This is an idea for something different. I enjoy pub trivia and wonder how it would go over if at the start of a trivia night a simple meta puzzle would be handed out and the teams given the length to the quiz night to complete it. The problem of course is trivia teams may not be familiar with the concept of a meta puzzle or be crossword fans at all. But this could be accompanied with an answer sheet:
- What is the hidden theme of this crossword puzzle (the title, and everything about the title, is a hint) (1 pt).
- What are the four example of the themes that are hidden within the puzzle grid (1 pt each)
A)
B)
C)
D)
- Who are the authors who created the four themes in question 2 (1 pt each)
A)
B)
C)
D)
- THE META: There is a word not in the puzzle itself but coded and puzzled in a certain way. Answering the questions above might (or might not) help you find it. It is: an animal William Blake wrote about in "Songs of Innocence; and Songs of Experience" (5 pts)
Throughout the night many of the clues could be given (and answered) as quiz questions to aid those who are paying attention.
So... would that fly?
EDIT: Had some thoughts about how to play this into a two hour trivia night:
Retitle the puzzle "Go Fish" (I'll explain in a moment), leave out the parenthesis in the clues. Have the handout paper contain:
- (4 points) There are four words hidden in the grid all of a theme. They are: (1 point each) [Pay attention to questions asked tonight]
- (4 points) THE META this puzzle hints at a word that is not in the grid but encoded, or puzzled in so that it is suggested. It is: an animal mentioned in William Blake's "Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience". What is the puzzled word?
Then during the night the following questions are asked:
What disease marked by dermatitis, gastrointestinal disorders, and mental disturbances is caused by a deficiency in Niacin?
In Greek mythology, the goddess Leto is the mother of twin deities (one associated with music and one with hunting). Name the twin deities.
What is the second largest county in Arizona? (Those who did the puzzle will have a freebie; those stuck on the puzzle will eventually hear the answer)
In the 2008 presidential race, who were the Republican nominees for President and Vice-President?
Peter O'Toole was nominated for an Oscar twice for playing the same character, once in "Beckett" and once in "The Lion in Winter". What character?
Which 1953 Elia Kazan directed classic about crime among the dockworkers union stars Marlon Branda and features Rod Steiger?
The latin phrase "Situ Lato" abbreviated "SL" means what in English?
Then there will be a Theme Round of "Imaginary Places and their Authors" with questions:
1) What is the name of the magic country in the Wardrobe in "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe? Who wrote "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe"?
2) In "The Handmaid's Tale" what is the name of totalitarian state that the United States has become? Who wrote the "Handmaid's Tale"?
3) In what imaginary continent does "The Game of Thrones" take place? Who wrote "Game of Thrones".
4) What fictional country is composed of four smaller countries: The purple Gillikin Country to the North, the red Quadling Country to the South, a yellow country to the West, a blue country to the East,-- and a green city in the center? Who wrote this?
5) What is the name of the Darcy family estate? Who wrote that? (Need a few not in the puzzle)
6) In "A Princess of Mars", an adventure with an American protagonist, John Carter, what is the Martian name for Mars? Who wrote "A Princess of Mars"?
7) What word derived for Greek for "Good Place" is used to describe an ideal society? Who was the author to coin that term?
8) What is the name of the place where Winnie the Pooh and his friends live? Who wrote "Winnie the Pooh"?
9) What classic childrens cards game is sometimes called "Authors"? It can be played with a normal deck of cards but is sometimes played with a special deck where each card has the title of a book by one of 13 different authors. The goal is too collect all the titles of individual authors.