XWord Muggles Forum

Initially I missed the 72A hint because I solved the southeast corner using the down clues. Soon I had the grid all marked up with circles leading to rabbit holes. As has been advised in this forum, I printed out the puzzle and redid it, this time using only the across clues and finally saw 72A. Like others, I had a little trouble with Kathie Lee Gifford vs Kelly Ripa, but found "capri" quickly enough. It was a bit of a protracted slog overall to find the meta.

TPS wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 7:32 am

FrankH wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 2:56 am
I see the published answer has parentheses around COCO; that also happens to be how I sent in my answer. Now I hope Mike Miller will strictly follow that published answer and only accept that as being correct, then perhaps my chances of getting the mug will increase by a minuscule amount.

Ok - I’ll bite. Is there any reason why you submitted it with parentheses around it? Like am I missing something?

And I often wonder if they only look at the subject of the email or the body because for this one I put CHANEL in the subject but COCO CHANEL in the text and there have been other answers where I put something in the subject but then more in the body like a comment or joke.

I wasn't sure if Mike and Matt were looking for just the last name or the full name, so that led to how I made my submission. I have to admit I don't need to put in the parenthesis.

Just chime in on RIPA. At first I had LEE, but of course Matt wasn't going to have the same word twice in solving this. As for IMPAIR/CAPRI, each other word had a single extra letter and I don't recall the "extra letter" mechanism varying.

As for having utilized the extra letter/anagram method before, do you really, really want Matt to come up with even more devious ways for us?

lbray53 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 12:40 pm Personally, I was not upset about the pilot/co-pilot issue in this puzzle. I think they are technically called the Captain and First Officer. I believe that they are both fully qualified as pilots and the less formal designation of pilot versus co-pilot denotes hierarchy of responsibility, and probably pay grade, determined by experience, seniority or other criteria. They share duties in flight, and while it may not be how this is looked at in the aviation industry, I took it to mean "co"operating pilots. Some of the other partnerships were not 50/50 either.

Having said that, the whole debate inspired me to learn more about the "Miracle", its aftermath, and the important role that Jeff Skiles played in the event.

And if nothing else, we have had some very interesting discussion.

My experience is that for these metas in a particular field if you know too much, that can be a disadvantage. To most of us there is no difference between pilot/copilot and Captain/First Officer

Dplass wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 12:24 pm Really wish WSJ (MG?) would lay off on the "anagram plus extra letter" mechanism. We had a brief respite in the first half of 2020, but I guess it's back. Anagrams make my brains hurt.

I thought of you when I figured this one out. I solved it fairly easily this week because I got burned last week and the memory/trauma was fresh.

Cindy N wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 3:19 pm Just chime in on RIPA. At first I had LEE, but of course Matt wasn't going to have the same word twice in solving this.

LEE wouldn’t have really been a correct option consistent with the other theme answer as Lee was KLG’s middle name - the options I thought were Johnson or Gifford but I learned that her maiden name was actually Epstein - something I was definitely not aware of until this puzzle. But I did mention to a few people I gave nudges to that MG wouldn’t use two LEEs in a puzzle.

lbray53 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 12:40 pm Personally, I was not upset about the pilot/co-pilot issue in this puzzle. I think they are technically called the Captain and First Officer. I believe that they are both fully qualified as pilots and the less formal designation of pilot versus co-pilot denotes hierarchy of responsibility, and probably pay grade, determined by experience, seniority or other criteria. They share duties in flight, and while it may not be how this is looked at in the aviation industry, I took it to mean "co"operating pilots. Some of the other partnerships were not 50/50 either.

Having said that, the whole debate inspired me to learn more about the "Miracle", its aftermath, and the important role that Jeff Skiles played in the event.

And if nothing else, we have had some very interesting discussion.

I was listening to my podcasts earlier today while driving home. One that I listened to--The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe--is pertinent to this week's puzzle. Back in 1951, a young army private hitched a ride back to his base with a Navy bomber pilot. Numerous things went wrong with the flight. The private's intercom system broke, but he could still hear the pilot conversations with the tower. So many things went wrong with the plane that it would be impossible to land it. The tower ordered the pilot to fly out over the ocean, ditch the plane, and eject. Well this wouldn't go so well for the passenger.

The pilot disobeyed orders and attempted a water landing which was miraculously successful. Both men survived and used a raft to swim several miles to shore. Fast forward about 60 years. That 21 year old private is now a Hollywood actor/director. Who happened to direct a film about (another) miraculous water landing. The film was "Sully". The director and former private is Clint Eastwood.

