"Horseplay" - October 18, 2019

[Bird Lives]

I quickly got the gimmick and knew who the characters must be. But I'm away from a printer and had to rough things out by hand, so it looked like there were a couple of gaps in my path to the solution. That's now fixed, I have dismounted and am standing on shore, trying to refrain from any subtle allusions that might spoil the fun.

[31 Down]

Crossed the finish line with nary a horse feather in sight.

VERY clever!!!

[DrTom]

Wow, I think I see the clue to the solution, but I'll be darned if I can get from the clue to the solution. I think this one might prove to be the one that breaks my streak of 5 or 6 solves. Guess I may still be on the farm team. Darn, just when I thought I was ready to play with the big guys. Oh well, humility is a good thing (not an easily acceptable thing, just a good thing).

[Richard]

Grid solved but no horse as yet. I think I know the approach but can not make it work.

[DrTom]

OK, this one seems to me like I need to know a lot more abut a subject I know only the rudiments of. That seems so odd that I have to believe I am over complicating it because seldom do the metas require any specific knowledge other than how to solve metas. Where am I going wrong? I hate it when I out-think myself.

[jakeorjacob]

I’m nearly sure I know what I’m supposed to be doing, but it’s just not clicking. Anyone willing to chat in a PM with someone still aboard?

[Wendy Walker]

I’m nearly sure I know what I’m supposed to be doing, but it’s just not clicking. Anyone willing to chat in a PM with someone still aboard?

I was getting nothing but gibberish for a long time ... keep at it!

[Bird Lives]

OK, this one seems to me like I need to know a lot more abut a subject I know only the rudiments of. That seems so odd that I have to believe I am over complicating it because seldom do the metas require any specific knowledge other than how to solve metas. Where am I going wrong? I hate it when I out-think myself.

The rudiments should be sufficient.
Many of these metas require some knowledge of life outside the grid. Names of baseball teams and the shape of the baseball diamond, volcanoes, elements, famous singers like Yma Sumac, cities where sitcoms or bowl games take place, etc.

[Tom Shea]

Isaac, it's been fun, but I'll see you next week.

On shore and having dinner tonight with cousins I haven't seen in a while. Coincidentally, they own four horses.

I can see no way that Marie thought of the theme and was able to construct this one. Four dimensional chess would seem to be easier.

[Alan H]

i didn't even have to attempt the puzzle to know the pair of well known characters were Margaret Cho and Yma Sumac.

i am done & done (with the real answer).

[KayW]

Well I'm still in the paddock. I finished the grid and see some bunny tracks - I hope they are actually horse hoofprints! But so far they aren't leading me anywhere but to Isaac's bar. Which is not a bad place to be. For a little while.

[grwinski]

Ashore! Wow, that was a tough one!
Rita got the meta pretty quickly; I (George) was amazed at the path!
An exercise in Dressage!

Rita and George

[Toby]

Solved. Had a correct idea right away, but a bit of trouble putting it into practice.

[KayW]

OMG! On shore!! What an excellent puzzle and meta. I can not say anything more before Monday for fear of spoilers but I am in awe of Mike's brain.

[Jim and Anita]

Delighted to be ashore and yet again admiring the construction of the puzzle. Thank you Mike for the fun!

[Janet P]

At Isaac's bar. Nothing yesterday. Nothing this morning after the pen and paper version.
Marge, I am available to help in the stern garden as soon as I finish this Bloody Mary...

[Bob cruise director]

Good Friday morning. Based on the numbers, this is the most challenging contest in the last several months. I think many of us are deep down in the same rabbit hole. At present there are 36 on the shore and 8 on the ship. Maine Marge's garden will not lack for muggles to help this week and Isaac better put out the large tip jar.

I posted this avatar last week after I saw the contest but before I got the meta. When I saw the meta, I felt it was too close to being a spoiler.

[JPMalone]

Ahh! I love this one, a classic if you ask me. A bit foggy at points but got through it.

[Bob cruise director]

Happily on the shore after some struggles. Anything more would be a spoiler.

[Wendy Walker]

Solved. Had a correct idea right away, but a bit of trouble putting it into practice.

My experience exactly, Toby!