"King Me!" - April 30, 2020

[CallMeShane]

Done.

Looking forward to discussing this on Monday

[Commodore]

Moving sluggishly last evening. Discovered thick muck on rudder.
Keel hauled myself overnight. Free and ungunked this morn, found island beach.
I'd a said "at sunup" but, aye, this is New England.

[CallMeShane]

If I do not solve the meta on Thursday, I frequently have a very poor sleep that night. The brain keeps churning around, visualizing the grid, looking for a crack.

More often than would seem credible, an idea or two appears deep into the night. When I rise before dawn and drag out the grid for a look-see, my new ideas work with a frequency that I find baffling.

Does this happen to anyone else?

[TPS]

This must be one of those metas where if you haven't done a puzzle with a similar methodologies you won't get it. Or I'm just back to being a moron. I've tried every combination and every permutation around the hints in the grid but it yields gibberish. I thought taking the night off and looking at a freshly printed grid this morning would help but 2 hours in and nothing has changed.

[fstadler]

Onshore. Often I look at these and nothing jumps out, but it worked for me this time.

[Tom Shea]

I see water all around. In the sea and in the air. Isaac made me a coffee. Maybe that will help, but I doubt it.


Maybe it has something to do with the Sydney time stamp. Everything is upside down right now.

[tigerfly222]

I find myself in an unfamiliar position, because usually I tinker around with the meta for at least a day or two before solving it (if I ever do). This week, I'm one of those early solvers chilling on the beach with beverage in hand.
My personality makes me want to throw out a lifeline to those who haven't made it yet. But I assume that's verboten?? I wouldn't dream of blatantly ruining the fun for anyone, but it's hard not to try to think of a creatively helpful hint that still allows for figuring out the answer.

[Devilbunny]

Printed it off this morning, struggled for about 15-20 minutes with a few different concepts, then had my aha moment.

Consider me on shore.

I did not notice the bowtie until after I solved. The theme seemed familiar in some way, but I can’t quite place it (except for one that was generally considered much easier). I will be interested to see Monday’s commentary on similarities and see if we’re all thinking of the same thing.

[CPJohnson]

I'm still floundering.....

[Cindy]

Solved after much kicking and screaming.

[Stukmn]

On shore. Took a while before this one finally leapt out at me.

These kinds of metas always impress me.

[howardl]

On shore. I got the general approach quickly, but it still took me a while to find the answer.

[michaelm]

On shore.
Welcome to May everyone!

[juliet]

"Done and done." I had planned to work the grid and meta more slowly this week so it would last through the weekend, but instead tore open the package and devoured it in one sitting. Fun, but over too quickly!

[Bob cruise director]

Just registered and first time posting! I've just recently started following the forum/doing the contest, and I'm loving it - I have a new reason to be excited for Friday now. I can proudly say that I'm on shore (make that 4 in a row)!

Tricky puzzle, but great meta. Great work, Mike.

Ethan

Ethan - welcome to the muggles clan. Good luck winning the mug.

[TPS]

This is very typical of the bulk of Mike Shenk puzzles IMO - he gives very poor directions. The clues and title that are the directions tend to be easy to find and understand generally but they may as well be in Chinese for all good they do me specifically.

There is a certain game I don't think he has ever played and if he did he played the Chinese version.

[SeanS]

Ashore. To quote Chris Farley..... that was awesome.

I'll take a Yuengling and go off to practice with my new sand wedge

[Joe Ross]

Ashore. To quote Chris Farley..... that was awesome.

I'll take a Yuengling and go off to practice with my new sand wedge

Tee time next Friday. Cannot wait.

[Leslie]

Fun trip to shore! (Which sadly may be the only beach I see this summer!)

[MaineMarge]

I love grids like this! Not loving the meta as yet, so Bob, count me as mulling it over in the stern garden today. Lots of spring work back there, so any shipside gardeners please come join me. BYOB