TPS wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 1:36 pm

Speaking of MG, does anyone else do his Daily Beast puzzles - there are 5 a week and quick solves and tend to be focused on current events. I usually do them on my lunch.

My wife and I do them every day. Really enjoy them. Yes they do include very current events.

Loved reading about all the post-solve confirmations that I totally missed! --- the fragrances, the fashion, the logo ----all those from men, I noticed!
Also, the eerie coincidence of the Coco for Covid prevention spot.
And her rival Elsa S.... and so interesting about the discrepancy (one letter off) in the records of her name!
I'll add the fashion mag names now that I'm on a roll.
But I don't think she came up with Capri pants.... must have been an Italian....

For the L'Eggs team, I have come up with some corroboration for you -- the Chaco sandals and the (Were I)...in your shoes!

Whew! So much packed into this puzzle!
Cuckoo for Coco! (Thanks, Big Brother! -- his way of indicating to me that he'd gotten the solution.)

Jeanrosz wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:31 am

Jeanrosz wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:29 am I got the answer but was wondering how the long answer Oklahoman fit in...any clue?

. Red herring?

Perhaps Coco was a "girl who cain't say no?" (As opposed to 52D.)
Sorry! But this is nearly as much BarbaraK's fault as mine --
One of the things I remember reading in the Acapulco Lounge when I was first exploring the forum a few months ago was her meta parody to the tune of I Cain't Say No!

Cindy N wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 3:19 pm Just chime in on RIPA. At first I had LEE, but of course Matt wasn't going to have the same word twice in solving this. As for IMPAIR/CAPRI, each other word had a single extra letter and I don't recall the "extra letter" mechanism varying.

As for having utilized the extra letter/anagram method before, do you really, really want Matt to come up with even more devious ways for us?

HUSH! He'll hear you. did you not see that movie where if you make a sound the lurking Meta Monsters will destroy you!!!

KayW wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 1:52 am I completely missed the “Coco” link to the theme. Excellent!

At first I took a wrong turn in trying to decipher 72A when I spotted 54a Martini (and Rossi) and 56a Gilbert (and Sullivan). But when I was unable to come up with any additional business duos among the first words, and G&S more artistic than business anyway, I eventually hit on the co- theme.

Nice one!

I went off on the same trail. Besides your two pairs, I added Patience and Prudence, sisters who had sung a couple of pop songs back in the 50's. My puzzle partner put me onto the correct co- path.

The icing on the cake for me upon finding CHANEL spelled out top to bottom was that in college (years ago!) I had written a term paper on her for a course I took in fashion design.
And although I’m a Marie Kondo fan, it’s on her shoulders that I had recently thrown out all those old school papers.
Another fun meta Matt!

Congrats to everyone who cracked this extremely tricky contest! And bonus points if you noticed (as your correspondent did not) the brilliant extra touch of the answer's first name.

We had 1478 entries, about 78% correct. A big showing for PICKENS (why?) with 33, plus a distinguished gallery of other magnates including GATES (28), HUGHES (16), BRANSON (15), MORGAN (14), BUFFETT (13) and many others.

We're still waiting to confirm the winner so stay tuned for that!

And now congrats to our winner, Mary Sue Spurlock of Franklin, Ohio!

MikeMillerwsj wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2020 1:00 pm And now congrats to our winner, Mary Sue Spurlock of Franklin, Ohio!

Aw man, so close! I only missed by a gender, the city and the state!

Mary Sue is within the metropolis. Congratulations, if you're lurking!

We have a good collection of Muggles in these parts. We should all meet for coffee & bring our favorite mugs.

Happy to be able to get this one.

Did you know that today's her birthday? 32 years old. And I'd hardly consider her to be a business magnate, rather, just a supporting member of Ridiculousness. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanel_West_Coast

Wait, what's that? Coco? Huh?

Uhhhh, never mind!

It doesn’t get much more “we’re in this together” than for the flowers in a garden Co-stars pink phlox, white veronicastrum, delphinium, yellow ligularia The Rocket, peony.
3 allium Christophii forefront. Now green in the center, a pink aster will star soon.

MikeMillerwsj wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2020 12:21 pm We had 1478 entries, about 78% correct. A big showing for PICKENS (why?) with 33, plus a distinguished gallery of other magnates including GATES (28), HUGHES (16), BRANSON (15), MORGAN (14), BUFFETT (13) and many others.

The only thing I can think of is that T. Boone Pickens is an Oklahoman, which you see in 17A. Metas don't typically work like that, but if you're taking a shot in the dark, why not?

It would have been funny if the answer was Carnegie this time, but some people submitted Mellon.