"Light Switches" - May 17, 2019

[Bird Lives]

I was one of the fortunate ones this week - noticed the clues and answers had mostly the same letters pretty quickly! Phew!

Just chiming in to say that I took note of all the cryptic crossword fan accolades. I’ve done a handful over many years. But decided to try this week’s WSJ - https://blogs.wsj.com/puzzle/2019/05/17 ... le-may-18/

It reminds me of when I first started trying to solve the Sunday NYT. I would work on it all week with the goal of trying to solve it before the next one appeared! Now I average about 30 minutes for that - practice!! But this cryptic, I have maybe a third of it. But I see the attraction now. Each clue is like a mini-meta! Lots of opportunity for AHA! Not sure I’ve really graduated to them yet, but I’ll keep trying!

The Cox-Rathvon Three Trains Running puzzle was much harder than the usual Saturday puzzle, both in concept (that third train) and in some of the definitions.

[Al Sisti]

I was one of the fortunate ones this week - noticed the clues and answers had mostly the same letters pretty quickly! Phew!

Just chiming in to say that I took note of all the cryptic crossword fan accolades. I’ve done a handful over many years. But decided to try this week’s WSJ - https://blogs.wsj.com/puzzle/2019/05/17 ... le-may-18/

It reminds me of when I first started trying to solve the Sunday NYT. I would work on it all week with the goal of trying to solve it before the next one appeared! Now I average about 30 minutes for that - practice!! But this cryptic, I have maybe a third of it. But I see the attraction now. Each clue is like a mini-meta! Lots of opportunity for AHA! Not sure I’ve really graduated to them yet, but I’ll keep trying!

That was a really clever puzzle. Cox and Rathvon never disappoint.

[BethA]

So it sounds like I’ve started on the cryptics with a more challenging one. That makes me feel better!

[JJD]

Was LAS and KAS 5 for me.
I spent too much time noticing all the very similar entries:
SRI ARI
HEN HEY
EMU EDU
CON CNN
ARI ART
SET WET
and...
IAN EONS
IDOL IDLE
AAMES AMES
MEDE (adam) BEDE

[Leslie]

Anyone know what's happening with today's puzzle? I'm busy at 5 so I was hoping to do it before then!

[mflaminio]

was wondering myself!

[Joe Ross]

Mike Miller mentioned this was "a busy week of travel" when posting the answer to Light Switches. Maybe he's still busy?

[Al Sisti]

I thought maybe we were getting punished for packing up our island and moving.

[Leslie]

I think Al has got it. Maybe all the deserters have been blocked from seeing the puzzle.

[Toby]

I'm a WSJ subscriber, but I don't see it either. Definitely punishment for us!

[Joe Ross]

I am now praying for the title to be Conspiracy Theory.

[ky-mike]

It's out there now

[Joe Ross]

https://blogs.wsj.com/puzzle/2019/05/23 ... st-may-24/