Gimme an A!

◆ · By DrTom · Published 2024-01-31T12:30:35.320Z

Meta Prompt

Given the creator, what people might think the meta needs to be for maximum distribution (8 letters)

I had sooo wanted this to be 2 days later so you would solve it, see your shadow then solve it all over again! Alas, my loss is your gain, but if you do want to do it all over again you'll get an A for effort!

I'm going to rate this a:

Kitten

Calico

PERSIAN

Puma

Lion

Because once you see it you'll catch on quick...but seeing it, there's the rub.

Thanks to my testers (it has been so long ago they probably don't remember) HoldThatThought and Cap'n Rick.

Nudges will be Friday

Nudges:

Nudge 1] The title is a big hint on what you are to do.

Nudge 2] The theme answers are symmetric (which luckily helps eliminate an unintended red herring).

Nudge 3] There are only 7 theme answers, so you are going to have to do something at the end.

Nudge 4] The intro to the puzzle actually gives an example of what you must do in the puzzle.

Nudge 5] I had to change a clue that is meta related, but luckily it does not affect the solve. Enya, as it turns out, is from the British Isles, but not British.

Nudge 6] This meta is almost an exact opposite of one of Captain Rick's a month or more back.

The reveal:

There were 7 grid answers that could be "given an A" to make them different words:

(A)STERN

(A)CUTE

(A)BASED

(A)SHORE

(A)VOIDS

(A)DELE

(A)MENDS

Those new words could all be answers for other grid entries, for example:Behind=ASTERN, Word associated with sudden pain=ACUTE, etc.

If you use the letters of the replaced answers you get TOMIZED, which in itself doesn't mean much, but if you add the A one more time you get ATOMIZED, which fulfills the Meta prompt.

The theme entries were all symmetric and the Title told you what to do. There were even 8 A's on the cheer sweaters just so people knew they had to use 8 of them.

My apologies for RIA, which lots of people made ARIA. I absolutely did not see that, and since there was symmetry, neither did any of my testers. It was one of those herrings of a ruby nature.

For a graphic of the solve go to:

https://www.xword-muggles.com/viewtopic.php?p=156061#p156061

Checking for previous play data...

Leaderboard (updated hourly)

Berto solved 2024-01-31T06:12:41.401Z
hoover solved 2024-01-31T06:25:36.087Z
Jeremy Smith solved 2024-01-31T06:33:22.387Z
Pair O Ducks solved 2024-01-31T12:43:55.499Z
Cindy Weatherman solved 2024-01-31T12:54:18.707Z
JM solved 2024-01-31T13:26:17.756Z
Tyrpmom solved 2024-01-31T13:47:49.302Z
Hector solved 2024-01-31T13:51:40.575Z
I K Snamhcok solved 2024-01-31T14:49:17.138Z
kymike solved 2024-01-31T14:57:21.643Z
Meg solved 2024-01-31T14:58:24.329Z
MatthewL solved 2024-01-31T15:18:38.472Z
boharr solved 2024-01-31T15:52:38.849Z
SamKat9 solved 2024-01-31T16:03:21.058Z
lbray53 solved 2024-01-31T16:20:47.762Z
whimsy solved 2024-01-31T16:29:33.157Z
woozy solved 2024-01-31T16:38:42.834Z
Bird Lives solved 2024-01-31T16:45:45.905Z
andeux solved 2024-01-31T17:38:08.103Z
Ergcat solved 2024-01-31T17:52:33.925Z
ajk solved 2024-01-31T18:09:29.054Z
Philip Chow solved 2024-01-31T19:07:03.669Z
Mwoychick solved 2024-01-31T19:39:27.010Z
Darth solved 2024-01-31T19:42:14.407Z
Laura M solved 2024-01-31T21:04:30.744Z
Carolyn solved 2024-01-31T21:09:47.603Z
DIS solved 2024-01-31T21:22:20.834Z
heidi solved 2024-01-31T22:39:41.568Z
Danny K Bernstein solved 2024-02-01T00:26:39.739Z
Gutman solved 2024-02-01T02:10:23.601Z
CPJohnson solved 2024-02-01T02:11:24.926Z
rjy solved 2024-02-01T02:25:15.437Z
Mr Tex solved 2024-02-01T04:09:11.111Z
Dow Jones solved 2024-02-01T06:57:38.502Z
riotblob solved 2024-02-01T09:59:43.773Z
LarsCaine solved 2024-02-01T13:51:22.729Z
rayyandroid solved 2024-02-01T18:21:46.211Z
HeadinHome solved 2024-02-01T18:25:19.136Z
Cindy Heisler solved 2024-02-01T20:11:56.821Z
JHSeeman solved 2024-02-02T13:54:23.385Z
Johnny Luau solved 2024-02-02T18:59:18.617Z
KayW solved 2024-02-02T23:57:09.494Z
Alex Sisti solved 2024-02-03T13:45:59.469Z
Sharkicicles solved 2024-02-03T18:24:51.345Z
markhr solved 2024-02-06T03:48:40.532Z
atsiricajr111191 solved 2024-02-06T17:10:22.205Z
SJMcK solved 2024-02-24T00:11:39.434Z
frostyjhammer solved 2024-03-17T03:16:50.245Z

