"Line of Work" - April 17, 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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eagle1279
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#321

Post by eagle1279 »

Lots of reddish herrings. One of my rabbit holes was three-letter words that also started longer words: APP/APPLE, ELL/ELLER, VEE/VEERS, so I tried to make words out of the extra letters. Also noticed short answers incorporated into longer ones: RaCerS, rAREst But kept coming back to Steve Jobs, especially when I learned (via Mr. G) that his middle name was PAUL, which of course led me to wonder if the V at the end of 6D meant anything. Great puzzle.
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Bird Lives
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#322

Post by Bird Lives »

Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 10:19 am At RPI we had the term RTFP
I know RTFM. But what's P. Protocol?
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Bob cruise director
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#323

Post by Bob cruise director »

Bird Lives wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 2:04 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 10:19 am At RPI we had the term RTFP
I know RTFM. But what's P. Protocol?
One of the faults we all have is in the rush to get a solution we don't address the question that was asked to answer the problem.

Read The F****** Problem
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Thurman8er
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#324

Post by Thurman8er »

My biggest rabbit hole was that the black squares between APP and E made an L. Should have helped, but sent me on a black square hunt.
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pddigi
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#325

Post by pddigi »

Reporting late, but both Dom and I solved this one, and completely independently.
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MarkL
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#326

Post by MarkL »

billkatz wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:40 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 10:19 am
At RPI we had the term RTFP
Fellow RPI alum here - EE '84 (Pep Band, W2SZ, Players)
I was at the Boston Garden for the '84 ECAC championship win and even though I was living in California, I was in Detroit for the '85 NCAA championship.
Also at the '84 victory over Harvard.- though living in FL, at the time!
'tis... A lovely day for a Guinness!
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MarkL
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#327

Post by MarkL »

OFF CURRENT TOPICS, but relevant to a week or two ago... story about Richard Boone star of 'Have Gun, Will Travel'

https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/here ... hard-boone

Sometimes, I worry about how closely Mr G can follow.
Last edited by MarkL on Mon Apr 20, 2020 7:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
'tis... A lovely day for a Guinness!
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tim1217
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#328

Post by tim1217 »

Al Sisti wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:26 am
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:08 am
SewYoung wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:06 am It was so hard not to mention how this week's path to the answer was to last week's. Especially the central across answer being the vital clue.
And multiple words

And not missing a word

Maybe we have a new term - A Sisti would mean missing one or more words in a multiple word answer
While I'm honored to be considered for eponymy, it's already taken. On my road rally team (Brews Cruise), we once got a cemetery question asking "How old was Mrs. Johnson when she died?" I quickly found the cemetery, quickly rushed in, quickly found her gravestone, quickly noted down her date of death (1857), and quickly filled in the blank on the answer sheet with "1857." No, you dolt, Mrs. Johnson was *not* 1,857 years old when she died. So ever since then, whenever someone does something too quickly and rashly, my team calls it "Pulling a Sisti." So yeah, it's not new... but it certainly is fitting.
Count me as having reached the wrong shore and 'pulling a Sisti'. I saw DEVELOPER and ran with it, i.e., I submitted it. Then I saw APP and...DOH!
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Al Sisti
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#329

Post by Al Sisti »

tim1217 wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 4:51 pm
Al Sisti wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:26 am
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:08 am

And multiple words

And not missing a word

Maybe we have a new term - A Sisti would mean missing one or more words in a multiple word answer
While I'm honored to be considered for eponymy, it's already taken. On my road rally team (Brews Cruise), we once got a cemetery question asking "How old was Mrs. Johnson when she died?" I quickly found the cemetery, quickly rushed in, quickly found her gravestone, quickly noted down her date of death (1857), and quickly filled in the blank on the answer sheet with "1857." No, you dolt, Mrs. Johnson was *not* 1,857 years old when she died. So ever since then, whenever someone does something too quickly and rashly, my team calls it "Pulling a Sisti." So yeah, it's not new... but it certainly is fitting.
Count me as having reached the wrong shore and 'pulling a Sisti'. I saw DEVELOPER and ran with it, i.e., I submitted it. Then I saw APP and...DOH!
Well ma, I said I'd be famous some day. "You watch," I said. "They're gonna name something after me!" She replied "Uh-huh. Until then, clean up your room like I asked you to."
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#330

Post by Tom Shea »

MarkL wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 3:41 pm
billkatz wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:40 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 10:19 am
At RPI we had the term RTFP
Fellow RPI alum here - EE '84 (Pep Band, W2SZ, Players)
I was at the Boston Garden for the '84 ECAC championship win and even though I was living in California, I was in Detroit for the '85 NCAA championship.
Also at the '84 victory over Harvard.- though living in FL, at the time!
My condolences to all of you for having suffered through attending skool in Rensselaer (gateway to Troy)!

At least if you went to Mass Tech, you didn't have to walk far to see the Red Sox lose.
Rufus T. Firefly
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Tom Shea
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#331

Post by Tom Shea »

And now for another off-topic post:


My Self-Isolation Quarantine Diary

Day 1 – I Can Do This!! Got enough food and wine to last a month!

Day 2 – Opening my 8th bottle of Wine. I fear wine supplies might not last!

Day 3 – Strawberries: Some have 210 seeds, some have 235 seeds. Who Knew??

Day 4 – 8:00pm. Removed my Day Pajamas and put on my Night Pajamas.

Day 5 – Today, I tried to make Hand Sanitizer. It came out as Jello Shots!!

Day 6 – I get to take the Garbage out. I’m So excited, I can’t decide what to wear.

Day 7 – Laughing way too much at my own jokes!!

Day 8 – Went to a new restaurant called “The Kitchen”. You have to gather all the ingredients and make your own meal. I have No clue how this place is still in business.

Day 9 – I put liquor bottles in every room. Tonight, I’m getting all dressed up and going Bar hopping.

Day 10 – Struck up a conversation with a Spider today. Seems nice. He’s a Web Designer.

Day 11 – Isolation is hard. I swear my fridge just said, “What the hell do you want now?”

Day 12 – I realized why dogs get so excited about something moving outside, going for walks or car rides. I think I just barked at a squirrel.

Day 13 – I figured out if you keep a glass of wine in each hand, you can’t accidentally touch your face.

Day 14 – Watched the birds fight over a worm. The Cardinals lead the Blue Jays 3–1.

Day 15 – Anybody else feel like they’ve cooked dinner about 395 times this month?
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Al Sisti
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#332

Post by Al Sisti »

Tom Shea wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 8:03 pm And now for another off-topic post:


My Self-Isolation Quarantine Diary

Day 1 – I Can Do This!! Got enough food and wine to last a month!

Day 2 – Opening my 8th bottle of Wine. I fear wine supplies might not last!

Day 3 – Strawberries: Some have 210 seeds, some have 235 seeds. Who Knew??

Day 4 – 8:00pm. Removed my Day Pajamas and put on my Night Pajamas.

Day 5 – Today, I tried to make Hand Sanitizer. It came out as Jello Shots!!

Day 6 – I get to take the Garbage out. I’m So excited, I can’t decide what to wear.

Day 7 – Laughing way too much at my own jokes!!

Day 8 – Went to a new restaurant called “The Kitchen”. You have to gather all the ingredients and make your own meal. I have No clue how this place is still in business.

Day 9 – I put liquor bottles in every room. Tonight, I’m getting all dressed up and going Bar hopping.

Day 10 – Struck up a conversation with a Spider today. Seems nice. He’s a Web Designer.

Day 11 – Isolation is hard. I swear my fridge just said, “What the hell do you want now?”

Day 12 – I realized why dogs get so excited about something moving outside, going for walks or car rides. I think I just barked at a squirrel.

Day 13 – I figured out if you keep a glass of wine in each hand, you can’t accidentally touch your face.

Day 14 – Watched the birds fight over a worm. The Cardinals lead the Blue Jays 3–1.

Day 15 – Anybody else feel like they’ve cooked dinner about 395 times this month?
Love these! My post yesterday was: "My plan for this month or two being stuck at home was to do a ton of situps, crunches, squats, etc., and when the quarantine is lifted, to emerge in public with a body that no one will recognize. Half my plan is working perfectly."
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MajordomoTom
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#333

Post by MajordomoTom »

my hair is getting almost to the length it was while I was in junior high ... which was roughly 1975-1977, so you can imagine what it looked like.

but more than a bit greyer than it was then.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
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Bob cruise director
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#334

Post by Bob cruise director »

MajordomoTom wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2020 12:13 pm my hair is getting almost to the length it was while I was in junior high ... which was roughly 1975-1977, so you can imagine what it looked like.

but more than a bit greyer than it was then.
Stop complaining. At least you have hair to grow long
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MajordomoTom
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#335

Post by MajordomoTom »

drugs - I've been on propecia for more than 10 years. probably closer to 20.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
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#336

Post by DrTom »

Bob cruise director wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2020 1:42 pm
MajordomoTom wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2020 12:13 pm my hair is getting almost to the length it was while I was in junior high ... which was roughly 1975-1977, so you can imagine what it looked like.

but more than a bit greyer than it was then.
Stop complaining. At least you have hair to grow long
Well I still have all my hair, it's in a box in the closet.

