December’s MMMM challenged solvers to find a song whose music video has over one billion YouTube views. The unusual grid has five theme entries, all song titles, each of which contains a string of letters representing an animal sound: HOWL, COO, WOOF, HOOT, and MOO. OK, what now?

The next step to solving the meta is to find animals corresponding to each sound in the clues, as follows:

YAKS   [Prey for a Tibetan wolf]
LEDGES   [Pigeon perch places]
VETS   [Dog docs]
ISH   [Ending for fool or owl]
SCARE   [Cow]

The first letters of the grid entries corresponding to these clues spell out Y-L-V-I-S, which either leads to an immediate click or sends you to Google, where you find the Norwegian duo Ylvis, and their most popular song, The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?).

Meta Song:

We definitely gave ourselves a challenge this month, figuring out how to cover this tune. I dare you to watch this and not laugh! (Don’t miss the B-roll at the end of the video.)

Selected Solver Comments:

Leslie   I stared at YLVIS for days until my millennial son glanced at it and said “You should google that!”

EFlatMinor   I somehow was not one of the first 1 billion views. Thank you for sharing this masterpiece with me.

LaceyK   Oh I’m really looking forward to your performance…Costumes??   But of course! But not like the Ylvis video…

Cindy N   I didn’t quite reach pulling the hair out stage, but I’ll admit my fingers started twirling – looking for “quack” to go with Donald DUCK.   Unintentional (and slightly unfair) red herring. Sorry!

pbfrommn   This is a nice touch if it was planned–or a great coincidence if it wasn’t! funn Y how L o V e IS   Total coincidence!

Alternative Music Clues:

DBMiller points out that SHOOTING STAR is also a Harry Chapin song.

mmurphy suggests cluing AJAX as [Product whose slogan is referenced at the end of “Touch Me” by the Doors].   Stronger than dirt!

Redhead64 suggests cluing AIRPORT as [Location for U2’s “Beautiful Day” music video].   I just saw U2 at the Sphere. If you have a chance, don’t miss it – the venue is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

Evan suggests cluing HANA as [One-named singer who collaborated with Grimes on “The AC!D Reign Chronicles”].

Groaners:

HPetriJr   “That was pure wild animal craziness.” –Mr. Fox

10brooks   Not chickening out from a December meta.

FunkyPhD   I suppose we are required to communicate our submissions in Mo-o-o-o-orse, so: - .... . / ..-. --- -..- / -.--. .-- .... .- - / -.. --- . ... / - .... . / ..-. --- -..- / ... .- -.-- ..--.. -.--.-

AndSometimesY   Was really hoping for the elephant going toot!

Mikey G   Norway I was going to miss this one!

Abide   Great song for a Baa Mitzvah

Totals this month:

247 correct, 41 incorrect

Rating:   4.36 out of 5 stars

Difficulty:   2.91 out of 5

Monthly mug winner:  Giovanni Pagano from East Brunswick, NJ

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!