"Quick Descent" by benchen71

Can you storm the castle by getting across the MOAT? A weekly meta crossword constructed by forum member Ben (aka benchen71). These metas range from relatively easy to more challenging, depending on how many Australianisms he puts in them! Puzzles are posted in a new thread every Tuesday, with nudges appearing on Saturdays, and the solution coming out on Mondays. (At least, that's the plan. Given he lives in Australia, and they are so far ahead of the US time-zone-wise, things may get posted early!)
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Bird Lives
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#21

Post by Bird Lives »

Like @ajk, I had a wrong answer that I thought was defensible. But it wasn't as good as the correct one I eventually got when I noticed what I hadn't noticed before.
Jay
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MikeyG
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#22

Post by MikeyG »

Clever, fun, and another MOAT stormed!
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 93. Person of Letters
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benchen71
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#23

Post by benchen71 »

6 more solvers!

violet
Bird Lives
Spid4567
BarbaraK
Flora Wynn
MikeyG

That brings us to 41.
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta! :shock:
Qmark
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#24

Post by Qmark »

Another fun meta...thanks Ben!
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benchen71
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#25

Post by benchen71 »

Just one additional solver, bringing us to 42:

Qmark
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta! :shock:
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benchen71
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#26

Post by benchen71 »

Nudges, in order of increasing blatancy:

1. Four across entries just don't fit in. These entries end up going down. But note that these down entries (which were unclued) form actual words.

2. Consider these four down entries in conjunction with the puzzle title.

3. Find a word that can follow all four down entries. The word is related to the puzzle title.

4. The word that can follow these four down entries is FALL.
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta! :shock:
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KayW
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#27

Post by KayW »

And a bonus nudge, from the "great constructors think alike" department:

Check out Mike Shenk's Thursday (non-meta) WSJ crossword puzzle Drop Everything
Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 metapuzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related charities. It is available at CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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ReB
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#28

Post by ReB »

Crossed the MOAT with the help of a rope tow.
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#29

Post by Ergcat »

Crossed the moat! Got there post-nudges.... but consulting my early notes it turns out I had it but didn't know it! Duh!
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benchen71
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#30

Post by benchen71 »

Another solver update for you:

ReB
woozy
Carolyn
Ergcat
rayyandroid
Jaclyn
LindaPRmaven
PuzNewbie

We're up to an even 50! Next and last update before the answer reveal, Monday morning Australia time. :D
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta! :shock:
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benchen71
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#31

Post by benchen71 »

2 more solvers, bringing us to a full deck of cards (no jokers):

Gutman
Darrell

Now, on to the answer reveal...
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta! :shock:
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benchen71
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#32

Post by benchen71 »

Here's the solution to "Quick Descent":

IMG_20230717_080741_(500_x_985_pixel).png
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta! :shock:
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