"Build Your Brand" - May 8, 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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MattGaffney
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Joined: Thu Apr 18, 2019 5:07 pm

#541

Post by MattGaffney »

Do you and/or Mike have a good idea how difficult a contest is when you publish it? Our data (we are nerd so we have a lot of data that we play with) shows both very hard and very easy metas. I was wondering if there was a "sweet spot" that you shoot for.

We also hope that you and Mike get some amusement out of our random wanderings here on the blog.
Bob,

Thanks for starting and operating this site. I read it more often than I comment but I'd like to up my presence here in the near future.

I can't speak for Mike, but I like to get a range of difficulty levels in. I didn't realize this one would play as hard as it did. I thought it'd be about a 6 or a 7, but it played like a 9 or a 10.

Matt
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DrTom
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#542

Post by DrTom »

Joe Ross wrote: Tue May 12, 2020 8:02 am
DrTom wrote: Mon May 11, 2020 10:53 pm And speaking about not being quiet - WOW the folks on the WSJ site are NOT a happy bunch of campers. According to them, those who solved the puzzle are actually slightly insane and of questionable moral status - well, at least they are observant if not kind.
I am an admittedly HUGE fan of DrTom, but the above makes me love him more. It has nothing to do with others' posts, but Tom's way of signing off of every post with something that is sure to make me chuckle & snort.

Thank you, Tom!
Thanks Joe, I have always tried to add a little levity to the situation. To paraphrase Chuckles the Clown " A little song, a little dance, a little water down my pants" - now granted as I age that becomes more of an incontinence thing..but the motivation is what counts.

Tom
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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#543

Post by DrTom »

While everyone harps about nudges
We all should be our own judges
If it piques your desire to solve
Then perhaps further META evolve
It might taper down the “OH FUDGES”
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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BarbaraK
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#544

Post by BarbaraK »

MattGaffney wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 8:14 pm
Do you and/or Mike have a good idea how difficult a contest is when you publish it? Our data (we are nerd so we have a lot of data that we play with) shows both very hard and very easy metas. I was wondering if there was a "sweet spot" that you shoot for.

We also hope that you and Mike get some amusement out of our random wanderings here on the blog.
Bob,

Thanks for starting and operating this site. I read it more often than I comment but I'd like to up my presence here in the near future.

I can't speak for Mike, but I like to get a range of difficulty levels in. I didn't realize this one would play as hard as it did. I thought it'd be about a 6 or a 7, but it played like a 9 or a 10.

Matt
Just to make sure credit is given where due, BrianMac is the one who created this site and does all the techie things to keep it going.
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DrTom
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Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#545

Post by DrTom »

BarbaraK wrote: Thu May 14, 2020 12:25 am
MattGaffney wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 8:14 pm
Do you and/or Mike have a good idea how difficult a contest is when you publish it? Our data (we are nerd so we have a lot of data that we play with) shows both very hard and very easy metas. I was wondering if there was a "sweet spot" that you shoot for.

We also hope that you and Mike get some amusement out of our random wanderings here on the blog.
Bob,

Thanks for starting and operating this site. I read it more often than I comment but I'd like to up my presence here in the near future.

I can't speak for Mike, but I like to get a range of difficulty levels in. I didn't realize this one would play as hard as it did. I thought it'd be about a 6 or a 7, but it played like a 9 or a 10.

Matt
Just to make sure credit is given where due, BrianMac is the one who created this site and does all the techie things to keep it going.
And we all value Brian and Bob more than we can say. Along with the constructors they have provided a place for us all to go and discuss this obsession that we have with people who don't think we are bit daft or at least won't think that because of a silly crossword puzzle (emphasis my wife's).
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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camandsampowercouple
Posts: 140
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 2:58 am

#546

Post by camandsampowercouple »

today is the day...
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Hector
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#547

Post by Hector »

This week's contest is gonna be EXTRA hard, what with no clues, title, or prompt to go by.
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Bob cruise director
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#548

Post by Bob cruise director »

Hector wrote: Thu May 14, 2020 4:11 pm This week's contest is gonna be EXTRA hard, what with no clues, title, or prompt to go by.
Or extra easy - you make up the contest and clearly get the right answer

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Bob Stevens
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Joe Ross
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#549

Post by Joe Ross »

Bob cruise director wrote: Thu May 14, 2020 4:17 pm
Hector wrote: Thu May 14, 2020 4:11 pm This week's contest is gonna be EXTRA hard, what with no clues, title, or prompt to go by.
Or extra easy - you make up the contest and clearly get the right answer

Refresh
Refresh
Refresh....
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Bob cruise director
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#551

Post by Bob cruise director »

13 neurotic muggles and 26 neurotic guests on the blog
Bob Stevens
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Nycerjohnnie
Posts: 51
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2020 12:01 am

#552

Post by Nycerjohnnie »

One just needs to play with the URL a bit to get the pdf. I believe it's what I posted.
Nycerjohnnie
Posts: 51
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2020 12:01 am

#553

Post by Nycerjohnnie »

Now it's up "officially"
Inca
Posts: 828
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 10:55 pm

#554

Post by Inca »

TPS wrote: Tue May 12, 2020 9:42 pm If you had told me the over/under on the number of people getting that right was 5 - I’d have taken the under. I mean I’ve never heard of the author or the books. It’s one time to do a meta about a song by one of the most popular bands of all time but it’s something different to do one about an author 99% of the population has never heard of.
I always knew I was weird. I am a 1%er? I definitely heard of her books. Now all those popular bands (or any songs)--that's a different story altogether. And, don't even get me started on TV shows and other entertainers.

As far as the puzzles go: There is no rhyme nor reason to which ones I get which ones I miss (although having to use the clues will usually do me in). I mean I actually had no problem with the infamous PAGEANT and I know not a thing about the Bowls or football at all. Maybe that's why I got it. Who knows?
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MajordomoTom
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Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2019 12:09 am
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#555

Post by MajordomoTom »

probably means you were immune to the distractions and were just looking at words for patterns.

luckily I came in late and missed that one. Fun to hear that it's still agonizing for some this much later.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
TomAndDenise
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Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2020 8:10 am
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#556

Post by TomAndDenise »

Denise and I went way down the rabbit hole looking for INs, as in LinkedIn. There were 11 as I recall. But no nice way to link 'em. Build your brand -- really. This, of course, gave us something to bicker about in due course.
Tom and Denise Greaves
North Andover, Massachusetts
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