XWord Muggles Forum

Completed the grid on Thursday, had the day get away from me on Friday, and then woke up this morning with an "aha". Solved, submitted and ashore.

Stay well!
Paul

Safely ashore - an easy swim this week!

On the shore! Always exhilarating, but now I’m obligated to move on to less fun weekend tasks. Note to self: morning solves have a little let-down...

What will happen for a puzzle next week? They don’t take a holiday break do they?

This coming week, the contest will come out on Thursday as always because the WSJ is published on Friday. I may have to dance around Thanksgiving dinner and risk the wrath of "she who must be obeyed" to open the topic as I don't know when we will be having dinner. No guarantees as to exactly when the contest will come up on the wsj.com page

So it is the same schedule as always.

There are few things more frustrating than reading about how easy a meta is, and seeing nothing at all. I'm sure I'm staring it right in the face, but I don't see a thing.

Sigh.

I've looked at anagrams, overlapping words, repeated letter strings, words that read from top to bottom, exchanging letters at the top for letters at the bottom, interchangeable clues, 'before-and-after' type constructions, other grid entries that might fit the clues, on and on, and this is "Easy". Pshaw.

I’m on, too! 🏖

Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Sat Nov 21, 2020 10:10 am This coming week, the contest will come out on Thursday as always because the WSJ is published on Friday. I may have to dance around Thanksgiving dinner and risk the wrath of "she who must be obeyed" to open the topic as I don't know when we will be having dinner. No guarantees as to exactly when the contest will come up on the wsj.com page

So it is the same schedule as always.

LOL so there's another advantage to being quarantined alone on Thanksgiving - perhaps I'll have an edge in making page one next week! I just hope this coming week's WSJCC will be easier than this week's 3 MGWCC...

Bob, I can open a topic (at least I THINK I can, technically speaking. I will be here!) if that will make your home life easier.

And I am already safely on shore and submitted this week, but I'm contemplating a brief swim back to the ship... I see Isaac is serving quite a feast! Thanks, Brian

(and if you don't see it, as I did not at first, you may need to do a hard refresh on this page).

Hanging with Isaac for the nth time in a row.

I wonder if they'll give me a personalized bar stool, like they do at the Royal Hawaiian's Mai Tai bar?

HoldThatThought wrote: ↑Sat Nov 21, 2020 10:16 am There are few things more frustrating than reading about how easy a meta is, and seeing nothing at all. I'm sure I'm staring it right in the face, but I don't see a thing.

Sigh.

I've looked at anagrams, overlapping words, repeated letter strings, words that read from top to bottom, exchanging letters at the top for letters at the bottom, interchangeable clues, 'before-and-after' type constructions, other grid entries that might fit the clues, on and on, and this is "Easy". Pshaw.

The first (of many) tips for meta solving: Ignore those who week after week say it's easy. It rarely is.

Ashore in record time for me.
College Football ahead, uninterrupted!

Ashore in record time for me as well, after weeks of being 15A.

Long time solver/muggles forum reader, first time poster!

selnouveau wrote: ↑Sat Nov 21, 2020 11:27 am Ashore in record time for me as well, after weeks of being 15A.

Long time solver/muggles forum reader, first time poster!

welcome to the muggle family.

Ashore!

On shore, for the first time in weeks. Thanks to Matt for providing a puzzle whose solution is both attainable and entertaining.

DrTom wrote: ↑Sat Nov 21, 2020 9:28 am Well it seems that I am in extremely good company on the ship. As I have said so many times before, the ones that everyone seems to say "WOW that was easy", trap me in my cabin and make me go down with the ship. I had all these good ideas but everything yields a letter salad that I cannot toss or even dress. Lettuce just say that so far this is beeting me, maybe because Tomato much last night but oil keep trying my asalt and pepper it with attempts hoping that I don't get carroted (when God gives you letter salad make salad puns!)

Orange you glad you have people here to talk to? I hope you can chard a course to shore.

ASHORE! Finally. One just needs to do as the clues instruct.
Good grief.

Good Saturday morning muggles.

First a great welcome to our newest muggles - HoldThatThought, Olof, and selnouveau. Always great to have more muggles.

This meta is definitely easier if you have been doing these for a while so if you are relatively new, take heart that this and any of these that are easy for some may be challenging for others. Do not get discouraged. The best practices for hints, which we call nudges, can be found a couple of places on this blog. One is under Come Aboard - FAQ's-Community/Solving Resources and another is Under the Acapulco Lounge - Muggle nudge culture. Everyone has their opinion on nudges so read what is written and form your own.

We have a very crowded shore with 145 socially distanced muggles on it and 5 others keeping Isaac company on the ship.

On the ship are
SewYoung
escapeartist
Tom Shea
DrTom
and HoldThatThought

On the shore are
Al
C=64
Wendy
Kay
btskptkl
Dannyvee
Eric P
Bath A
Beth T
Beth C
Jean
stmv
Alan H
joequavis
MileHighsolver
Heidi
spotter
norrin2
Georgall
Meg
oldjudge
Laura M
Cap'n Rick
Tmart
Dave C
michaelm
Gman
ky-mike
Jim and Anita
paige1
Tina
Scott M
edot
jace54
Jack
cbarbee002
madhatter5
Larrry
homer
joe
Bird Lives
LesY
Steveb
Tonys
Glyn
JoePickett
dplass
Cindy
Chris
boharr
Dow Jones
MikeM000
dudeski
Guy L
streroto
moi
LizD
damefox
David K
mpmanning
BarbaraK
Jeremy
Omnibus
Prozach
Richard
mheverson
cherikee
WDunbar
Blair
Powers2020
Vincent
Cosmo
Joe Ross
Rita and George
bread-girl
whimsy
Trey and Marion
Inca
lbray53
MatthewB
MajorDomoTom
ADS
Kas
Lacangah
Joes
EmilyW
woozy
JimJim
CallMeshane
ladybird
DanA
mattythepuzzler
jrdad
higgysue
sanmilton
Mike H
DBMiller
Geezer
Commodore
MaineMarge
mwickham
John77
Fred F
Jackie88
Deb F
OGuyDave
BrianMac
wb93
Billkatz
Janet
Janet P
JRS51
Big Mac
Jud
Cynthia J
Crest
HeadinHome
flyingMoose
Wordsmith
Peter
Softie
Ed S
otlaolap
WSJosh
FrankH
eagle1279
Cindy N
meowmiao71
RDaleHall
Amy
Olof
Andrew B
SusieG
NuYear68
dk letter
KscX
jimbo1
ImOnToo
selnouveau
Schmeel
RichA2
and EVJ

Good luck to all winning the mug and stay safe

Joining the shore crowd! First time off the boat in several weeks, so happy to be on dry land! Or not so dry. May I have a mimosa, please?

Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Sat Nov 21, 2020 10:10 am This coming week, the contest will come out on Thursday as always because the WSJ is published on Friday. I may have to dance around Thanksgiving dinner and risk the wrath of "she who must be obeyed" to open the topic as I don't know when we will be having dinner. No guarantees as to exactly when the contest will come up on the wsj.com page

So it is the same schedule as always.

Love the Rumpole reference!

Safely ashore here with Jamaican coffee at the moment. I'll have a Bordeaux from Pomeroy's Wine Bar as evening approaches.

Ashore.

When I'm having trouble, the first thing I (should) do is check the difficulty rating here. Wasted a lot of time making this waaaaaaaay more complicated than it was.