"Obscure For A Reason" 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!)
Post Reply
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 2561
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:
Contact benchen71

#21

Post by benchen71 »

Let's see if some nudges can help clear away some of the obscurity! Here they are, in order of increasing blatancy:

1. 68 across contains a hint: "Endings for enigmat, esoter, myst, and certain other words".

2. 67 across is one such word: CRYPTICS. Yes, this puzzle involves cryptic clues!

3. Note the form of the clues for the 4 long entries: X for Y? X is the "wordplay" and Y is the "definition".

4. X is partly explained in the grid, but you still have to do some cryptic solving.

5. The meta prompt is also a bit cryptic. Sorry, but you'll have to decode that one yourself!
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:
Top
hoover
Posts: 1628
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:26 pm

#22

Post by hoover »

Well, after reading the nudges, I realized I had already done some of the things but not all of them. Just needed a little shove.
Top
User avatar
ajk
Posts: 1033
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2020 4:22 pm
Location: Colorado

#23

Post by ajk »

Got it after the fourth nudge, though really I should have just followed through more on what I was already doing. Not my usual comfort zone, but still appreciated. Thanks. :)
ETA: I did like the prompt quite a bit.
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
Top
Dplass
Posts: 1739
Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:09 am

#24

Post by Dplass »

Never gonna happen. And I for one like 67A...
Top
User avatar
HeadinHome
Posts: 1149
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2020 9:06 am
Location: Charlotte, NC

#25

Post by HeadinHome »

OHHHkay, good sport that I am, I read the nudges and though “that’s what I’m doing!! But let me look one more time.”. I did indeed have most of the parts, but had not fully interpreted the prompt. Uh huh. Uh huh. Yep, still don’t like this flavor. But I persisted and am in the mead hall throwing ’em back with the rest of the knaves.
The other Wendy. :roll:
Top
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 2561
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:
Contact benchen71

#26

Post by benchen71 »

HeadinHome wrote: ↑Wed Feb 15, 2023 9:36 pm OHHHkay, good sport that I am, I read the nudges and though “that’s what I’m doing!! But let me look one more time.”. I did indeed have most of the parts, but had not fully interpreted the prompt. Uh huh. Uh huh. Yep, still don’t like this flavor. But I persisted and am in the mead hall throwing ’em back with the rest of the knaves.
Don't worry: MOATs involving cryptic clues should be few and far between!
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:
Top
Dow Jones
Posts: 481
Joined: Thu May 09, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: Yakima, WA

#27

Post by Dow Jones »

Thanks for the puzzle, Ben. Obscure, but satisfying to solve. Well done !!
Top
User avatar
sharkicicles
Posts: 952
Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 12:03 pm
Location: Chicago

#28

Post by sharkicicles »

Reading cryptic clues always makes me feel like I’ve possibly had a stroke… but still plugging away.
Top
User avatar
KayW
Moderator
Posts: 3533
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 12:10 am
Location: Chicago

#29

Post by KayW »

:crossed_swords: :rabbit: :european_castle:
Image
Nudged across the moat into the obscured castle. Very cool, once I got it. Thanks Ben!
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.
Top
User avatar
dsbened
Posts: 99
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2019 4:31 pm
Location: Seattle, WA, USA

#30

Post by dsbened »

I can't open the PUZ file in Across Lite v2.0.5 Build 5003. It says the file is damaged.
Seattle DB
Top
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 2561
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:
Contact benchen71

#31

Post by benchen71 »

dsbened wrote: ↑Thu Feb 16, 2023 4:05 pm I can't open the PUZ file in Across Lite v2.0.5 Build 5003. It says the file is damaged.
You could try downloading the PUZ file directly from Crosshare: https://crosshare.org/crosswords/M6SMcl ... eason-meta.
Click on the "...More" link and there's a "Download .puz file" option.
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:
Top
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 2561
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:
Contact benchen71

#32

Post by benchen71 »

Only a trickle of successful solvers coming in:

hoover
ajk
HeadinHome
eisense
Dow Jones
KayW
JR

We're up to 37 now.
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:
Top
Qmark
Posts: 329
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2022 4:33 pm
Location: Ottawa, Canada

#33

Post by Qmark »

Late getting to it, but managed to solve without the nudges...thanks Ben!
Top
User avatar
woozy
Posts: 2320
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:40 am

#34

Post by woozy »

sharkicicles wrote: ↑Thu Feb 16, 2023 1:00 pm Reading cryptic clues always makes me feel like I’ve possibly had a stroke… but still plugging away.
But to be fair these BOO! clues are pretty tame compared to some. At least I thought so.
So I just plain couldn't get my meta based on "Up the Down Staircase" to work.

My challenge it to constructors is to make a meta where the meta, theme or metanism is "Up the Down Staircase".
Top
Silverskiesdean
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2023 3:52 pm

#35

Post by Silverskiesdean »

I'm a bit confused. "Nice audible 'oui" or more to the point a double oui or oui oui would be nice after a renal procedure after having had one. Is that the answer. I'm confused. Help
Top
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 2561
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:
Contact benchen71

#36

Post by benchen71 »

Silverskiesdean wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 3:58 pm I'm a bit confused. "Nice audible 'oui" or more to the point a double oui or oui oui would be nice after a renal procedure after having had one. Is that the answer. I'm confused. Help
Check out the nudges here: viewtopic.php?t=2070&start=20#p120705. Hopefully one (or more) of them will be enough to get you on to the right track.
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:
Top
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 2561
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:
Contact benchen71

#37

Post by benchen71 »

Thanks to the @MattGaffney shout out, there has been a surge in successful solvers:

Qmark
Jeffrey
Katiedid
Abide
K7
docison
ab
david
Eckless
Jim Dean
Jerry Miccolis
JM
Rog
Bob J
rvkal
rfj
Berto

That's 54 so far. The next (and final) update will occur Monday morning (Australian time) right before 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:
Top
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 2561
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:
Contact benchen71

#38

Post by benchen71 »

And here's the final batch of solvers, bringing us to 61 in all:

Spid4567
CoyoteCreed
Steve M
Alex Sisti
BobJas
Shalaka
Adam Simon Levine
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:
Top
User avatar
benchen71
Posts: 2561
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:50 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:
Contact benchen71

#39

Post by benchen71 »

Here's the solution to "Obscure For A Reason":

Obscure For A Reason (solution).png

This was the last puzzle to be included in the First Pre-release MOAT pack. So we're all caught up! Don't forget the "Rejected (Non-meta) MOAT Pack", available here. US$5 gets you 10 themed crosswords, most of which were rejected by one crossword publisher or another. Were those editors right to reject them? You be the judge!
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:
Top
User avatar
dsbened
Posts: 99
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2019 4:31 pm
Location: Seattle, WA, USA

#40

Post by dsbened »

This puzzle was almost fun until I saw the solution. How does the clue for 28D - "That's ____!" ("You shouldn't be doing that!") relate to the answer "Not on" instead of "Not OK"?
And 44A has a clue that is unintelligible, and BTW, the Central Perk's manager's name is Gunther, not Gunter.
Overall, a messy endeavor...sorry.
Seattle DB
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Benchen71's Metas on a Tuesday (MOAT)”