"Third Time's The Charm" - January 10, 2020

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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Jazzvibist
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#221

Post by Jazzvibist »

Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 11:58 am
Jazzvibist wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 11:06 am
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 10:51 am

I did not include you so we tied the record. When you add something to a prior posting of yours, I do not get any notification and I do not see it if I have already gone by it. As a result, there is a very high likelihood of missing it. A lesson for all of us.
Thanks, Bob, but I didn’t add it. It was at the tail end of my original post, which I never edited. However, the lesson I did learn from this experience is that when I am ashore, I should always mention it at the start of any post.
When we have a contest like this, especially between Thursday evening and Saturday morning, when we have dozens of people responding and commenting, I usually need the ship/shore to be the first thing. Many times I like to read the entire comment as they are extremely interesting but when I am in the read/document mode, sometimes I miss something. And then there is the senior moment thing that pops up occasionally.
Clearly my gaffe Bob, not yours. Thanks for your yeoman service week in and week out.
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Thurman8er
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#222

Post by Thurman8er »

David R wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 12:54 pm I got the special e-mail this morning, finally won a mug! The odds were only 1 in over 1,800 so I am very fortunate to check this off by bucket list.
Congratulations!!
Ffrohbose
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#223

Post by Ffrohbose »

great job David!
CoffeeFiend21
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#224

Post by CoffeeFiend21 »

Jazzvibist wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 1:09 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 11:58 am
Jazzvibist wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 11:06 am

Thanks, Bob, but I didn’t add it. It was at the tail end of my original post, which I never edited. However, the lesson I did learn from this experience is that when I am ashore, I should always mention it at the start of any post.
When we have a contest like this, especially between Thursday evening and Saturday morning, when we have dozens of people responding and commenting, I usually need the ship/shore to be the first thing. Many times I like to read the entire comment as they are extremely interesting but when I am in the read/document mode, sometimes I miss something. And then there is the senior moment thing that pops up occasionally.
Clearly my gaffe Bob, not yours. Thanks for your yeoman service week in and week out.
If it helps, this muggle was lurking in the shadows and also made it ashore on Friday evening. Life got sidetracked over the weekend, but I did toast to the group from my tornado closet.
juliet
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#225

Post by juliet »

David R wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 12:54 pm I got the special e-mail this morning, finally won a mug! The odds were only 1 in over 1,800 so I am very fortunate to check this off my bucket list.
Many congratulations, David!
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asechres
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#226

Post by asechres »

Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 10:51 am
Jazzvibist wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 10:40 am
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 9:46 am Good news and bad news

The bad news - we fell short of tying our record by one muggle *** - we had 145 and the record last week was 146

Now the good news. Mike is playing with our minds again. In today's WSJ puzzle, 33A references Marie Kondo. A few months ago we would not have known who or what a Marie Kondo was but we are onto his hijinks.
*** Actually, Bob, we did tie the record (I believe you failed to include me in your tallies, which may be because I checked into the shore in a postscript to my Post #105 rather than at the beginning). If I am wrong, and you did indeed include me, chalk it up to one of my own ever-increasing collection of senior moments.
I did not include you so we tied the record. When you add something to a prior posting of yours, I do not get any notification and I do not see it if I have already gone by it. As a result, there is a very high likelihood of missing it. A lesson for all of us.
I submitted a correct entry to wsj but failed to post anything in this forum....would that have made a difference?
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Deb F
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#227

Post by Deb F »

juliet wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 4:03 pm
David R wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 12:54 pm I got the special e-mail this morning, finally won a mug! The odds were only 1 in over 1,800 so I am very fortunate to check this off my bucket list.
Many congratulations, David!
Yippee! If it’s not me, nice that it was a muggle. Congrats.
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MajordomoTom
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#228

Post by MajordomoTom »

agree, nice that someone in this forum got one.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
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Bob cruise director
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#229

Post by Bob cruise director »

asechres wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 4:37 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 10:51 am
Jazzvibist wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 10:40 am

*** Actually, Bob, we did tie the record (I believe you failed to include me in your tallies, which may be because I checked into the shore in a postscript to my Post #105 rather than at the beginning). If I am wrong, and you did indeed include me, chalk it up to one of my own ever-increasing collection of senior moments.
I did not include you so we tied the record. When you add something to a prior posting of yours, I do not get any notification and I do not see it if I have already gone by it. As a result, there is a very high likelihood of missing it. A lesson for all of us.
I submitted a correct entry to wsj but failed to post anything in this forum....would that have made a difference?
I can only count the postings on the wsj comments page and here on the forum. I do not know who submitted to the wsj until they come out with their statistics on Monday. Typically the number of muggles that are on shore is about 10% of those who submit to the wsj. However since this is all for our own enjoyment, it is not critical one way or another.
Bob Stevens
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MajordomoTom
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#230

Post by MajordomoTom »

you do a great job, herding the masses of noobs (myself included, only 2-3 months doing these and on this forum) and the "old" timers (not to imply that any of you might be ... temporally challenged.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
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Joedbee
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#231

Post by Joedbee »

As I was driving into a local shopping mall this morning, there was a large sign posted near the entrance that read: Now Open: ALLURE. I thought that had to be a sign for me that I would be soon receiving an email announcing my selection for the prized WSJ mug. Alas, not to be - congratulations, David R.!! This particular ALLURE I found out is a Hair and Beauty Supply shop. They can't possibly have enough supply to help me in either of those two categories. :-(
MikeMillerwsj
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#232

Post by MikeMillerwsj »

It's always a huge treat to have Patrick Berry, one of the true geniuses of puzzledom, contribute a contest crossword, and this construction was characteristically brilliant. And popular: We had 1850 entries, about 93% correct. 17 of you got quite close with LAUREL. Another 14 guessed AMULET. Also TRIPLE (5) , CINEMA (2), and sundry others.

