Tossed Noodle Surprise
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Tossed Noodle Surprise

◆ · By Cory Calhoun

Meta Prompt
Hint: Find the first name of a classic American literary character.
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Leaderboard (updated hourly)

  • Mr Tex solved 2024-12-01T05:38:39.831Z
  • whimsy solved 2024-12-01T07:15:20.172Z
  • Pair O Ducks solved 2024-12-01T15:47:10.618Z
  • Meg solved 2024-12-01T18:56:01.452Z
  • Cindy Weatherman solved 2024-12-01T18:56:27.024Z
  • Hector solved 2024-12-02T18:30:00.866Z
  • FrankieHeck solved 2024-12-02T22:22:26.472Z
  • DIS solved 2024-12-03T22:06:25.894Z
  • rjy solved 2024-12-08T04:01:06.054Z

Comments

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  • benchen71 🤓6:07 · 2024-12-01T06:19:30.399Z
    I revealed the answer to this one... and still have no idea of the mechanism!
    • whimsy 🤓13:20 · 2024-12-01T07:29:53.624Z
      Put the letters that spell ICHABOD in front of the asterisked entries in order. But don't go any further even though all the new words have synonyms in the grid! (I probably solved the meta backwards! 😄) Thanks, Cory!
      • benchen71 🤓6:07 · 2024-12-01T09:52:26.938Z
        Aha!
        • Cory Calhoun constructor · 2024-12-01T17:17:30.429Z
          Thanks Whimsy--I'd actually meant to remove those asterisks (and I still may). This originally appeared in a print publication for an audience that included arguably more novice solvers than might be found on Crosshare (though that's just a guess, I'm still learning!) Though I've heard the mechanic for this one is on the trickier side, but I've seen other metas in major publications that use this kind of thing with no helpers like asterisks.
          In any case, cheers on solving it backwards ;)
        • Cory Calhoun constructor · 2024-12-01T07:33:59.892Z
          The meta answer is ICHABOD (Hint: Find the first name of a classic American literary character). Recall the puzzle's title: "Tossed Noodle Surprise." The climax of 1820's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" involves teacher Ichabod Crane surprised by what he thinks is a head (or "noodle," slangily) tossed at him. If you guessed the hint based on that: great! The grid, of course, contains another avenue. 7 clues were relevant to finding the meta answer:
          15A. Bad-mouths: SLANDERS
          16A. "Stranger Things" sheriff: HOPPER
          29A. Retouches, as a photo: AIRBRUSHES
          39A. Invalidating a contract: VOIDING
          47A. Downpours: RAINSTORMS
          64A. Yearning: PINING
          67A. Union: ALLIANCE
          Perhaps you noticed how those looked like words missing a first letter. (Or rather, missing their "heads"?) In fact, there are 7 other answers in the grid whose clues could fit those 7 "headless" words if they had their "heads" reattached:
          1A. Expressing one's thoughts: STATING (...or [O]PINING)
          8A. Brief, casual relationship: FLING (...or [D]ALLIANCE)
          21A. Salon supply: GEL (...or [H]AIRBRUSHES)
          38A. Motorcycle, slangily: HOG (...or [C]HOPPER)
          46A. NHL team from a Great Lakes state: WILD (...or [I]SLANDERS)
          71A. Devises: PLANS (...or [B]RAINSTORMS)
          72A. Steering clearing of: DUCKING (...or [A]VOIDING)
          When you anagram those "lost heads" (or "tossed noodles," if you will), aka the letters ODHCIBA, you spell ICHABOD, which satisfies the puzzle's hint.
        • Cory Calhoun constructor · 2024-12-01T03:36:41.473Z
          The meta answer is ICHABOD (Hint: Find the first name of a classic American literary character). Recall the puzzle's title: "Tossed Noodle Surprise." The climax of 1820's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" involves teacher Ichabod Crane surprised by what he thinks is a head (or "noodle," slangily) tossed at him. If you guessed the hint based on that: great! The grid, of course, contains another avenue. 7 clues were relevant to finding the meta answer:
          15A. Bad-mouths: SLANDERS
          16A. "Stranger Things" sheriff: HOPPER
          29A. Retouches, as a photo: AIRBRUSHES
          39A. Invalidating a contract: VOIDING
          47A. Downpours: RAINSTORMS
          64A. Yearning: PINING
          67A. Union: ALLIANCE
          Perhaps you noticed how those looked like words missing a first letter. (Or rather, missing their "heads"?) In fact, there are 7 other answers in the grid whose clues could fit those 7 "headless" words if they had their "heads" reattached:
          1A. Expressing one's thoughts: STATING (...or [O]PINING)
          8A. Brief, casual relationship: FLING (...or [D]ALLIANCE)
          21A. Salon supply: GEL (...or [H]AIRBRUSHES)
          38A. Motorcycle, slangily: HOG (...or [C]HOPPER)
          46A. NHL team from a Great Lakes state: WILD (...or [I]SLANDERS)
          71A. Devises: PLANS (...or [B]RAINSTORMS)
          72A. Steering clearing of: DUCKING (...or [A]VOIDING)
          When you anagram those "lost heads" (or "tossed noodles," if you will), aka the letters ODHCIBA, you spell ICHABOD, which satisfies the puzzle's hint.
          • Hector 🤓6:37 · 2024-12-02T18:32:40.014Z
            Good one. I had WHOPPER/LIE, but by then the answer was clear enough to correct.
            • Cory Calhoun constructor · 2024-12-02T21:47:38.561Z
              Hadn't noticed that as a possible red herring! I'm not one to add red herrings on purpose... though if one happens to end up in the puzzle, they just might stay in... :) Thanks!
            • rjy 14:22 · 2024-12-08T04:04:36.773Z
