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Archaisms (Meta)

◆◆ · By benchen71 · Published 2022-12-13T05:00:18.140Z

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 across30AThe 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 across30AThe 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 MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here: https://www.ephesusscroll.com/about/interest4.html. US$10 gives you access to 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game. You won't quite know what to expect: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, sometimes all of those, and sometimes none! One thing is for sure, these are some of the more creative metas my brain has been able to come up with. And there's more: this time there's a mega-meta!
Checking for previous play data...

Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • woozy solved 2022-12-13T05:29:30.589Z
  • SeamusOL solved 2022-12-13T05:35:22.509Z
  • Hector solved 2022-12-13T05:41:14.772Z
  • Laura M solved 2022-12-13T05:52:53.340Z
  • Darrell solved 2022-12-13T10:41:46.140Z
  • Cindy Weatherman solved 2022-12-13T11:33:36.389Z
  • Cindy Heisler solved 2022-12-13T12:18:10.996Z
  • Meg solved 2022-12-13T13:13:08.561Z
  • lbray53 solved 2022-12-13T14:15:16.301Z
  • boharr solved 2022-12-13T14:34:22.054Z
  • Ergcat solved 2022-12-13T15:37:35.652Z
  • DIS solved 2022-12-13T16:10:55.558Z
  • markhr solved 2022-12-13T16:39:58.693Z
  • DebbieC solved 2022-12-13T16:50:34.791Z
  • DrTom solved 2022-12-13T17:00:20.466Z
  • jbird solved 2022-12-13T17:22:57.008Z
  • Dave C solved 2022-12-13T17:32:48.635Z
  • I K Snamhcok solved 2022-12-13T19:42:23.378Z
  • rjy solved 2022-12-13T19:43:42.998Z
  • whimsy solved 2022-12-13T20:36:21.140Z
  • CPJohnson solved 2022-12-13T20:54:37.255Z
  • Jaclyn solved 2022-12-13T23:36:03.061Z
  • Tom Wilson solved 2022-12-14T00:32:57.753Z
  • Mr Tex solved 2022-12-14T03:20:18.993Z
  • Jim Dean solved 2022-12-14T04:53:09.537Z
  • Carolyn solved 2022-12-14T16:22:33.900Z
  • Spid4567 solved 2022-12-14T18:37:44.411Z
  • Darth solved 2022-12-15T17:10:14.532Z
  • KayW solved 2022-12-15T18:23:50.389Z
  • BarbaraK solved 2022-12-16T00:27:31.704Z
  • Johnny Luau solved 2022-12-16T17:57:12.238Z
  • ReB solved 2022-12-16T22:52:24.167Z
  • Mikey G solved 2022-12-17T16:42:30.994Z
  • Dow Jones solved 2022-12-18T05:23:32.288Z
  • Lance solved 2022-12-18T14:40:29.982Z
  • Samik solved 2022-12-31T13:46:35.815Z
  • sledge solved 2023-01-17T09:28:45.656Z

Comments

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  • woozy 15:27 · 2022-12-13T05:30:06.615Z
    Okay.... Now to back solve.
    • Laura M 🤓25:54 · 2022-12-13T05:59:51.556Z
      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 · 2022-12-13T07:47:53.309Z
        DECEIVE
        • woozy 15:27 · 2022-12-13T17:33:17.623Z
          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 · 2022-12-13T20:32:21.907Z
            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 · 2022-12-13T12:22:00.531Z
        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 · 2022-12-13T15:40:30.138Z
          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 · 2022-12-13T16:46:36.134Z
            Try updating “cutpurse” instead.
            • Ergcat 17:23 · 2022-12-13T20:32:26.569Z
              Ahhhh, there it is! “Pickpocket” works! Thank you!
          • DrTom 5s · 2022-12-13T17:12:10.064Z
            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 · 2022-12-13T20:32:57.194Z
              Indubitably.
            • Dave C 5s · 2022-12-13T17:34:25.636Z
              The grid and the archaic words both needed some googling, but it all made sense. I thought dupe for the D.
              • woozy 15:27 · 2022-12-13T18:54:48.453Z
                Okay, Toes In is not archaic. BOOTLESS14AIneffectual[--------] is USELESS (rather than FUTILE) and OUTRIDER17APerson 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). CHICANE27AHoodwink[-------] is also archaic and is (DECIEVE, or DUPE, and not LIE, CON or TRICK). MUMMERS40AStage personnel[-------] are ACTORS (not pantamimists). SOOTH50AMatter 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 BODKIN58AConcealable bladed weapon[------] is ... DAGGER (not KNIVE or NEEDLE) and SODS60ALays 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 · 2022-12-13T20:33:34.462Z
                  That's it.
                • rjy 2s · 2022-12-13T19:54:48.548Z
                  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 FOURSCORE51ANumber 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 · 2022-12-13T19:42:49.726Z
                    Nice! Thanks, Ben!
                    • whimsy 19:44 · 2022-12-13T21:17:56.025Z
                      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 · 2022-12-14T16:24:51.370Z
                        I didn't get them all, but had enough to figure it out. Thanks!
                        • ReB 4s · 2022-12-16T22:56:21.852Z
                          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
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                          41
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                          51
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                          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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