Grid: untimed; Meta: DNF
Jeffrey Harris’ contest, “Share and Share Alike” — Conrad’s writeup
This month, we are asked, What eight-letter word is hinted at by this puzzle? There were four theme entries with parenthetical clues:
FB Contest – 02.28.2024
- Area of study (5,1): FIELD
- What two extended fingers might mean (3,6): PEACE
- Like a shot (4,7): FAST
- Common flag symbols (8,2): STARS
I scanned the grid and clues a few times and spotted the clue for HAROLD: “Stripes” co-screenwriter Ramis. I had step one: STARS and stripes, FIELD and stream, etc:
- FIELD: Stream watcher’s website -> TWITCH
- PEACE: War battle simulation -> REENACTMENT
- STARS: “Stripes” co-screenwriter Ramis: HAROLD
- FAST: Loose in enforcement: LAX
And then I… couldn’t find step two. Solvers: please let me know what I missed.
Turns out there’s another word in the clues that can go with the parenthetical words, before and after style. Like WAR AND PEACE AND QUIET. They are all symmetrically placed in the grid.
First letters of the grid entries in parenthetical order spell the apropos answer THROUPLE.
I got this one with only about ten minutes to spare, and my break-in that led me to the answer actually wasn’t correct itself! I noticed “War” and “battle” could both precede FIELD, which got me thinking on the right lines even though I had to throw out that initial insight.