Signposts WSJ 7/13/2019

[SewYoung]

Almost finished. Stuck on Across Q. Just can't quite pull it out. Hoping for a hint from someone.

[KayW]

Yikes. This one's a doozy. I have answers to quite a few across and down entries, but haven't been able to put anything into the grid yet. As far as I can tell, I've solved none of "signpost" entries, and I haven't been able to nail down any of the other crosses by answer length/crossing letters. I'm not asking for hints or help, just venting and hoping for post-enlightenment.

And sorry, SewYoung, I got nothing on across Q.

[KayW]

Yay! It worked! Found the first signpost entry! One down, many many more to go.....

[SewYoung]

Yay! It worked! Found the first signpost entry! One down, many many more to go.....

The first signpost that led me to a solved clue was Across "i". The one I have left is also a signpost, assuming that I have averything else right.

[KayW]

The first signpost that led me to a solved clue was Across "i". The one I have left is also a signpost, assuming that I have averything else right.

Interesting! I still don't have that one! Or Q. The first signpost for me was & (ampersand). I figured out the signpost below the grid already, but have 3 and a quarter across signposts to go, so of course I'm trying to stuff all likely words for those symbols into potential solves for the remaining across clues.

I said "and a quarter" because I have a plausible word for one of the signposts but I can't make wordplay to fit 100% yet. I'm sure I'm on the right track for that one though.

[KayW]

ha! I now have "i". I don't think your comment was a spoiler but it did help me focus on that clue. Also got the "-", which I say is definitely an autological answer as far as I'm concerned! Still no clue on q.

[Jacksull]

Finished. “q” across was the last to go.

Having a hard time parsing “v” across and “h” down, but everything else is clear (in a cryptic sense).

[Leslie]

Q across was also the last to fall for me, but I eventually got everything. I can provide a hint that isn’t really a spoiler but I’ll try to send a private message just in case. (Never tried that before.)

[Jacksull]

Q across was also the last to fall for me, but I eventually got everything. I can provide a hint that isn’t really a spoiler but I’ll try to send a private message just in case. (Never tried that before.)

Thanks. I took another look and they were both plain as day.

[Leslie]

Sorry, I meant I would send a hint to SewYoung, who asked for one in the original post.

[KayW]

Whew! All done. And q across was last for me too. I don’t want to risk a spoiler but I wouldn’t be surprised if we all had the same problem.

[SewYoung]

Sorry, I meant I would send a hint to SewYoung, who asked for one in the original post.

I did get your message Leslie and responded to it. I still have not come up with the answer, but will sleep on it and hope for inspiration in the morning. Thank you very much. I really do like this new forum. Thanks very much to Brian for setting it up and to Bob for continuing as our capable and friendly Cruise Director.

[Janet]

First time doing one of these, and I have a question. The instructions say that each symbol is crossed by its equivalent letters going across. Does that mean at least one of the letters to the right, and at least one to the left? And must they all fit in the same row? If they all fit in the same across row, that would make it easier. For instance, the symbols in the 6th and seventh rows are within one space of the row edges.

[Leslie]

The symbol is like a rebus—you replace it with the word it represents, putting all the letters in the same box. So if the answer is CATS there would be three spaces reading C@S.
Good luck—these are pretty challenging but a lot of fun once you get the hang of them!

[Janet]

Thanks, Leslie! I get it now. That's why my words don't fit.

[Janet]

Another question: do the words end at the row or column boundary, or wrap around to the next dark line? In the first row, it looks like the first word is 5 letters. Is the second word 7 letters long(ends at row) or 8 letters long (wraps to the next row)?

[Leslie]

Nothing wraps around. Except for the special symbols everything fits normally.

[Janet]

Thanks!

[Abide]

Nice challenge. Like others, I had to back in to Across Q. Northeast quadrant was last to fall.

[Hector]

Really fun challenge. Thank you for bringing it to our attention!