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PCC#30 "None Shall Sleep"

· Di Philip Chow · Pubblicato 2024-04-08T12:00:44.245Z

Meta Prompt
[Level 2.5] Meta Prompt: The answer to the meta is 7-letters long
This puzzle is published under Muggle Meta Mondays (MMM) at the XWord Muggles forum, see link here: https://www.xword-muggles.com/viewtopic.php?t=2806
Many thanks to FrankieHeck and Abide for test-solving and suggestions for improvement. Special shout-out to Joe Ross for technical support. I hope you enjoy!
Hint #1) There is an unusually high frequency of a certain letter in the grid. This letter is mentioned in the clue for 12-Down + 62-Down
Hint #2) "None shall sleep"... what happens if you ban all those Zs?
Hint #3) The 7 grid entries with double Z's in them become new words with the "ZZ" removed
Hint #4) You can find entries in the grid whose clues satisfy the 7 new words. For example, MUZZLES --> MULES and "Beasts of burden" is the clue for CAMELS that can also clue MULES
Hint #5) Extract the first letter of the 7 grid entries whose clues satisfy the 7 new words and read them in grid order (top to bottom)
Hint #6) The meta answer is the name of a composer
Controllo se esistono file di gioco salvati...

Classifica (aggiornata ogni ora)

  • Capn Rick solved 2024-04-08T12:55:06.242Z
  • Schmeel solved 2024-04-08T13:05:29.042Z
  • dannyvee solved 2024-04-08T13:15:42.487Z
  • I K Snamhcok solved 2024-04-08T13:28:15.290Z
  • Mwoychick solved 2024-04-08T13:28:57.803Z
  • Hector solved 2024-04-08T13:49:30.930Z
  • MatthewL solved 2024-04-08T14:13:22.866Z
  • DIS solved 2024-04-08T14:47:49.656Z
  • kurtalert solved 2024-04-08T14:49:00.306Z
  • boharr solved 2024-04-08T15:07:22.775Z
  • Alex Sisti solved 2024-04-08T15:10:30.021Z
  • Bird Lives solved 2024-04-08T15:17:25.621Z
  • Carolyn solved 2024-04-08T15:21:19.265Z
  • Cindy Weatherman solved 2024-04-08T15:34:52.548Z
  • woozy solved 2024-04-08T15:35:39.875Z
  • ajk solved 2024-04-08T15:43:14.216Z
  • Berto solved 2024-04-08T15:45:23.680Z
  • rjy solved 2024-04-08T15:58:39.434Z
  • JHSeeman solved 2024-04-08T16:12:52.797Z
  • Eric Porter solved 2024-04-08T16:22:54.972Z
  • Meg solved 2024-04-08T16:38:26.874Z
  • Jaclyn solved 2024-04-08T16:38:46.682Z
  • JM solved 2024-04-08T16:55:02.480Z
  • HeadinHome solved 2024-04-08T16:59:52.787Z
  • bhamren solved 2024-04-08T17:01:07.423Z
  • Cindy Heisler solved 2024-04-08T18:03:30.444Z
  • david solved 2024-04-08T18:05:25.180Z
  • Salty solved 2024-04-08T18:05:51.965Z
  • Dow Jones solved 2024-04-08T18:12:35.973Z
  • JeffTurnham solved 2024-04-08T18:35:51.818Z
  • Abide solved 2024-04-08T18:42:11.367Z
  • FrankieHeck solved 2024-04-08T18:43:47.425Z
  • CPJohnson solved 2024-04-08T19:26:48.825Z
  • Laura M solved 2024-04-08T19:43:35.211Z
  • Danny K Bernstein solved 2024-04-08T19:50:38.743Z
  • imontoo solved 2024-04-08T19:58:17.998Z
  • 7max18 solved 2024-04-08T19:59:44.408Z
  • heidi solved 2024-04-08T20:00:54.648Z
