43. Each Gobbler
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BarbaraK
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Thank you! Nudge #4 narrowed it down nicely.
If you want help with a meta, feel free to PM me. The more specific you are about what you have and what you want, the more likely I can help without spoiling.
(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
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benchen71
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Wow, 10 nudges and I still can't get it. I will have to wait for 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! 
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MatthewL
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- Location: Atlanta, GA
Ok, I got it. Like BarbaraK, Nudge 4 did it for me. Was taking the instructions in the puzzle way too literally.
Matthew
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MikeyG
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This might have been slightly-US centric in some ways, though I don't think so? Others might be able to weigh in on that regard.
I peeked at nudge #3 on yours, Ben, but that confirms I think I'm on the right track. Will revisit it later today!
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Bird Lives
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Nudge #9 was the one I needed. That was because having the appetizer and the dessert seemed so difficult a construction that it didn't occur to me they'd both be served. Bravo MikeyG.
Jay
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Darth
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MikeyG
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Puzzle #43 Recap
Puzzle #43 answer: GRAVY TRAIN
Correct entries: 40
This played more like a Level 4, though we did push to 40 entries right there, which is cool to see! My chain of reasoning was:
1. Note that there is a reference to FIVE instances of "fowl language" that we need to find. 45-Across implies these gobblers (per the title) are in the clues.
2. The fact that there is no reference at all to the most common bird of Thanksgiving is probably an indicator that we are going to have to be rounding up some turkeys.
3. Start combing through the clues for references to turkeys. Five of the clues allude to turkey (or Turkey!) in some capacity, based on how the clues end:
GATHER: "Thanksgiving dish"
AVIV: "Middle eastern country"
YEROUT: "three strikes in a row" (in bowling, three consecutive strikes is referred to as a "turkey"; note that the context in which the turkey is found might not necessarily be that of the clue, since this clue references bowling! For what it's worth, I get strikes in baseball but not in bowling).
RAFA: "wild game" (definitely the most contrived clue, I'd say)
IRESIGN: "a poor unsuccessful play" (she's not into metas, but I did swing this by my mom, who said that a poor play being called a "turkey" is pretty common parlance!).
4. Per 22-Across and 62-Across, we need the APPETIZER and the DESSERT of each of these five entries, which would imply their first (APPETIZER) and last (DESSERT) letters.
5. Strung together from top to bottom, this spells out the apropos GRAVY TRAIN - what perhaps we all wish crosswords (and other puzzles!) could be at times!
I hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving and start to your holiday season! Mini-meta drops this Saturday. See you then!
Mikey G
Puzzle #43 answer: GRAVY TRAIN
Correct entries: 40
This played more like a Level 4, though we did push to 40 entries right there, which is cool to see! My chain of reasoning was:
1. Note that there is a reference to FIVE instances of "fowl language" that we need to find. 45-Across implies these gobblers (per the title) are in the clues.
2. The fact that there is no reference at all to the most common bird of Thanksgiving is probably an indicator that we are going to have to be rounding up some turkeys.
3. Start combing through the clues for references to turkeys. Five of the clues allude to turkey (or Turkey!) in some capacity, based on how the clues end:
GATHER: "Thanksgiving dish"
AVIV: "Middle eastern country"
YEROUT: "three strikes in a row" (in bowling, three consecutive strikes is referred to as a "turkey"; note that the context in which the turkey is found might not necessarily be that of the clue, since this clue references bowling! For what it's worth, I get strikes in baseball but not in bowling).
RAFA: "wild game" (definitely the most contrived clue, I'd say)
IRESIGN: "a poor unsuccessful play" (she's not into metas, but I did swing this by my mom, who said that a poor play being called a "turkey" is pretty common parlance!).
4. Per 22-Across and 62-Across, we need the APPETIZER and the DESSERT of each of these five entries, which would imply their first (APPETIZER) and last (DESSERT) letters.
5. Strung together from top to bottom, this spells out the apropos GRAVY TRAIN - what perhaps we all wish crosswords (and other puzzles!) could be at times!
I hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving and start to your holiday season! Mini-meta drops this Saturday. See you then!
Mikey G
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benchen71
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I had some of that but couldn't pull it together, even by backsolving. However, your puzzles are always worth doing, just for the clues alone!
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!