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Wrapping paper

· By ajk · Published 2024-04-14T04:00:11.376Z

Meta Prompt
The meta answer is a plural noun
This puzzle had been mostly finished for a while, but with the revival of the SSS I dusted it off and decided to finish it. With significant help from Cap'n Rick that improved the fill (and eliminated yet another of those wee crimson fish), it finally became sufficiently presentable. Thanks as always to Joe Ross for tech support.
This one might play a little choppier than the average SSS, but fear not, nudges will surface soon. Solution on Saturday.
Hope you enjoy! cheers, Alan
Nudges:
Nudge 1: The title has two words. Both are helpful.
Nudge 2: One of them appears in several clues.
Nudge 3: OK, we have 5 clues with the word paper in them, cluing the long acrosses. Now what? Try applying both title words to those entries.
Nudge 4: Each of those long acrosses is 'wrapped' in a type of paper (each of which is 4 letters).
Nudge 5: OK, now we have 5 new words. Did any of them come to mind while you were filling out the grid?
Nudge 6: You need to find 5 alternate entries
Checking for previous play data...

Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • Schmeel solved 2024-04-14T05:49:16.011Z
  • Dow Jones solved 2024-04-14T07:39:05.589Z
  • Cindy Heisler solved 2024-04-14T12:27:27.352Z
  • Wendy Walker solved 2024-04-14T12:55:08.930Z
  • Darth solved 2024-04-14T13:26:25.009Z
  • Qmark solved 2024-04-14T13:44:21.217Z
  • Bird Lives solved 2024-04-14T13:45:28.833Z
  • boharr solved 2024-04-14T13:53:17.627Z
  • Meg solved 2024-04-14T13:53:39.511Z
  • Hector solved 2024-04-14T13:56:01.317Z
  • I K Snamhcok solved 2024-04-14T14:03:50.643Z
  • JM solved 2024-04-14T14:24:00.711Z
  • LarsCaine solved 2024-04-14T14:27:42.280Z
  • Alex Sisti solved 2024-04-14T15:02:17.241Z
  • hoover solved 2024-04-14T15:40:56.351Z
  • MatthewL solved 2024-04-14T15:41:24.518Z
  • Gutman solved 2024-04-14T15:44:11.861Z
  • Pair O Ducks solved 2024-04-14T15:49:16.736Z
  • Tom Wilson solved 2024-04-14T15:58:31.779Z
  • DCBilly solved 2024-04-14T16:10:26.769Z
  • Capn Rick solved 2024-04-14T16:15:29.101Z
  • Carolyn solved 2024-04-14T16:30:39.509Z
  • woozy solved 2024-04-14T17:17:09.853Z
  • CPJohnson solved 2024-04-14T18:31:20.000Z
  • Philip Chow solved 2024-04-14T18:31:39.002Z
  • whimsy solved 2024-04-14T18:44:00.153Z
  • KayW solved 2024-04-14T19:16:21.803Z
  • michaelm solved 2024-04-14T20:22:30.004Z
  • Jeremy Smith solved 2024-04-14T21:12:16.809Z
  • BarbaraK solved 2024-04-14T21:23:26.624Z
  • Kulea solved 2024-04-14T21:32:13.926Z
  • omnilynx solved 2024-04-14T21:36:44.639Z
  • Sharkicicles solved 2024-04-14T22:10:53.908Z
  • heidi solved 2024-04-14T23:46:39.005Z
  • Anita and Steve solved 2024-04-15T00:39:52.717Z
  • Berto solved 2024-04-15T01:00:58.669Z
  • andeux solved 2024-04-15T02:00:18.303Z
  • rjy solved 2024-04-15T03:12:59.511Z
  • markhr solved 2024-04-15T05:03:42.413Z
  • potemkinish solved 2024-04-15T06:57:17.898Z
  • HeadinHome solved 2024-04-15T12:17:08.408Z
  • DrTom solved 2024-04-15T13:06:21.972Z
  • DIS solved 2024-04-15T14:24:15.588Z
  • Jaclyn solved 2024-04-15T16:29:52.976Z
  • JHSeeman solved 2024-04-15T17:03:38.578Z
  • Abide solved 2024-04-15T17:55:08.121Z
  • Laura M solved 2024-04-15T18:40:40.995Z
  • Eric Porter solved 2024-04-15T19:16:56.601Z
  • Mwoychick solved 2024-04-16T19:06:25.173Z
  • Johnny Luau solved 2024-04-19T17:29:14.293Z
  • Chris Barbee solved 2024-04-21T23:40:51.008Z
  • dooiemus solved 2024-04-25T07:00:39.366Z

Comments

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  • Schmeel 52s · 2024-04-14T05:49:53.884Z
    A fine present for a Sunday morning - thanks for the puzzle!
    • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T15:12:56.735Z
      :) Glad you liked it
    • Cindy Heisler 2s · 2024-04-14T12:29:09.348Z
      Well, I got the rest, but I'm still not sure where the G comes from. Nonetheless, a great way to begin my Sunday. Thanks, Alan.
      • Wendy Walker 3s · 2024-04-14T12:59:15.441Z
        BOND (from BOOKSTAND) is another answer to 9A "A connection of sorts" -- hence the G in GLUE.
        • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T15:13:20.469Z
          Thanks (and what Wendy said) :)
        • Wendy Walker 3s · 2024-04-14T12:57:48.514Z
          Such a clever idea, Alan! I had some trouble with the 29A/26D crossing because I had LURED IN for 10D instead of LURED ON and NSA for 35A instead of NSC, but I backsolved for the I. Might be the first time I've ever seen DRUPE in a grid!
          • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T15:14:41.401Z
            Thanks :) As for DRUPE, I tried very hard to make it disappear from this grid too 😆😆
            • HeadinHome 3:26 · 2024-04-15T12:27:51.621Z
              Similar! That was the crunchiest bit. I had NSA too, and LUREDIN, and had PRUNE rather than DRUPE (thinking well a branch doesn’t prune, but you do it to a branch?? And, I had to google to correct the Star Trek entry — completely unfamiliar, so PSN sounded as likely as DSN).
              • ajk constructor · 2024-04-15T15:40:50.855Z
                Yeah, sorry about that. I swear I tried to make that part better several times. :)
            • Darth 16:07 · 2024-04-14T13:26:45.804Z
              Well wrapped! Thanks, Alan! =)
              • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T15:14:58.267Z
                Thanks, glad you enjoyed :)
              • Bird Lives 4s · 2024-04-14T13:49:10.124Z
                It's a wrap. Neat idea. Now all you have to do is construct one for ROCK and another for SCISSORS to complete the trilogy.
                • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T15:15:25.034Z
                  Hahahahaha. Glad you had fun.
                  • DrTom 29:41 · 2024-04-15T13:14:44.025Z
                    I think there was a ROCK one a while back? Now where are all the cut-ups!
                    • DrTom 29:41 · 2024-04-15T13:16:16.169Z
                      One on SCISSORS would be a shear delight!😁
                    • Hector 2s · 2024-04-14T14:00:10.419Z
                      Fly construction!
                      • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T15:15:59.735Z
                        :) Thanks
                      • Qmark 3s · 2024-04-14T13:44:42.615Z
                        loved it...thanks Alan!
                        • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T15:15:35.236Z
                          You're very welcome :)
                        • boharr 3s · 2024-04-14T13:53:36.793Z
                          Thanks, Alan
                          • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T15:15:45.218Z
                            You're welcome :)
                          • Meg 9:16 · 2024-04-14T13:54:53.942Z
                            Nice one, Alan!
                            • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T15:15:52.401Z
                              Thanks! Glad you liked it.
                            • I K Snamhcok 2s · 2024-04-14T14:04:33.892Z
                              Fun! Thanks, Alan!
                              • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T15:16:08.953Z
                                Glad you enjoyed :)
                              • MatthewL 🤓10:00 · 2024-04-14T15:42:04.250Z
                                Fun present to open. Thanks for the puzzle, Alan!
                                • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T19:05:28.605Z
                                  Thanks much :)
                                • Carolyn 2s · 2024-04-14T16:31:29.483Z
                                  Nice one! Thanks
                                  • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T19:05:39.622Z
                                    Glad you liked it, thanks. :)
                                  • woozy 20:22 · 2024-04-14T17:32:31.591Z
                                    Good puzzle.
                                    BOOK+STAND => NEWS + STAND => NEWSPAPER; FISH => FISH+WRAP = NEWSPAPER led me down a deep, deep rabbit hole.
                                    PAPER BOOK and TEXT PAPER were near misses but the whole thing couldn't follow through.
                                    • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T19:05:20.273Z
                                      Glad you got there in the end. Sorry for the rabbit hole. :)
                                      • woozy 20:22 · 2024-04-14T22:40:50.693Z
                                        Gotta admit. Fish Wrap is pretty good for something that is probably unintentional!