  • Latent solved 2024-04-08T20:04:24.677Z
  • Tyrpmom solved 2024-04-08T20:37:05.504Z
  • whimsy solved 2024-04-08T21:15:10.661Z
  • Ergcat solved 2024-04-08T21:47:36.357Z
  • heron solved 2024-04-08T22:00:53.154Z
  • Darth solved 2024-04-08T22:52:02.286Z
  • markhr solved 2024-04-08T23:32:34.459Z
  • Qmark solved 2024-04-08T23:38:44.991Z
  • Gutman solved 2024-04-08T23:44:30.685Z
  • DebbieC solved 2024-04-08T23:48:29.324Z
  • Anita and Steve solved 2024-04-09T00:03:52.370Z
  • Tim solved 2024-04-09T00:27:53.209Z
  • DCBilly solved 2024-04-09T01:13:43.123Z
  • lbray53 solved 2024-04-09T01:30:42.232Z
  • Susan solved 2024-04-09T01:32:08.923Z
  • BarbaraK solved 2024-04-09T01:55:30.942Z
  • Jeremy Smith solved 2024-04-09T02:04:43.177Z
  • Mikey G solved 2024-04-09T02:27:38.855Z
  • potemkinish solved 2024-04-09T03:56:32.334Z
  • Mr Tex solved 2024-04-09T04:54:12.038Z
  • rfj solved 2024-04-09T06:40:00.123Z
  • Pair O Ducks solved 2024-04-09T09:54:11.186Z
  • hoover solved 2024-04-09T13:25:52.253Z
  • Sendhil Revuluri solved 2024-04-09T16:02:59.826Z
  • Chris Barbee solved 2024-04-09T16:09:41.819Z
  • Steve M solved 2024-04-09T20:05:17.850Z
  • LB800 solved 2024-04-09T20:20:39.285Z
  • Sharkicicles solved 2024-04-10T00:18:38.021Z
  • damefox solved 2024-04-10T13:28:17.949Z
  • Johnny Luau solved 2024-04-10T17:00:07.995Z
  • LarsCaine solved 2024-04-10T17:07:25.580Z
  • LCC17 solved 2024-04-10T21:27:17.490Z
  • JWords solved 2024-04-10T22:22:14.280Z
  • Alvibu67 solved 2024-04-11T00:34:25.947Z
  • KayW solved 2024-04-11T02:04:59.387Z
  • Kulea solved 2024-04-11T07:30:50.373Z
  • David solved 2024-04-11T07:53:22.272Z
  • Tom Wilson solved 2024-04-11T19:25:28.698Z
  • Sanna solved 2024-04-11T19:29:35.756Z
  • edestlin solved 2024-04-11T22:08:08.823Z
  • frostyjhammer solved 2024-04-12T15:16:10.396Z
  • Wendy Walker solved 2024-04-12T21:51:48.246Z
  • axmszr solved 2024-04-13T01:11:35.635Z
  • Naptown Kid solved 2024-04-14T11:29:27.436Z
  • antdisp solved 2024-04-15T01:00:19.080Z
  • atsiricajr111191 solved 2024-04-15T14:38:03.877Z
  • dooiemus solved 2024-04-19T11:45:07.711Z
  • Golem solved 2024-04-19T15:59:26.772Z
  • Anonymous Crossharer solved 2024-04-19T20:14:50.922Z
  • SJ solved 2024-04-24T13:21:13.607Z
  • Flora Wynn solved 2024-07-31T20:38:22.875Z
  • Lex solved 2024-11-16T19:13:42.301Z

Commenti

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  • Capn Rick 🤓8:08 · 2024-04-08T12:55:23.450Z
    Nice one, Phil! Love the mechanism!
    • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T18:58:06.421Z
      thanks cap'n! the "hunt for alt clues/entries" is such a fun mechanism that can foster so many unique spins - i'm grateful it exists :)
    • Schmeel 🤓11:13 · 2024-04-08T13:09:21.388Z
      Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me. Great puzzle - thanks! Vincerò!
      • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:01:47.914Z
        grazie!
      • dannyvee 3s · 2024-04-08T13:17:09.434Z
        Dazzling Puzzle!
        • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:02:46.230Z
          thank you for solving!
        • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T12:40:59.005Z
          Answer explanation: there are seven entries with a double Z... TAKES ANAP hints at removing the two Zs ("catching some Zs") from these entries, giving us a new word that can satisfy a clue for another entry in the grid... taking the first letter of the answers to the alt clues in grid order: FOZZIE --> FOIE --> PATE, ZZTOP --> TOP --> UNDER, MUZZLES --> MULES --> CAMELS, DAZZLE --> DALE --> CHIP, FRIZZ --> FRI --> ITS, JAZZ --> JA --> NEIN, ABUZZ --> ABU --> IAGO = PUCCINI, the composer of "Nessun dorma" (None shall sleep) and so "Puccini" is the meta answer.
          Constructor notes: my original prompt for the meta asked for a composer... I changed the prompt after considering that anyone who understands the title reference can guess Puccini right off the bat and bypass the mechanism... I don't believe there are too many opera buffs... even in Jeopardy, it's the one category that everyone seems to avoid.
          "Nessun dorma" translates to "None shall sleep" from Puccini's opera "Turandot"... it has a very Rumplestiltskin vibe to it... a prince wants to marry a princess but she does not want to so he comes up with a proposition that if she can figure out what his name is before sunrise, then he shall be put to death... so the princess orders the entire kingdom to stay up all night trying to figure out what the prince's name is, thus "None shall sleep"... I never watched the opera (or any opera actually) but I'm familiar enough with the song as it is has been covered numerous times by opera singers and by contestants on "America's Got Talent" (and its worldwide equivalents)... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWc7vYjgnTs
          Funnily enough, I created this puzzle in the wee hours of the morning when I couldn't fall asleep due to insomnia.
          "Turandot" premiered at La Scala opera house in Milan on April 25, 1926, a year after Puccini's death. It was his last opera and posthumously completed by Franco Alfano.
          • Mwoychick 🤓11:00 · 2024-04-08T13:29:07.454Z
            Thanks for the puzzle, Phil
            • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:37:48.870Z
              thanks for solving!
            • I K Snamhcok 2s · 2024-04-08T13:28:41.536Z
              Very cool! Thanks, Phil!
              • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:38:03.863Z
                thanks for solving!
              • Hector 3s · 2024-04-08T14:09:30.358Z
                Solid. Got me chasing down the origin of rap "izzle" talk. The trusty internet steps up to disclose that it definitely came from Northern California and certainly was invented in the Harlem Renaissance and for shizzle started as 19th Century Carny slang, etc.
                • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:41:12.186Z
                  haha nice - i like when a puzzle can take you down different google or wiki searches and then you end up learning new things... i did not know the origin of the "izzle" talk
                • MatthewL 🤓7:54 · 2024-04-08T14:14:36.494Z
                  Very clever mechanism. Thanks for the puzzle, Phil!
                  • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:42:14.713Z
                    thanks for solving!
                  • boharr 3s · 2024-04-08T15:09:13.256Z
                    Very clever. Thanks, Phil.
                    • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:43:58.799Z
                      thanks for solving and for catching the ALTJ clue earlier
                    • kurtalert 🤓4:27 · 2024-04-08T14:49:25.832Z
                      Loved it, thanks Philip!
                      • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:44:18.369Z
                        thanks for solving!
                      • Alex Sisti 3s · 2024-04-08T15:11:12.240Z
                        Outstanding construction -- 14 themers, answer in grid order; very well done!
                        • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:05:58.293Z
                          thanks al! it wasn't easy with all the Z's... i was so upset because my first draft, when i was moving things around, i accidentally removed FOZZIE from the grid and didnt realize it until i started writing clues for everything... four hours down the drain T_T
                        • Carolyn 4s · 2024-04-08T15:21:55.831Z
                          I really enjoyed that! Thanks
                          • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:04:22.670Z
                            thanks for solving - glad you enjoyed it!
