"Less and Less" - August 21, 2020

[hunkra]

After my first winning streak longer than zero, I am back with Isaac. He said he missed me, but I bet he says that to *everyone*.

I was going to say I'd read some Sartre for inspiration, but why lie at this point?

Yes... yes he does, as I am in the same boat.

The more I try, the less and less it seems I will find the solution. I do need inspiration, but Sartre... no thank you Maybe, Clueless?

[Nlobb]

On shore! Love a nice grid.

Funny enough, I will be heading to Yellowstone in a few weeks for the first time. Maybe I’ll see some 24D while there!

If anyone has been before and has any advice please PM me, I’d love some tips!

I grew up close to Yellowstone and we went every summer. It was really exciting going over the Cooke City highway switchbacks at 14,000 feet on a narrow road with no guardrails. At the top I always was carsick. ( This was in the 1950s). Today it is a great drive not to be missed... Also get pie at the little restaurant at the top.
Advice: don't feed the bears.
Don't pet the bears.
Avoid the moose.
Stay in car to take pictures.
Stay on the boardwalk when visiting geysers.
Don't feed the bears.

It is all wonderful. Have a great time.

[cbarbee002]

Me, at the bow doing my DiCaprio impression “I’m the king of the world”!

Isaac: Then why are you still on the ship?

[Bob cruise director]

Good Sunday morning muggles

The ship has been filling up with a few getting to the shore with the help of life preservers

And we have two new muggles - FTL and b4alltime - great to have more muggles and good luck to them.

We have 31 on the ship and 85 on the shore

New to the ship are
SewYoung
Geezer
KscX
Janet P
Dow Jones
Frank
Diane
JeanneC
cbarbee002
tmitchell300
FTL
b4alltime
Beth A
and hunkra

Making it to the shore are
Joe Ross
Dom
Paul D
Lucksta
ricky
sanmilton
Miki
ALS
Billkatz
802puzzler
phofer
C=64
and Gpiggies.

Good luck to all and think inspiration for those of us still chasing rabbits

[NaluGirl]

Woke up this morning with an idea I was certain would lead me down the right path, but, no! I am fated to remain on the boat on this one, I fear...

[cherikee]

I've picked this up and put it down enough times this weekend without any inspiration... I'll take a small nudge if anyone would be so kind.

Edit - found the shore with a little help. Thanks!

[Patty]

I was going nowhere this week and had left the puzzle on the counter so I could have a look every now and then. I saw my husband looking at it and explained what I thought was interesting and within minutes he saw the rabbit. So I am ashore this week but only because of him

Another clever construction from Mike!

[FLT]

I’m ashore! And feeling very thankful for the life preservers thrown my way - they were buoyant enough to get me here, but not so much so as to diminish that aha! experience.

[JimJim]

Nice one. Done and Done.

[Richard]

Still on the the ship and not getting anywhere.

Nudge?

[burak]

One of my favorite metas of the year. The title gives you a few ideas as to what might be going on but it takes you some time to figure out what that is. And when you do, the aha moment is not frustrating but appreciative.

[Wendy Walker]

I was going nowhere this week and had left the puzzle on the counter so I could have a look every now and then. I saw my husband looking at it and explained what I thought was interesting and within minutes he saw the rabbit. So I am ashore this week but only because of him

Another clever construction from Mike!

I CANNOT WAIT to share this story with my significant other! Who will doubtless remind me that he provided vital assistance with the SPIELBERG meta late one Sunday evening some years back.

[Bird Lives]

I had difficulty with this one, but I am now on shore!

You got MGWCC same day. I'm still clueless on that one but had this one faster than most. Go figure.

[EdStrong]

Ashore. Good one!

[CopperRiver]

Ashore finally. Went back to an earlier attempt and finally figured it out. Great puzzle. Hope everyone’s having a fun and safe weekend! Kathy

[Guy]

Ashore, or I’ve convinced myself this is THE rabbit hole.

[Inca]

It's still interesting to me how each of us experiences the meta differently...which we find easy, which we find perfect, which we find too way out there, etc.

For me this was a classic meta (or what I think the meta should be) and I really enjoyed it.

I saw some discussion about nudges and hints above and I also wonder how people come up with good hints that actually help but don't give too much away. (In fact, someone has asked me to provide one for them and I am at a loss.) So, now that I've solved and submitted, I'd love to get the nudges and hints others came up with by PM.

[Dennis]

I got nada here in Baltimore; not ever a good rabbit hole. Although I did see an 8 point buck in my backyard and this is within the city limits!

[Andrew Bradburn]

Finally managed to solve with an ever-so-slight ("wafer thin"?) nudge. The mechanism involves something I am not a huge fan of in metas which may have contributed to an unconscious block on my part. I can certainly see why so many people got this very quickly.

[Cindy]

It's still interesting to me how each of us experiences the meta differently...which we find easy, which we find perfect, which we find too way out there, etc.

For me this was a classic meta (or what I think the meta should be) and I really enjoyed it.

I saw some discussion about nudges and hints above and I also wonder how people come up with good hints that actually help but don't give too much away. (In fact, someone has asked me to provide one for them and I am at a loss.) So, now that I've solved and submitted, I'd love to get the nudges and hints others came up with by PM.

When I give nudges I try to make them short and sweet...often one word.

For example if there is an obvious hint in a clue that is already noted, I will just say “62a”

Or “title”

Or one word that is a really odd grid entry, particularly as some have noted previously on the board, when something more common could have been easily used in the same place

If clues are involved, I might just say “clues”

Or if someone tells me their path so far , I try to just say yes, no or you are close.