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Medal-winning Positions (Meta)

· By benchen71 · Published 2022-09-06T06:00:14.955Z

Meta Prompt
The answer to the meta is an Olympic event
If you haven't noticed, I've been trying to follow the Gaffney model of meta puzzles such that the month starts with an easier puzzle and then they get harder as the month progresses. Of course, it's hard to judge the difficulty of a puzzle when you're the creator! All that to say, I have tried very hard to make this an easier puzzle. The answer to the meta is an Olympic event. Go for gold! Answer and explanation: https://www.xword-muggles.com/viewtopic.php?p=105657#p105657
Check out "The MOAT Mini Pack of Marching Bands" here: https://www.ephesusscroll.com/about/interest4.html. US$5 gets you 7 Marching Bands which, hard enough on their own, now contain metas too. And once again there's a mega-meta!
Checking for previous play data...

Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • Laura M solved 2022-09-06T07:18:49.175Z
  • dplass solved 2022-09-06T11:11:38.796Z
  • Qmark solved 2022-09-06T11:42:22.631Z
  • Hector solved 2022-09-06T11:48:15.922Z
  • hoover solved 2022-09-06T12:52:11.580Z
  • SporcleMirror solved 2022-09-06T13:10:19.880Z
  • Cindy Weatherman solved 2022-09-06T13:50:44.446Z
  • Meg solved 2022-09-06T13:55:49.289Z
  • BarbaraK solved 2022-09-06T13:56:01.357Z
  • I K Snamhcok solved 2022-09-06T14:17:15.040Z
  • Schmeel solved 2022-09-06T14:20:29.657Z
  • boharr solved 2022-09-06T14:59:13.080Z
  • markhr solved 2022-09-06T16:45:39.347Z
  • zonkswonk solved 2022-09-06T16:53:47.328Z
  • Ergcat solved 2022-09-06T17:37:45.740Z
  • whimsy solved 2022-09-06T20:10:01.750Z
  • Gutman solved 2022-09-06T20:38:04.865Z
  • Bbaack solved 2022-09-06T21:55:25.380Z
  • BrennerTJ solved 2022-09-06T23:56:26.782Z
  • DrTom solved 2022-09-07T00:38:25.813Z
  • lbray53 solved 2022-09-07T01:42:53.204Z
  • Tyrpmom solved 2022-09-07T03:58:30.052Z
  • rjy solved 2022-09-07T04:05:22.140Z
  • Darth solved 2022-09-07T17:52:39.652Z
  • DIS solved 2022-09-07T17:57:29.608Z
  • imontoo solved 2022-09-07T20:42:38.730Z
  • SJMcK solved 2022-09-07T23:31:39.075Z
  • ajk solved 2022-09-08T15:14:04.481Z
  • kurtalert solved 2022-09-08T15:42:09.809Z
  • Carolyn solved 2022-09-08T21:31:39.002Z
  • bereolos solved 2022-09-09T04:16:39.523Z
  • SeamusOL solved 2022-09-09T06:23:55.940Z
  • ReB solved 2022-09-10T20:25:34.599Z
  • Tobonic solved 2022-09-10T23:03:56.029Z
  • Cindy Heisler solved 2022-09-11T00:58:14.370Z
  • woozy solved 2022-09-11T03:10:15.128Z
  • edestlin solved 2022-09-11T14:39:55.068Z
  • KayW solved 2022-09-11T16:32:59.495Z
  • Dow Jones solved 2022-09-12T01:55:58.111Z
  • MrTheHan solved 2022-09-12T20:14:34.577Z

