Drab Bag
Print Puzzle
Download .puz File
Account / Settings
Construct a Puzzle
Profile

Drab Bag

· By Mikey G

Meta Prompt
[Level 3] The answer to the meta is a 6-letter word.
Checking for previous play data...

Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • KayW solved 2024-06-15T17:08:09.429Z
  • Hector solved 2024-06-15T17:25:30.446Z
  • markhr solved 2024-06-15T17:48:35.238Z
  • BrennerTJ solved 2024-06-15T18:33:54.515Z
  • oldjudge solved 2024-06-15T18:35:49.850Z
  • Danny K Bernstein solved 2024-06-15T19:23:45.903Z
  • Meg solved 2024-06-15T19:30:20.248Z
  • Cindy Weatherman solved 2024-06-15T19:35:11.394Z
  • Abide solved 2024-06-15T20:17:26.830Z
  • Carolyn solved 2024-06-15T20:43:43.789Z
  • JM solved 2024-06-15T21:14:19.769Z
  • boharr solved 2024-06-15T22:15:50.542Z
  • FrankieHeck solved 2024-06-15T22:20:23.337Z
  • Philip Chow solved 2024-06-15T22:21:48.035Z
  • Qmark solved 2024-06-16T00:58:15.322Z
  • Tom Wilson solved 2024-06-16T02:39:36.809Z
  • Berto solved 2024-06-16T03:30:23.230Z
  • rjy solved 2024-06-16T04:13:59.487Z
  • lbray53 solved 2024-06-16T11:53:12.265Z
  • Schmeel solved 2024-06-16T12:21:10.715Z
  • Pair O Ducks solved 2024-06-16T13:08:50.394Z
  • Gutman solved 2024-06-16T13:18:23.020Z
  • damefox solved 2024-06-16T16:30:17.052Z
  • heidi solved 2024-06-16T20:01:27.317Z
  • BarbaraK solved 2024-06-16T23:20:28.654Z
  • Laura M solved 2024-06-17T00:07:36.893Z
  • Bob J solved 2024-06-17T04:49:04.049Z
  • DJB solved 2024-06-17T10:40:57.372Z
  • Alex Sisti solved 2024-06-17T12:57:28.998Z
  • MatthewL solved 2024-06-17T13:53:11.049Z
  • I K Snamhcok solved 2024-06-17T18:25:04.688Z
  • DIS solved 2024-06-17T19:35:26.066Z
  • Darth solved 2024-06-17T22:16:28.317Z
  • SJ solved 2024-06-19T18:33:40.698Z
  • benchen71 solved 2024-06-20T01:11:33.410Z
  • andeux solved 2024-06-20T02:01:41.510Z
  • AZinDC solved 2024-06-20T16:42:43.243Z
  • Meta World Peace solved 2024-06-21T14:41:15.884Z
  • DCBilly solved 2024-06-21T19:46:09.508Z
  • DrTom solved 2024-06-21T20:06:39.047Z
  • LarsCaine solved 2024-06-21T20:19:43.779Z
  • Steve M solved 2024-06-21T20:24:58.944Z
  • kurtalert solved 2024-06-21T21:35:57.361Z
  • CPJohnson solved 2024-06-21T22:59:16.427Z
  • edestlin solved 2024-06-21T23:51:33.452Z
  • hoover solved 2024-06-22T05:56:22.634Z
  • whimsy solved 2024-06-22T15:31:37.518Z
  • Tyrpmom solved 2024-06-22T15:38:56.682Z
  • Rick solved 2024-06-22T16:35:28.991Z
  • Joe solved 2024-06-22T18:49:30.169Z

Comments

Sign in with google to leave a comment of your own:

