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Archaisms (Meta)

◆◆ · By benchen71 · Published 4 months ago

Meta Prompt
The answer to the meta is a verb in the past tense that can be used as an adjective to describe something that has undergone 30 across
30AThe process of adapting to a more contemporary setting, and what needs to occur to some of the across entries in this puzzle in order to find the answer to the meta[-------------]
Not your typical "week 2" here! This one has a tricky grid (but I'm hoping there are enough footholds; if not, there's always Google) and a meta that might take a little thought. And the silly season is almost upon us, so you should have plenty of spare time, right? Good luck, as you seek the answer to the meta which is a verb in the past tense that can be used as an adjective to describe something that has undergone 30 across
30AThe process of adapting to a more contemporary setting, and what needs to occur to some of the across entries in this puzzle in order to find the answer to the meta[-------------]
. Answer & explanation: https://www.xword-muggles.com/viewtopic.php?p=115037#p115037
Check out the "Rejected (Non-meta) MOAT Pack" here: https://www.ephesusscroll.com/about/interest4.html. US$5 gets you 10 themed crosswords, most of which were rejected by one crossword publisher or another. Were those editors right to reject them? You be the judge!
Checking for previous play data...

Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • woozy solved at 5:29 on 12/13/2022
  • SeamusOL solved at 5:35 on 12/13/2022
  • Hector solved at 5:41 on 12/13/2022
  • Laura M solved at 5:52 on 12/13/2022
  • Darrell solved at 10:41 on 12/13/2022
  • Cindy Weatherman solved at 11:33 on 12/13/2022
  • Cindy Heisler solved at 12:18 on 12/13/2022
  • Meg solved at 13:13 on 12/13/2022
  • lbray53 solved at 14:15 on 12/13/2022
  • boharr solved at 14:34 on 12/13/2022
  • Ergcat solved at 15:37 on 12/13/2022
  • DIS solved at 16:10 on 12/13/2022
  • markhr solved at 16:39 on 12/13/2022
  • DebbieC solved at 16:50 on 12/13/2022
  • DrTom solved at 17:00 on 12/13/2022
  • jbird solved at 17:22 on 12/13/2022
  • Dave C solved at 17:32 on 12/13/2022
  • I K Snamhcok solved at 19:42 on 12/13/2022
  • rjy solved at 19:43 on 12/13/2022
  • whimsy solved at 20:36 on 12/13/2022
  • CPJohnson solved at 20:54 on 12/13/2022
  • Jaclyn solved at 23:36 on 12/13/2022
  • Tom Wilson solved at 0:32 on 12/14/2022
  • Mr Tex solved at 3:20 on 12/14/2022
  • Jim Dean solved at 4:53 on 12/14/2022
  • Carolyn solved at 16:22 on 12/14/2022
  • Spid4567 solved at 18:37 on 12/14/2022
  • Darth solved at 17:10 on 12/15/2022
  • KayW solved at 18:23 on 12/15/2022
  • BarbaraK solved at 0:27 on 12/16/2022
  • Johnny Luau solved at 17:57 on 12/16/2022
  • ReB solved at 22:52 on 12/16/2022
  • Mikey G solved at 16:42 on 12/17/2022
  • Dow Jones solved at 5:23 on 12/18/2022
  • Lance solved at 14:40 on 12/18/2022
  • Samik solved at 13:46 on 12/31/2022
  • sledge solved at 9:28 on 1/17/2023

