"Group Outings" - September 18, 2020

[TPS]

I prefer to solve the crossword part of metas without google. But for the meta part, I google everything I'm not absolutely sure of and even some of what I am.

The part about the guessing definitely makes sense...and I used to not want to use google for the meta and then I realized I’m not smart enough to do that.

[TPS]

.

[TPS]

I have been staring at this super easy meta off and on since yesterday and I can't see a thing. What is wrong with me?

Well, it's not all that super easy. As many are learning. Don't be discouraged.

It is only super easy to some of us because there were a couple puzzles earlier this year that had somewhat similar methodologies...So now most of us now recognize this might be a device constructors use.

One of the things that I have learned in 18 months of trying to solve these things is that there can only be some many truly unique ways to construct these things - the truly unique ones almost always elude me but the ones with somewhat similar methods I can usually parse out.

All that to say - the more you do the better you will get.

[Trey]

Marion and I are definitely in the sand.........good place to be! Marion rowed hard and I paddled a little, and we got there!

Yesterday's WSJ event with Miller was well done. Not sure it helped with today's struggles, but good to hear how the constructors think.

[flyingMoose]

In the Chrome browser, Cmd-Shft-R will refresh the Overall Rating line. Does anyone know the equivalent keys for Safari? TIA.

[boharr]

I just tuned into the Crossword Q & A but stopped watching when they began talking about the "Variations on a Theme" crossword. Does anyone know how I can access that? Do I just need to log into my WSJ account?

Color me dim, and thank you in advance.

That should work. Try it. If not there are links in posts above.

[Homer Buckle]

I was disappointed in this puzzle. I always like Patrick Berry puzzles, but this one was readily apparent as I was doing the puzzle, and I like to have puzzles that make me struggle. Oh well, safely ashore for this weekend and ready for some good US Open Golf!

[JRS51]

Ashore! Arriving at the answer I felt it was 100% until reading earlier posts here about a “hard” way to get the answer and an incorrect answer more than one solver has found. I hate it when that happens! I don’t see multiple ways to reach my answer and I think the mechanism I used is solid.
I would also like to add my own thanks to WSJ+ for the two excellent q & a sessions.

[MajordomoTom]

well, on reflection (and interaction with a few muggles), I'm not on the beach, I'm somewhere else and will look at it again tomorrow, hopefully when this migraine has broken.

[ImOnToo]

**Sigh** Another week. Another no idea.

[hcbirker]

well, on reflection (and interaction with a few muggles), I'm not on the beach, I'm somewhere else and will look at it again tomorrow, hopefully when this migraine has broken.

Feel better!

[Richard]

I hate it when many seem to find it easy and I am stuck.

Proud of myself for getting last week's but now disappointed.

Richard

[boharr]

I hate it when many seem to find it easy and I am stuck.

Proud of myself for getting last week's but now disappointed.

Richard

It's not that easy. Don't be discouraged.

[Begbie]

Count me among those stuck on the ship. Last week's came easily to me, but this one is vexing me greatly. It's only Friday night, though. Perhaps a fresh look tomorrow will yield the "aha" moment. I must be missing something obvious...I keep muttering "Group. Outings. Group. Outings. Group. Outings."

I thought both WSJ Crossword Conversations were great, but yesterday's was particularly fun. The respect and enthusiasm Mike, Mike and Matt show for each other and for the craft was wonderful to see. And so many shout-outs to the Muggles!

Finally, I agree with the other poster who noted that Matt needed to change the battery in his clock...

Here's hoping I figure this out by Sunday night.

[hcbirker]

Count me among those stuck on the ship. Last week's came easily to me, but this one is vexing me greatly. It's only Friday night, though. Perhaps a fresh look tomorrow will yield the "aha" moment. I must be missing something obvious...I keep muttering "Group. Outings. Group. Outings. Group. Outings."

I thought both WSJ Crossword Conversations were great, but yesterday's was particularly fun. The respect and enthusiasm Mike, Mike and Matt show for each other and for the craft was wonderful to see. And so many shout-outs to the Muggles!

Finally, I agree with the other poster who noted that Matt needed to change the battery in his clock...

Here's hoping I figure this out by Sunday night.

You will! Keep at it. Maybe thinking of something different will help. When I can't find a path, I try to empty my mind of previous attempts (easier said than done, I might add)!

[JennyByrd]

On shore, and happily so. The first cool front of fall will be arriving in Houston tonight, and now I won’t have anything distracting me from going outside to enjoy it. Happy Friday everyone.

[BeTheLight]

On shore, though at first I didn't realize it. But as I considered my five letter word I realized it made perfect sense.

[halseymac]

This Tarheel got past the Shark's Offering and made it to shore! Good grid and really liked the Meta!

[TPS]

I’ll never understand how people rate the difficulties of the WSJCC puzzle. Last week’s puzzle was a never solve for me yet I got this one in under an hour. Now I realize this puzzle was a more familiar method to those of us who have done these for at least a few months but in my view this week’s is an order of magnitude simpler than last week’s.

[BarbaraK]

I’ll never understand how people rate the difficulties of the WSJCC puzzle. Last week’s puzzle was a never solve for me yet I got this one in under an hour. Now I realize this puzzle was a more familiar method to those of us who have done these for at least a few months but in my view this week’s is an order of magnitude simpler than last week’s.

I don't do the difficulty ratings because I don't really know how to figure it out. Certainly sometimes there are clear theme answers with an obvious similarity and those should be easy. And others have multiple steps with different methodologies and that will be difficult. But most are somewhere in the middle. And I don't even think my own solving experience is relevant. If I get it quickly, was it easy or was I lucky? If it takes me a long time, was it hard, or was I dense?

I don't know how Matt calibrates the difficulty of MGWCC, and the fact that he sometimes blows it does not surprise me as much as that he so often gets it right.