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Celebrate Xmas (Meta)
◆ · By benchen71 · Published 2022-12-20T05:00:04.667Z
Meta Prompt
The answer to the meta is what X replaces
Happy holidays, everyone! Here's a puzzle that will, I trust, help you focus on the reason for the season. The answer to the meta is what X replaces.
The following note may help after you've started completing the grid: The tricksy squares can be filled with Xs, following the Xmas theme. Answer & explanation: https://www.xword-muggles.com/viewtopic.php?p=115634#p115634
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)
- kieranjboyd solved 2022-12-20T05:11:35.090Z
- SeamusOL solved 2022-12-20T05:13:17.677Z
- Dow Jones solved 2022-12-20T06:50:26.093Z
- woozy solved 2022-12-20T06:58:02.214Z
- markhr solved 2022-12-20T08:38:57.721Z
- Hector solved 2022-12-20T11:33:45.169Z
- edestlin solved 2022-12-20T12:22:34.058Z
- rjy solved 2022-12-20T12:42:10.657Z
- Ergcat solved 2022-12-20T13:32:03.948Z
- Capn Rick solved 2022-12-20T13:33:40.047Z
- MrTheHan solved 2022-12-20T13:53:20.825Z
- Cindy Heisler solved 2022-12-20T13:54:17.253Z
- Dave C solved 2022-12-20T14:05:59.014Z
- Cindy Weatherman solved 2022-12-20T14:31:50.912Z
- boharr solved 2022-12-20T14:35:11.490Z
- dplass solved 2022-12-20T15:38:15.406Z
- Darth solved 2022-12-20T15:51:48.826Z
- Bird Lives solved 2022-12-20T16:01:38.897Z
- Meg solved 2022-12-20T16:15:14.942Z
- DIS solved 2022-12-20T16:30:19.498Z
- Tyrpmom solved 2022-12-20T16:42:46.146Z
- spotter solved 2022-12-20T16:53:50.726Z
- Carolyn solved 2022-12-20T16:59:36.691Z
- CPJohnson solved 2022-12-20T16:59:41.748Z
- heidi solved 2022-12-20T17:51:33.452Z
- DrTom solved 2022-12-20T17:54:48.485Z
- kymike solved 2022-12-20T18:11:47.253Z
- hoover solved 2022-12-20T18:42:22.096Z
- Gutman solved 2022-12-20T19:14:37.165Z
- HeadinHome solved 2022-12-20T19:24:58.107Z
- KayW solved 2022-12-20T19:47:30.830Z
- imontoo solved 2022-12-20T20:30:56.206Z
- Jaclyn solved 2022-12-20T20:40:24.212Z
- ajk solved 2022-12-20T20:55:10.494Z
- jbird solved 2022-12-20T20:59:33.776Z
- lbray53 solved 2022-12-20T21:11:23.745Z
- Laura M solved 2022-12-20T21:16:57.162Z
- DebbieC solved 2022-12-20T21:30:23.603Z
- ReB solved 2022-12-20T21:49:49.041Z
- Darrell solved 2022-12-20T23:25:14.232Z
- BarbaraK solved 2022-12-20T23:26:05.342Z
- SJMcK solved 2022-12-20T23:31:28.922Z
- Mikey G solved 2022-12-21T02:07:48.227Z
- I K Snamhcok solved 2022-12-21T04:28:46.023Z
- Abide solved 2022-12-21T04:45:38.753Z
- whimsy solved 2022-12-21T05:06:58.456Z
- Alex Sisti solved 2022-12-21T15:16:04.819Z
- Johnny Luau solved 2022-12-21T19:01:52.189Z
- Charles Montpetit solved 2022-12-21T20:09:46.232Z
- wendy walker solved 2022-12-21T22:27:18.668Z
- ChrisCross solved 2022-12-22T02:44:44.423Z
- Spid4567 solved 2022-12-22T05:01:03.796Z
- Jeremy Smith solved 2022-12-22T07:12:04.679Z
- Jim Dean solved 2022-12-25T05:43:32.757Z
- amy nelson solved 2022-12-29T12:15:04.628Z
- Samik solved 2022-12-30T14:24:13.762Z
Comments
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- Dow Jones 4s · 2022-12-20T07:04:23.550ZThat was an outstanding grid and meta (one of your best). Have a Merry Christmas, Ben.
