"Tormented Artists" - July 31, 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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Cindy N
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#161

Post by Cindy N »

Saw the first step, but didn't realize it immediately. Had to backtrack to find what I needed and then take the next step. On shore.
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DrTom
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#162

Post by DrTom »

Well, I'll finally proclaim ASHORE!! I got VERY lost in some dark tunnels working with the mechanism but not realizing I was. It took a meandering, and admittedly self pitying, diatribe to another solver explaining all of the dead ends I had managed to find and in the middle of that I looked back at the puzzle and something that had been nagging me FOREVER and, "voila". So glad because I was seriously thinking about breaking my pencil in half and retiring if I could not get the one that everyone said was so easy. I do not necessarily agree with that, since easy is always in the eye of the beholder and it took FOREVER for my eye to behold it, and if I had not done a bunch of these and recognized some typical "tricks" I'd NEVER have gotten it, but it is all water under the bridge. Now the wait for the MGWCC and given that he is having trouble making it I cannot imagine how I'll ever solve it. The fear already is creeping in.
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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#163

Post by DrTom »

Bird Lives wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 4:28 pm
DrTom wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 2:23 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:29 pm Good afternoon. A bit of a late report as I was getting a video edited for a friend.

All is right with the world - Al is on page 1 and all three Beth's are lined up together.

And we have bskptkl as our newest muggle.

We have 2 on the ship and 80 on the shore.

Hopefully I will have some time after a HD trip in a couple of minutes.

Good luck to everyone and stay safe.
By the way Bob, if that's a golf course hole depicted in your Avatar I've seen it and the sand trap is a KILLER!
What about the water hazard?
Only when the tide is in.
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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Joe Ross
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#164

Post by Joe Ross »

This week's Pick a Side, Any Side:

"Water under the bridge."

versus

"Water over the dam."
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 ENORMOUS 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲:
𝟰𝟬% 𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰,
𝟯𝟬% 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰,
𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 & 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮. 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘!
rolias
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#165

Post by rolias »

Two weeks of swimming, it’s nice to be ashore.
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Joe Ross
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#166

Post by Joe Ross »

Inca wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 3:52 pm Got it (Thank you, Joe. I took the time to fill your grid and of course it helped).
Am afraid I am getting a bit burned out on the metas. This one left me with a slightly sour taste in my mouth...not really sure why. That's why I think I am just meta-ed out.
Please don't leave us. I enjoy your unique & intelligent perspective, every week, and would think I speak for many Muggles.
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 ENORMOUS 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲:
𝟰𝟬% 𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰,
𝟯𝟬% 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰,
𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 & 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮. 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘!
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MajordomoTom
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#167

Post by MajordomoTom »

we all bring something different to the group, that's what makes this group so interesting and enjoyable to hang with.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
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Joe Ross
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#168

Post by Joe Ross »

geeteebee wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 6:33 pm On shore. 100% sure I'm on shore. But I don't know why I'm on shore.
Looking forward to Monday's explanation.

I am ashore & have submitted, having taken much too long on the grid & much more too longer, maybe, on the meta. Mixing WSJ Contest Crosswords with WSJ Killer Sudoku Level 4 Number Puzzles can get one's mind buzzing like a Bush's Baked Beans Sounds of Summer commercial.
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 ENORMOUS 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲:
𝟰𝟬% 𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰,
𝟯𝟬% 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰,
𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 & 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮. 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘!
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eagle1279
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#169

Post by eagle1279 »

On shore, nice to be here after getting cabin fever on the boat for a couple of weeks. Next cruise I will price out the drinks package, might’ve saved me some money.
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Thurman8er
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#170

Post by Thurman8er »

On shore!
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LadyBird
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#171

Post by LadyBird »

eagle1279 wrote: Sat Aug 01, 2020 12:19 am On shore, nice to be here after getting cabin fever on the boat for a couple of weeks. Next cruise I will price out the drinks package, might’ve saved me some money.
I thought that the first person to announce "ashore" picked up the tab for those on the boat.
Tony S
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#172

