"City Blocks" - September 4, 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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Joe Ross
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#341

Post by Joe Ross »

20200904 WSJCC City Blocks.gif
Last edited by Joe Ross on Mon Sep 07, 2020 8:05 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ.
๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ถ๐˜€ ENORMOUS ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ:
๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ต, ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ & ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜‚๐—บ๐—ฎ. ๐—ฃ๐—Ÿ๐—˜๐—”๐—ฆ๐—˜ ๐—ฆ๐—›๐—”๐—ฅ๐—˜!
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ReB
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#342

Post by ReB »

With so much time lounging on the beach this weekend, I came up with a number cipher based on this week's states, where each letter stands for a number from 0-9:
  • MD
    ID
    AK
    MA
    IN
    +FL
    USA
There are no leading zeros, and to hopefully at least eliminate alternative solutions involving number/letter transpositions, it's also true that...
  • AK
    +MS
    IL
Not sure if there is more than one possible answer, but if so I do have other sums at hand

**SPOILER ALERT: Solution posted on page 19, posts #363 & 366**
Last edited by ReB on Mon Sep 07, 2020 8:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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eagle1279
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#343

Post by eagle1279 »

So who thinks they woulda gotten it without 68A? Not I!
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Bird Lives
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#344

Post by Bird Lives »

Colin wrote: โ†‘Sat Sep 05, 2020 10:34 pm Safely ashore,
Minor delay,
Please start to pour,
Stone IPA.
Easy meta,
One has to say,
Makes for a better...
Happy Labor Day!
This meter sounds familiar to me and perhaps other Muggles of a certain age. So . . .

The metaโ€™s solved,
He can begin
To smoothify
His cheeks and chin.
Jay
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hcbirker
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#345

Post by hcbirker »

eagle1279 wrote: โ†‘Mon Sep 07, 2020 9:19 am So who thinks they woulda gotten it without 68A? Not I!
I think the title would have been enough, in my opinion.
Heidi
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TPS
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#346

Post by TPS »

eagle1279 wrote: โ†‘Mon Sep 07, 2020 9:19 am So who thinks they woulda gotten it without 68A? Not I!
I am going to assume I would have since I had found BALTIMORE, ANCHORAGE, AND FORT WAYNE before I even got to 68A. But I was stuck for a minute because in my mind I was thinking FORT WORTH and not FORT WAYNE - so I had a โ€œTโ€ in there for a few minutes which was funny because my Dad was born in FORT WAYNE so I definitely knew it was in Indiana.
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#347

Post by EVJ »

eagle1279 wrote: โ†‘Mon Sep 07, 2020 9:19 am So who thinks they woulda gotten it without 68A? Not I!
I definitely needed the clue. Even with it it took me awhile to find the โ€œcity blocksโ€.
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KscX
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#348

Post by KscX »

hcbirker wrote: โ†‘Mon Sep 07, 2020 10:07 am
eagle1279 wrote: โ†‘Mon Sep 07, 2020 9:19 am So who thinks they woulda gotten it without 68A? Not I!
I think the title would have been enough, in my opinion.
Also could have done without the number of letters required for the city. It really defined the task. I have a friend who guessed it before working the puzzle.
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#349

Post by Nlobb »

I guessed it before working the puzzle. But that doesn't really count as a solve. I had trouble because I am an old fashioned pencil and paper gal but had no printer so I had to do it on my phone which did not work for me. I need to be able to write on the finished puzzle and circle things...
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#350

Post by DBMiller »

Joe Ross wrote: โ†‘Mon Sep 07, 2020 12:00 am [ PLACEHOLDER FOR OFFICIAL WSJ SOLUTION, DUE 4 PM EDT, MONDAY, DUE TO HOLIDAY ]


20200904 WSJCC City Blocks jr solution.gif
Joe, check your 46A/39D - You've got a U where there should be an A
If I'm around, I am willing to join the Muggle Zoom room at other times to lend a hand to those in need.
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pddigi
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#351

Post by pddigi »

I don't think 68A was necessary for the solution; in fact, I think it made it too easy. I found Fort Wayne first (after stumbling across the letters composing "Budapest" in the upper right corner, although not in proper order, leading me to waste a few minutes in that rabbit hole), and figured the state names would be the answer. Then it was Baltimore, and from there, it was mostly a back-solve to get to Miami.

