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"E" Is For Extraneous (Meta)

· By benchen71 · Published 2022-09-13T06:00:30.507Z

Meta Prompt
The answer to the meta is a rock band
The meta mechanism in this puzzle came to me while driving home from work. I don't think that's a spoiler! Once I got home, I just had to see if it would work, and I think it does. Hopefully, you will agree with me, assuming you can find the answer to the meta, which is a rock band. Answer & explanation: https://www.xword-muggles.com/viewtopic.php?p=106374#p106374
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)

  • SeamusOL solved 2022-09-13T06:30:31.962Z
  • markhr solved 2022-09-13T07:27:41.076Z
  • Laura M solved 2022-09-13T08:33:42.128Z
  • Cindy Weatherman solved 2022-09-13T10:54:30.692Z
  • hoover solved 2022-09-13T12:55:47.789Z
  • Hector solved 2022-09-13T12:56:32.374Z
  • Darth solved 2022-09-13T13:22:56.007Z
  • lbray53 solved 2022-09-13T13:53:48.573Z
  • rjy solved 2022-09-13T14:28:03.159Z
  • boharr solved 2022-09-13T14:50:29.230Z
  • Ergcat solved 2022-09-13T14:56:47.659Z
  • Pair O Ducks solved 2022-09-13T15:28:56.189Z
  • dplass solved 2022-09-13T15:38:34.097Z
  • Tom Wilson solved 2022-09-13T15:52:19.467Z
  • Capn Rick solved 2022-09-13T15:52:24.469Z
  • DrTom solved 2022-09-13T15:53:56.662Z
  • DIS solved 2022-09-13T16:58:41.043Z
  • kymike solved 2022-09-13T17:16:48.614Z
  • Johnny Luau solved 2022-09-13T18:46:50.943Z
  • CPJohnson solved 2022-09-13T18:53:08.273Z
  • Bbaack solved 2022-09-13T18:57:49.892Z
  • KayW solved 2022-09-13T19:03:29.104Z
  • Tyrpmom solved 2022-09-13T19:28:25.692Z
  • I K Snamhcok solved 2022-09-13T20:10:28.262Z
  • Dow Jones solved 2022-09-13T20:42:22.127Z
  • Schmeel solved 2022-09-13T21:17:04.819Z
  • Gutman solved 2022-09-13T21:22:38.640Z
  • Meg solved 2022-09-13T21:31:58.342Z
  • ReB solved 2022-09-13T21:36:06.271Z
  • Spid4567 solved 2022-09-14T03:18:52.204Z
  • LuckyGuest solved 2022-09-14T03:27:25.872Z
  • SJMcK solved 2022-09-14T03:34:57.953Z
  • JHSeeman solved 2022-09-14T08:58:41.139Z
  • Cindy Heisler solved 2022-09-14T11:39:32.897Z
  • imontoo solved 2022-09-14T12:52:54.584Z
  • Qmark solved 2022-09-14T13:09:27.144Z
  • Mr Tex solved 2022-09-14T18:09:06.500Z
  • kurtalert solved 2022-09-14T22:40:32.423Z
  • jbird solved 2022-09-15T02:45:18.504Z
  • Emma Oxford solved 2022-09-15T13:45:12.812Z
  • woozy solved 2022-09-16T01:33:12.673Z
  • Tobonic solved 2022-09-16T11:43:42.081Z
  • edestlin solved 2022-09-16T23:27:10.505Z
  • Mikey G solved 2022-09-17T00:02:16.523Z
  • ajk solved 2022-09-17T15:46:51.991Z
  • Sharkicicles solved 2022-09-17T21:52:34.293Z
  • BrennerTJ solved 2022-09-18T00:26:46.120Z
  • whimsy solved 2022-09-18T04:53:28.650Z
  • sledge solved 2022-09-19T10:41:49.396Z
  • evie atarax solved 2022-09-19T23:31:13.954Z
  • ChrisCross solved 2022-10-22T15:59:00.984Z

