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Constructing => General Discussion => Topic started by: kwanjul on November 12, 2019, 03:05:39 PM

Title: WALLS IN
Post by: kwanjul on November 12, 2019, 03:05:39 PM

Hi all. Is WALLS IN a legitimate answer? I need an answer that spans 3 themers, namely W??L??N, and frankly, there aren't a whole lot of options. WALLS IN seems to be the least bad. If WALLS IN is legit, what do you think of "Protects, as a city from barbarians" as the clue?

Title: Re: WALLS IN
Post by: mmcbs on November 12, 2019, 03:32:49 PM

It's a little clumsy, but it's legit. WALL IN is a phrasal verb so WALLS IN essentially means "imprisons". Don't know about your theme, but it's often possible to design the grid so as not to have any incidental fill cross more than two themers. Crossing three is always tough.

Title: Re: WALLS IN
Post by: cranberry44 on November 13, 2019, 01:41:54 PM

I don't know how the following would work as a cross; but for what it's worth, some possible alternatives:

Wellman (noted film director)
Walloon (ethnic community in Belgium)
Willson (See Wikipedia for choices)

Title: Re: WALLS IN
Post by: Glenn9999 on November 14, 2019, 10:03:03 PM

WALLOON, WEALDEN, WELLMAN, WILLDON, WOOLLEN, WOOLMAN, WOOLMEN.

Title: Re: WALLS IN
Post by: mmcbs on November 15, 2019, 03:31:00 PM

LOL,  I think Glenn9999's list of words proves the original point that WALLS IN might be the best choice. Might I mention that WOOLLEN is a variant spelling that might not be accepted. Also worth mentioning that the spelling WILLSON is an unusual spelling of a common name, but it's correct for MERIDETH WILLSON (composer of "The Music Man").

Title: Re: WALLS IN
Post by: Glenn9999 on November 15, 2019, 10:26:19 PM

Quote from: mmcbs on November 15, 2019, 03:31:00 PM

LOL,  I think Glenn9999's list of words proves the original point that WALLS IN might be the best choice.

A good choice in a sea of bad choices.  Though I will note that word list I used shows up in puzzles (mostly, at least for NYT, Shortz has only allowed WELLMAN).  Just not a lot of good options for that pattern.

Title: Re: WALLS IN
Post by: kwanjul on November 18, 2019, 09:41:20 AM

All, thanks for the lively discussion about my dilemma. I think I'm gonna back to the drawing board a bit to avoid this rather crappy pattern. I personally hate entries that are both obscure and not inferable from the crosses. e.g. WELLMAN, WALLOON, and WILLSON. Even if I had 5 of 7 letters, I still don't think I'd be able to get any of those 3, no matter how straightforward the clue. Just because editors have allowed these entries in the past doesn't mean they should have, IMO.

If I was intent on keeping my W??L??N word, I would definitely stick with WALLS IN. It's inferable, despite also being clumsy and awkward.