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Special Guest Star

◆ · By Cory Calhoun · Published 2024-12-01T18:56:41.320Z

Meta Prompt
Hint #1: The meta answer is an 8-letter noun. (cscxwords-at-gmail-dot-com)
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Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • rjy solved 2024-12-02T05:52:56.742Z
  • Meg solved 2024-12-02T13:32:36.805Z
  • benchen71 solved 2024-12-02T23:27:18.067Z
  • FrankieHeck solved 2024-12-02T23:33:58.394Z
  • hoover solved 2024-12-03T05:21:53.829Z

Comments

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  • Cory Calhoun constructor · 2024-12-01T19:06:55.973Z
    The meta answer is SURPRISE (Hint #1: Find an 8-letter word. More on hint #2 later.)
    Yes, this had 2 hints--and hint #2 was key to solving hint #1.
    3 answers spelled out "ASK BY EMAIL TO GET THE SECOND HINT." You had to ask me for hint #2 by using my email address, which was listed after hint #1 with no explanation. (I also added a version of the email to the meta tags for extra fun, though not sure that mattered. Moving on!)
    Those who asked me via email got a link to a Cameo video containing hint #2. (Cameo.com is an app/website for requesting personalized celebrity messages.)
    Playing off of the puzzle's title, "Special Guest Star," the video "starred" actor John de Lancie, who played the role of Q on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." (Watch the Cameo video at tinyurl.com/metahint2)
    Why him? The puzzle has exactly 4 Qs. In the video, he says hint #2:
    "IQ, two Q, three Q, four: what lies below and before?"
    Per hint #2, you were to find the letters below and before the puzzle's Qs, which spell SURPRISE--which is both the meta answer and what a special guest star in a cameo role often is. (MANY thanks to Mr. de Lancie!)
    • rjy 🤓15:50 · 2024-12-02T05:54:26.992Z
      Very clever and fun, Cory, thanks!
      • Cory Calhoun constructor · 2024-12-02T07:27:51.723Z
        Glad you liked it! A relatively easy meta, I think--I had the idea for the gimmick I use for the 2nd hint and thought, "No way this guy will go for it." He actually said it wrong, but in a way that still worked. Can you guess maybe what he was supposed to have said?
        This was originally the kickoff to a six-part year-long meta contest I did for my hometown's arts-and-entertainment magazine, and I wanted to kick it off with a bang. So glad it worked out. Thanks again!
        • rjy 🤓15:50 · 2024-12-02T14:18:35.357Z
          I’m assuming 1 (one) Q, rather than IQ?
      • Meg 5s · 2024-12-02T13:39:22.934Z
        OMG! He's the guy who plays Q! Well done! I checked before, after, above and below, but I was looking at QU. That was a fun solve! Somewhere on the forum is the cameo by Ted Lange, who plays Isaac on the Love Boat. Muggles have a close relationship with Isaac. Anyway, thanks for a great puzzle!
        • Cory Calhoun constructor · 2024-12-03T04:34:08.331Z
          You're welcome!
        • FrankieHeck 🤓6:16 · 2024-12-02T23:37:13.175Z
          What a fun meta!
          • Cory Calhoun constructor · 2024-12-03T04:34:23.840Z
            Thanks!
          • benchen71 7:43 · 2024-12-02T23:28:24.689Z
            Now that was a very nice surprise! Well done indeed!!
            • Cory Calhoun constructor · 2024-12-03T04:34:18.056Z
              Thanks, I'm glad I pulled it off!
            Play today's daily mini crossword
            1A
            Mani-___ (salon offering)
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            Across
            1. 1A
              Mani-___ (salon offering)
            2. 5A
              Free TV ad, for short
            3. 8A
              Sympathetic syllables
            4. 11A
              Sault ___ Marie
            5. 14A
              Bunches of flowers
            6. 16A
              Student's worry
            7. 18A
              Declare again
            8. 19A
              More regretful
            9. 20A
              "Disgusting!"
            10. 21A
              Carmen of "Baywatch"
            11. 22A
              Social media message
            12. 26A
              Electric guitar hookup
            13. 28A
              Toy retailer ___ Schwarz
            14. 29A
              Special instruction, part 1
            15. 33A
              June 6, 1944, aka WWII's turning point
            16. 36A
              Where IKEA was founded
            17. 37A
              "As if!"
            18. 39A
              Periods
            19. 41A
              Tool with teeth
            20. 42A
              Special instruction, part 2
            21. 46A
              Bowl over
            22. 47A
              K-6: Abbr.
            23. 49A
              Install, as tiles
            24. 50A
              Shortly
            25. 52A
              Sincere
            26. 54A
              Special instruction, part 3
            27. 57A
              Remote targets?
            28. 59A
              "Quiet!"
            29. 60A
              "Aladdin" parrot named for "Othello"'s villain
            30. 61A
              Bailey's Irish Cream, for one
            31. 65A
              Eve's significant other
            32. 68A
              Organize
            33. 69A
              Suddenly and angrily stop playing a game, in modern lingo
            34. 74A
              Deceive
            35. 75A
              Move money between bank accounts
            36. 76A
              NYC time zone: Abbr.
            37. 77A
              Hosp. workers
            38. 78A
              Comedy show on which Kenan Thompson about 2 decades, briefly
            39. 79A
              Musician Amos or actress Spelling
            Down
            1. 1D
              Cheap beer with hipster cred, for short
            2. 2D
              Fair-hiring inits.
            3. 3D
              "Electricity" singer ___ Lipa
            4. 4D
              Mental figs. averaging 100
            5. 5D
              Drink garnish
            6. 6D
              Play on Netflix or Spotify
            7. 7D
              Reason to use an inhaler
            8. 8D
              Bishop's seat in ancient churches
            9. 9D
              "Who's Afraid of Virginia ___?"
            10. 10D
              Distribute, like butter or jam
            11. 11D
              Diamonds or clubs, e.g.
            12. 12D
              Seating section
            13. 13D
              "Closing Time" band Better than ___
            14. 15D
              Standard charging-cable type
            15. 17D
              Pattern read by a phone
            16. 22D
              Out of style
            17. 23D
              Stand-up comic Patton
            18. 24D
              Kebab requirement
            19. 25D
              "Still undecided" on a schedule, briefly
            20. 27D
              Beer or ice cream measure
            21. 30D
              Even so
            22. 31D
              Hydroxyl compound
            23. 32D
              Parking place
            24. 34D
              Cinema epic "Lawrence of ___"
            25. 35D
              Zig-zagging off course
            26. 38D
              Flimsy
            27. 40D
              Melee
            28. 43D
              Neon, e.g.
            29. 44D
              Ophthalmologist's study
            30. 45D
              Conclude
            31. 48D
              Shared
            32. 51D
              Yellowfin tuna
            33. 53D
              Made smooth
            34. 55D
              Statistical diagrams
            35. 56D
              "Shucks!"
            36. 58D
              Tea sweetener
            37. 61D
              Shiny fabric with metal threads
            38. 62D
              Camera diaphragm
            39. 63D
              Queue before U
            40. 64D
              Some wines
            41. 66D
              "I've Got ___ in Kalamazoo" (Glenn Miller Orchestra song)
            42. 67D
              2006 dystopian thriller "Children of ___"
            43. 70D
              Historic D.C. thoroughfare that the Dumbarton Bridge is part of: Abbr.
            44. 71D
              Flying saucer, briefly
            45. 72D
              Suffix with "cash" or "hotel"
            46. 73D
              Prefix with "cycle" or "pod"
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