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Better Together (Meta)

· By benchen71 · Published 2 months ago

Meta Prompt
The answer to the meta is a musical genre
The path from meta idea to the grid you see before you was not exactly an easy one. Let's just say that it really helps if you spell things correctly in your rough notes! Suffice to say the end result should be a good "week 3" meta. There might be some tricky entries in the grid, but I've endeavoured to provide you with assistance in the other direction. The answer to the meta is a musical genre. Answer & explanation: https://www.xword-muggles.com/viewtopic.php?p=118391#p118391
Check out the "Rejected (Non-meta) MOAT Pack" here: https://www.ephesusscroll.com/about/interest4.html. US$5 gets you 10 themed crosswords, most of which were rejected by one crossword publisher or another. Were those editors right to reject them? You be the judge!
Checking for previous play data...

Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • Hector solved at 5:20 on 1/17/2023
  • Laura M solved at 5:56 on 1/17/2023
  • Alex Sisti solved at 6:28 on 1/17/2023
  • markhr solved at 6:31 on 1/17/2023
  • SeamusOL solved at 7:14 on 1/17/2023
  • Mikey G solved at 7:22 on 1/17/2023
  • rjy solved at 7:40 on 1/17/2023
  • Dow Jones solved at 7:45 on 1/17/2023
  • Schmeel solved at 10:03 on 1/17/2023
  • edestlin solved at 12:56 on 1/17/2023
  • Cindy Weatherman solved at 13:21 on 1/17/2023
  • Meg solved at 13:24 on 1/17/2023
  • lbray53 solved at 13:30 on 1/17/2023
  • Abide solved at 13:35 on 1/17/2023
  • BarbaraK solved at 13:44 on 1/17/2023
  • boharr solved at 14:07 on 1/17/2023
  • Cindy Heisler solved at 14:23 on 1/17/2023
  • woozy solved at 15:34 on 1/17/2023
  • MatthewL solved at 15:50 on 1/17/2023
  • Ergcat solved at 16:25 on 1/17/2023
  • Dave C solved at 16:49 on 1/17/2023
  • Tyrpmom solved at 16:54 on 1/17/2023
  • jbird solved at 17:15 on 1/17/2023
  • ChemBrewer solved at 17:46 on 1/17/2023
  • DIS solved at 17:50 on 1/17/2023
  • I K Snamhcok solved at 18:01 on 1/17/2023
  • Carolyn solved at 18:07 on 1/17/2023
  • Gutman solved at 20:03 on 1/17/2023
  • whimsy solved at 21:42 on 1/17/2023
  • ChrisCross solved at 22:36 on 1/17/2023
  • DebbieC solved at 22:58 on 1/17/2023
  • KayW solved at 23:33 on 1/17/2023
  • Jaclyn solved at 0:10 on 1/18/2023
  • CPJohnson solved at 1:21 on 1/18/2023
  • Mr Tex solved at 3:35 on 1/18/2023
  • Darth solved at 3:49 on 1/18/2023
  • dplass solved at 13:32 on 1/18/2023
  • Pair O Ducks solved at 14:31 on 1/18/2023
  • kymike solved at 18:18 on 1/18/2023
  • Johnny Luau solved at 20:44 on 1/18/2023
  • Spid4567 solved at 20:56 on 1/18/2023
  • ajk solved at 23:55 on 1/19/2023
  • Darrell solved at 4:23 on 1/20/2023
  • JHSeeman solved at 16:20 on 1/20/2023
  • ReB solved at 20:32 on 1/20/2023
  • DrTom solved at 21:39 on 1/21/2023
  • Qmark solved at 12:37 on 1/22/2023
  • sledge solved at 23:15 on 2/4/2023
  • Samik solved at 14:32 on 3/27/2023

