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What lies beneath

· Di ajk · Pubblicato 2023-08-20T04:00:05.830Z

Meta Prompt
The meta answer is a mythical or modern creature
Happy Sunday.
Hope everyone is enjoying the last days of summer as we prepare to cross over to fall. Quite literally the last day for me, as the semester spans mid-August to mid-December, and I start teaching tomorrow. Anyway, I hope you manage to connect with the overarching concept of this one.
This puzzle started as something rather different, which didn't really quite work. Fortunately, Abide came to the rescue and suggested a significant re-work which produced the version you see here. Many thanks to him for the idea, and to both him and Wendy Walker for test solving the original version. And as usual thanks to Joe Ross for tech support. This one might play a little harder than the last, but fear not, nudges later today. And I am of course always available via PM for additional help. Reveal on Saturday.
UPDATE: Sincere apologies, but due to me being a dolt the initial version of this puzzle was missing asterisks in 5 of the across clues. They should be there now, so you might consider that Nudge 0 if you want to take another look. If you'd prefer to move right to the real nudges, here you go:
That intro seems a little rambling, no? Do you see any links between some of the words in the first paragraph?
The grid contains five symmetric entries (now with asterisks!) that might be clued using the same word.
What overarching concept connects two places by spanning the gap between them, allowing you to cross over from one to the other?
OK, we found the bridges, now look at the title again.
If you were hiding under a bridge, the safest place is probably right in the middle.
Controllo se esistono file di gioco salvati...

Classifica (aggiornata ogni ora)

  • Hector solved 2023-08-20T14:55:48.138Z
  • Abide solved 2023-08-20T15:45:57.820Z
  • Meg solved 2023-08-20T16:40:02.696Z
  • boharr solved 2023-08-20T16:41:39.070Z
  • Gutman solved 2023-08-20T16:45:13.499Z
  • Capn Rick solved 2023-08-20T16:48:37.941Z
  • Cindy Weatherman solved 2023-08-20T16:52:52.872Z
  • HeadinHome solved 2023-08-20T16:55:53.804Z
  • KayW solved 2023-08-20T16:57:16.417Z
  • ReB solved 2023-08-20T17:02:28.340Z
  • MatthewL solved 2023-08-20T17:17:45.792Z
  • whimsy solved 2023-08-20T17:48:29.703Z
  • Mwoychick solved 2023-08-20T17:58:41.874Z
  • Bird Lives solved 2023-08-20T18:31:14.613Z
  • BarbaraK solved 2023-08-20T18:50:32.870Z
  • Philip Chow solved 2023-08-20T19:18:30.990Z
  • Laura M solved 2023-08-20T19:26:15.835Z
  • frostyjhammer solved 2023-08-20T19:41:42.160Z
  • DIS solved 2023-08-20T20:07:08.596Z
  • michaelm solved 2023-08-20T20:17:35.886Z
  • kurtalert solved 2023-08-20T20:39:56.969Z
  • Schmeel solved 2023-08-20T20:45:17.493Z
  • Pair O Ducks solved 2023-08-20T21:16:17.767Z
  • Darth solved 2023-08-20T21:26:28.131Z
  • damefox solved 2023-08-20T21:33:41.663Z
  • JM solved 2023-08-20T21:48:27.594Z
  • woozy solved 2023-08-20T22:26:32.351Z
  • Dow Jones solved 2023-08-20T22:32:57.448Z
  • DrTom solved 2023-08-20T22:49:09.878Z
  • emmie solved 2023-08-20T22:54:13.154Z
  • Cindy Heisler solved 2023-08-20T23:21:55.116Z
  • merlinnimue solved 2023-08-20T23:42:42.243Z
  • CPJohnson solved 2023-08-21T00:11:03.779Z
  • heidi solved 2023-08-21T00:42:29.376Z
  • Katiedid solved 2023-08-21T01:21:17.852Z
  • Berto solved 2023-08-21T02:03:16.465Z
  • I K Snamhcok solved 2023-08-21T02:52:49.604Z
  • rjy solved 2023-08-21T05:28:00.646Z
  • hoover solved 2023-08-21T12:55:15.549Z
  • Tom Wilson solved 2023-08-21T13:44:28.719Z
  • Qmark solved 2023-08-21T18:22:20.988Z
  • Sharkicicles solved 2023-08-21T18:24:23.258Z
  • PuzNewbie solved 2023-08-21T18:43:22.243Z
  • Rufus T Firefly solved 2023-08-21T18:54:58.803Z
  • BrennerTJ solved 2023-08-22T02:07:03.239Z
  • Jaclyn solved 2023-08-22T22:12:51.523Z
  • ChrisCross solved 2023-08-23T11:34:38.636Z
  • Mikey G solved 2023-08-23T14:22:28.778Z
  • Darrell solved 2023-08-26T01:07:03.090Z
  • Alvibu67 solved 2023-08-27T21:53:00.994Z
  • Kulea solved 2024-04-17T07:51:02.411Z

