"Past and Present" - December 24, 2020

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.
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John77
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#61

Post by John77 »

Bob cruise director wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 6:14 pm Good news

Only 6,294 twelve letter words in the English language
Bad news: The site I found lists 20,297. Happy Festivus.

PS I'm still drinking on the boat, but I think I may be on to something.
Wir sind zu früh alt und zu spät schlau.
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Bob cruise director
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#62

Post by Bob cruise director »

John77 wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 9:22 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 6:14 pm Good news

Only 6,294 twelve letter words in the English language
Bad news: The site I found lists 20,297. Happy Festivus.

PS I'm still drinking on the boat, but I think I may be on to something.
I found the same site. https://www.bestwordlist.com/12letterwo ... er%20words
Bob Stevens
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Commodore
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#63

Post by Commodore »

Ashore! Bring on the Egg Nog and Fruitcake!
Merry.jpg
Christmas.jpg
Muggles.jpg
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SusieG
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#64

Post by SusieG »

Haven’t had a chance to look yet — the airing of the grievances is taking forever! Merry Christmas, Festivus, whatever holiday you celebrate!
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CPJohnson
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#65

Post by CPJohnson »

Solved. Merry Christmas, all!
Cynthia
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LizD
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#66

Post by LizD »

After several dead-end bunny trails and staring blankly at the grid, enlightenment struck! I am happily on shore and ready to officially begin my Christmas break with some spiked hot cocoa!

Merry Christmas to my people in the only online community that I regularly interact with. 😁
I don't have an inner child... I have an inner old lady. :geek:

Meta solver by night, proud independent bookstore owner by day!
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Bob cruise director
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#67

Post by Bob cruise director »

steveb wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 7:40 pm I started doing these metas in mid-2016 and since then, I have aspired to score 100% for an entire calendar year. I haven't come very close to that lofty goal, but I have tied my personal best with 43 for this year. If I get next week's, it will be a new high for me, but with a Roger Maris asterisk (you youngsters can Google that) since it will be the 53rd WSJ meta of the year.

But at least I'm consistent: my full-year totals have been 40, 43, 41, and now 43 again. Along the way, I've gotten some hard ones and missed too many easy ones, so you never know.

Anyway, Happy Holidays everyone!
Steve - does your record have to go in with an * because of PED's?
Bob Stevens
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Bob cruise director
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#68

Post by Bob cruise director »

LadyBird wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 7:40 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 6:14 pm Good news

Only 6,294 twelve letter words in the English language
I'm going to need a link to that list! ;)
Check later posts to the link for over 20,000

(more 12 letter words than bird species in the world)
Bob Stevens
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Scraps
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#69

Post by Scraps »

Spent the day literally at sea--scuba diving in UNSEASONABLY cold water.

Got back late. Rinsed and hung the buoyancy COMPENSATORS with care.

Finally got around to the puzzle. Spent a brief period of BEFUDDLEMENT and DISHEARTENED INCOMPETENCE and HELPLESSNESS.

Then ILLUMINATION!

Ashore. Trying to decide what to spike the eggnog with.

And to all a good night.
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Bob cruise director
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#70

Post by Bob cruise director »

Scraps wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 9:47 pm Spent the day literally at sea--scuba diving in UNSEASONABLY cold water.

Got back late. Rinsed and hung the buoyancy COMPENSATORS with care.

Finally got around to the puzzle. Spent a brief period of BEFUDDLEMENT and DISHEARTENED INCOMPETENCE and HELPLESSNESS.

Then ILLUMINATION!

Ashore. Trying to decide what to spike the eggnog with.

And to all a good night.
Wait - you can't say golf coast and cold water.
Bob Stevens
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lacangah
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#71

Post by lacangah »

First time onshore on a Wednesday! Makes the evening seem like a Friday (or Saturday, or Sunday :-)

Good health and good cheer to you all! May you all be able to enjoy a catnap now and then in the days ahead!

Take care,
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DrTom
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#72

Post by DrTom »

Bird Lives wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 6:41 pm
JoeS wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 5:45 pm Ashore. Fun meta. Now ready to party! Plan to enjoy my favorite Armenian cognac "Nairi". Happy Holiday All!
You mean that the armagnac I've been ordering all these years isn't from Yerevan, or even Watertown?
These are menial questions, everyone knows the best armagnac comes form Junction Texas. There it is known as Brand Y or Brand X!
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!
Tony S
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#73

Post by Tony S »

Ashore in time to hopefully open my Christmas mug. Not counting on it, however, because many others will be in the hunt this week.
Scraps
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#74

Post by Scraps »

Bob cruise director wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 9:51 pm
Wait - you can't say gulf coast and cold water.

I suppose these things are relative.
Two 40-minute dips in this was plenty cold for this Florida Man!
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Bird Lives
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#75

Post by Bird Lives »

Bob cruise director wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 6:14 pm Good news

Only 6,294 twelve letter words in the English language
But I can think of only one of those that's something that anybody has said (or sung) that they want for Christmas. In fact, I'm submitting it as a facetious answer (since the chances of winning with the right answer are discouragingly low) in hopes that Michael M will mention it in his Monday post (or post-mortem, or post-mega, or whatever it's called).
Jay
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LadyBird
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#76

Post by LadyBird »

Well, I CAme baCK to the puzzle after watching the Call the Midwives Christmas special. Would I be paddLING to shore or mired in gobbledyGOOk? Alas, I am aSEa. I see the first step but nothing more--yet. Lots of weekend left.

Merry Christmas!
EmilyW
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#77

Post by EmilyW »

On shore and celebrating with a coconut imperial stout called Short Skirt Long Jacket from my local brewery Limitless. Glad to be back on the beach after staying on the boat last weekend.
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Joepickett
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#78

Post by Joepickett »

Ashore!
markhr
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#79

Post by markhr »

Typical holiday-lite puzzle from Mike.
Beware of next week -- it's PAGEANT week.
steveb
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#80

Post by steveb »

Bob cruise director wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 9:44 pm
steveb wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 7:40 pm I started doing these metas in mid-2016 and since then, I have aspired to score 100% for an entire calendar year. I haven't come very close to that lofty goal, but I have tied my personal best with 43 for this year. If I get next week's, it will be a new high for me, but with a Roger Maris asterisk (you youngsters can Google that) since it will be the 53rd WSJ meta of the year.

But at least I'm consistent: my full-year totals have been 40, 43, 41, and now 43 again. Along the way, I've gotten some hard ones and missed too many easy ones, so you never know.

Anyway, Happy Holidays everyone!
Steve - does your record have to go in with an * because of PED's?
It depends ... does alcohol count as a PED? :D
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