Nice Work If You Can Get It
◆ · By DrTom · Published 2024-12-18T12:30:12.435Z
Meta Prompt
This is a real job for some to find
I had a BEAST all cued up to send out for the MEOW and then it hit me, "Hey Tom it is the Christmas Holidays, people don't want to be sitting alone for hours solving, they want to be engulfed in family celebration and shopping and eating and drinking...so I put it away (you will see it I warn you, it is called "Patterned Behavior" and it is coming to a web site near you soon, mwah ha ha) and grabbed this one I think is probably at the VERY hardest a Calico.
Kitten
★ Calico
Persian
Puma
Lion
It has been thoroughly tested by several (Cinny, Whimsy and Meg) though that was so long ago and there have been changes so they might not immediately recognize it. I will be providing universal nudges on Friday and individual nudges via PM as needed. You'll be seeing quite a bit of me for the next few weeks because I have the Christmas and New Year's Day puzzles as well as the New Year's Eve Eve puzzle - but I promise, none of them are more difficult than a Calico.
OK, enough of that or you won't think it is me writing this....now get to work!!!
NUDGES:
Nudge 1] How many times have you seen clues written almost EXACTLY like the title and known immediately what to do?
Nudge 2] The English language is a complex, and amusing, one. Not only is it harder to learn than many others, but it consists of many others.
Nudge 3] Can you think of everyday words that really are borrowed from other languages? When you ordered those little chocolate discs covered in white candy beads, the nonpareils, did you know they had no equal? ?
Nudge 4] Has anyone ever snuck a foreign word into the conversation or puzzle and you didn't recognize it was foreign, perhaps they did not know it was foreign.
Nudge 5] Even the word symmetry, which this puzzle unfortunately does not have, has a French and Latin background.
Nudge 6] The meta answer has 7 letters which means there are probably 7 things you have to find. Given the previous nudges can you do a reconnaissance mission to find them?
The Reveal:
This meta relies on the fact that a common crossword cluing "trick" is to use the name of the city on the French Riviera, Nice, as a way to say "nice". There are even entries, unfortunately not symmetric, that are distinctly French words (and are clued to hint towards that fact).
TOUCHE = T
ROUTE = R
ADIEU = A
VOILA = V
AUPAIR = A
IMPASSE = I
LIAISON = L
This spells the French word TRAVAIL, which incidentally is how you say "work" in Nice, and of course is a real job for some to find.
For a graphic depiction of the solve, please go to:
Checking for previous play data...
)1A
Helps with a task
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2
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Across
- 1AHelps with a task
- 8AComment after D'Artagnan makes a point
- 14ADescription for a covering of new snow
- 15ANon-cancerous growth of muscle, often around the breast or uterus
- 16ACowboy's neckwear
- 17AIn a little while, to a poet
- 18A___von Bismarck
- 19AAntebellum
- 21ABacon's previous residence
- 22AHarbor pollutant, once
- 23AGreek bread
- 24AComment from Elsie
- 26ATransgression
- 27ABobbin-holding rods
- 32AMichelin recommendation
- 35AMan with his ups and downs
- 36AAct like a grandparent
- 37AAsian city renowned for a tomb
- 38AWordle start and worldly goodbye
- 39A"Lion King" uncle
- 40AObserved
- 41AOnce you are in one it is hard to get out
- 42AWord from your waiter when your souffle arrives
- 43AIt helps keep a sweater dry
- 45A"Blues Brother" Aykroyd
- 46APowerful, and fleeting, football conference
- 47APressing need
- 49APlace to dye
- 52ADads in the country
- 55AFrench maid for the kids
- 57ATrusty friend
- 58ANegotiator's nightmare in Nimes
- 60AThis can be a dangerous meeting of lovers, oh la la
- 62APollock technique
- 63ASpot to spot a stud
- 64ADetermine the amount of damage
- 65ACurled a lip in derision
Down
- 1DBrothers' keeper
- 2DList of candidates
- 3DDelivery professional
- 4D"China" intro
- 5DCousin of calypso
- 6DStrike breaker
- 7DBe on the A-team, say
- 8DUbiquitous Italian dessert
- 9DShakespearian king known for mooning
- 10DAddr. on modern business cards
- 11DWhispers sweet nothings
- 12DBit of information
- 13DIrritable
- 15DThose chosen out of the many called
- 20DCompany providing 22A
- 23DApple product that is stereotypically American
- 25DType of favorite
- 26DViewing spots for parades
- 28DFirst name of a famous piper
- 29DCenters of focus
- 30DAbbreviation for "and others"
- 31D"....___, whatever will be, will be" (song lyric)
- 32DActing without thinking
- 33DArch that always sounds surprised
- 34DCompound used as fertilizer
- 35DAsgard chief
- 38DYou can count on these
- 42DRental likely to move you
- 44DWild animals
- 45DShade of black who was the subject of a famous picture
- 48DUpsets
- 49DAccessory for golfers and dealers
- 50DBrick to build an abode
- 51DGot stronger, with "up"
- 52DWhere Galileo dropped the ball
- 53DRoadies' loads
- 54DRelaxation areas
- 56DA shot
- 57DWear away
- 59DEnjoyed a repast
- 61D"Chances ___". Johnny Mathis standard