"Build Your Brand" - May 8, 2020

[SeanS]

Looks like I'm chillin' with Isaac this weekend. I'll take a Dark and Stormy.

Looking forward to continuing BARBARIAN DAYS: A SURFING LIFE, a memoir by William Finnegan of the New Yorker. Has been great, escapist reading so far.

[norrin2]

Struggling with this one. I'm having a hard time even finding a dead end to follow or a rabbit hole to fall down.

[markhr]

Enjoyed this one. A tricky effort from Matt. The beach does seem quieter than usual.

[Dplass]

Struggling with this one. I'm having a hard time even finding a dead end to follow or a rabbit hole to fall down.

Same

[lacangah]

I have been chasing rabbit holes all over this grid--I'm about ready to "go ask Alice". I'm going to treat this extended stay on the ship like a pelagic birding trip--maybe I can pick up a lifer or two while I'm strolling the deck. When I tire of that, I can head in for a drink and game of checkers with Isaac.

Last night, I dreamed that I solved the meta. Maybe I really did, but I can't remember the particulars of the dream.

I took a nap this morning, and dreamt that my wife woke me up to tell me that she solved it. Unfortunately in the dream she told me the answer was “four” - lol.

Good health and happy meta-hunting to you all - cheers.

[DrTom]

Well I am just as pleased as punch with myself. I didn't get to it until last night around 10:30 PM and struggled and fretted until near 2:30 AM with no luck. Picked it up today early and again no luck, I kept trying to lock onto something my subconscious saw early on and then finally it hit me. Yep what I saw COULD NOT be coincidence and the answer fits both the title and clues far too well.

Count me ashore and enjoying a coffee at this point in the day - I'm sure I'll make up for that later.

So now, on to the MGWCC and probably a dose of reality or at least a large slice of humble pie.

Oh, and since nudgers have been "berry berry good to me", if anyone still needs help tomorrow let me know. Just tell me if you want a nudge, push or shove.

[spotter]

I'm stumped on the ship on this one. Two days and still nada. Pour me another please Isaac.

[rexthree]

Grid complete but no promising leads on the meta. Hanging with Isaac while I chase rabbits.

[Commodore]

1. Tom Shea, your Apr 20 post (#331 of April17 puzzle week) continues to slay. Best when read aloud to the crew. Tears. Snot. Guffaws.
2. Dana Farber in Boston gets my platelets on Sunday.
3. Tip o' the Cap to norrin2. Excellent profile pic.
4. Isaac, I have neglected you. Let's make up for that. Brandy, please.

"There's a port on a western bay, and it serves a hundred ships a day. Lonely sailors pass the time away, and talk about their homes. And there's a girl in this harbor town, and she works laying whisky down. They say Brandy fetch another round..."

[yourpalsal]

The grid was thoroughly enjoyable, and if that's as far as I get this week, I'm still appreciative! I've printed the completed grid and the pdf file, and am headed off to tour the ship. I don't know when I'll have access to the internet again, but if I catch the rabbit, I'm packing a wrench to submit my answer by tapping on a pipe in Morse Code.

Good luck all!

This one definitely benefits from printing out the pdf.

[boharr]

This one definitely benefits from printing out the pdf.

Yup

[sanmilton]

I've been up in the crow's nest with my opera glasses long enough to have heard two or three complete Ring cycles. The glasses haven't been much use to me lately, while the Met and Broadway are closed, and they're not much use to me up here, either. I haven't had as much as a glimpse of land. Congratulations to those of you who have reached shore, and, Matt, you can pat yourself on the back, too!

[pookie]

1. Tom Shea, your Apr 20 post (#331 of April17 puzzle week) continues to slay. Best when read aloud to the crew. Tears. Snot. Guffaws.

I just read Tom's post. Don't know how I missed it before.
Ditto LOLs. Can't even single out a favorite. They're all so true. Thanks Commodore and Tom Shea!

[pookie]

I have been chasing rabbit holes all over this grid--I'm about ready to "go ask Alice". I'm going to treat this extended stay on the ship like a pelagic birding trip--maybe I can pick up a lifer or two while I'm strolling the deck. When I tire of that, I can head in for a drink and game of checkers with Isaac.

Last night, I dreamed that I solved the meta. Maybe I really did, but I can't remember the particulars of the dream.

I'm completely lost as well.
LadyBird I googled your avatar and came up with an Indian Roller. (?)
Can you tell me about it? Did you take the picture? What a beautiful bird.

[howardl]

On shore. Once I got the right approach, I still had a couple false steps to the answer.

[BarbaraK]

Wow! I didn't see anything my first time through. Or the second. Or the third. But kept going back and looking and finally did find the rabbit! And of course now I can't imagine how I missed it so long. Nice one, Matt!

[Bob cruise director]

Since I am wandering around the ship, I got this from one of my golfing friends on Cape Cod

Hey guys, my wife and I sing with an a cappella group out of Cotuit Center For The Arts, called Centertonix. Of course we can't rehearse right now, so to pass the time we individually recorded a parody to one of our songs, and somebody a lot smarter than I put it together and put it on YouTube. Hopefully it will bring a smile to your face in these very frustrating times. John Q


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0Gx8D-gdxQ

[Homer Buckle]

I am planning on spending the rest of the day with Isaac. I am like Sgt. Schultz - I see nothing!

[Scraps]

Well, I’ve been attempting these puzzles for six weeks now.

Sixth straight week I solved the grid only to be stumped by the meta.

[DrTom]

1. Tom Shea, your Apr 20 post (#331 of April17 puzzle week) continues to slay. Best when read aloud to the crew. Tears. Snot. Guffaws.
2. Dana Farber in Boston gets my platelets on Sunday.
3. Tip o' the Cap to norrin2. Excellent profile pic.
4. Isaac, I have neglected you. Let's make up for that. Brandy, please.

"There's a port on a western bay, and it serves a hundred ships a day. Lonely sailors pass the time away, and talk about their homes. And there's a girl in this harbor town, and she works laying whisky down. They say Brandy fetch another round..."

I not only saw Tom's post, I blatantly stole it and posted it - with reference to the Muggle Group, on FB. I had to stop reading it twice because I was afraid I was going to have an accident! It joined any number of great Self-Isolation posts, but this one was a personal favorite: