"In The Hopper" - March 6, 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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elan
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:54 pm

#61

Post by elan »

Jim and Anita wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 6:54 pm Happily ashore. We really enjoyed this one. It made us smile. :)
I also found it charming!
Scooby
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2019 2:30 pm

#62

Post by Scooby »

Ashore...tough grid, but fun. Hope to get more J.S. puzzles.
gdshort
Posts: 133
Joined: Fri May 03, 2019 4:17 pm

#63

Post by gdshort »

Home and dry (well, actually a little damp from the swim)
Leslie
Posts: 234
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 2:18 pm

#64

Post by Leslie »

Saxerbrau wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 5:31 pm How the heck do you all finish the puzzle and meta in 17 minutes!? Do you have a machine that does it all for you? Is it the mysterious Crossword A.I. I’ve been hearing about on the dark web?! I’m spooked.
I’ve actually been working on doing puzzles faster because I want to try going to ACPT or another crossword tournament one of these days. What I can’t understand are the people who can finish a NYT crossword in 2-3 minutes. I can’t even write that fast!
Tina
Posts: 391
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:56 pm

#65

Post by Tina »

On shore. Tough grid. Lots of vague clues.
Tina
Posts: 391
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:56 pm

#66

Post by Tina »

Joanne just posted this to the Crossword puzzle collaboration directory on Facebook. I copied it here because I thought it would interest everyone:

"A few months ago, the crossword constructor Rebecca Falcon came up with an idea to address the disparity between crosswords made by men and women. She asked editors to celebrate Women’s History Month by publishing only women for an entire month. I assist Mike Shenk with crossword submissions. We didn’t have sufficient puzzles by women to fill the month, but Mike wanted to participate in the Crossword Women’s March for at least a week.

Friday contest puzzles have always been created by a small, select group of longtime meta puzzle constructors, all of whom are men. To keep the streak of women’s puzzles going for at least a week, we had to run a puzzle from someone outside the usual group. I’m grateful that Mike gave me the chance to write my first meta contest puzzle. And thanks to Rebecca Falcon for proposing the Crossword Women’s March. If not for her, I wouldn’t have written this puzzle. Thanks also to our loyal WSJ solvers. I hope you enjoy this puzzle!"
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CPJohnson
Posts: 1078
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:38 pm
Location: Kingsport, TN

#67

Post by CPJohnson »

Solved, I think. Cynthia J
Cynthia
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BethA
Posts: 624
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 6:44 pm
Location: Beaver, PA

#68

Post by BethA »

On the beach! 🏖 🍹

Enjoyed it!
Dplass
Posts: 1739
Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:09 am

#69

Post by Dplass »

Ashore. I feel accomplished!
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Jacksull
Posts: 283
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 1:23 pm
Location: Scottsdale AZ

#70

Post by Jacksull »

I’m on the beach.

Welcome to the Crossword Contest, Joanne Sullivan.

Joanne’s name was familiar. I remembered the two excellent puzzles she published in the NYT. They are meta-like puzzles which combine wordplay and clever constructions.

No relation, as far as I know.
Jack Sullivan
Geoduck
Posts: 156
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2019 6:40 pm
Location: Somewhere Nawth of Bangaw, or on The Other Cape

#71

Post by Geoduck »

Done! Good one!
MaineMarge
Posts: 1597
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:57 pm

#72

Post by MaineMarge »

Ashore. Great grid clues. So much more fun when the puzzle requires mental rather than Google gymnastics. Loved the meta.
Hope we see more of her here.
Jeff S
Posts: 85
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 11:18 pm

#73

Post by Jeff S »

On the shore pretty quickly with this one, after somehow failing to see last week's straightforward solution despite staring straight at it.

I liked this construction, but found the clues for the grid less smooth than what we see in the typical WSJ puzzle. As others have noted, maybe it's just that I'm not used to Joanna's style.
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MajordomoTom
Posts: 1401
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2019 12:09 am
Location: St. Louis, MO

#74

Post by MajordomoTom »

I thought the grid was comparable to yesterday's WSJ grid, about a 2/5.

The meta more like a 1.5/5. And a very nice construction - I really liked it.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
Rad26
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:43 pm

#75

Post by Rad26 »

Ashore. Very cute.
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EdStrong
Posts: 155
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2019 11:37 pm

#76

Post by EdStrong »

Grid was a grind, but time for something hoppy - cheers!
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BarbaraK
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Virginia

#77

Post by BarbaraK »

I realized how much I've gotten used to a few meta styles after recently solving several metas by constructors who were new to me. Glad to have another one in that category.

Count me onshore.
Sean
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 12:07 am
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Contact:

#78

Post by Sean »

On the beach! Man, it's been a long time.
Dow Jones
Posts: 472
Joined: Thu May 09, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: Yakima, WA

#79

Post by Dow Jones »

Fun and challenging. Great construction. Solved and submitted. On Shore
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Tom Shea
Posts: 598
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 6:37 am
Location: Freedonia, NH/VT/HI/Earth

#80

Post by Tom Shea »

grid done. no clue yet on meta. probably need to reprint with better penmenship.

Isaac, I'll have the coconut porter please.
Rufus T. Firefly
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