December’s MMMM, “Five for One,” challenged solvers to find a famous rock band. The puzzle played even harder than last month, with no correct answers in the first hour. There are six starred clues, three with a single star and three with a double star. The single-starred entries:

The double-starred entries:

The clue for T-SQUARE at 9-Down, [Drawing aid … or, in a way, what needs to be changed to solve the meta], is a hint, but where to go from there?

The key is to replace a “T-square” in the grid with something that will make its Across and Down entries consistent with these sets of starred clues. This replacement turns out to be a five-letter rebus, hinted at by the puzzle’s title, “Five for One.” Replacing the T in square 20 with the rebus “MATCH” yields MATCH WITS and OVERMATCH as two new intersecting entries which correspond to the starred clues: MATCH WITS has the same general meaning as SPAR, VIE, and COMPETE; and OVERMATCH has the same general meaning as CONQUER, TOP, and BEST. So we’re putting MATCH in box 20? Well then, the meta answer must be Matchbox Twenty!

Congrats to LL, who hit the board first after just over an hour!

Meta Song:

If You’re Gone is one of my all-time favorite songs and it was great to have a reason to learn it. Two versions this month – one with the full band at RCA Studios in Nashville, and the other solo piano in the same studio. Let me know which one you like better!

Selected Solver Comments:

ryoustra   Terrifically clever idea – really – but quite difficult from the solver’s side. That said, I’d take new and creative ideas any day to push this crazy art form in new directions, even if occasionally it results in a tough solve. 

LB800   PHEW. Tough but brilliant one!

samkat9   This one took me a while, but I chuckled when I got it.

andeux   This one belongs in the “Groaners” section. (complimentary)

Alternative Music Clues:

Evan suggests cluing EEL as [Post Animal song with the lyric “You shock me with your slime”], LEIA as [“Princess ___’s Theme” (tune that plays over the line “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope”)], and ASSET as [Perfect pitch, e.g., for a musician (although some musicians consider it both a blessing and a curse)].

Groaners:

Jwaan   Stared at this one for a Long Day till 3 a.m., feeling Unwell and thinking This is How a Heart Breaks. But at last I saw the Bright Lights. Finally I can return to the Real World.

Mikey G   And I love metas, though they can make me unwell
I know right now you can’t tell
But solve a grid and maybe then you’ll see
These metas schooling me
If I can’t solve one, I’m just going to stare
I know right now you don’t care
But soon enough you’re gonna think of me
And how I’m puzzling

Totals this month:

90 correct, 39 incorrect

Rating: 3.88 out of 5 stars

Difficulty: 4.46 out of 5

Monthly mug winner: Bruce Greig from Bloomfield Hills, MI

Thanks to Matt Gaffney for blogging the puzzle at Crossword Fiend, where you can rate the puzzle (thanks!) and/or leave a comment.

Thanks to Tamara Brenner for the graphic.

Thanks for playing and see you next month!