Comments

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  • Laura M 🤓11:24 · 2 months ago
    Good one! Also love the books referenced in 60A
    60ANovel by Frances Hodgson Burnett in which Mary Lennox is sent to live at Misselthwaite Manor[---------------]
    and 44D
    44DThe Luggage in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is made from ___ pearwood[-------]
    .
    • Dow Jones 3s · 2 months ago
      Grid was tough, but the meta was solvable.
      • Cindy Heisler 2s · 2 months ago
        Very nice meta!
        • woozy 🤓15:40 · 2 months ago
          Definitely a clever and original idea!
          But a week two. Very enjoyable. Love the clue for 44D
          44DThe Luggage in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is made from ___ pearwood[-------]
          • benchen71 constructor · 2 months ago
            I clearly had this and last week's MOATs in the wrong weeks!
          • MatthewL 10:15 · 2 months ago
            Tough grid, but gettable. Really liked the metanism (see what I did there). Nice puzzle!
            • benchen71 constructor · 2 months ago
              I see what you did there!
              • KayW 9:38 · 2 months ago
                ;)
            • Ergcat 19:42 · 2 months ago
              Good one! You were right, the grid was a little tough but the “down” clues helped to fill it in! Thank you for fun solve!
              • Dave C 2s · 2 months ago
                It was fun.
                • I K Snamhcok 2s · 2 months ago
                  Gneiss! (Sorry, I’m not coming up with an apt portmanteau to describe this ginormously fun puzzle.)
                  • benchen71 constructor · 2 months ago
                    Nice one!
                  • Carolyn 4s · 2 months ago
                    Enjoyed it!
                    • whimsy 14:58 · 2 months ago
                      Once I ditched the two grid spanners and realized what I was supposed to be looking at....:).... it went much more smoothly.
                      Thanks, Ben! Gwork! (Good work -- but they probably already say that in Aussie; right after they say Gday.)
                      • benchen71 constructor · 2 months ago
                        LOL! Not sure I've heard "gwork", but I'll keep my ears open!
                      • ChrisCross 🤓8:17 · 2 months ago
                        Quick one, which is what I was in the mood for after the WSJ and the MMM. Thanks!
                        • ChrisCross 🤓8:17 · 2 months ago
                          I should have said: gaymer bromance sexercise backne firenado!
                          (Boy, the list of portmanteaus on wikipedia is raunchy, and I'm not even talking about the ones I used.)
                          • benchen71 constructor · 2 months ago
                            Took me half a minute to decode!
                          • KayW 9:38 · 2 months ago
                            Fantabulous!
                            • benchen71 constructor · 2 months ago
                              I see what you did there, too!
                              • KayW 9:38 · 2 months ago
                                ;)
                            • woozy 🤓15:40 · 2 months ago
                              Reminds me of when my little sister was about 10 years old and somehow we trying to discuss what the word "Sappy" meant and she finally said "Oh, I know. It's a mixture of SAD and HAPPY". And dang if she wasn't right.
                              • dplass 6:38 · 2 months ago
                                Nice. I don't quite get FSA
                                20AWith as much speed as possible (abbr.)[---]
                                • benchen71 constructor · 2 months ago
                                  Full Speed Ahead
                                  • dplass 6:38 · 2 months ago
                                    Whoa, that went right over my head.
                                    • benchen71 constructor · 2 months ago
                                      Actually, I mis-remembered. FSA
                                      20AWith as much speed as possible (abbr.)[---]
                                      = "Full steam ahead". But I don't think this abbreviation is commonly used.
                                • ReB 5s · 2 months ago
                                  I think my brain is mashed up this week. Some weeks are just like that.
                                  • DrTom 4s · 2 months ago
                                    Tough grid - I think the DOS or Homeland Security issues visas in the US and I never would (never did) get FSA
                                    20AWith as much speed as possible (abbr.)[---]
                                    (assuming Full Speed Ahead) for that clue. I kept putting in ASA and with the DOS I kept wondering why ALLAORST was enthusiasm, I gave up an figured it was an Aussie thing since I had the puzzle solved by then. Fun idea for the meta though, as per usual, and not to overly taxing (though I am lucky I decided to write down the REAL words of the PORTMANTEAUS. Now the real interesting part is the word itself which means "stiff leather trunk or valise". Given that "coat" in French is a manteau and a Porte-manteau is a coat rack, one wonders if portmanteau came about to name somehting one carries one's coats in when travelling? Gotta love language.
                                    • Qmark 4s · 2 months ago
                                      Thanks Ben! Let it "simmer" for a few days...when I came back to it, the mechanism appeared. :)
                                      1A
                                      Team spirit
                                      1
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                                      36
                                      37
                                      38
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                                      40
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                                      44
                                      45
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                                      48
                                      49
                                      50
                                      51
                                      52
                                      53
                                      54
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                                      59
                                      60
                                      61
                                      62
                                      63
                                      64
                                      65
                                      66
                                      67
                                      Across
                                      1. 1A
                                        Team spirit
                                      2. 7A
                                        Amateur newsletter, the very first of which was for "Star Trek"
                                      3. 14A
                                        Glossy coatings
                                      4. 16A
                                        Word following "Kyrie" in a Mr Mister song
                                      5. 17A
                                        "That's the same as ours!"
                                      6. 19A
                                        Many Buzzfeed posts
                                      7. 20A
                                        With as much speed as possible (abbr.)
                                      8. 21A
                                        Medical drama starring Noah Wyle and Julianna Margulies
                                      9. 22A
                                        Mulder & Scully and Troy & Abed, for example
                                      10. 24A
