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Welcome everyone to Week 45! We are only weeks away from celebrating the one year anniversary of the blog, and we have now finished the ninth complete cycle. Time is certainly a funny thing. But, since this puzzle’s number ends with a 5 or a 0, it’s now time for a meta puzzle!

For this ninth meta of the blog, I’m looking for an appropriate six-letter word. When you think you have it, email me at cking.gow(at)gmail.com with your answer. I’ll accept answers all the way to noon ET on Saturday. UPDATE: I’ve extended the date until noon Friday, September 18th, due to Labor Day Weekend fun.

The picture used for this blog post is from Monet’s “The Japanese Bridge”, and is a tribute to Merl Reagle, as both Monet and Merl used a lot of green paint.

In BEQ’s recent tribute crossword, he wrote:

“Green paint” is industry shorthand for a crossword answer that while definitely exists in real life, doesn’t feel “conversational enough” to be a truly legit entry in a puzzle. But since Merl’s puzzles were already gonzo, he could get away with it, and those infelicities were filed under “Merl Being Merl.”

I never had the chance to meet Merl Reagle in person, but as with most people in this puzzle community, you certainly felt like you knew him when you were solving his puzzles. He certainly inspired the indie puzzling community, and his inspirations inspired those whose inspirations inspired people like me and many others. Both Matisse and Picasso have described painter Paul Cezanne with the title “the father of us all”, and I can’t think of a better phrase to use to describe Merl. His impact on the crossworld is wide and deep, and we shall all miss him very dearly.

Also, if you haven’t solved both Kevin Der’s and Evan Birnholz’s tribute puzzles to Merl yet, that is something you should do as soon as possible.

Thanks everyone, and enjoy the puzzle. Be sure to email me your answer!

Chris