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benchen71's Metas on a Tuesday (MOAT)

Can you storm the castle by getting across the MOAT? OK, so there are lots of entertainers out there. So no guesses! But the one you are looking for is pretty big. The answer to the meta is the full birth-name of a musical artist, so you might need Google to help you with the middle name.

And we're doing the prize thing again! Enter for your chance to win another 12 music-themed meta puzzles like this one. If you don't want to wait you can buy the pack here.

The easiest way to submit is on Crosshare (and you get instant feedback and unlimited attempts!) But you can also PM me with your submission. Either way, I'll compile a list of those who successfully solve the meta.

No Minor Entertainer - Online Form
No Minor Entertainer - PUZ
No Minor Entertainer - PDF
No Minor Entertainer - spreadsheet

Nudges are here.
The solution is here.

Fun grid! I managed to cross the moat but I feel like I'm missing something. I'll keep thinking on it!

Edit: I get it now!

I see something, but not enough to make anything out of it. Hoping for early nudges.

experience has shown ben's musical taste and knowledge is not mine. Don't know if I should give up or try to follow one very likely toe-hold that seems to, with my body of knowledge, only hit a brick wall.

Not seeing anything… music not my strong suit. Worried by the term “pretty big” entertainer. Pretty sure that means I won’t know him/her.

I'm lost too... I see a couple things that might be relevant, but I can't find the thing that cinches it all together. I can be hit or miss on music trivia, though.

Wow, only 3 solvers so far! And I thought this would be a nice "week 1" puzzle!

SamKat9
Hector
sss

I have a strong feeling that immediate nudges are required...

Nudges, in order of increasing blatancy:

1. There are no additional hints in the grid, just 3 15-letter "nonsense" entries.

2. Those 15-letter entries all have three words.

3. If you reduce those entries to 3 initials you might recognise them as standing for other phrases. (Hey, look at that: it works with the puzzle title, too!)

3½. It turns out that the acronym VFT in the way this puzzle uses it is not that well known in the US. In Australia, VFT = VERY FAST TRAIN. NME is also a very obscure acronym, but is not necessary for the solve.

4. The reason the artist's middle name is included in the answer is simply so we end up with three words like the themers. Google will help you if you are not a fan!

5. There is confirmation for the answer in the grid. You may even get to the solve that way!

Well, nudges not helping as I already surmised nudges 1-3. And didn’t know what to do with that! Now what? Think I’ll make some guesses!

Thanks for the nudges. Unfortunately I’m with Ergcat. I had already made a couple of guesses as well. Alas they were incorrect.

Cindy wrote: ↑Tue Oct 03, 2023 7:08 pm Thanks for the nudges. Unfortunately I’m with Ergcat. I had already made a couple of guesses as well. Alas they were incorrect.

I've added a couple of additional nudges. Does that help at all?

Got it with the first set of nudges. Tough one.

Crossed the moat…. With a clarification of a term from Ben!
Thanks, Ben!

Stormed the castle (with a little help from nudge 3.5)! Super clever puzzle.

(And for those who are worried, I'd say odds are good you do know of the artist in question.)

Got it.

The nudges helped a lot. Thanks, Ben.

Definitely could not board until Platform 3 and a half.

Thanks for the puzzle, Ben. You'll make Aussies out of us yet!

Flew over the MOAT with TTE! (that's Thomas the Tank Engine)... ! Thank you, Ben!

Crossed! Stormed!

Moat not so much crossed as limped across. Too tired to storm the castle. Thanks Ben!