Metapuzzle Solution


Each answer word suggests a particular Halloween-related creature.

 

#1 (TREAT): BREW = WITCH

#2 (TREAT): HOOT = OWL

#3 (TRICK): PITCHFORK = DEVIL

#4 (TREAT): BOLTS = FRANKENSTEIN

#5 (TREAT): BONY = SKELETON

#6 (TREAT): BELFRY = BAT

#7 (TRICK): COUNT = DRACULA

#8 (TRICK): NEVERMORE = RAVEN

#9 (TRICK): DECAY = ZOMBIE or CORPSE

 

The word "TREAT" appears on the head of the Taft coin, while "TRICK" appears on the tail. Take the "heads" (first letters) of the TREAT creatures and the "tails" (last letters) of the TRICK creatures to get WOLFSBANE, the answer. We also would have accepted WEREWOLF, because "wolfsbane" could also be viewed as a word cluing "werewolf" in the same way.

 

The metapuzzle heavily influenced the design of every other puzzle ("OK, I need a word that clues a creature beginning with S, and it can't include any of the letters in GHIRARDELLI"), and we hope that all of our work paid off and you enjoyed it!