"Just A Step More" - October 23, 2020

[Inca]

Wow, not as many posts as I expected by this time.
Well, that makes me feel a bit better...not much, but a bit.
I haven't got the foggiest notion, not a glimmer of an idea.
I'll probably be back to it at some point on Sunday...but not with much hope. It's MG. Need I say more?

[TPS]

Metas are a hard habit to break. I predict - and I hope - you’ll keep at it.

You may be right - hanging out here helping people with Step 1 made me see Step 2 - Both are 100ers - unfortunately I still have something completely useless. I am amazed that Matt was able to get all this to work. But if anyone wants Step 2 - I can now give you that!

EDIT - I have it - it helps when you copy the correct thing into Word. Toughish puzzle - I found both steps without really looking for them but had to really TRY once I had both steps figured out. I actually like this puzzle - Kudos to those who solved it so quickly!

[norrin2]

Metas are a hard habit to break. I predict - and I hope - you’ll keep at it.

You may be right - hanging out here helping people with Step 1 made me see Step 2 - Both are 100ers - unfortunately I still have something completely useless. I am amazed that Matt was able to get all this to work. But if anyone wants Step 2 - I can now give you that!

EDIT - I have it - it helps when you copy the correct thing into Word. Toughish puzzle - I found both steps without really looking for them but had to really TRY once I had both steps figured out. I actually like this puzzle - Kudos to those who solved it so quickly!

Looks like my prediction came true.

[TPS]

Looks like my prediction came true.

To be fair, this puzzle falls right into my wheelhouse and there was a recent Gaffney puzzle that had a similar back-end plus I just saw the first step while doing the grid - that happens like 1/10 times. This was a FAR easier puzzle for me than last week where even when I was focused on solving it I couldn't see it.

[Susan Goldberg]

Halfway there!!! Swimming mightily!
5:45 p.m.: Gosh, but that was a challenge. On shore, somewhat bedraggled.

Yes, it WAS a challenge!

Well if Wendy and Meg say it's a challenge, I have no hope. Ah well, 6 weeks skunked...

Yes, I had the same reaction to Wendy and Meg’s comments. I can ruin my weekend or decide now I’m not up to that level...

[SusieG]

I am stuck. Haven’t figured out the first step, let alone one more. Looks like another weekend with Isaac.

[SusieG]

Metas are a hard habit to break. I predict - and I hope - you’ll keep at it.

You may be right - hanging out here helping people with Step 1 made me see Step 2 - Both are 100ers - unfortunately I still have something completely useless. I am amazed that Matt was able to get all this to work. But if anyone wants Step 2 - I can now give you that!

EDIT - I have it - it helps when you copy the correct thing into Word. Toughish puzzle - I found both steps without really looking for them but had to really TRY once I had both steps figured out. I actually like this puzzle - Kudos to those who solved it so quickly!

I was about to answer “I’ve heard you say that before.” Too much dopamine involved with a meta solve - I’m afraid you’re probably hooked.

[Susan Goldberg]

I am with the happy crowd at the bar.

[TPS]

I was about to answer “I’ve heard you say that before.” Too much dopamine involved with a meta solve - I’m afraid you’re probably hooked.

Well I was/am going to keep doing the grid fill for the WSJCC because WSJ is one of the 3 puzzles I do everyday that they have a puzzle (the others being the Daily Beast and LAT) but I wasn’t going to actively try to solve the meta - I just happened to see the first step while doing the grid - had it been last week’s puzzle or a puzzle like MONOTONOUS or ADOBE I would not even tried because I wouldn’t have seen the first step as part of doing the grid - if that makes any sense.

[whimsy]

What's all this??! '' Tough," "Tricky,"" "Challenging, and requiring tenacity and concentration." Sounds like work -- I thought I signed on for fun and games!
I looked at the puzzle briefly last evening, along with the rating and comments here. I'm pretty sure that inspired the dream I had last night about suddenly realizing I had, not one, but two term papers (not even started yet) due by the end of the week! (And not a single sheet of "Corrasable" bond paper anywhere in the house!)

Still on the ship -- need I add?

[Richard]

Not getting anywhere with this one. Some ideas but nothing gets me even to step 1.

Richard

[SusieG]

I was about to answer “I’ve heard you say that before.” Too much dopamine involved with a meta solve - I’m afraid you’re probably hooked.

Well I was/am going to keep doing the grid fill for the WSJCC because WSJ is one of the 3 puzzles I do everyday that they have a puzzle (the others being the Daily Beast and LAT) but I wasn’t going to actively try to solve the meta - I just happened to see the first step while doing the grid - had it been last week’s puzzle or a puzzle like MONOTONOUS or ADOBE I would not even tried because I wouldn’t have seen the first step as part of doing the grid - if that makes any sense.

I wish I saw things while still solving the grid. It rarely happens for me.

[Scraps]

Got it! Finished the grid in ~10 min (except for 22D), then spent about an hour on the meta.

22D came by dumb luck. Had most of the letters, stumbled upon a pronounceable combination, and thought, "Yeah, I've heard of that. It's a place. Somewhere. Don't know which continent. But it's a place."

It happened to be right. But that was yesterday about this time. Been stuck on the meta ever since.

Haven't been down any rabbit holes because I haven't gone two steps without bumping into a wall--a lead has to go somewhere before it qualifies as a rabbit hole, right?

I told Isaac I'll be running a tab.

[boharr]

I was about to answer “I’ve heard you say that before.” Too much dopamine involved with a meta solve - I’m afraid you’re probably hooked.

Well I was/am going to keep doing the grid fill for the WSJCC because WSJ is one of the 3 puzzles I do everyday that they have a puzzle (the others being the Daily Beast and LAT) but I wasn’t going to actively try to solve the meta - I just happened to see the first step while doing the grid - had it been last week’s puzzle or a puzzle like MONOTONOUS or ADOBE I would not even tried because I wouldn’t have seen the first step as part of doing the grid - if that makes any sense.

I wish I saw things while still solving the grid. It rarely happens for me.

Well rarely isn’t never so take it when it comes.

[TPS]

I wish I saw things while still solving the grid. It rarely happens for me.

It happens more for me now - one of the things I picked up from the WSJ Webcast really resonates with me - so when it’s a theme answer focused puzzle there is something I just tend to notice now because of something Matt said during that. I’d elaborate but it could be Spolierish. Anyway once my brain picked up on that I started seeing it and can’t stop seeing it - I notice it in not meta theme puzzles too and it helps with those as well.

[mheberlingx100]

Got the grid, but utterly failing so far on the meta. I'll keep at it but the way things are going I think I'll still be with Isaac at midnight on Sunday.

[CPJohnson]

I have step one, but I'm still searching for the next step. Several rabbit holes have lead nowhere.

[boharr]

I have step one, but I'm still searching for the next step. Several rabbit holes have lead nowhere.

The next step is tricky, IMO. But keep at it.

[Bob cruise director]

I am stuck. Haven’t figured out the first step, let alone one more. Looks like another weekend with Isaac.

I love the rose avatar. Did you grow it?

[Hector]

Got to this only now. What a cool meta! Harder than this morning's Gaffney for sure; as people are saying this had two non-trivial hurdles.