Comments

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  • markhr 🤓14:10 · 2022-09-13T07:29:09.426Z
    Pretty cool! Nice job, Ben.
    • benchen71 constructor · 2022-09-13T09:20:01.053Z
      Thanks, I like this one, too!
    • Laura M 🤓13:51 · 2022-09-13T08:38:06.652Z
      Nice construction!
      • benchen71 constructor · 2022-09-13T09:20:37.313Z
        Merci beaucoup!
      • Hector 🤓8:03 · 2022-09-13T12:58:38.795Z
        Nice. X is for extraneous too, apparently
        • hoover 3s · 2022-09-13T12:56:27.178Z
          Nice multi-stepper!
          • Darth 16:58 · 2022-09-13T13:23:51.327Z
            Xcellent! Thanx, Ben!
            • rjy 3s · 2022-09-13T14:29:32.031Z
              Enjoyed it Ben - always love a slam-dunk clever answer that meshes with the theme. Thanks!
              • benchen71 constructor · 2022-09-13T21:15:35.641Z
                Me too!
              • Ergcat 17:40 · 2022-09-13T15:00:32.514Z
                Goode one! That was clever! Really enjoyed the “aha” moment of seeing the alternate cross words once the extraneous “e” was out! Thank you, Ben!
                • dplass 7:22 · 2022-09-13T15:39:10.792Z
                  Very cool metanism. Gaffney-eseque, to be sure. You should have charged $ for this one!
                  • Capn Rick 🤓8:51 · 2022-09-13T15:52:56.355Z
                    Nice one, Ben! Enjoyed it!
                    • DrTom 8s · 2022-09-13T16:02:58.180Z
                      Well, I'd have gotten there a LOT quicker if I wasn't also looking for alternatives to the words that had the E's to begin with. Finally it hit me, "no, that is the Mx, throw away the Extraneous E and you get a new word. When I saw the Tom Cruise clue I was sure it was going to be SLIDE and was surprised when it wasn't. Nice little meta, but man a lot of head scratching and cross referencing. I suppose I'll have to make a catalogue (😊) of OT Books and hometowns of Pennsylvania senators. Thanks for a pleasant diversion Ben.
                      • benchen71 constructor · 2022-09-13T21:16:53.777Z
                        Not being able to use the letter E made the grid more challenging than usual.
                      • Tom Wilson 🤓6:58 · 2022-09-13T15:53:15.619Z
                        Cleverly constructed, with a very satisfying payoff ... not to mention an earworm or two. Thank you, Ben!
                        • Bbaack 17:18 · 2022-09-13T19:03:43.722Z
                          I had a grat tim dciphring this clvr puzzl. Mrci Bn!
                          • benchen71 constructor · 2022-09-13T21:17:11.485Z
                            Lov it!
                          • Tyrpmom 2s · 2022-09-13T19:33:29.586Z
                            I liked it!
                            • I K Snamhcok 1s · 2022-09-13T20:12:12.298Z
                              Fun! Thanks, Ben!
                              • Dow Jones 4s · 2022-09-13T20:47:52.226Z
                                I expected the answer to be AC/DC, but you gave us a "New Sensation" reveal. Thanks, Ben.
                                • ReB 5s · 2022-09-13T21:49:09.038Z
                                  Unexpectedly fast solve: after my plausible off-the-cuff initial mechanism* failed, I quickly saw the correct mechanism. And when google told me that INXS was an Australian band, I knew that had to be the correct answer.
                                  *I took the initial letters of the four theme words with the extra E's, which spelled out SUNS, and since the E's were "bad" letters, that suggested BAD SUNS, which google said was a Woodland Hills CA band. Definitely inferior to the actual mechanism.
                                  • JHSeeman 3s · 2022-09-14T08:58:55.603Z
                                    Nice puzzle
                                    • Cindy Heisler 2s · 2022-09-14T11:40:49.491Z
                                      Fun one, Ben! Thanks.
                                      • Qmark 4s · 2022-09-14T13:09:53.445Z
                                        Super puzzle, Ben!
                                        • imontoo 4s · 2022-09-14T12:56:55.650Z
                                          I just needed to be about 30 seconds more patient and I would have had the correct answer to begin with! Good one.
                                          • kurtalert 11:19 · 2022-09-14T22:41:39.831Z
                                            Good one - got hung up a bit connecting UNIT/INCH14AFoot fraction[----] - but I knew where to look once my other letters, NXS, pretty much gave away to look for an I that worked!
                                            • woozy 🤓14:44 · 2022-09-16T01:36:48.816Z
                                              Oh..... sigh I tried entering that on Tuesday (but not for all the correct reasons) and I must have mistyped it.
                                              I spent too long worrying about whether my not having heard have them would have kept me from solving that I didn't rely try to go beyond the basics. I should learn. 1) Even if I had never heard of the band I'd be able to get it. 2) Of course, I've heard of the band.
                                              • benchen71 constructor · 2022-09-16T05:20:17.929Z
                                                Glad you got there in the end!
                                              1A
                                              "Could you, would you, with a ___?"
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                                              Across
                                              1. 1A
                                                "Could you, would you, with a ___?"
                                              2. 5A
                                                Red Banner Rifle Division (abbr.)
                                              3. 9A
                                                Cold symptom
                                              4. 14A
                                                Foot fraction
                                              5. 15A
                                                Cyclist known as The Bull from Urrao, Rigoberto ___
                                              6. 16A
                                                Video-game pioneer
                                              7. 17A
                                                Hard, as a mattress
                                              8. 18A
                                                Nothing
                                              9. 19A
                                                Inflexible
                                              10. 20A
                                                Elitist in attitude
                                              11. 22A
                                                Politician and retired US Navy officer Joe Sestak's birth place
                                              12. 23A
                                                Be a resident of
                                              13. 25A
                                                Caesar and Greek, for two
                                              14. 29A
                                                Onslaught
                                              15. 34A
                                                Bring together
                                              16. 35A
                                                Body art, for short
                                              17. 37A
                                                Medical image
                                              18. 38A
                                                Prefix meaning "very small"
                                              19. 39A
                                                Actress, ___ Najimi, known for "Sister Act" and "Hocus Pocus" but who I recognised in season 2 of "Morning Wars" playing a not-very-good psychic
