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I want to give you (yes,you!) a message. However, in order to avoid our non-puzzling brothers from eavesdropping, I've decided to encrypt it inside this Wordsquares Riddle.

It's correct, it's affirmative.
And it's indefinite in time, very long.
But in Korea, it's a great university.

Cheating and deceptive.
Is it me? Sadly, it's wrong.
Just drop it on the table and let it be.

It's not one, it's not three.
You might wonder why.
But "Look here!" said my Spanish pals.

It comes to you, even when you're not ready.
An O.S., or an animal that don't fly.
Sound is used by docs, in hospitals.

Crack one's name easily.
Born in Thailand, an English footballing guy.
A hearing tool, Hitler calls.

Did you get a lot of words? Sorry, but...

... my message is just one sentence long. And it's dangerous if anyone else gets the message.

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  • $\begingroup$ So this is a 5x5 square this time? $\endgroup$
    – Beastly Gerbil
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 6:17
  • $\begingroup$ @BeastlyGerbil Well, I can't tell the size, really, because the title gives a big hint about what it should be. P.S. I usually call them Wordsquare Riddle. $\endgroup$
    – William Nathanael
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 6:21
  • $\begingroup$ Ah ok I think I get what you mean $\endgroup$
    – Beastly Gerbil
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 6:45
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ That's a good puzzle, but some of the clues remind me of the VW Polo "Small but tough" campaign. :) $\endgroup$
    – M Oehm
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 8:19

2 Answers 2

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The message is:

YOU GOT THE ANSWER

How:

Each verse gives clues to a 3x3 word square. By taking the diagonals you get the above message.

It's correct, it's affirmative.
And it's indefinite in time, very long.
But in Korea, it's a great university.

YES
EON
SNU
= YOU

(SNU is Seoul National University.)

Cheating and deceptive.
Is it me? Sadly, it's wrong.
Just drop it on the table and let it be.

Thanks to @MOehm:

GYP
YOU
PUT
= GOT

It's not one, it's not three.
You might wonder why.
But "Look here!" said my Spanish pals.

TWO
WHY
OYE
= THE

Oye is Spanish for 'hey!' (Like 'Oi!')

It comes to you, even when you're not ready.
An O.S., or an animal that don't fly.
Sound is used by docs, in hospitals.

Thanks Rubio

AGE
GNU
EUS
= ANS

EUS is Endoscopic Ultrasound

Crack one's name easily.
Born in Thailand, an English footballing guy.
A hearing tool, Hitler calls.

WHO
HEH
OHR
= WER

OHR is German for ear, Heh is a Sheffield United footballer born in a Thailand refugee camp.

Giving

YOU GOT THE ANS WER

So the message is

YOU GOT THE ANSWER. Can be very dangerous if someone else got it :P

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  • $\begingroup$ I had first thought of sly, too, but I think gyp, you, put (got) works better. $\endgroup$
    – M Oehm
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 7:27
  • $\begingroup$ @MOehm aaah thanks. I was trying to work around 'you' for the second for ages but couldn't think of anything for the first. Thanks! $\endgroup$
    – Beastly Gerbil
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 7:30
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, if somebody else got this it would be very dangerous $\endgroup$
    – Wen1now
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 7:42
  • $\begingroup$ Wow, didn't think it was that easy! How did you find that it's the diagonals? Have you got this kind of puzzle before? $\endgroup$
    – William Nathanael
    Commented Jul 7, 2017 at 6:40
  • $\begingroup$ @WilliamNathanael no, but I assumed it would have to be something like that. I noticed it after I'd solved two squares - they said 'the' and 'you' so it was obvious from there. I like the idea though! Some of the clues could have been better but overall good puzzle $\endgroup$
    – Beastly Gerbil
    Commented Jul 7, 2017 at 6:47
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The solutions are

... a set of 3x3 wordsquares, one per stanza, 5 in all.
From them we find a final solution of just a few words (4 in all) ...

1

Y E S   It's correct, it's affirmative.
E O N   And it's indefinite in time, very long.
S N U   But in Korea, it's a great university.   (Seoul National University)

2

G Y P   Cheating and deceptive.
Y O U   Is it me? Sadly, it's wrong.
P U T   Just drop it on the table and let it be.

3

T W O   It's not one, it's not three.
W H Y   You might wonder why.
O Y E   But "Look here!" said my Spanish pals.
("Oye" is Spanish for "Listen up!", to get one's attention, and is used as we would say "Look here!")

4

A G E   It comes to you, even when you're not ready.
G N U   An O.S., or an animal that don't fly.   (GNU Hurd is an OS)
E U S   Sound is used by docs, in hospitals.   (Endoscopic Ultrasound imaging)

5

W H O   Crack one's name easily.
H E H   Born in Thailand, an English footballing guy.   (Kler Heh)
O H R   A hearing tool, Hitler calls.   (German for "ear" - thanks @M Oehm)

Final answer is thus:

YOU GOT THE ANSWER
obtained by reading the diagonals of the 3x3 wordsquares.

Solved independently of, and pretty much simultaneously with, Beastly Gerbil's equivalent answer. Thanks @M Oehm for the German word for ear.

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  • $\begingroup$ You're bottom one is broken $\endgroup$
    – Beastly Gerbil
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 7:31
  • $\begingroup$ oops. thanks. Got mine independently of yours, btw - I saw a new answer so i hit submit $\endgroup$
    – Rubio ♦
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 7:33
  • $\begingroup$ I think I may have just solved it. I know the final answer anyway just unsure of one of the squares $\endgroup$
    – Beastly Gerbil
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 7:35
  • $\begingroup$ Okay, I also had emu, but the gnu angle looks good - and in that case the last one is Who? (to crack the name) - Keh - Ohr (ear in German), although I wouldn't call an ear a "tool". $\endgroup$
    – M Oehm
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 7:37
  • $\begingroup$ Ah. I didn't know german. That makes it make sense. $\endgroup$
    – Rubio ♦
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 7:38

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