"Out Of The Elements" - November 15, 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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Bob cruise director
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#181

Post by Bob cruise director »

The final count is 128 on the shore and 2 on the ship

Good luck to everyone winning the mug
Bob Stevens
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Tina
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#182

Post by Tina »

ChrisKochmanski wrote: Sun Nov 17, 2019 8:55 am We need a true stumper, which I'm sure we'll get (with MGWCC Week 4 and Week 5 coming up), because when I get the puzzles fairly quickly, I post here, then I stop paying attention to this discussion -- and miss all the fun! Anyway ...

Here I am again, probably 100 or more posts after my "Ashore!" post on Thursday night, and I'm wondering ...

Have there been any other particularly good puzzles this weekend? That is: outside of the other metas, the WSJ acrostic, the NYT cryptic and Spelling Bee, and the Newsday Saturday Stumper (always a favorite of mine).

Sometimes the Sunday crosswords in NYT and WaPo, and the Saturday WSJ, seem to me to be just BIG, and not all that fun. But if you particularly liked one or another, or can point me elsewhere, I'll have some time later today to do more puzzlin'!!.
Chris, I don't know if you saw this variety cryptic by Max Woghiren and Yossi Fendel. I found it delightfully different and quite challenging. https://maxwoghiren.com/puzzles/cryptic ... PV_RXf28oE
Hidden in 3D
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#183

Post by Hidden in 3D »

I’ve actually been hidden for quite some time! Many thanks to Mike for providing me with the perfect handle from this week’s puzzle so that I might join this happy group of Muggles. At last I am leaving the Land of the Lurkers! I am but a novice compared to the many in this community who complete the grids and metas in record time. I thought I was getting the hang of this with my previous best streak of coming ashore 7 weeks in a row. Alas, taking an actual 2-week cruise, brought that to an end and I’ve been struggling somewhat ever since. Happy to report that I am on shore once again!
Sara
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MajordomoTom
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#184

Post by MajordomoTom »

there were four "elements" in ancient time - earth, air, fire and water

there are things like "OpenHearth" in this puzzle - which is the word "earth", plus an H.

rinse and repeat - you'll get an H, an A, an I and an L.

which spells out a weather word.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
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BrianMac
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#185

Post by BrianMac »

lusophile wrote: Sun Nov 17, 2019 8:10 pm Submitted a Hail Mary as time was running out, just as it did for our Eagles versus the Pats. Hope springs eternal.
It was hard not to comment about how close you were! :lol: What was your "Hail" Mary?
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MajordomoTom
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#186

Post by MajordomoTom »

HAHAHA, let's hope it was a hale enough entry.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
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Joe Ross
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#187

Post by Joe Ross »

Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 ENORMOUS 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲:
𝟰𝟬% 𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰,
𝟯𝟬% 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰,
𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 & 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮. 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘!
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MarkL
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#188

Post by MarkL »

BrianMac wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 12:20 am
lusophile wrote: Sun Nov 17, 2019 8:10 pm Submitted a Hail Mary as time was running out, just as it did for our Eagles versus the Pats. Hope springs eternal.
It was hard not to comment about how close you were! :lol: What was your "Hail" Mary?
As it was with "Waiter, may I..." which danced close to the line IMHO. ;)
'tis... A lovely day for a Guinness!
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Al Sisti
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#189

Post by Al Sisti »

MarkL wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 6:07 am
BrianMac wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 12:20 am
lusophile wrote: Sun Nov 17, 2019 8:10 pm Submitted a Hail Mary as time was running out, just as it did for our Eagles versus the Pats. Hope springs eternal.
It was hard not to comment about how close you were! :lol: What was your "Hail" Mary?
As it was with "Waiter, may I..." which danced close to the line IMHO. ;)
Oh man... entirely unintentional! I hope that didn't tip anyone...
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Deb F
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#190

Post by Deb F »

I can't believe it was really that simple. I was the only one on the ship and kept thinking--how could I be so far off? I had arrived at HAIL on Friday but it seemed way too easy. I finally submitted it as my 'hail' mary yesterday afternoon. Imagine my surprise this morning. Sometimes it is just that easy.
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Bob cruise director
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#191

Post by Bob cruise director »

Deb F wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 8:26 am I can't believe it was really that simple. I was the only one on the ship and kept thinking--how could I be so far off? I had arrived at HAIL on Friday but it seemed way too easy. I finally submitted it as my 'hail' mary yesterday afternoon. Imagine my surprise this morning. Sometimes it is just that easy.
There were two of you on the ship.