Darned if this group isn't the funniest around. I am literally wiping the tears out of my eyes over some of these posts. I LOVED the Quarantine Diary!
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!
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DrTom
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#337

Post by DrTom »

Wendy Walker wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:59 pm Hey folks, what do you think of this? Suggestions are MORE THAN WELCOME.

Dear Editor,
On behalf of those who participate in the Journal’s weekly Crossword Contest, I am writing to thank you for continuing to run this competition during the pandemic.
The challenging crossword had gained a loyal and wonderfully eclectic following even before the health crisis. Now, it helps to structure our otherwise amorphous weeks: like clockwork, the puzzle shows up online each Thursday afternoon (aka “Puzzle Day” in my household). Solving the puzzle reminds us of not only normalcy but the joy of simple pleasures, if “simple” can be used to describe the intricate meta-puzzles set by Matt Gaffney, Mike Shenk and the other genius constructors.
Special kudos to the Journal’s Mike Miller, who despite all the chaos still takes the time to contact each week’s winner and to report the number of entries and the percentage correct.
All of us “Muggles” (so called because each week’s winner receives a highly coveted prize mug) are deeply grateful to everyone involved in the puzzle competition for improving our lives.
A caveat: We are not so grateful the weeks when we can’t solve the puzzle.
Sounds lovely, although I'd change one thing based solely on my experience. I'm even grateful on the weeks I cannot solve simply because it often takes me to more interaction with the group and certainly mutual commiseration after. I think the "to nudge or not to nudge" stream of discussion more than cemented the idea of a BORG like group working for the good of the organism...WE ARE MUG!
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!
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Janet P
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#338

Post by Janet P »

MarkL wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 3:50 pm OFF CURRENT TOPICS, but relevant to a week or two ago... story about Richard Boone star of 'Have Gun, Will Travel'

https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/here ... hard-boone

Sometimes, I worry about how closely Mr G can follow.
Thanks for sharing this! How very interesting.
Also, my father-in-law had these business cards made back in the day and just delighted in passing them out! We, however, didn't use them as a different generation didn't get the reference.
Attachments
Business card.jpg
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billkatz
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#339

Post by billkatz »

Tom Shea wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 8:02 pm
MarkL wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 3:41 pm
billkatz wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:40 pm
Fellow RPI alum here - EE '84 (Pep Band, W2SZ, Players)
I was at the Boston Garden for the '84 ECAC championship win and even though I was living in California, I was in Detroit for the '85 NCAA championship.
Also at the '84 victory over Harvard.- though living in FL, at the time!
My condolences to all of you for having suffered through attending skool in Rensselaer (gateway to Troy)!

At least if you went to Mass Tech, you didn't have to walk far to see the Red Sox lose.
That was my second choice - I did get accepted to MIT.
While at RPI I did take a class on the history of Troy and it peaked as an industrial city in about 1870 (the school was founded in 1824) I'm sure MIT would have had more interesting things to do in the neighborhood.
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Tom Shea
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#340

Post by Tom Shea »

billkatz wrote: Wed Apr 22, 2020 4:51 pm
Tom Shea wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 8:02 pm
MarkL wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 3:41 pm

Also at the '84 victory over Harvard.- though living in FL, at the time!
My condolences to all of you for having suffered through attending skool in Rensselaer (gateway to Troy)!

At least if you went to Mass Tech, you didn't have to walk far to see the Red Sox lose.
That was my second choice - I did get accepted to MIT.
While at RPI I did take a class on the history of Troy and it peaked as an industrial city in about 1870 (the school was founded in 1824) I'm sure MIT would have had more interesting things to do in the neighborhood.
I was raised just over the border in Vermont (I won't say grew up, because that hasn't happened yet). I was much too familiar with Troy to want to attend RPI. Player Piano by Vonnegut kind of sets the mood for me. Ilium/Troy doesn't get me excited to go 'into town'. Then again, any place with 'technology in the name isn't likely going to be a party atmosphere. The campus is nice though, and I liked playing hockey in their rink when I was in High Skool.
Rufus T. Firefly
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