And as noted above, congrats to this week's winner, a muggle in this group: David Rosenberg of Sherman Oaks, Calif.!
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hcbirker
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#233

Post by hcbirker »

David R wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 12:54 pm I got the special e-mail this morning, finally won a mug! The odds were only 1 in over 1,800 so I am very fortunate to check this off my bucket list.
Hey David, you're in my 'hood. I'm in Studio City!
Heidi
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David R
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#234

Post by David R »

hcbirker wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 6:43 pm
David R wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 12:54 pm I got the special e-mail this morning, finally won a mug! The odds were only 1 in over 1,800 so I am very fortunate to check this off my bucket list.
Hey David, you're in my 'hood. I'm in Studio City!
I'll see you by Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and lord over Eddie Murphy (he's a regular there) with my mug.
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hcbirker
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#235

Post by hcbirker »

David R wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 7:59 pm
hcbirker wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 6:43 pm
David R wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 12:54 pm I got the special e-mail this morning, finally won a mug! The odds were only 1 in over 1,800 so I am very fortunate to check this off my bucket list.
Hey David, you're in my 'hood. I'm in Studio City!
I'll see you by Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and lord over Eddie Murphy (he's a regular there) with my mug.
Let me know when you get it and we'll have a Crossword and Coffee date!
Heidi
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DrTom
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#236

Post by DrTom »

MikeMillerwsj wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 5:54 pm It's always a huge treat to have Patrick Berry, one of the true geniuses of puzzledom, contribute a contest crossword, and this construction was characteristically brilliant. And popular: We had 1850 entries, about 93% correct. 17 of you got quite close with LAUREL. Another 14 guessed AMULET. Also TRIPLE (5) , CINEMA (2), and sundry others.

And as noted above, congrats to this week's winner, a muggle in this group: David Rosenberg of Sherman Oaks, Calif.!
Well glad to see I was not the only one who saw LAUREL (though I followed the usual rules and got ALLURE too which fit the theme and the mechanism better). I guess all of those folks deserve a HARDY congratulations for getting close.
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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DrTom
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#237

Post by DrTom »

David R wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 12:54 pm I got the special e-mail this morning, finally won a mug! The odds were only 1 in over 1,800 so I am very fortunate to check this off my bucket list.
Yea, muggle gets the mug! Very happy for you.
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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DrTom
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#238

Post by DrTom »

Cruise director - as mentioned by many before me, thanks for all your work in keeping up on who is and is not coming ashore. If I might ask, how many muggles are there? Obviously there are a LOT of participants, but I doubt they are all member of the Muggles.
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!
Hidden in 3D
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#239

Post by Hidden in 3D »

DrTom wrote: Tue Jan 14, 2020 2:16 am Cruise director - as mentioned by many before me, thanks for all your work in keeping up on who is and is not coming ashore. If I might ask, how many muggles are there? Obviously there are a LOT of participants, but I doubt they are all member of the Muggles.
DrTom:

Our great Cruise Director Bob told me on 11/18/19 that I was the 500th Muggle, but lots of folks have joined our happy group since then! And Meg noticed yesterday (see Introduce Yourself) that this forum has 499 members. See her suggestions for how we should reward the next person to join. :D

P.S. I went so far as to add a personal plea to Mike Miller in my post back to Bob on 11/18 asking if a second mug couldn't be awarded for my milestone. I know - I have no shame...but I want that mug!! :lol:
Sara
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Bob cruise director
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#240

Post by Bob cruise director »

Hidden in 3D wrote: Tue Jan 14, 2020 11:42 am
DrTom wrote: Tue Jan 14, 2020 2:16 am Cruise director - as mentioned by many before me, thanks for all your work in keeping up on who is and is not coming ashore. If I might ask, how many muggles are there? Obviously there are a LOT of participants, but I doubt they are all member of the Muggles.
DrTom:

Our great Cruise Director Bob told me on 11/18/19 that I was the 500th Muggle, but lots of folks have joined our happy group since then! And Meg noticed yesterday (see Introduce Yourself) that this forum has 499 members. See her suggestions for how we should reward the next person to join. :D

P.S. I went so far as to add a personal plea to Mike Miller in my post back to Bob on 11/18 asking if a second mug couldn't be awarded for my milestone. I know - I have no shame...but I want that mug!! :lol:
Sara et all, currently we are at 527 muggles who have posted since I took over from Sally in April 2017. We get about 2-4 a week joining us. Of the 527, only 330 have posted since we created this blog in April 2019.
Bob Stevens
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