Comments

Berto 3s · 2024-01-31T12:30:35.320Z
A-mazing! And very apt. Thank you DrTom!
hoover 3s · 2024-01-31T12:30:35.320Z
Oh! Ohhhhhhh! I just got the pun in the answer! I think there was a string of weeks where Benchen71 was creating both the MOAT and the MEOW so somehow I got used to MEOW being a Ben thing. Once I realized it's a Tom thing, well, now the meta makes sense!
- DrTom constructor · 2024-01-31T12:30:35.320Z
  Ben was kindly giving me a break while I had visitors. It is back to me for a while now. Thanks for solving. Before you gave the answer did you say Let Us Spray?
Tyrpmom 27:19 · 2024-01-31T13:51:55.396Z
Thanks. Love a tomized puzzle.
- DrTom constructor · 2024-01-31T15:07:32.265Z
  Thank you
Hector 3s · 2024-01-31T13:54:00.567Z
- DrTom constructor · 2024-01-31T15:06:23.298Z
  So is that a hundred weeks of MEOW? I never kept those statistics so I would not know, but if you have them then I A CENT to you using them an A DOOR your achievement which deserves A CLAIM (ouch).
Meg 3s · 2024-01-31T15:00:46.031Z
Ha ha ha! Lovely groan at the end!
MatthewL 🤓8:17 · 2024-01-31T15:22:52.625Z
Nice one Tom! Got stuck for a little bit on RIA, because you could add an A to that and get ARIA. Searched in vain for a corresponding clue before realizing what was going on. As always, great cluing, and I really like 11D. Thanks for the puzzle!
- DrTom constructor · 2024-01-31T16:54:21.146Z
  RATS, you know just the other evening I went in an changed something that also had that problem but never saw RIA (which I could have changed I realize). I guess I thought the symmetry would eliminate distractors, but I had the same problem once before. You get so locked into a certain paradigm that you go blind to some things.
kymike 2s · 2024-01-31T15:00:11.986Z
A-one puzzle. My only quibble is that you can add an A to RIA to get ARIA, which could be part of a play (not really, but nothing else came close). This slowed me down a bit until I better considered the author and got to the intended result.
- DrTom constructor · 2024-01-31T17:02:48.482Z
  I guess when I was shortening words by removing the A I overlooked something, I would call that A BRIDGE too far
boharr 5s · 2024-01-31T15:53:54.036Z
Did I hear the cat cry Oy? Thanks, DrTom.
lbray53 4s · 2024-01-31T16:23:39.821Z
Great concept and well executed. The SYMMETRY brought it all together. Maybe the people that got stuck with (A)RIA were thinking ASYMMETRY!
- DrTom constructor · 2024-01-31T16:41:39.653Z
  Larry...you trying to take over the punsters job? GREAT post my friend, I was MGing it (ROTFLMAO)
SamKat9 13:51 · 2024-01-31T16:05:24.783Z
I was thinking the answer would be "Tom-Sized" but I couldn't make the S work, so I was missing a letter. Then I remembered we're adding A's :) Fantastic puzzle!
- DrTom constructor · 2024-01-31T16:42:41.475Z
  Would that be a BIGGER puzzle? Glad you enjoyed it.
Bird Lives 5s · 2024-01-31T17:20:53.665Z
When I had a few letters, I wondered how anyone around here but me could have known of the Brazilian musician Tom Zé. When I had seven letters, for a few seconds I wondered where the missing A was. Then I remembered that the first puzzle I ever posted here did the same thing.