                          • Bird Lives 4s · 2024-04-08T15:24:05.839Z
                            Great puzzle. At first when I thought What if you take out the Zs, I didn't really think it would go anywhere. Imagine my surprise. Also brilliant was constructing it so that the mechanism and answer go together. But I'm afraid I'm going to always think of him now as Puzzini. (BTW, one of my favorite near-definitions from an old New York Magazine competition is "Nissan Dorma --- Sleeping car.")
                            • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:10:33.836Z
                              puzzini haha... i tried to put zucchini in the puzzle as a cheeky rhyme to the answer... took it out to smooth out the fill... only extra thing i managed was to turn crosswordese into an easter egg (15-Across)... "nissan dorma" hahaha that's pretty good
                            • Berto 1s · 2024-04-08T15:52:09.166Z
                              Love, love, love this aria - soundtrack to BBC’s coverage of Italia ‘90. Great puzzle too! Thank you!
                              • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:13:30.422Z
                                i love it too - it's so dramatic and powerful
                              • JHSeeman 2s · 2024-04-08T16:15:06.911Z
                                Nessun Dorma, molto bene. Grazie
                                • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:14:35.638Z
                                  grazie a te
                                • Meg 3s · 2024-04-08T16:40:05.062Z
                                  Lovely piece of music and lovely puzzle. Thanks, Phil!
                                  • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:15:19.851Z
                                    thank you for solving and for the kind words :)
                                  • Eric Porter 4s · 2024-04-08T16:27:32.685Z
                                    Thanks for the puzzle. I hadn't heard of Puccini's None Shall Sleep, so at first I wasn't sure the letters would spell anything. I made one mistake thinking that the alternate clue for "MULES" was 22D - Drug Agents... but I suppose mules aren't actually agents.
                                    • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:19:04.028Z
                                      i didn't think of that connection... could be an interesting challenge for a future alt clue - how to clue NARC and MULE the same way? one involved in a drug bust?
                                    • ajk 7:57 · 2024-04-08T15:47:09.814Z
                                      Nice one. Fill was necessarily pretty crunchy with all those Zs, but I only had to reveal one square. Saw the idea instantly, but did have to do a couple passes to find the matches for DALE and FRI (my ignorance of cartoons hurt twice here--once for CHIP/DALE and once for ABU, though I knew IAGO). Also had to google to verify the connection to the title (though I'm of course familiar with the aria, I only knew the title in Italian 😂). Very spiffy stuff, thanks.
                                      • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:21:30.433Z
                                        thanks alan! yeah i wasn't too thrilled with some of the fill, i think the most difficult would be AZAN/AUEL... i spent a long time trying to figure out a way around that... the alt clues kind of leaned unfairly 3 out of 7 were cartoon-related... but figured once you get a few you can backsolve your way to the rest
                                        • ajk 7:57 · 2024-04-08T21:20:16.765Z
                                          lol and of course that's the square I had to reveal. I've definitely been there--in fact there's a rather unfortunate crossing coming soon to an SSS near you. 😂
                                      • JM 🤓9:18 · 2024-04-08T16:55:49.982Z
                                        Nessun dorma!
                                        • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:22:53.511Z
                                          sì sì!
                                        • HeadinHome 3:47 · 2024-04-08T17:02:46.173Z
                                          Oh THERE’s the 7th ZZ! I had to check puzzle because I had “DC TOP” (why what that phrase in my head? was there also a band called that? Or something Marvel/comics related??). Anyhoo, that gave the DJ as “DHU” (which googled as a real DJ name), and “CONKS OUT” instead of zonks. Made sense to me… ( : Of course that left me with P_CCINI which was fine… I think I had this at “None Shall Sleep” and two C’s together… but this was great fun nonetheless!
                                          • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:27:37.609Z
                                            thanks wendy! nice early meta answer deduction!
                                          • Salty 🤓9:08 · 2024-04-08T18:08:36.396Z
                                            Appropriately solved at 4am while unable to sleep. Loved it!
