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Meg 3s · 2022-12-19T14:37:51.774Z
I found the first name and based on that, the answer. I can’t backsolve the last name.
Alex Sisti constructor · 2022-12-19T17:02:03.984Z
Yeah, all there was was the first name... and a hope that people knew the song (or at least the phrase).
Meg 3s · 2022-12-19T17:46:48.947Z
Must not overthink! I thought of the song, but the 2 halves of my brain do not always communicate. Thanks to your comment I can quit wondering what I missed.
Doh! My first guess was Neil Diamond since the U-Ps sort of form a DIAMOND shape. Eventually my ol' brain clicked on the song. Fun one! (and glad I didn't miss part of it). Thanks, Al!
Hector 4s · 2022-12-19T14:27:42.285Z
That was hard to do!
Alex Sisti constructor · 2022-12-19T17:01:02.053Z
Well played, brother!
whimsy 29:33 · 2022-12-19T19:09:14.201Z
Oh, now I understand your phrasing! A little slow but I get there!
boharr 5s · 2022-12-19T14:48:04.799Z
Thanks, Al. And Merry Christmas.
Alex Sisti constructor · 2022-12-19T17:01:14.609Z
And to you, Bob...
whimsy 29:33 · 2022-12-19T16:29:14.775Z
Hmm -- Just had a thought: "Breaking" UP is hard to do? I'm going with that! :)
whimsy 29:33 · 2022-12-19T16:22:17.069Z
Yup, pretty tough grid.
I may have taken a short cut but I went with the S as an initial. There were 3 obvious possibilities and I didn't see any letters forming a diamond, or kittens puppies and babies. But if the entry for Amateur ended up being NEWBIE, there could have been trouble!
Thanks, Al. I'm putting you on Santa's list.
Alex Sisti constructor · 2022-12-19T17:06:01.945Z
The phrase/metanism was breaking "up," and the hope was (since I didn't spell out a last name) that some solvers, say, "of a certain age," would recall "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do." And thanks, I think (Santa has two lists!).
HeadinHome 🤓2:45 · 2022-12-20T18:38:24.129Z
OHHHH… uh huh. I still like Diamond, though.
Bbaack 31:19 · 2022-12-19T16:28:01.172Z
And I thought Neil Young was old! Fun meta, thanks!
Alex Sisti constructor · 2022-12-19T17:08:06.120Z
He is! Interestingly enough, by the time Neil Sedaka had a hit with his second/slower version of this song, Neil Young already had several hits... so everything old is new again.
Oh! And now I get the title! (after trying SMENPORCH, and EQMEIPYOUNT, etc)
markhr 🤓16:57 · 2022-12-19T19:52:01.803Z
Finally got it. Well done, Al.
Good cluing—I especially liked 24D.
Dave C 3s · 2022-12-19T21:29:11.773Z
I got the Neil like most everyone else and then realized that the title is commonly used for "breaking up", which is what we did to get Neil. It was then easy to get to "Breaking up is hard to do" by Neil Sedaka.
Thanks for the puzzle, Al - great clues and fill, and a satisfying solution (got it with my third Neil)
I K Snamhcok 1s · 2022-12-20T00:05:07.865Z
Cute!
Pair O Ducks 11:57 · 2022-12-20T14:38:22.908Z
A little googling went a long ways for this too-young solver, and now I have a new song stuck in my head! Love seeing Andre Norton included in a puzzle, too.
Alex Sisti constructor · 2022-12-20T18:37:18.778Z
Yeah, he... uh, she...is great. I'm not much into sci-fi, but I did read 2250 A.D. decades ago. Might have been the first adult chapter book I ever read.
THC 🤓4:34 · 2022-12-20T16:26:44.174Z
Thanks, Al! I also guessed Neil Diamond first.
HeadinHome 🤓2:45 · 2022-12-20T18:35:31.195Z
okay but it’s ALSO a Neil DIAMOND! Connect the NEIL letters! (I’ll see if I can figure out the Sedaka trail… all I know for sure is Neil.)
Cindy Heisler 2s · 2022-12-21T13:06:30.879Z
I got the first name right away, but it took me a minute to get the "breaking UP". He is one of my favorite singers and this song was played over and over in my house. A few years ago he made a kid's book "Waking Up is Hard to Do" using this Melody. My granddaughters (and I) loved it. Great meta.Thanks, Al!
BrennerTJ 🤓1:12 · 2022-12-21T14:15:17.256Z
But you made it look easy...
wendy walker 3s · 2022-12-21T22:07:32.888Z
My first guess, for already stated geometrical reasons, was Neil Diamond. I commented on the Tuesday night Muggle call that I kept thinking of George Costanza using that "It's not you, it's me" line when he broke up with the chopstick-hairdo girlfriend and did some quick Googling. Success! A great pop tune.
Laura M 🤓26:57 · 2022-12-21T23:21:42.507Z
I was 90% sure it was Diamond, and then tried Young when that didn't work (although I thought "It's Not You" in the title might be intended to steer us away from him). I still had Sedaka in mind but at that point I thought I was completely off base and should wait to be 100% sure. The nudges got me there, although the meta title also makes me think of "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You," which Neil Diamond wrote for The Monkees :-) Happy Holidays and thanks for the puzzle!
HeadinHome 🤓2:45 · 2022-12-22T01:39:21.151Z
As usual, the clever cluing full of the personality we have come to know and love. (so is the meta… a classic Dr. Tome). Thanks, and Merry Christmas!
HeadinHome 🤓2:45 · 2022-12-22T01:41:11.242Z
OOPS!! I tabbed back to the wrong Crosshare board! Go do Dr. Tom’s fun Christmas MEOW. ( :
rjy 4s · 2022-12-22T15:49:51.232Z
Add me to the solid NEIL DIAMOND contingent because of geometry… and like woozy, went to YOUNG and only later took a stab at SEDAKA. Got the backsolve from comments here and from a subsequent muggle nudge.
Odd that UP is the operative word here when the lyrics are so chock full of DOWN dooby doo DOWN DOWN
Thanks, Al… Merry, Merry, Happy, Happy all!
Ergcat 20:12 · 2022-12-22T18:01:27.672Z
Finally…Got “NeiL” but then I misinterpreted a nudge and was led astray for a bit! Sorry for the guesses! Good one!
KayW 🤓10:29 · 2022-12-22T21:35:04.578Z
Al - this is a VERY cool meta. I gotta ask... was it hard to do?
ReB 3s · 2022-12-23T03:47:29.793Z
On the second try. First try before nudges I tried Neil Diamond because 42A referenced talc as 1 on the Mohs scale, and diamond is 10 on the Mohs scale. When that failed I tried several iterations with google and then I posted "with a wing and a prayer".