                                        Rd intersectors
                                      11. 27A
                                        Part of DJIA
                                      12. 29A
                                        Mao ___-tung
                                      13. 30A
                                        "The Phantom Menace", with respect to "A New Hope"
                                      14. 32A
                                        Nickel carbonate
                                      15. 34A
                                        Government office responsible for visas, often (abbr.)
                                      16. 35A
                                        Lyft competitor
                                      17. 36A
                                        Word for words like "Slithy" or "mimsy" which is itself a 36 across
                                        36AWord for words like "Slithy" or "mimsy" which is itself a 36 across (how meta can you get!)[-----------]
                                        (how meta can you get!)
                                      18. 40A
                                        "Tres ___!"
                                      19. 42A
                                        Assistance
                                      20. 43A
                                        Ones in charge (abbr.)
                                      21. 45A
                                        Steal a ride
                                      22. 47A
                                        File extension that hopefully opens in Adobe Reader rather than Microsoft Edge
                                      23. 49A
                                        "Anna and the King" actress, ___ Ling
                                      24. 51A
                                        Printer's measures
                                      25. 52A
                                        Prefix with -scope, as seen on 21 across
                                        21AMedical drama starring Noah Wyle and Julianna Margulies[--]
                                      26. 54A
                                        "I'm a Mac." "And I'm a ___"
                                      27. 55A
                                        Priest during Samuel's boyhood
                                      28. 56A
                                        Disney computer-animated buddy cop movie starring a rabbit and a fox
                                      29. 60A
                                        Novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett in which Mary Lennox is sent to live at Misselthwaite Manor
                                      30. 64A
                                        Stool, often
                                      31. 65A
                                        Items you might find in an auto repair shop
                                      32. 66A
                                        Mindless followers, in slang
                                      33. 67A
                                        Prefix meaning "stretchy"
                                      Down
                                      1. 1D
                                        Cried like a kitten
                                      2. 2D
                                        Golf club with a nearly vertical face
                                      3. 3D
                                        College cheers
                                      4. 4D
                                        "I ___ my wit's end!"
                                      5. 5D
                                        Jeans maker, ___ Strauss
                                      6. 6D
                                        Votes into office
                                      7. 7D
                                        Service charge
                                      8. 8D
                                        Enthusiastically supportive
                                      9. 9D
                                        Oder-___ Line (German-Polish border)
                                      10. 10D
                                        Virus that can cause microcephaly
                                      11. 11D
                                        Suffix with expert
                                      12. 12D
                                        "There's ___ in 'team'!"
                                      13. 13D
                                        Tolkien tree-person
                                      14. 15D
                                        Figure out
                                      15. 18D
                                        Homer's long-suffering neighbour
                                      16. 23D
                                        "Once ___ a time..."
                                      17. 24D
                                        Metropolitan locale
                                      18. 25D
                                        Golf ball holder
                                      19. 26D
                                        Camera type, for short
                                      20. 28D
                                        Windshield cleaners
                                      21. 29D
                                        Rocky hill
                                      22. 31D
                                        Campus area, for short
                                      23. 33D
                                        "And" or "or" (abbr.)
                                      24. 34D
                                        Father
                                      25. 37D
                                        Like military manoeuvers
                                      26. 38D
                                        Film directed by Steven Soderbergh starring Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey, "Magic ___"
                                      27. 39D
                                        Santa's helper
                                      28. 40D
                                        Abbr. used in really old dates
                                      29. 41D
                                        LOTR actor, ___ McKellen
                                      30. 44D
                                        The Luggage in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is made from ___ pearwood
                                      31. 46D
                                        Classic Keith Green song "___ in the Light"
                                      32. 47D
                                        Instagram upload
                                      33. 48D
                                        "___ Howser, M.D."
                                      34. 50D
                                        Comeback to a skeptic
                                      35. 53D
                                        Philosopher Lao-___
                                      36. 55D
                                        "Nobl___ oblige" (rich people have to fulfill their social responsibilities)
                                      37. 57D
                                        "That's a ___ order"
                                      38. 58D
                                        Killer whale
                                      39. 59D
                                        Smartphone forerunners
                                      40. 60D
                                        Recipe abbr.
                                      41. 61D
                                        Derisive laugh
                                      42. 62D
                                        Before, poetically
                                      43. 63D
                                        Numbered hwy.
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