Nice one, but IMO, not a Persian.
- DrTom constructor · 2024-01-31T17:46:15.810Z
  Or the river he lived near, the Zider Zee...so a Calico or a Kitten, I CANNOT get these right. It probably was LOT easier if you remembered Cap'n Rick's puzzle a while back that deleted A's from words. When it first ran I did a Mr. Bill, "Oh NOOO" because I was planning it for the MEOW the next week. I also had one a while ago that added A's to words to form a new anagrammed word. Lots of people solved it but lots of people also DO NOT like anagrams.
Ergcat 17:46 · 2024-01-31T17:58:02.351Z
Had the right idea except looking around for an eighth word to put “A” in front of but then wasn’t symmetrical. And what was the synonym for “Avoids”? Ah, Zigs works. Finally thought “AHA” what if I have to put an “A” in front of my 7-letter solution to get the answer?! So excuse my guesses ((haha Tomilier, Tomified, etc) …. Thank you, DrTom, great puzzle!
andeux 🤓5:08 · 2024-01-31T17:43:51.479Z
The LUDLUM character is spelled "Bourne."
- DrTom constructor · 2024-01-31T22:03:31.555Z
  Whoops - fixed it now (in Crosshare at least). Thanks for the heads up. Unfortunately spell check doesn't find things like and I did not do a good enough job reviewing the material....perhaps I was waiting to be borne on the wings of angels.
ajk 🤓6:22 · 2024-01-31T18:17:51.242Z
Very nice work. My initial guess was DE-PUNNED which maybe got turned into DEEPENED. Was also focused on ones that end with A but could be entries (or alternates) if you removed it (LOVE, RI, TAR). But that quickly ran dry. Finally spotted ADELE and AMENDS and off I went. Did wonder if AMENDS could match 41D for a bit, before spotting 75A (not that it matters, as it happens). Thanks as always.
- DrTom constructor · 2024-01-31T22:08:46.884Z
  Yes and I corrected my geographical faux pas (and I am quite sure an army of leprechauns is headed to my door) in saying Enya was "British" as opposed to "from the British Isles". I saw Donegal up there at the top of the map and ASSUMED it was Northern Ireland. Faith and begorrah what came over me, probably hitting the Jameson!
  - ajk 🤓6:22 · 2024-02-01T16:51:13.774Z
Philip Chow 9:38 · 2024-01-31T19:10:30.824Z
A
Darth 12:04 · 2024-01-31T19:44:06.319Z
You get an A! ;-) Thanks, DrTom.
Mwoychick 9:44 · 2024-01-31T19:39:47.129Z
Thanks, Dr. Tom - very enjoyable!
Laura M 🤓7:50 · 2024-01-31T21:04:58.101Z
Love it!
Carolyn 2s · 2024-01-31T21:10:49.494Z
Terrific!
Gutman 5s · 2024-02-01T02:15:00.913Z
Nice. Aria held me up a bit.
riotblob 14:00 · 2024-02-01T10:07:24.650Z
My first time doing a puzzle like this, and I got the answer right, but I didn't think I fully understood it ... and reading these comments, I'm now completely certain I don't fully understand it! Very much enjoyed the journey anyway
- DrTom constructor · 2024-02-01T14:22:42.673Z
  Well, the Title plays off a common cheering phrase but is to suggest the mechanism; "Gimme an A". My intent was to have solvers find words that, when A was added, became different words. These were placed symmetrically in the grid (thank goodness because I had a "glitch" with RIA which of course could be ARIA). Those "new" words all could be answers to different clues and the actual answers to those clues, if one takes their first letter, spell TOMIZED. My prompt as to what the answer would be mentioned distribution, and if you do what you did throughout the puzzle to the word you formed from the letters you get ATOMIZED whixh both refers to the creator (me) and a form of wide distribution. Hope that helps you understand what was going on.
  - riotblob 14:00 · 2024-02-02T03:14:14.228Z
    Thank you! I did understand most of that -- but I had ARIA on my list of words, having not noticed the symmetry. I got ATOMIZED because the letters I'd found plus an A were almost that word, and I figured I'd just gone wrong somewhere along the way, or missed a step. Turns out that's exactly what happened. Thanks again for giving the full explanation, I'd gleaned most of it from the comments but it's nice to be certain.
HeadinHome 🤓4:10 · 2024-02-01T18:27:02.162Z
Tomized? Tomized?? What a silly… OHHHH. Right. Perfect.