- Thanks! And right back at ya re the Chrissie greetings!
- Okay. THat was fun. For a very light and easy one for a change.
- Totally disagree... but at least after revealing the grid I was able to get the meta...
- Oh, the grid was tricky but once you got the hang of it it was fun. The meta itself was a little bit on the too easy side, though... but just a little. Still fun.
- markhr 26:38 · 2022-12-20T08:44:17.925ZWell done, Ben. Merry Christmas!
- Hector 3s · 2022-12-20T11:34:14.218ZThanks, Ben, enjoyed this one (again)!
- Ergcat 18:26 · 2022-12-20T13:35:09.716ZVery nice! Gets me in the Xmas spirit for sure! I love the “Reason for the Season”!
- Cindy Heisler 2s · 2022-12-20T14:01:34.575ZPerfect puzzle for this holiday week. Merry Christmas, Ben!
- Dave C 3s · 2022-12-20T14:07:00.902ZNice for Christmas week.
- Bird Lives 4s · 2022-12-20T16:02:29.116ZSolved it. Hallelujah, he chorused.
- Darth 🤓8:33 · 2022-12-20T15:52:15.915ZLoved it! Thanks, Ben! Merry Christmas!
- You're welcome. Do they have Christmas on the Death Star? Or should I wish you a happy Life Day?
- Tyrpmom 2s · 2022-12-20T16:43:49.179ZMerry Christmas. Thanks Ben.
- Carolyn 3s · 2022-12-20T17:00:39.903ZVery nice! Have a wonderful Christmas.
- 47A Ah, the great custard/ice cream debate....Neither! Hard sauce! Butter, brown sugar, and rum whipped to an icing consistency.
- hoover 6s · 2022-12-20T18:43:13.750ZI think the problem is not with the custard/ice cream; it's with the pudding.
- I had some of that hard sauce just the other day: extremely yummy!
- Well you Handled that nicely! Merry Xmas; I turned the X upside down because of the different hemisphere, but it seemed to make no difference?
- You are absolutely right: our Xs look just like the ones in the US! And a happy Christmas to you, too!
- kymike 3s · 2022-12-20T18:12:07.913ZMerry Christmas!
- hoover 6s · 2022-12-20T18:42:41.345ZEnjoyed the grid!
- HeadinHome 🤓4:02 · 2022-12-20T19:27:22.736ZThoroughly enjoyed! I don’t remember ever using the rebus button on Crosshare… nifty! Also, my recollection of John 10 was “..at that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter…”. That’s Hanukkah? Huh. Cool.
- Yes, I believe that Hanukkah is also known as the Feast of Dedication, that is, when the Temple was rededicated following Antiochus Epiphanes' earlier defilement.
- Very clever, thanks! Have a wonderful Christmas holiday, Ben
- imontoo 3s · 2022-12-20T20:31:30.657ZFun one, Ben!
- Laura M 🤓15:30 · 2022-12-20T21:18:42.011ZeXcellent meta, and Merry Christmas to you!
- ReB 4s · 2022-12-20T21:54:11.011ZI had to HANDEL with care to arrive at the reason for the season. Nice light Xmas treat, no misdirection or rabbit holes.And a merry Christmas to you, Ben.
- I K Snamhcok 2s · 2022-12-21T04:29:30.679ZVery nice, Ben! Have your best Christmas!
- The ‘X’ thing didn’t make sense to me. You don’t put an ‘X’ in a rebus box, and the boxes themselves weren’t arranged in an ‘X’ shape.
- Putting Xs in the tricksy squares follows the Xmas theme. It would have worked beautifully for those solving using the PUZ file!
- whimsy 23:51 · 2022-12-21T05:11:23.339ZVery, very nice! Thank you Ben! I guess it wouldn't do to wish you a White Christmas, but have a good one anyway!
- A white Christmas here usually involves hail. It's not unknown!
- boharr 3s · 2022-12-21T13:32:42.239ZMerry Christmas!
- Alex Sisti 3s · 2022-12-21T15:16:22.079ZGood one... Merry Christmas, brother!