Comments

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  • Laura M 🤓9:17 · 2022-09-06T07:19:48.518Z
    Fun! I think the difficulty was about right.
    • benchen71 constructor · 2022-09-06T07:50:38.618Z
      Good to know. I find "week 1" metas the trickiest, since you don't want to make it too obvious (like with "Risky Business" perhaps?)
      • hoover 2s · 2022-09-06T12:53:42.145Z
        I agree with Laura M. I would suggest there's probably no need for the * in the clues for the themers, though.
      • dplass 8:59 · 2022-09-06T11:11:52.558Z
        Countdown but backwards. :)
        • benchen71 constructor · 2022-09-06T21:22:22.906Z
          I had this constructed ages ago so it's not plagiarism. What makes it even worse was that I failed to solve Countdown!
          • dplass 8:59 · 2022-09-07T02:17:31.229Z
            Ouch!
        • Qmark 🤓13:02 · 2022-09-06T11:44:51.846Z
          Super puzzle, Ben...thanks!
          • I K Snamhcok 1s · 2022-09-06T14:17:47.212Z
            Very nice!
            • Ergcat 19:04 · 2022-09-06T17:39:23.585Z
              Thanks, Ben! Fun puzzle with Very clever construction…once I figured out where to get the 1st, 2nd and 3rd “places”!!
              • Gutman 2s · 2022-09-06T20:39:07.609Z
                At least I didn't have to look at the periodic table for too long!
                • whimsy 🤓13:02 · 2022-09-06T20:11:31.596Z
                  Gold for a fun puzzle! Thanks, Ben!
                  • Bbaack 22:20 · 2022-09-06T21:57:51.469Z
                    Nice one, although now I'm dreading the end of the month!
                    • benchen71 constructor · 2022-09-07T01:30:54.324Z
                      This month's "week 4" is a doozy! (That said, it should be easier than last month!)
                    • Tyrpmom 3s · 2022-09-07T04:00:56.480Z
                      It may be nice to do your weeks backward so the month is a bit more balanced.
                      • imontoo 4s · 2022-09-07T20:43:28.678Z
                        Fun! Thanks
                        • ReB 5s · 2022-09-10T20:30:11.757Z
                          Well, I went back to the one spoiler (plus the title) and this time found the right way to sequence, dealing with letters instead of words. Pleasant in retrospect.
                          • Cindy Heisler 2s · 2022-09-11T01:00:41.258Z
                            Finally got it using your nudges. I tried something similar to the correct mechanism plus a whole lot of other nonsense. Seeing it now, it seems pretty straightforward. Another great one, Ben. Thanks.
                            • woozy 🤓15:32 · 2022-09-11T03:11:30.834Z
                              Oh, not a-ruddy-gain! I don't think I'm ever going to used to that mechanism.
                              • benchen71 constructor · 2022-09-11T08:04:27.607Z
                                I'm so sorry for touching a raw nerve. But imagine how I feel: I constructed this crossword first, and then still failed to solve "Countdown"!
                                • woozy 🤓15:32 · 2022-09-11T15:48:16.265Z
                                  I meant it humorously. As for the nudges it "Yeah-- of course; uh-huh got that; figured as much; well yeah and.... oh"
                                1A
                                Bond novel, "___ Majesty's Secret Service"
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                                31
                                32
                                33
                                34
                                35
                                36
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                                38
                                39
                                40
                                41
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                                47
                                48
                                49
                                50
                                51
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                                56
                                57
                                58
                                59
                                60
                                61
                                62
                                63
                                64
                                65
                                66
                                67
                                68
                                69
                                70
                                71
                                Across
                                1. 1A
                                  Bond novel, "___ Majesty's Secret Service"
                                2. 6A
                                  Where you go to board a plane
                                3. 10A
                                  Related to the mouth
                                4. 14A
                                  "My Fair Lady" composer
                                5. 15A
                                  "But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, 'Stop weeping! Look, the ___ of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.'" (Rev. 5:5)
                                6. 16A
                                  32 across, for example
                                7. 17A
                                  * Purchase that lets you complete both parts of your journey, there and back, within 24 hours
                                8. 20A
                                  Where Mary and Joseph didn't stay (not because there was no room but because it's a mis-translation; see my meta "First Christmas" for details)
                                9. 21A
                                  Colour-changing substance
                                10. 22A
                                  Those responsible for the mail surge mentioned in the clue for 63 across
                                11. 23A
                                  Anon, but less Shakespearean
                                12. 25A
                                  Ubiquitous Adobe file
                                13. 27A
                                  Blog feed letters
                                14. 28A
                                  The only US state outside North 12 down
                                15. 30A
                                  Pronounce "s" as "th", for example
                                16. 32A
                                  Me (the one cluing this crossword!)
                                17. 35A
                                  "Alas..."
                                18. 37A
                                  Something you really don't want to find in your food
                                19. 39A
                                  * Generically-named government-run educational institution
                                20. 43A