I did waste some time trying to find a clue for ARIA, but obviously that one was not part of the game. This was fun!
HeadinHome 🤓4:10 · 2024-02-01T18:28:33.684Z
Also, Merv Griffin, Dinah Shore, Sydney Poitier, and Neet/Nair, and Bryl Cream all in the same puzzle? Hello 1960’s!!
- DrTom constructor · 2024-02-01T20:04:56.276Z
  Thought I'd relive my college years....glad you were able to struggle through the time warp. Thanks for solving.
riotblob 14:00 · 2024-02-02T03:15:17.716Z
Oh, the other reason I got tangled up trying to solve the meta was I also had VOIDS on my list of answers that could have an A added to be a different word ...
- DrTom constructor · 2024-02-02T05:51:51.821Z
  VOIDS was one of the meta words though: STERN, CUTE, BASED, SHORE, VOIDS, DELE, MENDS
  - riotblob 14:00 · 2024-02-02T20:43:37.913Z
    oh right! I got confused all over again. Thank you for your patience with my silly comments <3
    DrTom constructor · 2024-02-02T21:54:59.968Z
    Well if you think YOU get confused, you should see me trying to make these things.
    
    There are no silly comments or questions except the ones m=not made or asked. As long as they are not mean or unconstructively critical all comments are welcome.
JHSeeman 3s · 2024-02-02T13:54:40.133Z
fun one....
KayW 🤓9:26 · 2024-02-03T00:01:51.061Z
A+ Tom! I needed the nudges to get going (D - for me!). Excellent meta!

Play today's daily mini crossword

Very authoritarian

Across

1A
Very authoritarian
6A
Tries to get out of someone's path
10A
Attractive, like a kitten or baby
14A
"I ___ parade"
15A
Fancy beige
16A
Cherry Garcia®: cone, Jack Daniels®:?
17A
It often comes at the end of lunch
18A
Nair® competitor
19A
Behind
20A
Source of bad news
22A
Yearly celebration in Hanoi
23A
Narrow coastal inlet
24A
What a contrarian might holler
26A
Colorful piece of rural Americana architecture
29A
Talked unkindly about
34A
"Norma ___"
35A
Idle actor
36A
Scarlett's home
38A
Head-quartered
42A
Part of a play
43A
Bert Reynold's onetime squeeze, Dinah ___
45A
Colette or Tenille
46A
Invalidates
48A
Dick and Jane's dog
49A
Company that has always been in the chips
50A
Square root of IX
52A
Greets with a grin
54A
Act the part
58A
Vegetable eaten by a Heffalump
59A
Stout creator of Nero
60A
Big apple symbol of Americana
62A
Stark leader
67A
Word associated with sudden pain
69A
Wise about
71A
Loaded
72A
Manipulative sort
73A
What is left when most is gone
74A
City on the Mohawk with a well known Club
75A
Strike out
76A
Attempts
77A
Tends to tears

Down

1D
Plod along
2D
___ avail
3D
Important nights before important days
4D
Salesmen
5D
Ceremony for a newborn
6D
Buddhist discipline
7D
Detective Tutuola
8D
"The Whole Woman" author
9D
Solid gold miller
10D
Winter time in the "Windy City"
11D
Enterprising language expert
12D
Poitier film,"___ With Love"
13D
"___ Frome"
21D
Imitates a hot dog
25D
Slangy assents
27D
Amount of Brylcreem recommended
28D
John, Paul, Ringo or Paul
29D
Creator of "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune" Griffin
30D
More than a buck out west
31D
Nickname for Prince Harry's daughter
32D
Sealed the win, slangily
33D
Gets rid of things in the final version
37D
Bouquet
39D
In order (to)
40D
One named, soulful singer, from the British Isles
41D
Congressman's concern: Abbr.
44D
Most numerous Scrabble® piece
47D
"Sprechen ___ Deutsch?"
51D
No longer on the briny
53D
Bourne again author Robert
54D
Pleased with one's self
55D
Be eco-friendly
56D
Popular spread-sheet program
57D
AKA "Greasy Spoon"
61D
Well crafter website
63D
Take someone out to a movie
64D
Score after deuce, in tennis
65D
In-basket stamp: Abbr.
66D
Twisted reminders of our life
68D
Charlemagne's domain: Abbr.
70D
Game extenders