3. Did you wonder at a grid that includes both 13D and 68A (which was itself referred to by 13A)? Did you Google the scientific name in the clue for 22A?
4. A colouring-in pencil might be of assistance!
5. Turns out symmetry hasn't been *totally* abandoned. And there are two other helpful entries, both centrally located (horizontally speaking): one down, one across.
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!
MMe wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 6:18 pmMMethinks the two helpful entries, while still helpful, do not exactly belong together.
MANTLE didn't fit!
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!
Once again, the conventions of crosswords have been thrown out the window! Well, it's perhaps not quite as drastic as all that. OK, so there's no symmetry, but I made sure to avoid 2-letter words this time (which was hard, let me tell you!) All told, I consider this one to be "Persian" in difficulty (equivalent of a "week 3"). The answer to the meta is a hero.