  • Hector 2s · 2024-06-15T17:26:26.892Z
    Just jiffy!
    • Mikey G constructor · 2024-06-21T19:31:39.259Z
      Jocularly!
    • Mikey G constructor · 2024-06-15T17:00:58.225Z
      Answer: JEJUNE
      Explanation: The six starred entries RAPID, BERING, DAY, CANAL, ELAND, and DUAL can all become a synonym of "drab" or on that ilk with one letter changed: VAPID, BORING, DRY, BANAL, BLAND, DULL. Then, find a 3-letter word in the grid that has both the new letter and the replaced letter, in some order, for each of these words: REV, JOE, JAR, CUB, BEN, ALE. The extra letters, in standard top-down order, give us JEJUNE, the June-themed (albeit dull and uninspiring, haha) answer to the meta!
      • markhr 🤓2:24 · 2024-06-15T18:49:17.039Z
        Fun puzzle.
        • Meg 2s · 2024-06-15T19:30:49.446Z
          Based on 3 letters. Have to figure out the other 3
          • Abide 🤓7:22 · 2024-06-15T20:20:21.435Z
            How very MG! I had the six changed letters for a while. Consulted Roget to find an apt answer. Then backsolved to find Step 2.
            • Mikey G constructor · 2024-06-21T19:31:31.361Z
              Nothing wrong with that!
            • Carolyn 3s · 2024-06-15T20:44:26.467Z
              Excellent!
              • Philip Chow 🤓4:56 · 2024-06-15T22:26:33.778Z
                i quite liked the multistep metanism... and the meta answer is such a sparkly word for a boring definition... not jejune at all! not wanting to consult a thesaurus, "dry" took me the longest to figure out
                • Mikey G constructor · 2024-06-21T19:39:04.947Z
                  I love words lol. I have a list on my phone of over 1000 (I just confirmed via Excel!) of cool words I find organically. I can't just look up "500 cool words" since that defeats the purpose. I think "jejune" was discovered in "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" - Zevin used an amazing panoply of words in that one!
                • boharr 12s · 2024-06-15T22:16:44.862Z
                  Cool. Thanks Mikey
                  • Qmark 3s · 2024-06-16T01:00:42.976Z
                    Quite a challenge Mikey! Was happy (and a bit surprised) that my thoughts kept me on the right path to the meta answer. Thanks!
                    • Mikey G constructor · 2024-06-21T19:39:38.513Z
                      I think the initial seed was in the MGWCC with the countries - how some entries were a country but off by a letter. I often have thought, "Find a 3-letter word," and I don't know if that's ever worked. So I made it into a mechanism, haha.
                    • lbray53 2s · 2024-06-16T11:58:09.367Z
                      As often happens to me, I had the answer written down in my notes staring at me. I did not recognize that as a word for the longest time.
                      I was happy to come upon step one right away. I was ecstatic to figure out step two. (GO CUBS GO!) I must have tried every combination of entries and clues (TAMWQR is not a word?) before I finally saw it.
                      • Pair O Ducks 🤓6:09 · 2024-06-16T13:11:45.981Z
                        This puzzle was anything but drab! (But we all know to expect nothing less by now.) Had to sleep on it to find step two, but that only made the aha more delightful. Thanks, Mikey!
                        • BarbaraK 2s · 2024-06-16T23:22:20.021Z
                          Wow! Great puzzle!
                          • Laura M 🤓8:37 · 2024-06-17T00:08:22.048Z
                            Loved it!
                            • Darth 🤓2:23 · 2024-06-17T22:21:41.127Z
                              Got the 6 synonyms of DRAB and then was hoping to use substitution mechanics for 6 synonyms of BAG. I found the first one JACK --> SACK! :D Didn't get very far on that! haha .... Thanks, Mikey. Have a mediocre day! ;)
                              • Mikey G constructor · 2024-06-21T19:40:05.107Z
                                Bahahaha, you as well!
                              • benchen71 🤓7:54 · 2024-06-20T01:12:34.085Z
                                I got the "drab" synonyms almost immediately but then required a nudge to bring it home. Tricky second step!
                                • Mikey G constructor · 2024-06-21T19:40:27.269Z
                                  It's funny since I've tried that step for "one-letter off" metas so many times before, likely to no avail!
                                • Meta World Peace 3s · 2024-06-21T14:54:09.381Z
                                  Fun and far from tedious, but I did need to be studious with the grid a while to figure out the last step!
                                  • Steve M 26:06 · 2024-06-21T20:38:32.204Z
                                    Got the drab synonyms, but didn’t think of looking at the grid to complete the meta. Nice one! Now, back to work on your MGWCC meta!
                                    • DrTom 3s · 2024-06-21T20:12:33.683Z
                                      Wow, now there's a word you don't see every day! I was bogged down, got the 1st part but could not make the leap. Tried the letters of both, tried alternate words...nada. Then I thought, "OK, think like a constructor. I need one letter per theme entry and the entry has two letters that define it. (light starts to go on) I think I saw CUB in there; YES I did, that has to be it."
                                      Very well constructed and quite tricky, enjoyed solving something this week, the rest has been barren.
                                      Thanks Mikey
                                      • kurtalert 🤓3:30 · 2024-06-21T21:36:56.708Z
                                        Nice! Needed the nudge to figure out what to do with my two sets of 6 letters, which made no sense to me previously. I shoulda gone hunting with those!
                                        1A
                                        "This door turned into a cookie container!" "Oh, yeah, it's a ___"
                                        1
                                        2
                                        3
                                        4
                                        5
                                        6
                                        7
                                        8
                                        9
                                        10
                                        11
                                        12
                                        13
                                        14
                                        15
                                        16
                                        17
                                        18
                                        19
                                        20
                                        21
                                        22
                                        23
                                        24
                                        25
                                        26
                                        27
                                        28
                                        29
                                        30
                                        31
                                        32
                                        33