                                            • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:28:10.968Z
                                              hahaha nice... hope you finally got some sleep 😴
                                            • HeadinHome 3:47 · 2024-04-08T17:14:20.354Z
                                              Figured out that I put DCTOP instead of ZZTOP because there was a rap group DC TALK (I had _CTOP) after putting in CONKS (out) instead of ZONKS, so my brain though “oh yeah… DC TOP! (My kids would groan here.). My knowledge of popular music (pop, rap, country, or otherwise) is abysmal… though I love classical, which is why figuring out the meta was much easier than that part of the grid!
                                              • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-08T19:26:30.247Z
                                                hooray! glad you got it!... if it helps, the ZZ entries are symmetric to theme content to help with the hunt (with jazz pairing with anap and frizz pairing with takes)... it's ok my pop culture knowledge isn't that great so i have no shame using google when i get stuck ;)
                                              • Salty 🤓9:08 · 2024-04-08T18:09:43.331Z
                                                Appropriately solved at 4AM while unable to sleep. Loved it!
                                                • Abide 5s · 2024-04-08T18:48:59.777Z
                                                  When I test solved there was a nice aha Googling "puccini" and "none shall sleep". Very familiar tune but didn't know name or composer. Got chills in the last minute of this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l32MTlaM8V4
                                                  • ajk 7:57 · 2024-04-08T21:23:45.676Z
                                                    It is really fabulous
                                                    • whimsy 🤓11:19 · 2024-04-08T21:29:13.731Z
                                                      Wonderful!
                                                      • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:18:02.158Z
                                                        absolutely beautiful!
                                                        there are lots of songs out there that almost everyone has heard of but when asked to name either the title or composer/artist, few will know it... maybe i can build a puzzle around that hmmmm...
                                                      • imontoo 3s · 2024-04-08T19:58:42.563Z
                                                        Really fun! Thanks for the puzzle.
                                                        • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:18:32.350Z
                                                          thanks for solving - glad you had fun :)
                                                        • Laura M 🤓7:26 · 2024-04-08T19:44:29.744Z
                                                          Bravo!
                                                          • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:20:12.824Z
                                                            thanks - i appreciate it :)
                                                          • Tyrpmom 1s · 2024-04-08T20:40:10.350Z
                                                            Really great stuff. Thanks.
                                                            • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:20:22.777Z
                                                              thank you for solving!
                                                            • whimsy 🤓11:19 · 2024-04-08T21:27:51.316Z
                                                              I did enjoy -- Thanks, Phil! (I always still picture Pavarotti.)
                                                              • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:19:29.384Z
                                                                thanks - i do as well!
                                                              • heron 2s · 2024-04-08T22:02:35.246Z
                                                                this was the first (full-size) meta i've ever solved, and it was so cool! took me a while to figure out what to do with the ZZs (wanted something where i took one of the two letters on each side of ZZ to make ZZZ?). thought it was funny that ZZTOP was at the top of the grid, then gasped when i realized it could fit the UNDER clue. wonderful!
                                                                • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:22:46.301Z
                                                                  congrats on your first (15x15) meta solve!! i think most people remember their first meta solve... mine was a Matt Gaffney puzzle back in 2012.... it was a basic vowel progression and the answer was cucumber but ever since that i was pretty hooked... yeah the ZZ instead of ZZZ bothered me ever so slightly because when you think of sleeping/snoring, it's always represented by ZZZ not ZZ... but puzzle still kind of works with the "takes a nap" revealer
                                                                • Ergcat 6s · 2024-04-08T21:49:04.825Z
                                                                  Well done! Enjoyed the metanism! Thanks, Philip!
                                                                  • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:26:11.535Z
                                                                    thanks! glad you enjoyed it
                                                                  • Darth 12:31 · 2024-04-08T22:58:07.438Z
                                                                    Amazzzzing puzzle! A lot of fun. Thanks. =)
                                                                    • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:31:10.339Z
                                                                      yay! the plethora of z's really smacks you in the face with this one 😝
                                                                    • heron 2s · 2024-04-08T22:11:23.956Z
                                                                      oh, one thing i forgot to mention--i thought the title was a Sleep No More reference at first, which is why i clicked on it haha
                                                                      • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:25:55.007Z
                                                                        haha sorry for the clickbait - i'm glad you got the puzzle!! heard good things about "Sleep No More" (immersive experience) - it got extended to end of May so I have time to check it out before it closes
                                                                      • Qmark 3s · 2024-04-08T23:39:29.286Z
                                                                        Super thanks Phil...I especially liked how Fozzie became "Foie"
                                                                        • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:31:25.370Z
                                                                          wocka wocka!
