Formerly known as the “Sunday Summer Substitute”, editor Cap'n Rick now takes the helm for 'Smooth Sailing Sundays'. As The Commodores sang about Sunday morning, the SSS will focus on easier metas. SSS will also support smaller grids and will mentor new constructors on request. Puzzles released each Sunday around 8am Eastern. Nudges released same day at Noon Eastern. New constructors are welcome.
Given that the SSS cupboards were looking a bit bare, I put together another pretty straightforward but hopefully entertaining puzzle this week. It's inspiration will be self-explanatory, so much so that folks might well be able to take a couple of short cuts. But there is also a regular path.
Thanks to @Abide, and @Wendy Walker for test solving, and in Wendy's case for a key addition to a clue. Thanks as usual to @Joe Ross for tech support.
Nudges later today, if needed. And I am of course always available via PM for additional help. Reveal on Saturday.
Hope you enjoy!
cheers,
Alan
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SSSolved! Thanks for the puzzle, Alan!! Merry Christmas everyone!!!
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Solvers so far, in alphabetical order:
BarbaraK
benchen71
Berto
Bird Lives
Bob cruise director
boharr
Capn Rick
Carolyn
ChrisKochmanski
Cindy Heisler
Cindy Weatherman
Cinny
Darth
DCBilly
DebbieC
DIS
GR
hcbirker
Hector
ImOnToo
JM
kamashdad
KayW
ky-mike
LarsCaine
Laura M
lbray53
markhr
MatthewL
Meg
michaelm
Mr Tex
ReB
Schmeel
sss
whimsy
A good group. Thanks for all the kind words.
Check out this very cool project by many of your favorite muggles to raise money to fight cancer. You get a fun puzzle bundle and good causes get $. Win-win: Crosswords for Cancer
In this case, those words are all related, and the 'Merry' in the title (plus the puzzle's timing) suggests that the connection might be Christmas-related
OK, you can probably get from those words to the answer, but it is explicitly spelled out as well...
...just not in the grid
The starts of clues are a common hiding place
Missing anyone? Look more carefully at some of those other odd clues. Also, apparently the last two were different in the original poem, so Dunder and Blixem are also represented.
Check out this very cool project by many of your favorite muggles to raise money to fight cancer. You get a fun puzzle bundle and good causes get $. Win-win: Crosswords for Cancer
Sssolved without nudges. Thanks, and Merry Christmas!
Shannon PS: If you want help with a meta, PM what you have so I can help without spoiling too much. I've received lots of help in the beginning and I love to pay it forward!
SSSolved - and enjoyed. Thanks Alan!
Also, apparently the last two were different in the original poem, so Dunder and Blixem are also represented.