                                        34
                                        35
                                        36
                                        37
                                        38
                                        39
                                        40
                                        41
                                        42
                                        43
                                        44
                                        45
                                        46
                                        47
                                        Across
                                        1. 1A
                                          "This door turned into a cookie container!" "Oh, yeah, it's a ___"
                                        2. 4A
                                          "Down on the Corner" band, briefly
                                        3. 7A
                                          "Take a load off!"
                                        4. 10A
                                          Start to puncture?
                                        5. 11A
                                          A pub quaff can be the cure for what ___s you!
                                        6. 12A
                                          "More than I needed to know!"
                                        7. 13A
                                          Places to go for a spin, perhaps
                                        8. 15A
                                          Montana, e.g.
                                        9. 16A
                                          Culkin of "Succession"
                                        10. 17A
                                          When I waved goodbye to the small lake, I bid it a ___ farewell
                                        11. 18A
                                          Justice Kagan and others
                                        12. 20A
                                          Bed, in Barcelona
                                        13. 23A
                                          Moolah
                                        14. 26A
                                          Body part whose name means "little bunch of grapes"
                                        15. 28A
                                          Expeditious (*)
                                        16. 29A
                                          Strait-laced explorer? (*)
                                        17. 31A
                                          Where do you buy insect repellant? At the ___ store!
                                        18. 32A
                                          Plant known as the "royalty of the garden"
                                        19. 34A
                                          Buttermilk's rider
                                        20. 36A
                                          Union Station singer Krauss
                                        21. 40A
                                          Cycle starter?
                                        22. 41A
                                          Refrain from singing?
                                        23. 42A
                                          @@@
                                        24. 43A
                                          Quarterback Roethlisberger or cruciverbalist Chenoweth
                                        25. 44A
                                          Race, as an engine
                                        26. 45A
                                          First word of song title that starts "When I find myself in times of trouble"
                                        27. 46A
                                          Do sum thing (I always use this clue - it's a plus)
                                        28. 47A
                                          86,400,000 milliseconds (*)
                                        Down
                                        1. 1D
                                          He's such a card
                                        2. 2D
                                          Edible item that's 75% vowels that isn't OREO (and probably healthier)
                                        3. 3D
                                          Made-up show about sneaky improv comics: "___ Line Is It Anyway?"
                                        4. 4D
                                          This man-made waterway might be Erie! (*)
                                        5. 5D
                                          After I was ___, I was beside myself!
                                        6. 6D
                                          Hi-___ monitor
                                        7. 7D
                                          Starting point for the Pony Express
                                        8. 8D
                                          "That's my cue!" (must be playing pool)
                                        9. 9D
                                          How every game begins, usually
                                        10. 14D
                                          "Thanks, Captain Obvious..."
                                        11. 17D
                                          Float behind a boat
                                        12. 19D
                                          Boolean logic word
                                        13. 20D
                                          Wrigley Field ballplayer who might win another game or two this season
                                        14. 21D
                                          St. crosser
                                        15. 22D
                                          One gets the big picture
                                        16. 24D
                                          "O Sole ___" (Neapolitan standard)
                                        17. 25D
                                          Words signaling a merger?
                                        18. 27D
                                          De Armas of "Knives Out" and crosswords everywhere
                                        19. 30D
                                          Scowled (at)
                                        20. 33D
                                          Serengeti grazer (*)
                                        21. 34D
                                          Twofold (*)
                                        22. 35D
                                          If you stop chipping in to the pool, that's ___ freeze
                                        23. 37D
                                          Chalcedony (use 4 of 5 letters in ROADS)
                                        24. 38D
                                          Ovid's olive (use 4 of 5 letters in ALONE)
                                        25. 39D
                                          "___ Blue" (Diane Renay song)
                                        26. 41D
                                          "More info to come": Abbr.
                                        Loading...