                                                                        • lbray53 2s · 2024-04-09T01:31:02.866Z
                                                                          Wow! Fun one.
                                                                          • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:31:49.826Z
                                                                            thanks for solving! :)
                                                                          • Mikey G 🤓4:37 · 2024-04-09T02:29:40.679Z
                                                                            A bicycle always takes a nap because it's two-tired. (I'm feeling sleepish about this one.)
                                                                            Always like when two-letter words (i.e., JA) can make a cameo as part of a mechanism! I think it's a clever way to get those words to make an appearance when they usually don't!
                                                                            • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:36:39.025Z
                                                                              love that pun! two-tired 😂 i actually used it as a clue for PUN in an old puzzle (puzzle #10, not a meta puzzle... but i changed the clue to make it more thanksgiving-themed)...
                                                                              when planning the puzzle, i also considered PIZZA or PIZZAZZ --> PIA, DIZZY --> DIY, and JAZZY --> JAY... but then there's no rule saying the alt answer has to be at least three letters long, so JA/NEIN ended up being my favorite
                                                                            • Pair O Ducks 🤓6:07 · 2024-04-09T12:50:08.620Z
                                                                              Couldn't get to this yesterday (too busy driving to an eclipse party) but this was the perfect insomnia puzzle this morning at 5am... Really excellent puzzle, Phil! Oh, and I for one love opera and opera trivia! We do exist!
                                                                              • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:41:43.955Z
                                                                                5AM! hope you got some much needed sleep after that :) thanks for solving and yay for representing the opera-lovers
                                                                              • Sendhil Revuluri 🤓3:36 · 2024-04-09T16:06:08.266Z
                                                                                Thanks so much for the clever puzzle, your helpful PM hint/nudge to get me over the edge (I was stuck on the wrong ordering so didn't backsolve), and the very thorough and contextualized explanation! (Like onions, metas have layers!) One by one, I'm getting a little better less bad at solving metas!
                                                                                • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-09T16:53:03.122Z
                                                                                  thanks for solving! and yes, you'll get so much better the more metas you do... it took me a while to get used to grid-order convention, looking for symmetry, reading off first letters, anagramming stuff... the more you do, you'll start to pick up on common tricks... of course, if there's ever a puzzle with a brand new meta mechanism, then all bets are off...
                                                                                  when doing research for the puzzle, I stumbled upon these articles and the opera itself is pretty sexist with racial stereotyping https://www.operaphila.org/backstage/opera-blog/2016/turandot-time-to-call-it-quits-on-orientalist-opera/ and https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/19/opinion/opera-racism-puccini.html... granted it was from a different time when this was much more commonplace... but it raises the question, should classical works be altered to fit in with the contemporary world or be presented as is?
                                                                                • Chris Barbee 🤓26:40 · 2024-04-09T16:11:13.915Z
                                                                                  Thx - - great construction!
                                                                                  • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-10T19:49:10.690Z
                                                                                    thanks for solving!
                                                                                  • Steve M 31:22 · 2024-04-09T20:06:59.929Z
                                                                                    Nice! Thanks!
                                                                                    • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-10T19:49:20.521Z
                                                                                      thanks for solving!
                                                                                    • Sharkicicles 2s · 2024-04-10T00:19:25.989Z
                                                                                      This is one of those metas where after I got step one and started the next one, i was like “oh wow… oh wow…” what a construction. Thanks.
                                                                                      • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-10T19:49:52.794Z
                                                                                        thank you for the kind words :)
                                                                                      • David 🤓3:40 · 2024-04-11T07:54:29.779Z
                                                                                        Nice one.