Post by Tony S »

DBMiller wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:15 pm Done and I think I'm done. I have an answer that I can defend nicely, but doesn't have that 100% click. Will ponder it a bit more before sending it in.
IMO the answer is a 100% no-doubter. There's nothing stopping you from submitting your answer and later submitting a different one. Who would know but you?
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DrTom
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#173

Post by DrTom »

Janet P wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 5:34 pm
DrTom wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:56 pm
Bob cruise director wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 12:19 pm

Dr Tom - we pay the big bucks to get it early
JUST as I thought, the in crowd.....

I'm pretty sure that they said, "Oh what the heck, he is likely not going to get it until Sunday if he gets it at all, what's the hurry!"

Looking at my post, and knowing my USUAL group of friends I am surprised I did not get a a TWSS! comment.
Thank you for a jazzy earworm for the weekend ♫ ♪

https://youtu.be/jsFST-7Hx-Y
Well that was a 3 hour or more adventure! I went to hear "I'm in with the in crowd" then a YouTube Flashmob after that and another after that, then famous commercials, funny moments in golf...MAN is it ever easy to while away time on the internet. I won't say waste time because I enjoyed every minute of it. Now I just have to get over he dirty look when I climb into bed at 2 AM+
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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tonyrobots
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#174

Post by tonyrobots »

Tony S wrote: Sat Aug 01, 2020 12:42 am IMO the answer is a 100% no-doubter.
In a way you’re right, as I am 100% confident in my submitted answer, but mechanically this puzzle lacks the precision of what I would call a 100%er. I’ll leave it at that for fear of spoiling anything, but we can discuss more on Monday if you’d like.
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DrTom
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#175

Post by DrTom »

Joe Ross wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:37 pm This week's Pick a Side, Any Side:

"Water under the bridge."

versus

"Water over the dam."
Water under the bridge.
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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#176

Post by DrTom »

I have to echo the comments of others, this is no "that seems like it could be the answer", I had one of those originally but when I finally got the META everything tied together in too neat a package to have it be anything else. I'll share my misdirections with the group on Monday (and hopefully on Tuesday evening as well!)
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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JordanianTomlinson
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#177

Post by JordanianTomlinson »

Finally ashore after floundering for what seemed like days. I haven't had a good mai tai in years!
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TPS
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#178

Post by TPS »

Joe Ross wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:37 pm This week's Pick a Side, Any Side:

"Water under the bridge."

versus

"Water over the dam."
“Water under the bridge” is what has made its way into my vernacular but I remember hearing someone explain that the meaning of “Water over the dam” was meant for when a bad event happened that you can not rectify - which is encapsulated by the metaphor of a dam breaking. Whereas, water is supposed to go under a bridge so that saying wouldn’t really be appropriate in the first example so using it is more akin to saying “it’s moot now.”
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CPJohnson
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#179

Post by CPJohnson »

I had an inspiration in the middle of the night; I've now submitted an answer. I don't see any elegance to the meta, but maybe I'm missing something. But I'm pretty sure I have the correct answer.
Cynthia
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BarbaraK
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#180

Post by BarbaraK »

Tony S wrote: Sat Aug 01, 2020 12:42 am
DBMiller wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:15 pm Done and I think I'm done. I have an answer that I can defend nicely, but doesn't have that 100% click. Will ponder it a bit more before sending it in.
IMO the answer is a 100% no-doubter. There's nothing stopping you from submitting your answer and later submitting a different one. Who would know but you?
The WSJ rules actually say only one submission per person. No idea exactly how they enforce that, but it wouldn't be hard. So if you are going to skirt the rules, you at least want to use a different email address for the second submission.

Since there's no advantage to submitting early though, may as well wait if you're not sure. (Just don't forget!)
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