"Go With The Flow" - October 11, 2019

A place to discuss the weekly Wall Street Journal Crossword Puzzle Contest, starting every Thursday around 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Please do not post any answers or hints before the contest deadline which is midnight Sunday Eastern time.
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Alan H
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Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2019 11:46 am

#181

Post by Alan H »

I didn't want to post as it might have been a spoiler, but "under the volcano" is one of my favorite books. one of the few i have read several times. i was wondering if anyone else liked it.
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MarkL
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#182

Post by MarkL »

ChrisKochmanski wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:44 am After rather oversleeping this morning, I awoke to this email note from one Mike Miller, Senior Features and WSJ Weekend Editor:

"Congratulations! You are the winner of this week's WSJ Crossword Contest. Your correct solution was selected randomly from more than 1,350 entries. To claim your prize, a WSJ coffee mug, please ... " (it goes on from there)

Assuming this isn't a prank ... I WON THE MUG!!!

So cool! I'm pleased that it was a solo solve for me this past weekend. No help from Lynne or hints from other Muggles. Just me, on early Thursday evening, on the back deck, under the umbrella, iced tea in hand, madly searching around the squares ...

In four to six weeks, when the prize arrives, it will of course become THE MUG THAT MUST NEVER BE DRUNK FROM.

"No, don't touch it ... Well, I wasn't going to drink from it. I was just pointing at it ... Well, don't point. It can't be drunk from ... Don't point, okay, Can I look at it? ... No, no. That's it. You've seen enough of that one ..."
Congrats! Welcome to the club!
'tis... A lovely day for a Guinness!
31 Down
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Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 1:16 pm

#183

Post by 31 Down »

I got a bit side-tracked looking near #38 where a cluster of letters spells CANOE and #59 where another cluster spells KAYAK. Thought answer might involve vessels but, unlike in my greenhorn days, realized fairly quickly no bananas if it has to be forced.
Thomas W (since there's already a Tom W)
MikeMillerwsj
Posts: 286
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:46 pm

#184

Post by MikeMillerwsj »

We had 1362 entries in this tasty, literary contest, an impressive 86% correct. Plus several near-misses that perhaps didn't quite see the clever hidden letters: LAVA CAKE (44) and CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE (12). Other entrants went fishing for foods in the puzzle, including POI (5) and PITA (5). And PHO (17), no double referring to the long answer VIETNAMESE. Plus a large storehouse of other foods including ICEBERG LETTUCE, GUACAMOLE, SALMON, and many many others.

Congrats to this week's winner: Chris Kochmanski of Saline, Mich.!
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Meg
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#185

Post by Meg »

Congrats Chris! A muggle! There’s hope for the rest of us mugless ones!
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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ChrisKochmanski
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Location: Saline, Michigan

#186

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Alan H wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 11:30 am I didn't want to post as it might have been a spoiler, but "under the volcano" is one of my favorite books. one of the few i have read several times. i was wondering if anyone else liked it.
It's one of my favorites NOW -- since I won the mug!

Actually, I did read it many years ago, and recall enjoying it. This makes me want to pick it up again. To the library!
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Wendy Walker
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#187

Post by Wendy Walker »

Chris, so happy for you!! I'm guessing you will now carefully review the dessert menu every time you go to a restaurant just to see if MLC is on it!
Good luck, fellow Muggles!
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oldjudge
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#188

Post by oldjudge »

Congratulations Chris! Welcome to the club. In a few weeks you will be sent a registered letter with details of the secret handshake.
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BethA
Posts: 624
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 6:44 pm
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#189

Post by BethA »

Here’s my favorite recipe for the meta solution! It’s from one of those booklets you see in the checkout line, Pillsbury Home for the Holidays, Nov 1999. I think my custard cups are a little larger, because it only makes 4 for me. And I prefer it without the hazelnut coffee drink syrup. Enjoy!


E78E8068-2304-42F7-8985-89D0A2A32623.jpeg
9B694D5B-89A2-458E-A8E5-29DC669BF139.jpeg
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Patty
Posts: 84
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 12:33 pm
Location: Basel

#190

Post by Patty »

BethA wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 2:56 pm Here’s my favorite recipe for the meta solution! It’s from one of those booklets you see in the checkout line, Pillsbury Home for the Holidays, Nov 1999. I think my custard cups are a little larger, because it only makes 4 for me. And I prefer it without the hazelnut coffee drink syrup. Enjoy!