                                                                                        • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-11T13:03:09.460Z
                                                                                          👍
                                                                                        • KayW 🤓8:34 · 2024-04-11T02:12:58.008Z
                                                                                          Bravo, Phil!! I suspected the answer just based on the title, and 15 across (one of my fave operas) clinched it. A very clever and elegantly implemented metanism.
                                                                                          • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-11T13:05:33.316Z
                                                                                            Thanks Kay!! I think you’re one of the few that picked up on 15A before solving 😛
                                                                                          • Wendy Walker 4s · 2024-04-12T21:53:52.870Z
                                                                                            Pavarotti singing "Nessun dorma" -- exquisite! Really fun puZZle, Phil. Thanks!
                                                                                            • Philip Chow costruttore · 2024-04-13T20:35:05.610Z
                                                                                              yay glad you liked it :)
                                                                                            1A
                                                                                            Shade of black
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                                                                                            Orizzontali
                                                                                            1. 1A
                                                                                              Shade of black
                                                                                            2. 4A
                                                                                              "Gimme All Your Lovin'" band
                                                                                            3. 9A
                                                                                              Quick and skillful
                                                                                            4. 13A
                                                                                              Fatty liver delicacy
                                                                                            5. 14A
                                                                                              Fictional tech company on "Silicon Valley" (or a troublemaker when combined with -gan)
                                                                                            6. 15A
                                                                                              "Turandot" highlight
                                                                                            7. 16A
                                                                                              "The Flash" actor Miller
                                                                                            8. 17A
                                                                                              Word with dog or rated
                                                                                            9. 18A
                                                                                              Jason's assumed persona who took a vow of silence in "The Good Place," for one
                                                                                            10. 19A
                                                                                              Language in which "děkuji" means "thank you"
                                                                                            11. 21A
                                                                                              Supreme Court justice Elena
                                                                                            12. 23A
                                                                                              "Hawaii Five-0" actor Daniel ___ Kim
                                                                                            13. 24A
                                                                                              "___-daisy!"
                                                                                            14. 26A
                                                                                              Beasts of burden
                                                                                            15. 28A
                                                                                              Greatly impress
                                                                                            16. 31A
                                                                                              Combustible heap
                                                                                            17. 32A
                                                                                              "Love the skin you're in" brand
                                                                                            18. 33A
                                                                                              Assign stars to
                                                                                            19. 36A
                                                                                              One of a "Rescue Rangers" cartoon duo
                                                                                            20. 39A
                                                                                              Part of TGIF
                                                                                            21. 40A
                                                                                              Silences, in a way
                                                                                            22. 42A
                                                                                              Groundbreaking
                                                                                            23. 44A
                                                                                              Winter solstice month in Australia
                                                                                            24. 46A
                                                                                              "The Clan of the Cave Bear" author Jean (her surname sounds like "owl")
                                                                                            25. 47A
                                                                                              Give up
                                                                                            26. 48A
                                                                                              Possible reply to "Sprechen Sie Englisch?"
                                                                                            27. 50A
                                                                                              Muppet bear who says "Wocka wocka!"
