Bar Code
■ · By Wendy Walker and Alan Kennan · Published by ajk · Published 2023-10-02T04:00:09.121Z
Meta Prompt
The meta answer is a type of message.
This meta puzzle was inspired by a rabbit hole that Wendy went down while trying to solve a Gaffney WSJ puzzle a few weeks ago. She thought it would make a nifty metanism for a future puzzle, and mentioned it to Alan, who within hours had devised two ideas for putting it into play, complete with themers. We hope you enjoy solving it as much as we did constructing it. Cheers
Checking for previous play data...
1A
Tubs
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Across
- 1ATubs
- 6AHandy substitute for a screwdriver
- 10AAloe companion
- 14A"Please come in and take ___"
- 15AUAE neighbor
- 16APretty plant
- 17ANabisco's ___ Wafers
- 18AClark's newsroom buddy
- 19AFrat folks
- 20AInfantry member
- 23AProtector
- 24ARye or wheat, perhaps
- 27AToward the back of a boat
- 30A"Think again!"
- 31APrehistoric tools
- 35AConductor Georg
- 37AAnnoy
- 38ASidecar connections, say
- 40AAuthor Rand
- 41AReliable
- 44AHBO series "Game ___"
- 47AOld fashioned
- 49APut at someone else's disposal on a temporary basis
- 50AOp-ed in "Le Monde," perhaps
- 51AMaple Leafs coach Sheldon
- 53ASources of leaks, perhaps after a deep freeze
- 57AUse an e-cig
- 60ATerm for Amy, Sheldon, or Leonard
- 61AGreek isle where Zeus grew up
- 63AHoppy brews
- 64AEmperor of ill repute
- 65ABehind this ball is trouble
- 66AIs required to
- 67ATiger's ex Nordegren
- 68ARefreshing beverage, like cranberry juice
Down
- 1DForbid
- 2D"That's not going to happen"
- 3DCompany that's making an EV truck the size of a Mini Cooper
- 4DVery bright auto headlight
- 5DReputation
- 6DSadness
- 7DExclamation when you realize that "Honky Tonk Women" was released 50 years ago
- 8DMinute ___ (orange juice brand)
- 9DChekhov's rank in "Star Trek"
- 10DQuavering vocal effect
- 11DMisstep
- 12DSouthern beach town
- 13DOaf
- 21DCapital of Yemen
- 22DCupid
- 25DManhattan, for one
- 26D"Maybe later"
- 27DIt means no refunds
- 28DMoved purposefully
- 29D"The Autobiography of Alice B. ____"
- 32DCognac that's been aged at least 14 years
- 33DCute creature with pointed ears
- 34DPart of a tennis match
- 36D"Not ____ many words"
- 39DLug
- 42D"If it's your job to eat a frog, ____ to do it first thing in the morning." (Mark Twain)
- 43DAlternative to sweetie, sugar, or beloved
- 45DCosmopolitan
- 46DDisappointing poker hand
- 48DSinger Warwick who has won five Grammies
- 51DGymast Strug who was one of the "Magnificent Seven" in 1996
- 52DConclude with
- 54DStabilizer
- 55DFormer 20-Across, say
- 56DSonja of "The Wire" or male offspring of Munich
- 57DVigor's partner
- 58D"Thank you! Come again!" is his catchphrase
- 59DFaux ___
- 62DPart of part of NYSE