                                    • whimsy 15:57 · 2024-04-14T18:54:00.492Z
                                      A combo of nudges and backsolving did it for me. I had to see NE....WS to understand that the wrapping was not outside the themers. With that thought, I was onto the solution, reminding myself that rice doesn't usually come in a tamale but that it's often as ubiquitous as taro! 😆FISH as 5A kept nagging at me as I pictured Fish and Chips wrapped in newspaper! Thanks for a good one, Alan!
                                      • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T19:35:29.804Z
                                        :) now I want fish n chips. 😆 Glad you liked it, thanks.
                                      • KayW 🤓8:59 · 2024-04-14T19:17:28.457Z
                                        Well done - take a bow!
                                        • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T22:42:57.970Z
                                          Thanks :) Glad you liked it
                                        • michaelm 22:12 · 2024-04-14T20:28:34.595Z
                                          The SSS GIFTS keep coming! I was rapt indeed and spirits never DRUPEd. Thanks Alan!
                                          • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T22:43:31.118Z
                                            Ha nicely done. Glad you liked it. :)
                                          • Sharkicicles 2s · 2024-04-14T22:11:58.670Z
                                            Nnno nnnudges nnneeded. Thanks for the great puzzle!
                                            • ajk constructor · 2024-04-14T22:43:14.237Z
                                              You're very welcome. :)
                                            • HeadinHome 3:26 · 2024-04-15T12:21:19.966Z
                                              No nudges needed (though I did have to use a check for one letter. This took a while to spot! My WAG was going to be “Giftwraps” since that would follow the pattern of the themers (9 letters), but since “wrap” was in the title I figured that couldn’t be. I was very close with my first attempt at methods: take the first and last letters and see what I could make. Discovering the ACTUAL method was exciting!
                                              • ajk constructor · 2024-04-15T15:41:17.879Z
                                                Glad you liked it :)
                                              • DrTom 29:41 · 2024-04-15T13:12:48.547Z
                                                Very nice! I actually got messed up because I saw CREE and DRUPE (and odd word of course) as CREPE so tried that mechanism of "wrapping". Took me a while to see the first TExtstoRM and then I found the others and only then did I see you gave us a hint to each one in the clue. Once I had those, and exhausted the clue and answer first letter, I saw "TERM for..." (again that odd word - I was hoping to get the drupe on you I guess?) so looked for BOOK or NEWS in clues. But it all came together nicely, thanks Alan, fun one and challenging enough that I feel like I have accomplished something.
                                                • ajk constructor · 2024-04-15T15:42:32.931Z
                                                  Glad you enjoyed, thanks. As mentioned above I worked hard at getting rid of that DRUPE entry. 😂
                                                • JHSeeman 2s · 2024-04-15T17:04:36.046Z
                                                  finally getting to this at lunch on Monday...perfect timing, finished puzzle when finished lunch. Great puzzle, thanks.
                                                  • ajk constructor · 2024-04-15T18:52:25.245Z
                                                    Glad you liked it, thanks :)
                                                  • Abide 3s · 2024-04-15T18:00:58.378Z
                                                    Very elegant puzzle and solution. TIL pecans and walnuts are also drupes; you just eat the seed and toss the fruit.
                                                    • ajk constructor · 2024-04-15T18:52:59.461Z
                                                      Thanks! And good DRUPE intel ;)
                                                    • Laura M 🤓20:09 · 2024-04-15T18:40:59.667Z
                                                      Nice! Got it late but without hints.
                                                      • ajk constructor · 2024-04-15T20:06:33.868Z
                                                        Glad you enjoyed. :)
                                                      • Mwoychick 13:27 · 2024-04-16T19:06:50.084Z
                                                        Finally got the time to do the puzzle - thank you, ajk!
                                                        • ajk constructor · 2024-04-16T23:23:45.148Z
                                                          You're welcome :)
                                                        • Chris Barbee 23:52 · 2024-04-21T23:42:08.640Z
                                                          Good one! Havent’ been following SSS until I posted a puzzle today so I thought I would go back and solve the one before mine. Clever!
                                                          • ajk constructor · 2024-04-22T17:50:39.716Z
                                                            Thanks! Glad you liked it.
                                                          1A
                                                          Rental dwellings (abbr.)
                                                          1
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                                                          61
                                                          62
                                                          63
                                                          64
                                                          65
                                                          66
                                                          67
                                                          68
                                                          69
                                                          Across
                                                          1. 1A
                                                            Rental dwellings (abbr.)
                                                          2. 5A
                                                            Search for
                                                          3. 9A
                                                            Connection of sorts
                                                          4. 13A
                                                            One of Canada's largest First Nations
                                                          5. 14A
                                                            It's in Pennsylvania (yes, that one)
                                                          6. 15A
                                                            Term for pitted fruit (that sounds like something branches do)
                                                          7. 16A
                                                            Onslaught of well wishes from friends who spot your name in the paper, perhaps
                                                          8. 18A
                                                            Middle age servants?