E78E8068-2304-42F7-8985-89D0A2A32623.jpeg


9B694D5B-89A2-458E-A8E5-29DC669BF139.jpeg
Have copied this recipe and shared with my daughters who bake. Look forward to enjoying, thanks for sharing, p
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Scott M
Posts: 454
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 1:10 pm
Location: Charlottesville, VA

#191

Post by Scott M »

ChrisKochmanski wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:44 am After rather oversleeping this morning, I awoke to this email note from one Mike Miller, Senior Features and WSJ Weekend Editor:

"Congratulations! You are the winner of this week's WSJ Crossword Contest. Your correct solution was selected randomly from more than 1,350 entries. To claim your prize, a WSJ coffee mug, please ... " (it goes on from there)

Assuming this isn't a prank ... I WON THE MUG!!!

So cool! I'm pleased that it was a solo solve for me this past weekend. No help from Lynne or hints from other Muggles. Just me, on early Thursday evening, on the back deck, under the umbrella, iced tea in hand, madly searching around the squares ...

In four to six weeks, when the prize arrives, it will of course become THE MUG THAT MUST NEVER BE DRUNK FROM.

"No, don't touch it ... Well, I wasn't going to drink from it. I was just pointing at it ... Well, don't point. It can't be drunk from ... Don't point, okay, Can I look at it? ... No, no. That's it. You've seen enough of that one ..."
FYI, mine arrived today after winning last week. So the 4-6 week thing seems to be an underpromise/overdeliver thing. Congrats!
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
Mark Twain
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RDaleHall
Posts: 229
Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:52 pm

#192

Post by RDaleHall »

I've been meandering around the forum for the past 3 months checking answers (with about 50% success rate...), that my wife finally said "Just join the <dang> forum!!!" So here we go... Congrats to Chris on the mug this week. Finally came ashore this week while staring at the puzzle on a Sunday flight ORD - BOS that I almost couldn't wait to sprint off the plane back to cell coverage and send the e-mail in with the correct answer. Looking forward to more.
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BarbaraK
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#193

Post by BarbaraK »

RDaleHall wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:59 pm I've been meandering around the forum for the past 3 months checking answers (with about 50% success rate...), that my wife finally said "Just join the <dang> forum!!!" So here we go... Congrats to Chris on the mug this week. Finally came ashore this week while staring at the puzzle on a Sunday flight ORD - BOS that I almost couldn't wait to sprint off the plane back to cell coverage and send the e-mail in with the correct answer. Looking forward to more.
You're quite fortunate to have a spouse who encourages your puzzle addiction instead of just rolling her eyes:)

Welcome!
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Tom Shea
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#194

Post by Tom Shea »

BethA wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2019 1:38 pm Sorry this is off topic. I checked the Cryptic section of this board, and didn’t see anything about it. I made the mistake of trying the Oct 5 Shifty Business cryptic, and now reading the comments on the wsj site, appears I’ve again picked a more challenging one, for a novice.

Can anyone tell me if the solution is available online? All I see are mentions that it’s in the print edition of yesterday’s wsj. Thanks!
*USUALLY* they put a link on the same page as the puzzle. Either Monday or Tuesday (I can't tell). Here is the link for this week, which has the solution link on the page. https://blogs.wsj.com/puzzle/2019/10/11 ... ctober-12/

Last week's (the one you were looking for) does not have the solution, but they are all there for the previous month, including the cryptic.

Maybe they just decided to torture you last week (I consider ALL cryptics torture).
Rufus T. Firefly
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Al Sisti
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Location: Whitesboro NY

#195

Post by Al Sisti »

Bird Lives wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 8:49 am For anyone who’s wondering how Spahn, Sain, Burdette, et al. came into the discussion. The MOLT in the meta came from the entry MOLTS. This did not seem to me like an elegant disguise, and I suspected that Matt felt the same way. But what other word might yield these letters to start off the meta? The only thing I could think of was the pitcher for the Braves, a guy with an ERA a shade over 3, a Cy Young, and more than 3000 strikeouts — Greg Maddux, er, I mean John Smoltz. (The description fits both pitchers btw. The Braves in those days had a dynamite rotation.)

