Introduce Yourself

[MajordomoTom]

Tom in St. Louis, MO
56 (next month), casual crossworder, non-casual at Sudoku
two golden retrievers and two birds (present count, has been higher)

[elan]

Hi, Ann from Michigan. I've been a long-time fan of the WSJ contests but only recently read the comments and found all of you.

[Barry]

Hi everyone, and good luck all. There is but one mug, and what would most of us give to own one? Something just short of our souls.

[Al Sisti]

Hi everyone, and good luck all. There is but one mug, and what would most of us give to own one? Something just short of our souls.

Yeah... "short of"... let's go with that.

[williakz]

Hi All,

Dailies are NYT, WSJ, WaPo (LAT), and Mirror's Cryptic Crossword (Easy). Hardly ever get the WSJ Meta (I give up too easily), but I try. Here to find out what vitamin supplement, exercise regimen, or vice shedding you all apply to be able to solve the damned thing so quickly and reliably!

[Joe Ross]

Here to find out what vitamin supplement, exercise regimen, or vice shedding you all apply to be able to solve the damned thing so quickly and reliably!

Al Sisti seems to be on a Guinness regimen, which has had spectacular results.

[Al Sisti]

Here to find out what vitamin supplement, exercise regimen, or vice shedding you all apply to be able to solve the damned thing so quickly and reliably!

Al Sisti seems to be on a Guinness regimen, which has had spectacular results.

And still I can't come close to what you can do with an Excel spreadsheet...

[Joe Ross]

Guinness works its wonders in mysterious ways.

[Darlene V]

Darlene from the North Country in upstate New York. Retired and living the life off-grid - loving every minute! My husband and I do the WSJ puzzles every day, and I especially look forward to the Variety Puzzles on Saturday (but never got the hang of cryptics). I also have the Penny Press Variety Puzzles on hand. Also, we are both classical musicians and very much enjoy playing music together and with friends. Along with playing backgammon and mah-jong, we've got plenty of ways to spend our 7-month-long winters until we can get back outside to homesteading chores!

[Bob cruise director]

Darlene from the North Country in upstate New York. Retired and living the life off-grid - loving every minute! My husband and I do the WSJ puzzles every day, and I especially look forward to the Variety Puzzles on Saturday (but never got the hang of cryptics). I also have the Penny Press Variety Puzzles on hand. Also, we are both classical musicians and very much enjoy playing music together and with friends. Along with playing backgammon and mah-jong, we've got plenty of ways to spend our 7-month-long winters until we can get back outside to homesteading chores!

Welcome to the group. We are always glad to have new muggles

To me, the North Country is up by Alexandria Bay. Are you that far north?

[Al Sisti]

Darlene from the North Country in upstate New York. Retired and living the life off-grid - loving every minute! My husband and I do the WSJ puzzles every day, and I especially look forward to the Variety Puzzles on Saturday (but never got the hang of cryptics). I also have the Penny Press Variety Puzzles on hand. Also, we are both classical musicians and very much enjoy playing music together and with friends. Along with playing backgammon and mah-jong, we've got plenty of ways to spend our 7-month-long winters until we can get back outside to homesteading chores!

Welcome to the group. We are always glad to have new muggles

To me, the North Country is up by Alexandria Bay. Are you that far north?

Yeah, "upstate NY" has so many connotations, right? I live a couple miles outside of Utica, which to people in Binghamton, is upstate. But to me, the North Country means Watertown, and to Watertown people, upstate means Plattsburg... and when I once told someone from New York City that I was from upstate NY, she said "Oh, Yonkers?"

[Bob cruise director]

Darlene from the North Country in upstate New York. Retired and living the life off-grid - loving every minute! My husband and I do the WSJ puzzles every day, and I especially look forward to the Variety Puzzles on Saturday (but never got the hang of cryptics). I also have the Penny Press Variety Puzzles on hand. Also, we are both classical musicians and very much enjoy playing music together and with friends. Along with playing backgammon and mah-jong, we've got plenty of ways to spend our 7-month-long winters until we can get back outside to homesteading chores!

Welcome to the group. We are always glad to have new muggles

To me, the North Country is up by Alexandria Bay. Are you that far north?

