Ad Astra
◆ · By Capn Rick · Published 2023-09-04T11:01:58.442Z
Meta Prompt
The answer is someone who may really enjoy this meta.
Hint 1: Hmm, if I remember my Latin correctly, "Ad Astra" means "to the stars".
Hint 2: Hey, wait a minute! I'm seeing "STARS" again in 51-Down51DCelestial bodies that are kinda cool (and in this puzzle n=7)[------], and the clue says there are seven of them.
Hint 3: 67-Across67A___ in the right direction[-----] is a hint regarding the symmetrical positioning of the seven interconnected STAR words. (Kinda looks like they are boldly walking or hiking across the grid, as if on a mission.)
Hint 4: Asta and Lassie were cool, but I think my favorite DOG STAR is TOTO.
Hint 5: Don't forget those first letters of grid entries in grid order! They're usually important!
Here is a link to the solution on the XWord Muggles forum: https://www.xword-muggles.com/viewtopic.php?t=2408&start=40#p141426
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Comments
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- Fun puzzle, Cap'n Rick! Thanks for letting me test-solve!
- Ergcat 19:38 · 2023-09-04T12:26:15.878ZFun! Happy Star Trek Day! the Easter Eggs were great!
- Meg 2s · 2023-09-04T13:43:21.480ZI loved the Easter eggs! I drew stars in the correct spaces and tried to make a constellation. It’s the Klingon Empire, right? Otherwise you’re mixing franchises.
- Thanks, Meg. I was actually trying to depict stars "trekking" across the grid.
- MatthewL 🤓12:24 · 2023-09-04T15:11:19.902ZFun one! Think I found all the Easter Eggs. Will there be a list of those with the reveal?
- Thanks, Matthew. Yes, I'm planning to list the eggs with the reveal.
- SamKat9 🤓15:14 · 2023-09-04T15:05:19.570ZFun puzzle, thank you!
- Live long and prosper
- Hector 4s · 2023-09-04T16:58:34.650ZWow, crazy amount of themish material in this!
- Thanks for noticing, Hector. The larger grid gave me more "space" for Easter eggs.
- Got distracted early by some of the (presumed) Easter eggs (PHASER16ADevice that produces special electric guitar effects[------], EMPIRE33DDarth Vader's dominion[------], ENTERPRISE45DAvis rival[----------], ETOILE37DPrima ballerina[------], ELROY72DJetson boy[-----], CRASHSITES9DRoswell and a friend's couch, perhaps[----------]). Eventually saw STAR BOARD48AGet on[-----], and then ANISE52AAbsinthe ingredient[-----] and GAZER59ACrystal-ball user[-----]. Symmetry gave me SIGNS40AOmens[-----], and after some confusion I got SUPER40D"Great!"[-----] STAR. At this point I had KELP32AFlavorful plant with medicinal benefits[----] and KEEL74DSection of a ship[----] pegged, so had already guessed the answer, which helped me to backsolve for TOTO8DMovie pooch[----] ⇒ DOG49DFollow relentlessly[---] STAR and RAY10DCreature found in shallow coastal waters[---] ⇒ SEA41DSalty expanse[---] STAR. Don't think I'd have gotten those last two otherwise. FINAL69DUltimate[-----] FRONTIER69ACrockett's milieu[--------] joined at the F is nice. :) Overall, great stuff as usual, though the ripple was a bit less gentle on me.
- Thanks, Alan. Yes, in retrospect this one may be closer to a Level 3. Thanks for solving!
- I was also a test solver for this very well done puzzle. It was so long ago I had to go back and solve again. The Cap'n runs a tight ship! Thanks for a MMM that went where no man has gone before.
- Thanks for your help with this one, DrTom. It's always appreciated!
- whimsy 🤓16:38 · 2023-09-04T19:52:59.270ZOnce again, my second time around was just as challenging! Out of this world puzzle! Thanks, Rick!
- Thank you, Claudia! As always, I appreciate your help.
- I K Snamhcok 3s · 2023-09-04T20:24:39.093ZThanks, Cap’n! LL&P!
- Tyrpmom 2s · 2023-09-04T20:53:24.284ZEven non-trekkies may really enjoy this puzzle.
- (a step) in the right direction through me and I tried A TREKIE and TREKIES and so on.I really shouldn't forget everything I know about phonetics though.....I'm going to blame it on the Esperanto lessons I've been taking but in reality I was so focused on getting most of TREK-IE, I let that blind me. (Trekie is a type of cheese, isn't it)
- Funny you should mention ASTEP67A___ in the right direction[-----] in the right direction, woozy. That's going to be one of my nudges on Wednesday. Thanks for solving.
- Bbaack 🤓44:16 · 2023-09-05T00:26:49.645ZGreat puzzle! I enjoyed all the Star Trek Easter eggs!
- HeadinHome 🤓5:30 · 2023-09-05T01:21:55.668ZTREKKIE would have been my wild guess just after doing the grid (by the content) — then figured out the STAR+ mech. I still don’t know where the final E is (for star sign). ?
- Thanks for solving, Wendy. Yes, I figured that a lot of solvers would be able to guess the answer without fully figuring out the mechanism. That's why I wasn't too sure about the difficulty level. Oh yeah, STAR SIGNS40AOmens[-----] was a tricky one to match up. Think "Lofty readings".