                                                          9. 19A
                                                            One way to add without numbers
                                                          10. 20A
                                                            Important information
                                                          11. 21A
                                                            Disco ____ (Simpson's character)
                                                          12. 22A
                                                            Too cute, casually
                                                          13. 25A
                                                            Biblical land that reverses to a method (as of transportation)
                                                          14. 27A
                                                            Defensive structure
                                                          15. 29A
                                                            State of agitation between people, maybe caused by serving legal papers
                                                          16. 31A
                                                            Tatum, Ryan, and Shaquille
                                                          17. 34A
                                                            Herr's partner
                                                          18. 35A
                                                            Presidential advisory grp. dealing with threats to the U.S.
                                                          19. 36A
                                                            Utility statement that once came exclusively on paper
                                                          20. 39A
                                                            Important corporate moment
                                                          21. 42A
                                                            Tiny bit
                                                          22. 43A
                                                            Clean up hitter, typically
                                                          23. 47A
                                                            Type of Oxford/Cambridge competition that might be announced in the paper
                                                          24. 50A
                                                            Pacific food staple
                                                          25. 51A
                                                            Taiwanese computer maker
                                                          26. 52A
                                                            Property, as a vineyard
                                                          27. 55A
                                                            Quite the trip?
                                                          28. 56A
                                                            Dangerous companion?
                                                          29. 58A
                                                            It might come in a corn husk
                                                          30. 60A
                                                            Naysayers
                                                          31. 61A
                                                            Device for displaying a collection of papers
                                                          32. 64A
                                                            Period of service
                                                          33. 65A
                                                            Faithful
                                                          34. 66A
                                                            Common jazz group
                                                          35. 67A
                                                            ____ Le Pew (cartoon character)
                                                          36. 68A
                                                            Some NCOs
                                                          37. 69A
                                                            Much of them might be about nothing?
                                                          Down
                                                          1. 1D
                                                            Play part
                                                          2. 2D
                                                            "Twins" and "Jerry Maguire" actress Kelly
                                                          3. 3D
                                                            Feel
                                                          4. 4D
                                                            They look for ETs
                                                          5. 5D
                                                            Foul, as a swamp
                                                          6. 6D
                                                            Attach, as some patches
                                                          7. 7D
                                                            Elton, Paul, or Mick
                                                          8. 8D
                                                            Garment boundary
                                                          9. 9D
                                                            Grimm gal
                                                          10. 10D
                                                            Led, as by a siren to rocks
                                                          11. 11D
                                                            Ascending air currents
                                                          12. 12D
                                                            Many M.I.T. grads
                                                          13. 15D
                                                            Star Trek series based on a station not a ship, briefly
                                                          14. 17D
                                                            Madrid mrs.
                                                          15. 20D
                                                            El Al competitor
                                                          16. 21D
                                                            Its arrivals are handled by NorCal approach
                                                          17. 23D
                                                            Deflect, as a light beam
                                                          18. 24D
                                                            Sharp remark
                                                          19. 26D
                                                            Advanced deg. in math or biology, say
                                                          20. 28D
                                                            "I ____ a puddy cat" (Tweety Pie observation)
                                                          21. 30D
                                                            Tulip shape
                                                          22. 32D
                                                            Villain's digs
                                                          23. 33D
                                                            Put away
                                                          24. 37D
                                                            Airport predictions
                                                          25. 38D
                                                            Not dark
                                                          26. 39D
                                                            Retirement option
                                                          27. 40D
                                                            Spicy, as salsa
                                                          28. 41D
                                                            Leave a hundred for a cup of coffee, say
                                                          29. 44D
                                                            The male's head is iridescent green
                                                          30. 45D
                                                            Former talk show host Hall
                                                          31. 46D
                                                            Silent affirmation
                                                          32. 48D
                                                            Regal fur
                                                          33. 49D
                                                            One way to avoid doing dishes?
                                                          34. 53D
                                                            Proceeds or opinions
                                                          35. 54D
                                                            Certain dashes
                                                          36. 57D
                                                            D.C. winter hours
                                                          37. 59D
                                                            Encouraging start for boy or girl?
                                                          38. 60D
                                                            Cleopatra's bane
                                                          39. 61D
                                                            Korean boy band
                                                          40. 62D
                                                            Non-profit domain?
                                                          41. 63D
                                                            Part of the original PC operating system
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