- Charles Montpetit 🤓3:42 · 2022-12-21T20:30:10.823ZAbridging "Hanukkah" as "Xukkah" is an interesting take. This said, if it's not too late, you might was to fix the "opportunties" in the clue to 1a. Also, do you always eschew the rules against unckecked squares (the central F) and two-letter entries (35d and 41d), yet remain a fond proponent of symmetry? I'm only asking because, in the context of a meta, any departure from the norm, might be perceived as a solving hint, including a typo in a clue...
- I'll fix the typo. I try to avoid unchecked letters and two letter words as much as possible. But sometimes they become impossible to avoid due to all the required meta entries!
- Fun! Merry Christmas, Ben!
- ChrisCross 🤓10:41 · 2022-12-22T02:52:21.326ZVery fun. I think this was the best grid for a MOAT I've done (but I always like Rebuses). I could have spent a long time on this meta, I only bothered to check the initials of the rebus blocks as a formality before planning to go full-force down a rabbit hole.
1A
Plant that is used at Xmas to engineer awkward kissing opportunities
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Across
- 1APlant that is used at Xmas to engineer awkward kissing opportunities
- 7APrefix meaning "equal"
- 10APublic vehicle
- 13AJujitsu relative
- 14AChest bone
- 15AXmas drink made with rum or brandy
- 17AOne of the Wayans
- 18ADa Vinci or DiCaprio or a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
- 20AFinish by
- 21ABitter criticism
- 22ABelly
- 25ASorta
- 26AJPEG alternative with a controversial pronunciation
- 27AUS federal purchasing org.
- 30AChristen with oil or water, perhaps
- 32ASpanish greeting
- 34AWhat you hope to find inside an Xmas turkey
- 35ANicole Kidman's other half, ___ Urban
- 40AFormer male student of a school or college
- 42ANational drink of England (including a serving suggestion)
- 43AXmas character based on a bishop with a penchant for secret gift-giving, informally
- 44AApportion
- 46AFossil fuel
- 47ASome people prefer this on their Xmas pudding instead of custard
- 49ASpanish gold
- 50ADye container
- 53AFall back
- 54AZeta follower
- 55APopular alternative to a star on Xmas trees
- 57AArthur Miller's salesman, Willy ___
- 62A"As God is my witness!"
- 64A"Stranger Things" actress, ___ Ryder
- 65AProphet
- 66AEast Berlin was its capital (abbr.)
- 67AOdor-reducing plumbing fittings
- 68AWorks in a gallery
- 69AUnderstand
- 70AFestival that Jesus attended in John 10, celebrated around the time of Xmas
Down
- 1DError
- 2DProperty claim
- 3DBarely managed, with "out"
- 4D"30 Rock" actress, ___ Fey
- 5DThe Voice of the Civil Rights Movement
- 6DEternity
- 7DOffline, briefly
- 8DWhat you do a lot of panning for gold
- 9DInstrumentalist who helps tune an orchestra
- 10DPerson asking for money or food
- 11DDisassemble
- 12D"Me also"
- 16DGame with clubs and caddies
- 19DTo the ___ degree
- 23DWell ventilated (but expressed negatively)
- 24D"Excusez-___!"
- 27DGive up the ___ (die)
- 28DAnswer, for short
- 29DGerman-based supermarket chain
- 31DDeduce
- 33DStart of a 26 letter series
- 35DBout ender, for short
- 36DAnd so forth (abbr.)
- 37D"Me also"
- 38DPull apart
- 39DCircle of light in many paintings of The Nativity
- 41D"I agree"
- 42DRobert De Niro and Al Pacino movie directed by Michael Mann
- 44DFrequent collaborator of Jody Hill, Danny ___
- 45DConcert souvenir, for short
- 47DOne of these took down the Titanic
- 48DBig hit for Courtney Love's band, Hole
- 50DComposer of the "Chariots of Fire" theme
- 51DOn the briny
- 52DBabel construction
- 53DClean air org.
- 56DSassy
- 58DAbout .62 mi.
- 59DPerson with a tonsure, probably
- 60D"two turtle doves, ___ partridge..."
- 61DLead singer of the band Sixpence None the Richer, Leigh ___
- 63DUno + due
- 64DCity in China that was mentioned in a lot of news broadcasts at the beginning of 2020
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