Commenti

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  • Hector 🤓5:56 · 2023-08-20T15:03:48.728Z
    Totally missed the heavy hints in your blurb. Thank you for the puzzle, and have a great academic year.
    • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-20T15:55:26.426Z
      Thanks! And thanks for spotting the hints. Turns out due to some crossed wires there were some asterisks missing, which will now be implemented. :)
    • Capn Rick 13:23 · 2023-08-20T16:49:55.597Z
      Nice one, Alan! Needed the *s and the nudges, but I finally SSSolved!
      • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-20T17:03:06.830Z
        Thanks!
      • boharr 3s · 2023-08-20T16:44:34.125Z
        I did notice overarching to go with beneath but needed your asterisks to find the bridges I needed to look under. Thanks for a neat puzzle.
        • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-20T17:03:25.592Z
          Sorry about that. :) Glad you had a good time in the end. :)
        • ReB 3s · 2023-08-20T17:05:32.459Z
          Was looking under from the onset, but didn't think to just look at the middle until the nudges. Don't know about the middle being the safest locale in case of a bridge collapse, but it's certainly the roomiest.
          • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-20T19:17:41.122Z
            Heh, yeah. A little poetic license there. ;)
          • HeadinHome 🤓2:57 · 2023-08-20T16:58:17.187Z
            I think I might have solved this without the asterisks… with TRUSS and PONTOON right there together.
            I was expecting to see bridges (names of, or types of) in arch shapes in the grid, and the letter below each arch spelling out something (troll is a great option!). Was that your original idea?
            • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-20T19:19:37.993Z
              I wish! It was just different bridges and then separate entries whose clues could double as a clue for bridge. It was a bit messy. :) I initially was hoping the symmetry and clustering of the answers would help people see bridges, but then I decided it needed help. And then I forgot the help. :)
            • MatthewL 🤓8:31 · 2023-08-20T17:27:49.263Z
              Nice one! If I didn't know better, I might say you were, ahem, trolling us by not putting the asterisks in at first. Thanks for the puzzle!
              • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-20T19:19:55.525Z
                hahahaha. Not guilty! Of that anyway. :)
              • Mwoychick 15:39 · 2023-08-20T17:59:28.272Z
                Thanks for the puzzle, Alan - a fun Sunday diversion. My semester begins tomorrow, too - back to the grind!
                • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-20T19:20:12.466Z
                  You're welcome, and commiserations. :)
                • whimsy 11:14 · 2023-08-20T18:09:44.381Z
                  Thanks, Alan! Liked the puzzle and the answer. I collected the cute little ones back during the '60's fad; now my daughter lives 2 minutes from the Fremont Troll.
                  • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-20T19:20:31.083Z
                    Cool. :) And thanks. :)
                  • Bird Lives 7s · 2023-08-20T18:32:46.817Z
                    Needed one nudge, probably because there were no billy goats in sight.
                    • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-20T19:21:04.383Z
                      hahahaha, I see what you did there.
                    • Philip Chow 🤓7:40 · 2023-08-20T19:25:42.574Z
                      Nice puzzle!! Civil engineering background came in useful for once! Once I hit the first themer with “truss” and had the hint “mythical AND modern” creature I had a good idea where you were going :)
                      • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-20T21:23:39.982Z
                        Thanks, and well played. :)
                      • Laura M 🤓8:59 · 2023-08-20T19:28:36.395Z
                        Nice! I needed the first hint, I totally missed the bridge theme until that.
                        • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-20T21:24:16.063Z
                          Yeah, that was the bit I was worried about. Glad you had fun with it. :)
                        • michaelm 🤓18:02 · 2023-08-20T20:23:40.771Z
                          No lies, despite fear of heights, took this one out for a nice SSStroll. Thanks Alan! Hope you have great students this year.
                          • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-20T21:23:53.165Z
                            Thanks!
                          • DrTom 5s · 2023-08-20T22:57:53.940Z
                            I had kind of figured that the words you mentioned were the "themers" but I was looking for something in the spaces they were arched over (taking the end of one word and going to the start of the next, essentially the empty "plus sign" squares) and trying to fill in letters that would make words. So yes I complicated the heck out of it. I saw letters PHO and was sure I could make PHOENIX out of it somehow to fit the prompt. Troll is a much better word and, unfortunately they are probably more now than during the Grimm days of Fairytales. Nice one Alan, thanks for the prayer help on Sunday because I definitely called on the Lord a few times...well in a roundabout way. Have a great year in the classroom, I hope they appreciate you as much as we do.
                            • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-21T05:25:47.345Z
                              Thanks! The arch over mechanism is definitely cooler. Maybe next time ;)
                            • merlinnimue 🤓9:18 · 2023-08-20T23:56:37.134Z
                              Thanks for another great puzzle, I definitely needed the nudges as I would never have thought that those could be clued by the same word on my own, asterisks or not... I was looking for mythical creatures, thinking SETI corresponded with yeti and PHO with phoenix... Anyway thanks for the nudges and making me the answer to your puzzle
                              • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-21T05:26:13.555Z
                                :) Glad you liked it
                              • Bird Lives 7s · 2023-08-21T00:55:02.589Z
                                Here's what I should have remembered: Take the five themers and throw them into a single Google search. Somewhere near the top of the list of links will be the magic word.
                                • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-21T05:27:29.503Z
                                  Always a good plan. And one that I am very bad at remembering when solving :) :)
                                • Katiedid 🤓7:22 · 2023-08-21T01:27:58.629Z
                                  Thanks! I solved without nudges by realizing the themers are bridges, and then from the prompt and title I figured it must be troll. I completely missed that troll was spelled out under the bridges. Very cool!
                                  • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-21T05:27:49.752Z
                                    Thanks very much. Glad you liked it. :)
                                  • Qmark 3s · 2023-08-21T18:23:21.695Z
                                    got to the puzzle late...needed the asterisks, but not the nudges....thanks for the fun SSS meta!
                                    • ajk costruttore · 2023-08-21T21:17:51.077Z
