The answer to the meta will take the form "X in the Y with the Z"
Sometimes you just have to build a meta puzzle to see if it's even possible. This is one of those. Yes, the grid will have its challenging parts; and yes, there's a lot going on when it comes to the meta. But if you've played the game Cluedo (or Clue, as it's known in some parts of the world), you will know what to do! (If you haven't, then you may need to resort to Google.) The answer to the meta will take the form "X in the Y with the Z". Successful sleuth's monologue is here: https://www.xword-muggles.com/viewtopic.php?p=125203#p125203
Check out "The MOAT Mini Pack of Marching Bands" here: https://www.ephesusscroll.com/about/interest4.html. US$5 gets you 7 Marching Bands which, hard enough on their own, now contain metas too. And once again there's a mega-meta!
That was SO COOL, Ben! You’ll see a lot of entries from me, because I found REVOLVER fairly quickly, and I felt sure you hadn’t hidden other weapons in the grid. But then I saw DAGGER. Amazing!
That was a lot of fun, and a reminder not to enter any old country manors! Thanks for a cleverly constructed meta!
Ergcat 19:19 · 2023-03-28T18:35:55.916Z
Fun meta! I love playing Clue! Found Prof Plum and lounge right away but no idea how to get the weapon! Finally saw “WRENCH” on diagonal from “Iowa” and I was off! Thank you for a very fun time!
Meg 6s · 2023-03-28T20:26:21.792Z
That was fun!! Thanks a bunch! We always called it a knife, but I guess there are variations internationally. I wondered why there were so many clues with blanks.
Hazards of a youth spent more with Monopoly, Pinochle and Hearts than Clue I found the person and the rooms (well almost all of them) and then saw DAGGER and jumped on it (ouch). Thankfully Kay pulled me back from the edge since I was stabbing in the dark...must have needed the candlestick.
ChrisCross 🤓13:01 · 2023-03-31T01:05:27.884Z
This was so much fun. And it has to be one of the most impressive constructions I've seen. The grid constraints, and the fact that this meta used three different kinds of metanisms (the clues, first letters of entries, and hidden words). Really great.
Really impressive! Although I spent a little while trying to find the culprit...
ajk 2s · 2023-03-31T21:04:44.422Z
Weapon took me a bit, but very fun. Used to play this all the time as a kid, and actually have been playing the iPad version occasionally recently. No googling here. :) Thanks!
Cindy Heisler 3s · 2023-04-01T10:50:36.298Z
I found the murderer and room right away, but it took a hint from a fellow muggle to get the weapon. Even then I found lead pipe and thought I had it. I do word searches all the time. I really should have spotted the weapons! Superb meta, Ben.
Finally got to this last night. The word search is great.
ReB 4s · 2023-04-02T00:09:46.739Z
Just when I couldn't see how the grid would have more info, I got another nudge to look at the diagonals. Quite amazing construction to get the whole game in a standard 15X15 grid.
Answers an invitation to a mysterious country house only to discover a grisly murder has taken place! Oh no! Can you solve the meta before the murderer strikes again? Only time will tell...
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Orizzontali
1A
Answers an invitation to a mysterious country house only to discover a grisly murder has taken place! Oh no! Can you solve the meta before the murderer strikes again? Only time will tell...
6A
"The Music Man" setting
10A
Play pool with a ___ in the billiard room
13A
Alaskan native
14A
Cooking fat, but backwards (just for fun!)
15A
Movie remake starring Robert De Niro, "___ Fear"
16A
Basketball player known as "The Pearl", but as his name would appear on an attendance record
18A
"Let's put ___ in it and come back to it later"
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"___ The Clowns" (song from "A Little Night Music")
20A
Size bigger than med.
21A
___ a good book in the library
22A
Play prelude?
24A
Impolite looker
26A
The Beehive State
29A
Place ___ at an auction
31A
Spooky, like a mysterious country house
34A
Capital of 26 across, initially
35A
Jerusalem mount (var.)
36A
Big engine sound
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Citrus drink
38A
Tempestt ___ of "The Cosby Show"
41A
___-Cat (winter vehicle)
42A
Choose from a selection of Greek ___ in the dining room
44A
Danish-born British designer, ___ Crawford
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Ending to "h" or "th" that doesn't follow the "i before e" rule
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"It seems to me..."
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Technologies that control the temperature, humidity, and purity of the air in an enclosed space (abbr.)
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"By Jove!"
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"___ diem" (seize the day)
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Farm structure
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Fix the ___ in the kitchen
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Sue Grafton's "___ for Ricochet"
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Bull-___ (device that produces a howling sound when whirled through the air)
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Spore sacs
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Ready to initiate covert operations
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With your hair ___ a fancy style, go dancing in the ballroom
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Chase the ___ hiding in the walls of the study
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Fatty compound
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Tabletop RPG
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Lute-shaped fruit
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Penn and Connery
Verticali
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Ewes' mates
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___ gin fizz
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Diagram that often involves overlapping circles
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The seclusion of women from the sight of men or strangers, practiced by some Muslims and Hindus
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Stiff-upper-lip type
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Microsoft's Visual Studio, for example (abbr.)
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Word-of-mouth
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Mars, for one
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Fast tempo, in musical notation (abbr.)
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Specific type of origami flowers (and also a Marie Osmond song from 1973)
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Samoa's capital
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Give temporarily
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Professional pursuit
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Necessarily involve
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Listen to the ___ recital in the conservatory
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Flood barrier
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Military educational org.
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American civil rights org. that focuses on transgender equality
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Vinegar, chemically
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For one person (abbr.)
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Ancient Aegean region
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Atlanta university
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Apt acronym for Security-Based Swap Data Repository