              Enjoyed it, and appreciated your explanation of the headless entries… clever!
              • Cory Calhoun constructor · 2024-12-08T05:24:08.091Z
                I've seen other metas use a similar mechanic with the same level of hinting as I attempted here... glad you enjoyed it!
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              1A
              Expressing one's thoughts
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              72
              Across
              1. 1A
                Expressing one's thoughts
              2. 8A
                Brief, casual relationship
              3. 13A
                Like some confrontations
              4. 14A
                Oscar the Grouch's pet worm
              5. 15A
                * Bad-mouths
              6. 16A
                * "Stranger Things" sheriff
              7. 17A
                Computer character code
              8. 18A
                Remote button
              9. 20A
                Venue capacity acronym
              10. 21A
                Salon supply
              11. 23A
                Flying start?
              12. 26A
                "I hate this!"
              13. 29A
                * Retouches, as a photo
              14. 35A
                Gambler's marker
              15. 36A
                2018 Super Bowl number
              16. 37A
                Nine, in Nicaragua
              17. 38A
                Motorcycle, slangily
              18. 39A
                * Invalidating a check or contract
              19. 42A
                Fabrication
              20. 43A
                China's Chou ___, 1972 host to Nixon namechecked in "We Didn't Start the Fire"
              21. 45A
                That, in Tijuana
              22. 46A
                NHL team from a Great Lakes state
              23. 47A
                * Downpours
              24. 50A
                Dan Blocker's "Bonanza" role
              25. 51A
                So-so
              26. 52A
                Battery size
              27. 54A
                Near Eastern honorific
              28. 57A
                Received shots of Novocain
              29. 60A
                Brown ermine
              30. 64A
                * Yearning
              31. 67A
                * Union
              32. 69A
                Showily decorated
              33. 70A
                "Let's play some cards!"
              34. 71A
                Devises
              35. 72A
                Steering clear of
              Down
              1. 1D
                Notes between "fa"s and "la"s (despite what that "Sound of Music" song says)
              2. 2D
                High-end audio equipment maker that sounds like a type of wood
              3. 3D
                When vampires and raccoons are active
              4. 4D
                "It's ___ for!" ("I love it!")
              5. 5D
                Suffix with "meteor"
              6. 6D
                Standard
              7. 7D
                Christianity's savior, to an Italian
              8. 8D
                Rapper ___ Rida born in Miami Gardens
              9. 9D
                Piercing target, often
              10. 10D
                Little devils
              11. 11D
                ___-do-well
              12. 12D
                Greek sandwich
              13. 13D
                Airport screening org.
              14. 14D
                Like some lingerie
              15. 19D
                Bar bill
              16. 22D
                One of "Better Call Saul"'s Salamanca brothers
              17. 24D
                Ladder part
              18. 25D
                Corvallis-based home of the Beavers, briefly
              19. 26D
                Belly-___ (complainer)
              20. 27D
                Actress Mitra whom "Tomb Raider"'s Lara Croft was modeled after
              21. 28D
                2003 Affleck/Lopez flop
              22. 30D
                It's on the right of many a clock face
              23. 31D
                Bull ___ (rodeo contestant)
              24. 32D
                Prefix meaning "sun"
              25. 33D
                Contents of Pandora's box
              26. 34D
                Gardener's purchase
              27. 39D
                MasterCard alternative
              28. 40D
                Belief system
              29. 41D
                Astronaut's org.
              30. 44D
                Get ___ (flunk)
              31. 46D
                Question ending many a riddle
              32. 48D
                Bit of color
              33. 49D
                Tulsa sch. named for a televangelist
              34. 53D
                "You can't make ___ purse out of..."
              35. 54D
                Each
              36. 55D
                ___ Scout cookies
              37. 56D
                "Pitch Perfect" actress Kendrick
              38. 58D
                Org. promoting sobriety behind the wheel
              39. 59D
                Salad-dressing cheese
              40. 61D
                What oranges and lemons each have that limes and grapefruit don't?
              41. 62D
                "Can I bum ___ off of you?" (smoker's slangy request)
              42. 63D
                Perfect score, often
              43. 65D
                Gandalf portrayer McKellen
              44. 66D
                "Personal reminder," in texting shorthand
              45. 68D
                Fond du ___, Wisconsin
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