                                      You're welcome!
                                    1A
                                    Oaf
                                    1
                                    2
                                    3
                                    4
                                    5
                                    6
                                    7
                                    8
                                    9
                                    10
                                    11
                                    12
                                    13
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                                    17
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                                    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
                                    48
                                    49
                                    50
                                    51
                                    52
                                    53
                                    Orizzontali
                                    1. 1A
                                      Oaf
                                    2. 4A
                                      Gossip site
                                    3. 7A
                                      Short spot for a short stack
                                    4. 11A
                                      Sass
                                    5. 12A
                                      Grip type
                                    6. 13A
                                      Babysitter, perhaps
                                    7. 14A
                                      Letters in many job ads
                                    8. 15A
                                      Munich mister
                                    9. 16A
                                      Whole bunch
                                    10. 17A
                                      *Former Prime Minister Liz, who failed to outlast a lettuce
                                    11. 19A
                                      *Flotation device for some planes
                                    12. 21A
                                      Prado contents
                                    13. 22A
                                      At peace
                                    14. 23A
                                      Sticky school supply
                                    15. 25A
                                      Example of the nines, perhaps
                                    16. 26A
                                      Observe
                                    17. 27A
                                      *Narrow connection between larger land bodies
                                    18. 30A
                                      ____ Alamos
                                    19. 33A
                                      Hearty Hanoi offering
                                    20. 34A
                                      Smooth, in a way
                                    21. 38A
                                      2017 US Open champ Stephens
                                    22. 40A
                                      Some wolves
                                    23. 41A
                                      *Smile enhancer, perhaps
                                    24. 43A
                                      *Airport building with many radar screens
                                    25. 44A
                                      A color or a duck
                                    26. 45A
                                      Pelvic bones
                                    27. 47A
                                      Permit
                                    28. 48A
                                      Part of an early search engine (or all of a Utah ski resort)
                                    29. 49A
                                      Zip it (with "up")
                                    30. 50A
                                      Warmer than average, say?
                                    31. 51A
                                      They might put you in a tight spot?
                                    32. 52A
                                      Shortened interjection, or a thing that might be shortened
                                    33. 53A
                                      "The Waste Land" monogram
                                    Verticali
                                    1. 1D
                                      Desirable rec room feature
                                    2. 2D
                                      Part of a mountain range or brewery
                                    3. 3D
                                      Pontificates, perhaps
                                    4. 4D
                                      9-Down, for example
                                    5. 5D
                                      Brief summary of car value
                                    6. 6D
                                      Game that not everyone can win
                                    7. 7D
                                      Strad. or uke, say
                                    8. 8D
                                      Floating rings
                                    9. 9D
                                      Low even score
                                    10. 10D
                                      The greatest town in America, per Leslie Knope
                                    11. 12D
                                      Letters that probably mean nothing to people under thirty
                                    12. 18D
                                      Alien hunting org., in a way
                                    13. 20D
                                      Confluence
                                    14. 24D
                                      Campus-centric sports channel, briefly
                                    15. 25D
                                      Short caveat, possibly
                                    16. 28D
                                      Folks to soak, sometimes
                                    17. 29D
                                      Common farm feature
                                    18. 30D
                                      Ticket to a trip, say?
                                    19. 31D
                                      Greatest hits album of 1976, featuring "Evil Woman" (or a cheer for the band)
                                    20. 32D
                                      Music for moonlight, in a way
                                    21. 35D
                                      Like haunted houses, typically
                                    22. 36D
                                      Prepares to be knighted, say
                                    23. 37D
                                      Seuss reptile
                                    24. 39D
                                      Collection featuring insets
                                    25. 42D
                                      Palindromic pages
                                    26. 43D
                                      Balmoral bonnet
                                    27. 46D
                                      "Who's up for wine tasting?"
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