I think I finally deciphered that it's "Oil Can." Because then the Scarecrow asks "Oil can what...?"
boharr 3s · 2022-10-26T14:07:47.226Z
Very fun
DebbieC 🤓11:23 · 2022-10-26T14:09:38.547Z
Very nice! Would love clarity on CAT/COAT. Thanks.
DIS 🤓6:05 · 2022-10-26T16:54:53.535Z
Cat = puss; an Ulster is a type of coat
whimsy constructor · 2022-10-26T19:06:01.511Z
Yup. Thanks!
DebbieC 🤓11:23 · 2022-10-26T18:59:29.637Z
Thanks. A side benefit of doing crosswords - vocabulary enhancement!
I K Snamhcok 🤓10:58 · 2022-10-26T14:00:41.850Z
Makin’ me cravin’ for a Reese’s! Thanks!
rjy 3s · 2022-10-26T15:34:03.278Z
Ha! Enjoyed the clever cluing on the themers... thanks, Claudia!
Carolyn 3s · 2022-10-26T16:44:21.213Z
Lots of fun! Thanks
Qmark 3s · 2022-10-26T17:09:04.418Z
I enjoyed it...thanks!
KayW 🤓13:26 · 2022-10-26T18:26:03.913Z
This one was a real treat!
Ergcat 15:59 · 2022-10-26T20:15:21.013Z
Good one, Claudia! Had some letters (sccraw) but had to go back and find some more! Thank you for a fun puzzle!!
Tyrpmom 2s · 2022-10-26T23:08:32.196Z
Fun one. Thanks.
Teamdoubletow 5s · 2022-10-27T00:31:59.783Z
This trick was very sweet! True story... Not a con... I met Cindy Lauper when I was dressed as the meta answer trying to drum up traffic to a Fall Festival at a rotary!
Magistra 24:41 · 2022-10-27T02:28:17.852Z
It took me a while, but the grid and meta were both very enjoyable. Thank you!
Dow Jones 3s · 2022-10-27T06:36:52.172Z
That was a very clever meta. It took me some time to focus on the mechanism, but it was fun to solve. Thanks, whimsy.
DrTom 🤓20:30 · 2022-10-27T14:39:52.106Z
Loved it when I tested and it is still a treat today!
ReB 9s · 2022-10-30T18:52:49.705Z
Trampled over most of the crop trying to find my way to the SCARECROW (who was holding the cat hostage), but I finally got there. I started by interpreting the title the other way (thinking mechanism involved adding a Y to the end of words) which the nudges couldn't rescue me from, and thus needed whimsy to push me in the right direction. Plus backsolving at the end to find the missing theme words. This meta was a definitely more TRICK than TREAT for me... But appreciate the designer's effort.
ReB 9s · 2022-10-30T19:23:49.940Z
Ah yes, now I did find the TREAT as well: identifying the double meanings in the clues to the theme words. Quite clever there.
The goofiness actually mattered - I was so distracted by all the zaniness, though that "straw irritation" was some pun, and...everything didn't click until just now. So much fun - loved it!!