Comments

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  • woozy 15:27 · 4 months ago
    Okay.... Now to back solve.
    • Laura M 🤓25:54 · 4 months ago
      The grid did take some Googling! Very enjoyable, although I admit I backsolved a bit and I'm still not sure of one of the new words. (Dupe? Defraud?)
      • benchen71 constructor · 4 months ago
        DECEIVE
        • woozy 15:27 · 4 months ago
          But.... those aren't 100%ers are they? Dupe, Con, trick. Bootless could be Useless, futile, ineffectual. No idea what to put for Outrider other than guard. Cutpurses could be muggers, theives, etc.
          Am I missing something because this is too flexible to get anything that actually click and even knowing the answer is difficult to do. (If chicane is Decieve why is the final letter so early? Is Bodkin dagger? of needle? or epee?)
          • benchen71 constructor · 4 months ago
            You make some very valid points here. There are a lot of possible modernisations for the archaic words. I tried to make the clue for each help. The modern word will be (hopefully) the best answer to the clue.
      • Cindy Heisler 2s · 4 months ago
        Grid was a bit tricky and I did Google to find a couple of the modern terms, but fun one. Thanks, Ben.
        • Ergcat 17:23 · 4 months ago
          Good one, Ben. Although I’m not getting the second letter, unless I’m UPDATING the wrong word. I have “outrider = ESCORT” but I need a “P” there??
          • markhr 22:36 · 4 months ago
            Try updating “cutpurse” instead.
            • Ergcat 17:23 · 4 months ago
              Ahhhh, there it is! “Pickpocket” works! Thank you!
          • DrTom 5s · 4 months ago
            I did not get all of the right words but enough so that, with the concept, I knew what it had to be. Now I'll go back in and try to work it out. But prithee magister if I should fail willst thou stand me to the solution?
            • benchen71 constructor · 4 months ago
              Indubitably.
            • Dave C 5s · 4 months ago
              The grid and the archaic words both needed some googling, but it all made sense. I thought dupe for the D.
              • woozy 15:27 · 4 months ago
                Okay, Toes In is not archaic. BOOTLESS
                14AIneffectual[--------]
                is USELESS (rather than FUTILE) and OUTRIDER
                17APerson in a motor vehicle or on horseback who goes in front of or beside a vehicle as an escort[--------]
                is not archaic. CUTPURSE is archaic and is a PICKPOCKET (rather than a MUGGER or THIEF). CHICANE
                27AHoodwink[-------]
                is also archaic and is (DECIEVE, or DUPE, and not LIE, CON or TRICK). MUMMERS
                40AStage personnel[-------]
                are ACTORS (not pantamimists). SOOTH
                50AMatter of fact[-----]
                is TRUTH and FOUR SCORE is EIGHTY (banged my head insisting I couldn't see anything but TWENTY... I get more dyslexic the older I get) and BODKIN
                58AConcealable bladed weapon[------]
                is ... DAGGER (not KNIVE or NEEDLE) and SODS
                60ALays down the lawn[----]
                is not dolts.
                Is that it? I'm sorry but the flexibility of this was just a bit too much for me.
                • benchen71 constructor · 4 months ago
                  That's it.
                • rjy 2s · 4 months ago
                  Tough grid and meta. I got three slam-dunk letters that led to the answer - or at least led to one more letter that gave me the confidence to submit. Glad that woozy posted more so I can quit struggling (and similarly, all I could see from FOURSCORE
                  51ANumber of years referred to in the Gettysburg address (with "and seven")[---------]
                  was TWENTY as well. ugh! At least T was in UPDATED too)
                  Thanks for the puzzle, Ben -
                  • I K Snamhcok 4s · 4 months ago
                    Nice! Thanks, Ben!
                    • whimsy 19:44 · 4 months ago
                      As others have mentioned, succeeded by bobbing and weaving between google, potential archaisms' modern synonyms, and likely looking meta answer. A nice exercise -- thanks, Ben!
                      • Carolyn 4s · 4 months ago
                        I didn't get them all, but had enough to figure it out. Thanks!
                        • ReB 4s · 4 months ago
                          The mechanism was evident, but finding the words and their modernization was tedious rather than enjoyable, I'm afraid. Then again, not every at bat can score a century. Clever idea, though.
                          1A
                          Sentence part (abbr.)
                          1
                          2
                          3
                          4
                          5
                          6
                          7
                          8
                          9
                          10
                          11
                          12
                          13
                          14
                          15
                          16
                          17
                          18
                          19
                          20
                          21
                          22
                          23
                          24
                          25
                          26
                          27
                          28
                          29
                          30
                          31
                          32
                          33
                          34
                          35
                          36
                          37
                          38
                          39
                          40
                          41
                          42
                          43
                          44
                          45
                          46
                          47
                          48
                          49
                          50
                          51
                          52
                          53
                          54
                          55
                          56
                          57
                          58
                          59
                          60
                          61
                          Across
                          1. 1A
                            Sentence part (abbr.)
                          2. 5A
                            Olive and avocado, for two