                                              20. 40A
                                                Fleming and McKellen
                                              21. 41A
                                                ___ Stewart, singer of the 1979 #1 hit "Knock on Wood"
                                              22. 42A
                                                Egypt's river
                                              23. 43A
                                                Laura Dern's "Star Wars" character, Vice-Admiral ___
                                              24. 44A
                                                Complete list of items, spelled the US way
                                              25. 46A
                                                Judge known for his long hair and strength (but only at the same time)
                                              26. 47A
                                                Book before Jonah in the Old Testament
                                              27. 50A
                                                Most prominent member of the constellation Canis Major
                                              28. 54A
                                                Scrape on the skin
                                              29. 59A
                                                Sushi eel
                                              30. 60A
                                                Glided across the floor, like Tom Cruise in "Risky Business"
                                              31. 61A
                                                Wedding location, where Jesus turned water into wine
                                              32. 62A
                                                Mythical king of Crete
                                              33. 63A
                                                "Raiders of the Lost Ark" baddy, politically
                                              34. 64A
                                                Spanish water
                                              35. 65A
                                                Gaze without blinking
                                              36. 66A
                                                "Buenos ___!"
                                              37. 67A
                                                Ship's petty officer, familiarly
                                              Down
                                              1. 1D
                                                Animatable computer graphics, the pronunciation of which is contested
                                              2. 2D
                                                Overheard backstage: "You're ___ five!"
                                              3. 3D
                                                Prefix used in fear of heights
                                              4. 4D
                                                Opposable digit (abbr.)
                                              5. 5D
                                                Disagreeable encounters
                                              6. 6D
                                                Self-assertive in a rude, noisy, or overbearing way
                                              7. 7D
                                                Australian actress, ___ Mitchell who starred in "Pitch Black" opposite Vin Diesel
                                              8. 8D
                                                Double-helix molecule
                                              9. 9D
                                                Vehicles pulled by horses
                                              10. 10D
                                                Ear-related
                                              11. 11D
                                                US act that governs organ donations for the purpose of transplantation
                                              12. 12D
                                                Cheshire Cat feature
                                              13. 13D
                                                Went to ground
                                              14. 21D
                                                Participate in an auction
                                              15. 22D
                                                Actress, ___ Spacek, who won an Oscar for "Coal Miner's Daughter"
                                              16. 24D
                                                English town named after its famous Roman ruins
                                              17. 25D
                                                "Poison" plant
                                              18. 26D
                                                Inner self, according to Jung
                                              19. 27D
                                                Permitted by law
                                              20. 28D
                                                Skylit lobbies
                                              21. 30D
                                                Accepted principle
                                              22. 31D
                                                Russian mountain range
                                              23. 32D
                                                "The Empire Strikes Back" character, ___ Calrissian
                                              24. 33D
                                                Boxer, Mike ___
                                              25. 35D
                                                Subarctic forest
                                              26. 36D
                                                Part of NATO (abbr.)
                                              27. 39D
                                                Door handles
                                              28. 43D
                                                "That's funny!"
                                              29. 45D
                                                Fashion company, ___ Vuitton
                                              30. 46D
                                                Fifth of seven named churches in the book of Revelation
                                              31. 48D
                                                The ___ Lama
                                              32. 49D
                                                Island near Majorca
                                              33. 50D
                                                Amounts of money
                                              34. 51D
                                                Still competitive
                                              35. 52D
                                                "Oh no! I just ___ red light!"
                                              36. 53D
                                                Composer, ___ Stravinsky
                                              37. 55D
                                                Wound covering
                                              38. 56D
                                                "Aladdin" parrot
                                              39. 57D
                                                Responsibility
                                              40. 58D
                                                Indian bread
                                              41. 60D
                                                Long Island or Puget (abbr.)
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