"Closing Numbers" - April 26, 2019

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.
Locked
mkmf
Posts: 864
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2019 12:22 pm

#161

Post by mkmf »

FrancesY wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 12:56 am The road taken?

Way to get arrested?
Loved these pithy clues - you've got a knack, IMO
User avatar
hcbirker
Posts: 1985
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:24 pm
Location: Studio City, CA

#162

Post by hcbirker »

I'm loving these clues! We should have a way to do this every week! (Heidi)
Heidi
MikeMillerwsj
Posts: 286
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:46 pm

#163

Post by MikeMillerwsj »

Greetings--I'm impressed with how many solvers cracked this tricky one. We had 1053 entries and about 83% got it right. Incorrect answers were all over the map, including (to name just a few): LASSI/IDO, YEABIG/XEDOUT, LAREDO/MEXICO, ANASAZI/MEXICO AND SIP/PET.

Congrats to this week's winner, Bob Klahn of Wilmington, Del.
Inca
Posts: 828
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 10:55 pm

#164

Post by Inca »

Couldn't choose a favorite clue...all were so good. But forced myself to narrow it down to these two:
BrianMac wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:03 am Clue: Headline after congressional pressure causes Trump to take Fifth?
This one made me laugh :D
FrancesY wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 12:56 am The road taken?
But I loved this one too much as well...
User avatar
joequavis
Posts: 500
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 12:29 pm
Location: Windsor, Colorado

#165

Post by joequavis »

I got so wrapped around the axle on one particular rabbit hole, that I never saw the numbers through the words. Here's a wrong path for you:
BESTIE POOCH = LASSI(E)
LACONIC PROMISES = I DO(S)
DESSERT EDUCATOR = INA??
PRONOUN GODS = ?? EWE(S)? 12D had me looking for DIOS, but never thought of looking for Spanish numbers.

I was so sure of the first two that I thought there HAD to be something there. What was more frustrating was how so many seemed to see it immediately.

A second rabbit hole - I associated "Closing Numbers" with Wall Street, found AVENUE, but nothing for Wall.

Nice job to all who saw this one!

-Matt
31 Down
Posts: 130
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 1:16 pm

#166

Post by 31 Down »

Late to the party this week since I was away and haven't memorized my log on. I did make it to la playa which is now not a spoiler.

Clue entry:

Hijacked highway?
Thomas W (since there's already a Tom W)
User avatar
garryj
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2019 5:20 pm
Location: Cincinnati, OH

#167

Post by garryj »

The winner of the mug is announce in the comments section of the puzzle. In this case it was the second "conversation" on the WSJ site for this puzzle.
User avatar
Bird Lives
Posts: 2607
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 6:43 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:

#168

Post by Bird Lives »

Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 8:38 am After 2, 4, 6 and 8, I was started looking for numbers to complete the arithmetic progression and found 10 without any problem but then could not find 12 or zero. I was left writing down all the numbers in Spanish (with Google's help) and found 9.

My clue for both is "What you have if the taxes on your New York City boulevard aren't paid"

And finally Wendy and others have a soul mate in Joseph Epstein's column in todays WSJ
I'm torn. I have my own bêtes noires -- (phenomena as a singular, fortuitous for fortunate (it sounds so much more sophisticated), etc. But I also know that there are lots words of that Epstein, Wendy, and the other guardians use that in times past would have been similarly denigrated by the language guardians of the day. I now try to approach these changes with an open mind and to think of them not as wrong but as interesting. You want to know what really pisses me off? Not getting the meta this week.
Last edited by Bird Lives on Mon Apr 29, 2019 8:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jay
User avatar
Hector
Posts: 1297
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 8:15 pm
Location: San Francisco
Contact:

#169

Post by Hector »

Enthusiastically-chosen approach to a problem?

I too thought "LASSI" couldn't be a coincidence. Yes, "IDO," and "INA" is, as her clue basically says, a cooking educator, including desserts. So I got stuck there for a long soak.
User avatar
Meg
Posts: 2136
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
Location: St. Petersburg, FL

#170

Post by Meg »

MikeMillerwsj wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 2:00 pm Greetings--I'm impressed with how many solvers cracked this tricky one. We had 1053 entries and about 83% got it right. Incorrect answers were all over the map, including (to name just a few): LASSI/IDO, YEABIG/XEDOUT, LAREDO/MEXICO, ANASAZI/MEXICO AND SIP/PET.

Congrats to this week's winner, Bob Klahn of Wilmington, Del.
Mike, is that the Bob Klahn who is a crossword constructor famous for challenging clues?
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
User avatar
DrTom
Posts: 3765
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#171

Post by DrTom »

More accustomed to counting in French
The Spanish was a real monkey wrench.
A “Hail Mary” idea gave me hope,
Before I’d reached the end of my rope,
And Isaac my thirst had to quench.
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!
Locked