I have come to believe that we, as a group, are getting better at solving these contests. I have found that if you come to a logical solution then that almost always the right one. It is hard to have a pat solution like Hail and yet have another one. Pageant was early in the process and the solution while it felt good was not air tight.

Trust your ability
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Bob cruise director
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#192

Post by Bob cruise director »

Hidden in 3D wrote: Sun Nov 17, 2019 11:52 pm I’ve actually been hidden for quite some time! Many thanks to Mike for providing me with the perfect handle from this week’s puzzle so that I might join this happy group of Muggles. At last I am leaving the Land of the Lurkers! I am but a novice compared to the many in this community who complete the grids and metas in record time. I thought I was getting the hang of this with my previous best streak of coming ashore 7 weeks in a row. Alas, taking an actual 2-week cruise, brought that to an end and I’ve been struggling somewhat ever since. Happy to report that I am on shore once again!
Welcome to the group. We love it when lurkers come out to comment.

Your are our 500th muggle.

And we were all novices at one time. And fortunately for most of us, time is not a factor in who wins the mugs.

Hope to see you next week
Bob Stevens
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Bob cruise director
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#193

Post by Bob cruise director »

lusophile wrote: Sun Nov 17, 2019 8:10 pm Submitted a Hail Mary as time was running out, just as it did for our Eagles versus the Pats. Hope springs eternal.
After watching the game, I am still trying to figure out if 1) the Pats defense is that good, 2) the Eagles offense stalled after the first quarter or 3) whether the wind was that great of a factor. Still happy for a Pats win - Ravens looked really, really good against the Pats and Texans the last two games.
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Toby
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#194

Post by Toby »

I was so relieved when I realized I would not have to refer to the periodic table of elements, which has sometimes been a path to the meta solution.
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BethA
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#195

Post by BethA »

Toby wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 9:12 am I was so relieved when I realized I would not have to refer to the periodic table of elements, which has sometimes been a path to the meta solution.
Everyone’s different! (That’s good). I was so disappointed that I didn’t get to use the periodic table! 😀
Hidden in 3D
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#196

Post by Hidden in 3D »

Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 9:02 am
Hidden in 3D wrote: Sun Nov 17, 2019 11:52 pm I’ve actually been hidden for quite some time! Many thanks to Mike for providing me with the perfect handle from this week’s puzzle so that I might join this happy group of Muggles. At last I am leaving the Land of the Lurkers! I am but a novice compared to the many in this community who complete the grids and metas in record time. I thought I was getting the hang of this with my previous best streak of coming ashore 7 weeks in a row. Alas, taking an actual 2-week cruise, brought that to an end and I’ve been struggling somewhat ever since. Happy to report that I am on shore once again!
Welcome to the group. We love it when lurkers come out to comment.

Your are our 500th muggle.

And we were all novices at one time. And fortunately for most of us, time is not a factor in who wins the mugs.

Hope to see you next week
Thanks, Bob! Wow, the 500th Muggle - what a milestone! Perhaps a milestone worthy of an extra mug being awarded this week...

Mike Miller, what say you?... :lol:
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#197

Post by MaineMarge »

I wonder how many others submitted
HAIL (Mary!). Too good to resist. And probably our only such meta opportunity. Great fun all around.
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Deb F
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#198

Post by Deb F »

Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 8:58 am
Deb F wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 8:26 am I can't believe it was really that simple. I was the only one on the ship and kept thinking--how could I be so far off? I had arrived at HAIL on Friday but it seemed way too easy. I finally submitted it as my 'hail' mary yesterday afternoon. Imagine my surprise this morning. Sometimes it is just that easy.
There were two of you on the ship.

I have come to believe that we, as a group, are getting better at solving these contests. I have found that if you come to a logical solution then that almost always the right one. It is hard to have a pat solution like Hail and yet have another one. Pageant was early in the process and the solution while it felt good was not air tight.

Trust your ability
Thank you, Robert. You're right! And congrats on your win yesterday--your Pats win was my Eagles loss. I'd say you are right on all counts relative to the game!
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Janet P
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#199

Post by Janet P »

MaineMarge wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 9:55 am I wonder how many others submitted
HAIL (Mary!). Too good to resist. And probably our only such meta opportunity. Great fun all around.
As a Catholic, I'm a little embarrassed. I submitted HAIL (Hail the gang's all here!) which seemed fitting with such a crowded beach :lol:
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#200

Post by 31 Down »

Now that the haiku thing has bled out, seems like what the HAIL is happening here?
Thomas W (since there's already a Tom W)
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