Crowded
◆ · By DrTom · Published 2024-03-20T11:30:34.737Z
Meta Prompt
The meta answer is something you might find yourself uncomfortable in
I am going to go out on a limb and declare this one a Kitten (as opposed to going out on a limb to retrieve a kitten). My two testers got it right off the bat and both said it was a nice, calm trip to the end.
This puzzle was inspired by something I have tried to use to solve countless puzzles, and been wrong. So, figured I, why not finally use it...and I did.
The meta answer is something you might find yourself uncomfortable in.
Thanks to Meg and Cinny who were my experimental group, to the technical support of Joe Ross, and to the forum moderators (Kay, Mark Bob and Peter). What a wonderful group we have.
Kitten ■
Calico
Persian
Puma
Lion
There will be nudges Friday (if needed)
It's Friday!
NUDGES:
Nudge 1] The meta answer is 6 letters long. Don't miss a letter or you will find yourself in something else you might feel uncomfortable in.
Nudge 2] Symmetry, you know how we love symmetry!
Nudge 3] The "dead center" in itself is not much of a help, but taken with its "qualifier"...
Nudge 4] What you need to see is not uncommon in puzzles, but it is uncommon here in that it is ONLY in theme words.
The REVEAL:
The title of the puzzle is "Crowded" and clues 41 and 52 across were designed to evoke the old saying "Two's company and three's a crowd".
Six grid answers, symmetrically placed, have a letter in them repeated three times.
TATTLE = T
HASHISH = H
MIRROR = R
COCOON = O
INNINGS = N
GAGGLE = G
Taken in GRID order it spells the word THRONG, the meta answer
For a more complete discussion and a graphic of the solve please go to:
Checking for previous play data...
1A
Source of inspiration
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
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
Across
- 1ASource of inspiration
- 5AKeats' soon
- 9ALong fish
- 13ATwin who struck a bad bargain for lentils
- 14ABargain prefix
- 15AThe "place" to find the "This is the place" monument
- 16ATempest
- 17ACasey of Top 40 fame
- 18AWhere to score a Cohiba or Montecristo
- 19ARat out your sibling
- 21AConcentrated cannabis
- 23AFoxy
- 24AHub of activity
- 26APolice blotter factoid
- 27APromises on paper
- 29A"Snow White" fairness judge
- 33ABlows it
- 37APlaces for a G.I. to find RNR
- 39AShred
- 40AHacienda hand, maybe
- 41AOne more than 52A
- 43ABerth place
- 44AA real fan of
- 45ANoticed
- 46AExamine
- 47A1985 fantasy flick for senior citizens
- 50AProblem for the Tinman
- 52ACompany, so they say
- 53AEasy accomplishment in the kitchen?
- 54AA way to end sex
- 57AThere are usually 9 in a baseball game
- 61AA crowd of honkers
- 63ADon Juan, e.g.
- 64APre-assumed fact
- 67AFlair
- 68AMakes a choice
- 69ALightbulbs often denote them
- 70ADecomposes
- 71AHome, informally
- 72ABarbershop call
- 73APit area at a concert
Down
- 1DWhat you can get if you deny people their rights.
- 2DStandard fare
- 3DFoul
- 4DBurst of wind
- 5DShort form of "Obamacare"
- 6DRefusals
- 7DWhat 15A has that 21A definitely does not
- 8DPolite turndown
- 9DMass consumption?
- 10DNeedle case mainly seen in crosswords
- 11DGlucose, cholesterol and calcium, for short
- 12DLiterally, "king"
- 14DSqueaks by
- 20DElle's counterpart
- 22DSnowboard alternative
- 25DBeans with a Duke for a spokesperson
- 28DTwice as annoyed
- 30DRendition of Macbeth
- 31DName that has risen to great heights
- 32DAbsorbed
- 33DMovie with a "cast of thousands"
- 34DSecond best place to lose money in Nevada
- 35DCampus military org.
- 36DMaximally haughty
- 38DEscort to the penthouse
- 42DNewest Annapolis graduates
- 48DPossess
- 49DBean
- 51DBoston harbor contaminant
- 54DBlock house?
- 55DBlind parts
- 56DNice guy at a seder
- 57DSmooth out
- 58D"Forget it!"
- 59DAlmonds and cashews
- 60DOne-sixth of a cube
- 62DStart of an idea
- 65DAnnoy
- 66DConsume