                                                                                            28. 52A
                                                                                              Black ___ cake (chocolate and cherry dessert)
                                                                                            29. 55A
                                                                                              Buckwheat porridge
                                                                                            30. 57A
                                                                                              Baseball stat
                                                                                            31. 58A
                                                                                              Alleviating agent
                                                                                            32. 60A
                                                                                              Mr. Garrison's hand puppet on "South Park"
                                                                                            33. 64A
                                                                                              Sidekick in "Aladdin"
                                                                                            34. 66A
                                                                                              Winter warmer
                                                                                            35. 68A
                                                                                              The Gaels of the NCAA
                                                                                            36. 69A
                                                                                              Adrian who portrayed Officer Vince Romano on "T.J. Hooker"
                                                                                            37. 70A
                                                                                              Vessel that's paddled
                                                                                            38. 71A
                                                                                              "___, far, wherever you are / I believe that the heart does go on" (lyrics belted out by Celine Dion in "Titanic")
                                                                                            39. 72A
                                                                                              Jewelry entrepreneur Morris
                                                                                            40. 73A
                                                                                              Full of excitement
                                                                                            41. 74A
                                                                                              Cleopatra's snake
                                                                                            Verticali
                                                                                            1. 1D
                                                                                              Music genre that originated in New Orleans
                                                                                            2. 2D
                                                                                              Raison d'___ (reason for being)
                                                                                            3. 3D
                                                                                              Knit item at an afternoon social popular during the Victorian era
                                                                                            4. 4D
                                                                                              Electronic music DJ with the songs "In the Morning" and "Faded"
                                                                                            5. 5D
                                                                                              Crashes, with "out"
                                                                                            6. 6D
                                                                                              When you're doing this crossword
                                                                                            7. 7D
                                                                                              Designer Cassini with the memoir "In My Own Fashion"
                                                                                            8. 8D
                                                                                              Downloading and distributing copyrighted works without permission
                                                                                            9. 9D
                                                                                              Beaver's construction
                                                                                            10. 10D
                                                                                              Wear away
                                                                                            11. 11D
                                                                                              Like answers on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"
                                                                                            12. 12D
                                                                                              Catches some Z's, with 62-Down
                                                                                            13. 13D
                                                                                              Chest muscle, for short
                                                                                            14. 20D
                                                                                              August does not have a federally observed one: Abbr.
                                                                                            15. 22D
                                                                                              Drug agents, for short
                                                                                            16. 25D
                                                                                              Machu Picchu's land
                                                                                            17. 27D
                                                                                              "Not impressed"
                                                                                            18. 28D
                                                                                              "___ dare to eat a peach?" (line from "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock")
                                                                                            19. 29D
                                                                                              "An Awesome Wave" indie rock band whose name is a keyboard shortcut
                                                                                            20. 30D
                                                                                              Hollywood Walk of Fame actress Pitts whose last role was in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"
                                                                                            21. 31D
                                                                                              One-named soccer legend
                                                                                            22. 34D
                                                                                              Muslim call to prayer
                                                                                            23. 35D
                                                                                              Shih ___ (dog breed)
                                                                                            24. 37D
                                                                                              Little ___ (Seaweed's sister in "Hairspray")
                                                                                            25. 38D
                                                                                              Spa treatment, for short
                                                                                            26. 40D
                                                                                              Attorney General under Reagan and jocular plural form of "moose"
                                                                                            27. 41D
                                                                                              "___ Lament" (Barenaked Ladies song in which the repetitive and mundane nature of toy-making stifles the creativity of one of Santa's helpers, leading him to feel trapped and unfulfilled")
                                                                                            28. 43D
                                                                                              Itsy-bitsy
                                                                                            29. 45D
                                                                                              Sydney-to-Brisbane dir.
                                                                                            30. 47D
                                                                                              Catherine the Great, for example
                                                                                            31. 49D
                                                                                              Glacial lake that's the source of the Mississippi River
                                                                                            32. 51D
                                                                                              Electrical resistance unit that sounds like a meditation word
                                                                                            33. 52D
                                                                                              Bad hair day feature, perhaps
                                                                                            34. 53D
                                                                                              First Lady Michelle who wrote "The Light We Carry"
                                                                                            35. 54D
                                                                                              Brightest star in Orion (and anagram of a big cat hybrid that is Napoleon Dynamite's favorite animal)
                                                                                            36. 55D
                                                                                              Actor Reeves of "The Matrix"
                                                                                            37. 56D
                                                                                              ___ con pollo (chicken-and-rice dish)
                                                                                            38. 59D
                                                                                              Healing wound's cover
                                                                                            39. 61D
                                                                                              Groundbreaking garden tools
                                                                                            40. 62D
                                                                                              See 12-Down
                                                                                            41. 63D
                                                                                              Paving material
                                                                                            42. 65D
                                                                                              Poem of praise
                                                                                            43. 67D
                                                                                              Tasseled headwear
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