XWord Muggles Forum

Blue Monday, said Fats Domino. If only he’d had a meta to distract him, he would have sung,“I found my thrill/ right there in the fill,” rather than up on that fruity knoll.

Today I offer “The Doctor’s Orders,” the doctor being the one you’re thinking of. In fact, you should mentally do a global replace so that every time you see “Tom” in a clue, you think “DrTom.”

The Doctors Orders.puz
The Doctors Orders.pdf

20210524 MMM Bird Lives — The Doctors Orders — Excel form

An alternate clue for 24A might be “I can’t wait to use my movie-editing software, said Tom _______ly.” I mean, it might be that if I thought people were familiar with the names of video-editing software packages. Solvers are invited to submit alternate Swifty clues for any of the other entries in the grid.

The answer is an applicable word.

The difficulty level is not all that hard. That's just a guess. YMMV.
Getting the meta requires no outside sources.

@Bird Lives forgot to mention add: The answer is an applicable word

Answer submitted, but no alternate Swifty clues came to mind.
I suspect the assembled muggle crowd will not disappoint there.

3D: "Truth be told, I had some expensive meat again," Tom ____ed

9D: "I'm a Prime Minister and a witch!," Tom ___

39A: "Did you find any change in the couch?," asked Tom ___ly.

17A "This wetsuit irritates my skin," Tom said ____ly.

Submitted. Confirmed.

65A "Is that a funnel cloud heading our way?", asked Tom ______ly.

Loved this one! Off the couch.

Off the couch, he said ______ly.

This was a fun one!

32A I always wanted to be a Canuck rued Tom ____ly

Off the couch - thanks Bird!

11D: "Off the couch, but still in the box," said Tom ___ly.
Thanks for the puzzle!

Off the couch, pending confirmation.

5D Is this mod. con. flat really right for me, asked Tom ___ly.
9A There's something wrong with that girl Emily that I met on the train, declared Tom _____ly.
35D It's just a flesh wound, snarled Tom ____ly.

Update: confirmed.

No meta yet but can't resist playing!
(Even though not quite following the rules, as usual.)

43A "Why isn't my gold in this puzzle?" asked Tom ______ly.
34A "My favorite character in 'Gone With the Wind' is definitely not Scarlett, said Tom _____ly.

Victor Appleton is disguised as Bird Lives

Off the couch - waiting for confirmation

31A - "You mere mortals wish you had the power of pun that I have" said DrTom _____ly

Off the couch waiting confirmation

44A "Where is that Dickenson University" said Tom ___ ly?

p.s I had to highlight my grid to find out which words were not taken

Well BirdLives, thanks for the homage. Even this close to the end of the month I do not find it dismaying! This will be part of a quartet of these puzzles (WSJ, MG, PB, MM) I have done said Tom metaphorically. I do have to admit that so far I have not seen your method Tom, commented mechanistically but hope to stumble upon it soon, Tom added trippingly. Unfortunately right now I have to go clean my charcoal grill which rather spectacularly burst into flames last night (luckily after the ribs were cooked). So I am suiting up with some scrapers, degreaser and steel wool, Tom chimed in abrasively!

As I lay sleepily on the couch, the good doctor quickly and smoothly coaxed me off of it.

Off the couch. I loved the puzzle. I learned a few new things and some of the fills (like 62A) were laugh out loud funny.

My roommate is a jerk said Eve ______ly.

Submitted...and confirmed

57D: "You'll never solve this one, Frankie!", Tom _____led.

Still couldn’t get Final Cut Pro to fit into 24a.

Edit: but I did get the puzzle. And really enjoyed the clues.