Yeah, "upstate NY" has so many connotations, right? I live a couple miles outside of Utica, which to people in Binghamton, is upstate. But to me, the North Country means Watertown, and to Watertown people, upstate means Plattsburg... and when I once told someone from New York City that I was from upstate NY, she said "Oh, Yonkers?"

You can always tell where someone from New York State lives by asking them what they consider upstate. Coming from between Oneonta and Binghamton, upstate meant north of the southern tier line. To my cousin outside Syracuse it meant north of the thruway.

[SeanS]

Hi there, Sean from York PA here. 31, banker, married with 4 year old twins and a 1 year old. Mount St. Mary's '10 and finishing my MBA at York College of PA in a few weeks after 6+ years of night classes (on and off, for obvious reasons!)

Big hockey and golf guy (go Flyers) and I seem to share an enthusiasm for Guinness with a few of you. Long time print subscriber and just got into the Contest- looking forward to earning a mug someday.

PS- does anyone know Mike Shenk personally? I just Googled him and it looks like he's a fellow Yorker (originally, at least).

[Bob cruise director]

Hi there, Sean from York PA here. 31, banker, married with 4 year old twins and a 1 year old. Mount St. Mary's '10 and finishing my MBA at York College of PA in a few weeks after 6+ years of night classes (on and off, for obvious reasons!)

Big hockey and golf guy (go Flyers) and I seem to share an enthusiasm for Guinness with a few of you. Long time print subscriber and just got into the Contest- looking forward to earning a mug someday.

PS- does anyone know Mike Shenk personally? I just Googled him and it looks like he's a fellow Yorker (originally, at least).

SeanS
Welcome to the group.

Golf - great
Flyers no - Bruins yes
Guinness - yes

So two out of three ain't bad

We don't know Mike except for what he wrote on line. Let us know if you make contact with him.

Good luck on the contests

[mrlampo]

Tom aka mrlampo here. Retired engineer from the Naval Reactors program. Anticipating another cold white winter here in upstate New York, where mind-straining metapuzzles help keep me from going stir-crazy. A new coffee mug would be a great asset in achieving that goal, though my wife has warned me there would be consequences if I bring home one more mug.

[FrankieHeck]

A new coffee mug would be a great asset in achieving that goal, though my wife has warned me there would be consequences if I bring home one more mug.

Just tell her it's a trophy, not a mug, and is to be kept on the mantel, not in a cupboard.

[mrlampo]

My mantle trophies mysteriously transported themselves to a box in the basement. I suspect aliens.

[Bob cruise director]

Tom aka mrlampo here. Retired engineer from the Naval Reactors program. Anticipating another cold white winter here in upstate New York, where mind-straining metapuzzles help keep me from going stir-crazy. A new coffee mug would be a great asset in achieving that goal, though my wife has warned me there would be consequences if I bring home one more mug.

Did you work at KAPL? My niece's husband works there

[RedtheRed9]

Hello everyone! I'm Dan from Central PA by way of Baltimore and, originally, the DC area. Life consists of:

Animals - we have 2 dogs and 3 cats
Sports - still playing ice hockey at 48....not sure for how much longer....depends on the knees!! ; )
Reading - when I can
Movies/TV - way too much great content these days to keep up with!!
Kids - we have 5 between us.....almost all fully grown and out of the house.....now to get them off the payroll!!
oh....and work - commercial banking (don't hate me)

Just discovered this whole world of the meta puzzles, so still trying to get my brain thinking in that way. Great fun and a good way to try to stay sharp! Happy solving!!

[SewYoung]

Hello everyone! I'm Dan from Central PA by way of Baltimore and, originally, the DC area. Life consists of:

Animals - we have 2 dogs and 3 cats
Sports - still playing ice hockey at 48....not sure for how much longer....depends on the knees!! ; )
Reading - when I can
Movies/TV - way too much great content these days to keep up with!!
Kids - we have 5 between us.....almost all fully grown and out of the house.....now to get them off the payroll!!
oh....and work - commercial banking (don't hate me)

Just discovered this whole world of the meta puzzles, so still trying to get my brain thinking in that way. Great fun and a good way to try to stay sharp! Happy solving!!

Do you do the cryptics? That's another whole different way of thinking. And very addictive....