Swap Meet
◆ · By ajk · Published 2024-06-02T04:00:04.947Z
Meta Prompt
The meta answer is a 9-letter word
Happy Sunday!
No idea where this one came from. Just popped into my head and I wondered if I could make it work. The mechanism is very simple (to the point where I worried it was a bit too simple), so I doubt this will be too much of a challenge. But hopefully it will provide some amusement. :)
Thanks to Wendy Walker and Capn Rick for test solving, especially since this one required several go-rounds on the fill. Thanks as always to Joe Ross for tech support.
Nudges later today should anyone need them (and feel free to PM anytime), solution on Saturday.
Hope you enjoy!
cheers,
Alan
Nudges:
A couple of clues have rather suggestive parenthetical asides
Can you find some places to switch options?
While filling the grid, did you ever find yourself confidently entering what turned out to be the wrong answer?
There are 8 symmetrically placed entries that form 4 interchangeable pairs
After you swap entries, things should be in sequence.
OK, so that might get us 8 letters. Where's the 9th? One word has no symmetry partner.
Checking for previous play data...
Glad you had fun. :)1A
It has trade value
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Across
- 1AIt has trade value
- 5AMusician's creation
- 10ACertain construction material
- 14AMid-voyage, say
- 15ALessen
- 16ACanine command
- 17AGaining popularity, as a meme
- 19ANew York campus named for a Scottish isle
- 20AGuarantees
- 21ACommon soup ingredient
- 23AYou'd rather not be under it
- 24ADisturbs, as hair
- 26APartial plan?
- 29AA new one might slow your progress through airports
- 30AMil. exercise that might involve blasting Rick Astley
- 33ATense starter?
- 34ACompany that's now a verb
- 37AClass of antidepressants, briefly
- 38ASomething you might get after time in the sun
- 39AThings that fit in a grid (sometimes in more than one place!)
- 41ATuscan ____ (certain color)
- 42A"Am ____ late? Did we yell surprise already?"
- 44APosition
- 45AFrequent visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park?
- 46ALamp contents, sometimes?
- 48ASome modern art, casually
- 49APastoral youth?
- 51A"Yeah, ____" (expression of skepticism)
- 53AAmusing airport code for Finland's capital
- 54AIt's between Santa Monica and Beverly Hills
- 56AGoes off on
- 60AThis, in Barcelona
- 61ACutting
- 64AD ___ delta
- 65ACrumpet alternative
- 66AParisian girlfriend
- 67AStructural element, perhaps
- 68ACollection of sounds, in a way
- 69AIt might be used to settle a debt
Down
- 1DLady who sang at Biden's inauguration
- 2DSpanish bears
- 3DIsland garlands
- 4DRiver with a waltz named after it
- 5DVillainous church parts?
- 6DTokyo fasteners
- 7DIt might come with feathers
- 8DAirport est.
- 9DVends
- 10DFrosty quality
- 11DArboreal anchor
- 12DHotel chain that seems like it should be in every town?
- 13D"Hud" star Patricia or former acting Solicitor General Katyal
- 18DYou might hold on to it too long?
- 22DHandy attribute for a mind reader
- 24DNomad
- 25DSatellite connection
- 26DDash, as of parsley or rosemary
- 27DSite of the minotaur's labyrinth
- 28DDevotedly pleasure-seeking
- 29DHead-turner
- 31DBackup toothbrush manufacturer?
- 32DLight red shades
- 35DSwitch options (hmm, that sounds like a useful instruction)
- 36DEU precursor
- 40D"Only Murders in the Building" star Gomez
- 43DOften cylindrical source of heat
- 47DChicago train or building wing
- 50DKeyboard combo
- 52DModel wood
- 53DSultan's wives
- 54DPut on
- 55DExxon alternative
- 56DContact lens solution brand
- 57D____ Valley (site of the Reagan library)
- 58DIndigo dye
- 59DNeutrogena shampoo
- 62DIt's often torn
- 63DCorn core