GULGALLANA and DAWON

[soulping]

The walls of the hedge maze close in around you. Before you is a single stone table covered in quill pens and several sheets of parchment. Even if you normally cannot read or write, for the time being, you find that you can.

Comments

ROUND ONE

[soulping]

[One sheet of parchment before you bears a symbol much like a blank crossword puzzle.]

  000000000
   0
   0
   0000
   0
000000

[Below it are instructions:]

Fill in the blank spaces with words that fit.

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

Re: DISCUSSION

[bloodbiter]

I wonder if we should go with a common theme.

Re: DISCUSSION

[beathach]

It would make it easier, I think.

Re: DISCUSSION

[bloodbiter]

Do you have a suggestion?

SUBMISSION

[soulping]

[Submit: down (6 letters), top across (9 letters), middle across (4 letters), and bottom across (6 letters).]

Re: SUBMISSION

[bloodbiter]

Down: Valley
Top across: Avalanche
Middle across: Lake
Bottom across: Canyon

Re: SUBMISSION

[soulping]

[The words glow faintly as they settle onto the parchment...]

ROUND TWO

[soulping]

[Another sheet of parchment now offers new instructions.]

Create a saying or short story based on the puzzle you made, without using any of the words themselves. This will be the clue for your puzzle.

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

Re: DISCUSSION

[bloodbiter]

What a strange objective.

Re: DISCUSSION

[beathach]

That's . . . generally not how a crossword works, but I suppose since it's a smaller puzzle it makes sense . . .

Re: DISCUSSION

[bloodbiter]

I can't say I've ever heard of them before. Regardless, would you prefer a saying or a story?

SUBMISSION

[soulping]

Re: SUBMISSION

[bloodbiter]

A wave of snow falls from a mountain, down into a prairie next to a great divide. It fills a pond within the area.

Re: SUBMISSION

[soulping]

[The words glow faintly as they settle onto the parchment, and then the papers around you ruffle in a sudden breeze, which whisks your crossword and your clue away...]

ROUND THREE

[soulping]

[Another blank crossword puzzle has appeared on a sheet of parchment.]

  000000000
   0
   0
   0000
   0
000000

[This one, however, is accompanied by a clue...]

CLUE

[soulping]

"This is a poem for you:
This first word is just some idiot's _____
a girl with one small boob and one big ____
was a dumb ____ who always live-tweets
as she eats all the candy cos she likes ____"

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

Re: DISCUSSION

[beathach]

[. . . what in the world]

Re: DISCUSSION

[bloodbiter]

[THIS FACE]

I don't believe I understand any of that.

Re: DISCUSSION

[beathach]

[what a rude poem]

I . . . don't think I do either. It isn't very nice.

. . . maybe the last word is sweets?

SUBMISSION

[soulping]

[Submit: down (6 letters), top across (9 letters), middle across (4 letters), and bottom across (6 letters).]

Re: SUBMISSION

[bloodbiter]

Down: Idiots
Top across: Gibberish
Middle across: Oafs
Bottom across: Senses

[and then writing a little poem:]

We have no patience for nonsense clues;
Their lack of wit is easier for us to use.
So in response to their clumsy composition,
we've come up with our own submission.

Re: SUBMISSION

[soulping]

[The words glow faintly as you write them down...and then the hedge maze opens up again. You can go to endgame.]