XWord Muggles Forum

Solution:

I am proud to say this puzzle breaks a golden rule of cruciverbal construction, namely that the grid ought to be entirely connected. Here, instead, the snake and the blade of grass divide the grid into four quadrants.

Each quadrant is hiding a U-pentomino containing the name of a grassy ecosystem (see picture). The letters contained by these pentominoes spell FEAR, which is the answer.

Wow, tough one. A Puma for sure!

Did finally get it with an extra nudge from the author, with an expected answer.

Finding HISS - snaking around the top quadrant - I was hoping the answer was going to be something like HISS-Teria. Spent too much time trying to backsolve. Nice puzzle...

I was trying for FANGS at one point, based on first letters of acronyms and the Jeb Stuart clue.

I was afraid the puzzle would reinforce hatred to snakes....if I found a snake in the grass (and I have!) my response is one of awe and wonder at such a wonderful creature.

Each spring, as the weather warms, I make my re-acquaintance with our local garter snake ("Snakey" - how original!) as he finds a place to sun himself. When I do inevitably jump, I always like to say that he didn't scare me, he just startled me.
Which is true. And I'm sure I do him!