- Carolyn 4s · 2023-09-05T01:08:51.640ZI really enjoyed this one. At first I tried to find the Zodiac signs, but quickly saw the STAR words. Loved all the hidden eggs!
- Qmark 4s · 2023-09-05T12:59:54.637ZThanks for another great meta, Cap'n Rick! Enjoyed the Easter eggs.
- lbray53 3s · 2023-09-05T15:42:42.758ZVery fun, though I had so much stuff written down and had to ask Cap'n Rick to help me distill it a bit. I SO wanted "_in the right direction" to be the alternate clue for STARBOARD, but alas it was not to be!
- Thanks for solving, lbray53. Yes, sometimes those "eggs" are of the "red herring" variety.
I hadn't thought about 67A67A___ in the right direction[-----] as an alternate clue for STARBOARD, but it's a good observation on your part. You will see 67A67A___ in the right direction[-----] reappear as one of my nudges, as my intention was to depict STARs "trekking" across the grid.
- JHSeeman 12s · 2023-09-06T00:07:34.729ZAwesome one.....thanks Capn.
- ReB 8s · 2023-09-06T20:32:47.978ZJust from all the Star Trek grids items (and looking up that 9-8 is the anniversary of the first Star Trek episode), I expected the answer would be TREKKIE but I needed the nudges to rescue me from the various rabbit holes I was tripping over while trying to interpret 51-D51DCelestial bodies that are kinda cool (and in this puzzle n=7)[------].
- Laura M 🤓10:05 · 2023-09-07T07:39:26.751ZGreat puzzle, but I was a bit slow for it! I'd figured out hints 1-3 but for some reason I wasn't seeing the next step, I think because I started with DOG49DFollow relentlessly[---] STAR and looked for something about Sirius or a constellation, and when I didn't find it I thought that was the wrong path. I even saw the Star Trek themed fill and suspected the answer, but still had this blind spot. Hint #4 set me straight, thank you!
- Thanks, Laura. Yes, the different attachments of "STAR" (at the beginning of the Across entries and at the end of the Downs) added another level of challenge to solving.
1A
___down, final stage in Apollo missions
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Across
- 1A___down, final stage in Apollo missions
- 7ASaucer contents?
- 13ASee 1-Down1DWith 13-Across, era when a certain form of exploration became possible[-----]
- 16ADevice that produces special electric guitar effects
- 17AHeavy-duty soap brand
- 18A"You there!"
- 19ASinger Mann and evangelist McPherson
- 20AAvoid retirement?
- 21AMined-over matter
- 22ASpike on a sports shoe
- 23AModernists, informally
- 24AAttorney
- 26ATerrestrials
- 28AToo ___ handle
- 30AGym unit
- 31AMadrid Mrs.
- 32AFlavorful plant with medicinal benefits
- 36AOlympics squad in red, white and blue
- 40AOmens
- 42ASpeak with a Jersey accent?
- 43ARazor brand
- 44ANative Alaskan
- 46AKitchen whistler
- 48AGet on
- 50AHow confident solvers solve
- 52AAbsinthe ingredient
- 53ACircus venue
- 55AActress Thompson of "Westworld"
- 57A"Kill Bill" role for Lucy
- 58A"Evil Woman" band
- 59ACrystal-ball user
- 61ANeptune's spear
- 63AFender flaw
- 65ASun. talk
- 66AMany moons ___
- 67A___ in the right direction
- 69ACrockett's milieu
- 74AType of deli roll
- 77AHitters' stats
- 79ABig name in wine
- 80AFinish
- 81A"Worship of Venus" painter
- 83AMedia mogul Murdoch
- 84AMusic producer Brian
- 85AJapanese entertainer
- 86A"Limit: ___ customer"
- 87AOnline chuckle
- 88ABone-related
- 89ALofty readings
Down
- 1DWith 13-Across13ASee 1-Down[---], era when a certain form of exploration became possible
- 2DLiberty Bell locale, in short
- 3DMore flimsy, as an excuse
- 4D"Please take ___"
- 5DSheer, informally
- 6DDay divs.
- 7DBuddy of "The Beverly Hillbillies"
- 8DMovie pooch
- 9DRoswell and a friend's couch, perhaps
- 10DCreature found in shallow coastal waters
- 11DJoyful
- 12DTom of "The Dukes of Hazzard"
- 13DSailor's greeting
- 14DRichard of "Pretty Woman"
- 15DOne who stares dreamily
- 23DKathmandu native
- 25DStir-fry pan
- 27DFlat-topped elevation
- 29DAssn.
- 33DDarth Vader's dominion
- 34DUntie
- 35DPacking a punch
- 36DIndented, perhaps
- 37DPrima ballerina
- 38DCatherine of ___
- 39DShopping venue
- 40D"Great!"
- 41DSalty expanse
- 45DAvis rival
- 47D"And giving ___, up the chimney he rose"
- 49DFollow relentlessly
- 51DCelestial bodies that are kinda cool (and in this puzzle n=7)
- 54DDessert cart display
- 56DJason's ship
- 60DLast letter
- 62DSci-fi weapons
- 64DProfs' helpers
- 68D"Ready, ___!"
- 69DUltimate
- 70DNixon's undoing
- 71D"___ Song Go Out of My Heart"
- 72DJetson boy
- 73DRosters
- 74DSection of a ship
- 75DPart of A.D.
- 76DFan favorite
- 78D___ Men ("Who Let the Dogs Out" band)
- 82D___ for tat
- 83DFish eggs
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