I was kind of hoping for "Omaha", as a friend of my son's (a Hillsdale grad who works for Senator Sasse) is a proud native of Omaha. Fort Wayne dashed that hope rather quickly!

PS: As this is Labor Day, is it premature to be discussing the solution? I thought that the WSJ wouldn't produce a new crossword until Tuesday.
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Bob cruise director
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#352

Post by Bob cruise director »

Our final record with Rex is 218

Good job everyone
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Kas
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#353

Post by Kas »

Hi, gang! I've been off the map, mateys...mostly keeping a low profile with all the craziness...but hello, and I'll try to be more active...and yes, I'm on shore this week. Helllooooo tiki bar! -Kas
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Joe Ross
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#354

Post by Joe Ross »

pddigi wrote: โ†‘Mon Sep 07, 2020 11:55 am PS: As this is Labor Day, is it premature to be discussing the solution? I thought that the WSJ wouldn't produce a new crossword until Tuesday.
No. The deadline remained Sunday, midnight EDT.

From the Crossword Contest Official Rules: "Email your answer to the Weekly Question to crosswordcontest@wsj.com by midnight New York City time on the Sunday following the publication of the Friday Puzzle."

The answer will be published online, along with Tuesday's crossword puzzle, today, at 4 PM EDT.

8627268368079730555.png
Last edited by Joe Ross on Tue Sep 08, 2020 8:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ.
๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ถ๐˜€ ENORMOUS ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ:
๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ต, ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ & ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜‚๐—บ๐—ฎ. ๐—ฃ๐—Ÿ๐—˜๐—”๐—ฆ๐—˜ ๐—ฆ๐—›๐—”๐—ฅ๐—˜!
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Bob cruise director
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#355

Post by Bob cruise director »

Kas wrote: โ†‘Mon Sep 07, 2020 12:41 pm Hi, gang! I've been off the map, mateys...mostly keeping a low profile with all the craziness...but hello, and I'll try to be more active...and yes, I'm on shore this week. Helllooooo tiki bar! -Kas
Kas
Just for you, I will include you in the count so the record has gone up to 219

Welcome back. We have missed you
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Tripod
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#356

Post by Tripod »

First time on shore seems like a great way to wind up summer.
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#357

Post by boharr »

Tripod wrote: โ†‘Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:24 pm First time on shore seems like a great way to wind up summer.
Congrats!
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cbarbee002
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#358

Post by cbarbee002 »

Wow, the Pappy!
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#359

Post by cbarbee002 »

PJM wrote: โ†‘Sun Sep 06, 2020 11:47 pm
cbarbee002 wrote: โ†‘Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:16 pm
bhamren wrote: โ†‘Thu Sep 03, 2020 6:53 pm On the beach - I think it will be quite crowded!

Buffalo Trace neat, please (if you can find it)!

Speaking of Buffalo Trace, here in Ohio it is VERY hard to find. Most stores get one case maybe once a month. Then a year ago I went up near Winnipeg for my brother in lawโ€™s 50th birthday. The liquor store in Steinbach Manitoba (which didnโ€™t exist when I lived there 16 years ago because it was a dry town), had a large shelf full of it as well as little airline bottles of it. What gives?
All of the Buffalo Trace distillery bourbons are difficult to find (Buffalo Trace, Blantons, Rare Eagle, Michters). Fortunately (or unfortunately), in PA the state owns all of the liquor stores (State stores we call them), which makes the Commonwealth of PA the largest purchaser of wine and liquor in the US. the downside is that, well, it's state run. The upside is that they get ample allocations of lots of usually hard-to-find wines and spirits. When the pandemic hit, I had to get several bottles of each of the brands mentioned above because, hey, the state stores were going to close down and who knew when they would reopen?
You are not the only one who stocked up!
Wow, got the Pappy! I have another suggestion, also a Buffalo Trace product - - Stagg Jr.
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TPS
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#360

Post by TPS »

cbarbee002 wrote: โ†‘Mon Sep 07, 2020 5:58 pm
Wow, got the Pappy! I have another suggestion, also a Buffalo Trace product - - Stagg Jr.
[/quote]

I am a big fan of Pappy and Buffalo Trace. Currently, I am having a love affair with a Utah distilleryโ€™s Double Rye - High West. I first had it in the best Manhattan Iโ€™ve ever had and then tried it in my own OF but itโ€™s also fantastic neat.
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