                          3. 9A
                            Vietnamese for "Flower" and the title of a computer game by Skrollcat Studios which is based in Vietnam
                          4. 12A
                            Hammers at an angle
                          5. 14A
                            Ineffectual
                          6. 16A
                            Sleep problem, in Australia
                          7. 17A
                            Person in a motor vehicle or on horseback who goes in front of or beside a vehicle as an escort
                          8. 18A
                            Tourist menaces in some cities
                          9. 20A
                            Cape ___, WA (and also a province in Spain that is in Basque country)
                          10. 21A
                            Bullfighter encouragement
                          11. 22A
                            Org. that was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991
                          12. 23A
                            Distance horse, for example
                          13. 24A
                            Biblical setting, for short
                          14. 27A
                            Hoodwink
                          15. 28A
                            Up and about
                          16. 29A
                            Main character in the first two Oddworld computer games
                          17. 30A
                            The process of adapting to a more contemporary setting, and what needs to occur to some of the across entries in this puzzle in order to find the answer to the meta
                          18. 37A
                            Pioneering ISP
                          19. 38A
                            Fog or steam, in the US
                          20. 40A
                            Stage personnel
                          21. 45A
                            Tapioca source
                          22. 47A
                            Ancient Greek region surrounding Athens
                          23. 48A
                            Inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for looking out for people (abbr.)
                          24. 49A
                            Time delay
                          25. 50A
                            Matter of fact
                          26. 51A
                            Number of years referred to in the Gettysburg address (with "and seven")
                          27. 54A
                            What you get for sitting AP exams
                          28. 56A
                            Unceasing Fury of Greek mythology
                          29. 57A
                            Produces, in a restaurant perhaps
                          30. 58A
                            Concealable bladed weapon
                          31. 59A
                            Top bond rating
                          32. 60A
                            Lays down the lawn
                          33. 61A
                            Earl Grey and Russian Caravan for two
                          Down
                          1. 1D
                            Political approach that appeals to ordinary people who feel their concerns are disregarded by the elite
                          2. 2D
                            Accepted as a tenant
                          3. 3D
                            Employee stock ownership plan, for short
                          4. 4D
                            "Mon ___!"
                          5. 5D
                            Double reed instruments
                          6. 6D
                            Promises to pay
                          7. 7D
                            Auction grouping
                          8. 8D
                            Low-level clouds
                          9. 9D
                            Actor who played Alicia Silverstone's character's father in "Clueless", Dan ___
                          10. 10D
                            Greek mobile telematics platform (that sounds like the soccer score of a very one-sided game)
                          11. 11D
                            Comparable to hen's teeth
                          12. 12D
                            Mid-sized Toyota truck
                          13. 13D
                            DEA agents
                          14. 15D
                            Pale purple
                          15. 19D
                            Take a load off
                          16. 23D
                            ___ butter (moisturizer)
                          17. 25D
                            ___ al-Fitr (holiday that marks the end of Ramadan)
                          18. 26D
                            I am; you ___
                          19. 27D
                            "CSI" network
                          20. 29D
                            Feel poorly
                          21. 31D
                            "___ avis" (unusual thing)
                          22. 32D
                            Refusals
                          23. 33D
                            Family-room items
                          24. 34D
                            ___ in "igloo"
                          25. 35D
                            Florida city developed Glenn Curtiss
                          26. 36D
                            Global healthcare company based in Switzerland
                          27. 39D
                            Continue, as an out-of-control bushfire
                          28. 40D
                            Dead Sea fortress
                          29. 41D
                            Ideal place
                          30. 42D
                            Peak in NE Greece
                          31. 43D
                            McConnell of the US Senate
                          32. 44D
                            Repeats back
                          33. 45D
                            High-quality French vineyard
                          34. 46D
                            Catch ___ (mistime an oar stroke)
                          35. 48D
                            Buildings with ERs
                          36. 51D
                            Long-running dispute
                          37. 52D
                            Schedule opening
                          38. 53D
                            Give up, as land
                          39. 55D
                            Symphony orchestra of a city starting with "R" (abbr.)
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