                                  Mrs. Rumpole, otherwise known as "She Who Must Be Obeyed"
                                21. 44A
                                  "You can't see that painting; it's currently on ___ the Tate"
                                22. 45A
                                  "Let me think about that..."
                                23. 46A
                                  Parisian God
                                24. 48A
                                  What Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks have lots of
                                25. 52A
                                  Writer of 1 across, ___ Fleming
                                26. 53A
                                  Jack ___, a common English term originally used to refer to seamen of the Merchant or Royal Navy
                                27. 55A
                                  Marriage proposal location (with "down on one")
                                28. 56A
                                  "No! My mind is made up. ___ swayed."
                                29. 60A
                                  "Wanna___?" ("Are you absolutely certain?")
                                30. 62A
                                  Contribute to a conversation
                                31. 63A
                                  * Mail surge that post offices have to deal with in December
                                32. 66A
                                  Hip hop artist born Eddie Castellanos (an anagram of "road")
                                33. 67A
                                  Hairy hunter of Genesis
                                34. 68A
                                  "Encore!"
                                35. 69A
                                  "___, ___, a pirate's life for me" (lyrics from a theme song for a Disney ride)
                                36. 70A
                                  Arthur ___, protagonist of Douglas Adams' "A Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy"
                                37. 71A
                                  If violets are blue, these are red
                                Down
                                1. 1D
                                  Getting on in years (sorta)
                                2. 2D
                                  "Simple and harmonious" in Tahitian, popularised by Paul Gauguin and a Danish fashion label
                                3. 3D
                                  "___, ___, don't dream it's over" (lyrics from a Crowded House song)
                                4. 4D
                                  New Jersey airport code
                                5. 5D
                                  Clarinet need
                                6. 6D
                                  "We were literally ___ to the TV!" (couldn't look away; and definitely not meant literally, no matter what they say!)
                                7. 7D
                                  "I can feel it coming in the ___ tonight, oh lord" (lyrics from a Phil Collins song with a famous drum fill)
                                8. 8D
                                  Lots (but also probably not meant literally)
                                9. 9D
                                  Comes in
                                10. 10D
                                  How I like to buy my music, no matter what my wife says about superseded technology and the ease of streaming
                                11. 11D
                                  Useful tool during autumn (if you have deciduous trees)
                                12. 12D
                                  See 28 across
                                13. 13D
                                  Answer to "Shall we?"
                                14. 18D
                                  Occupation that once took place in pools
                                15. 19D
                                  Checks for quality
                                16. 24D
                                  Female nymph associated with water
                                17. 26D
                                  "___ like a lizard drinking" (evocative Australian expression for working hard)
                                18. 29D
                                  "See you then!"
                                19. 31D
                                  Concept represented by a light bulb in cartoons
                                20. 32D
                                  "To Kill A Mockingbird" character, ___ Radley
                                21. 33D
                                  "Mr. Blue Sky" band, for short
                                22. 34D
                                  No score in soccer
                                23. 36D
                                  Commercial event involving a drop in prices
                                24. 38D
                                  Triangular-shaped object under a wheel
                                25. 39D
                                  "I'm really enjoying this time in the sauna!"
                                26. 40D
                                  Edge of a cup
                                27. 41D
                                  Tree associated with a horror movie franchise
                                28. 42D
                                  Someone who makes for an unpleasant roommate
                                29. 47D
                                  Like Norwegian Lundehunds, apparently
                                30. 49D
                                  How quite a lot of the world refers to a pineapple
                                31. 50D
                                  What Josh Gad, as LeFou, wears in "Beauty And The Beast"
                                32. 51D
                                  Classic four-door cars
                                33. 52D
                                  Opening remarks
                                34. 54D
                                  "I need to see a man ___ a horse" (loo-visiting euphemism)
                                35. 56D
                                  "Now ___ me down to sleep"
                                36. 57D
                                  Pluralised wedding vow
                                37. 58D
                                  "Alternatively..." (in an SMS)
                                38. 59D
                                  French suffix that forms the female version of some occupations (for example, vicomt-)
                                39. 61D
                                  Peter the Great, for one
                                40. 64D
                                  Less current synonym for "stan"
                                41. 65D
                                  "A long time __, in a galaxy far, far, away"
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