Unfortunately, given the placement of the volcanos, there was no way SMOLTZ could be the starter.
One of our town's native sons was on that great Braves team -- Mark Lemke. He lived about a mile from me in Whitesboro, NY. Would've been the World Series MVP of the 1991 series if Atlanta had won... actually, he should've won it anyway.
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BethA
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#196

Post by BethA »

Tom Shea wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 9:01 am
BethA wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2019 1:38 pm
Can anyone tell me if the solution is available online? All I see are mentions that it’s in the print edition of yesterday’s wsj. Thanks!
*USUALLY* they put a link on the same page as the puzzle. Either Monday or Tuesday (I can't tell). Here is the link for this week, which has the solution link on the page. https://blogs.wsj.com/puzzle/2019/10/11 ... ctober-12/

Last week's (the one you were looking for) does not have the solution, but they are all there for the previous month, including the cryptic.

Maybe they just decided to torture you last week (I consider ALL cryptics torture).
Thank you, Tom! I do think they decided to torture me! I don’t seem to have trouble with the other variety puzzles. Solved this week’s Alternation 90% during the Steelers Sunday night, then was able to sort out the last few issues Monday morning. But last week’s Shifty Business is a different story! Another theory is that it was just too difficult to explain it to us! 😀

Still, I feel somewhat encouraged. I graded myself just on the individual clue answers, got 12 exactly right and 6 were on the right track out of 34 total. Had no idea on the overall gimmick. But it feels like an improvement for me.

Also recently noticed the Guide to Cryptic Crosswords on the WSJ Puzzle page — more study material for me! I’m getting more interested in them lately because each clue seems almost like a mini-meta puzzle, enjoyable sort of torture to get mini aha moments!
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DrTom
Posts: 3765
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#197

Post by DrTom »

MikeMillerwsj wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 11:51 am We had 1362 entries in this tasty, literary contest, an impressive 86% correct. Plus several near-misses that perhaps didn't quite see the clever hidden letters: LAVA CAKE (44) and CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE (12). Other entrants went fishing for foods in the puzzle, including POI (5) and PITA (5). And PHO (17), no double referring to the long answer VIETNAMESE. Plus a large storehouse of other foods including ICEBERG LETTUCE, GUACAMOLE, SALMON, and many many others.

Congrats to this week's winner: Chris Kochmanski of Saline, Mich.!
I guess that means Chris made a Salinent point (ouch)?
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
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Bob cruise director
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#198

Post by Bob cruise director »

RDaleHall wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:59 pm I've been meandering around the forum for the past 3 months checking answers (with about 50% success rate...), that my wife finally said "Just join the <dang> forum!!!" So here we go... Congrats to Chris on the mug this week. Finally came ashore this week while staring at the puzzle on a Sunday flight ORD - BOS that I almost couldn't wait to sprint off the plane back to cell coverage and send the e-mail in with the correct answer. Looking forward to more.
Welcome to our muggle clan and good luck winning the mug.

What brings you to BOS?
Bob Stevens
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GlennG
Posts: 88
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2019 12:48 am

#199

Post by GlennG »

BethA wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:39 am Also recently noticed the Guide to Cryptic Crosswords on the WSJ Puzzle page — more study material for me! I’m getting more interested in them lately because each clue seems almost like a mini-meta puzzle, enjoyable sort of torture to get mini aha moments!
There's lots of good how to do cryptic puzzle guides out there, including chapters in a lot of the books written about crosswords. I think the best one I've come across is in The History of the Crossword by John Halpern. All kinds of non-fiction texts out there about crosswords (mostly with a British/cryptic focus, sadly. Only one I found that was mostly about American crosswords but it's out of print and expensive if you find it), really. All the ones I've seen are usually pretty interesting if they don't retread material I read in another book - Bletchley Park being a good example out of a few that seems to always come up in any crossword treatise.

Overall for anyone into crosswords, it's worth picking up at least one or two. There's a lot of interesting lore in crosswords that generally doesn't get talked about or picked up on.
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RDaleHall
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#200

Post by RDaleHall »

Bob cruise director wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 7:28 pm
RDaleHall wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:59 pm I've been meandering around the forum for the past 3 months checking answers (with about 50% success rate...), that my wife finally said "Just join the <dang> forum!!!" So here we go... Congrats to Chris on the mug this week. Finally came ashore this week while staring at the puzzle on a Sunday flight ORD - BOS that I almost couldn't wait to sprint off the plane back to cell coverage and send the e-mail in with the correct answer. Looking forward to more.
Welcome to our muggle clan and good luck winning the mug.

What brings you to BOS?
Quick work trip to Boston - Presentation at life insurance industry association annual meetings.
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