"Summer Wear" - October 16, 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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Dow Jones
Posts: 472
Joined: Thu May 09, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: Yakima, WA

#201

Post by Dow Jones »

Ashore ! I had the answer early, but was unaware that it was the answer until I looked it up. Outstanding grid and meta.
CopperRiver
Posts: 231
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2020 10:42 pm

#202

Post by CopperRiver »

CopperRiver wrote: Fri Oct 16, 2020 11:01 pm
Tripod wrote: Fri Oct 16, 2020 10:30 pm Ashore. Feels like 100%er.

Got to it this evening, and was just in a groove on the grid and the meta. Perhaps a thank you is owed for the assist from Vodka and Tonic 'clearing' my brain.

Life has kept me from being able to solve them all on time, but this makes 4 metas in a row for me. After weeks (and weeks, and weeks) of not much success - also known as utter futility - this is a great feeling. Thanks for the muggle support.

Now if only someone could give me a good 'nudge' of advice to help explain to my wife what I'm doing in these 'chat rooms' on weekends...
Nudge: tell your wife you are chatting with Jake from State Farm! 👍
NDStegs
Posts: 109
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2020 9:02 pm

#203

Post by NDStegs »

On shore. Got it after staring at the puzzle for a while. And it finally jumped out at me.
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FrankH
Posts: 242
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2019 4:15 am

#204

Post by FrankH »

Something came up suddenly yesterday that upended my schedule for the entire day, so for the first time in a long long while I have to start the puzzle on a Friday. But I am glad to say I am on shore.
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meowmiao71
Posts: 196
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2020 2:20 pm
Location: New Mexico

#205

Post by meowmiao71 »

Ashore! Took a bit of staring but it's a 100%er for sure.
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oldjudge
Posts: 1623
Joined: Fri Apr 19, 2019 4:16 am
Location: Pasadena, CA

#206

Post by oldjudge »

Sorry, I got this yesterday pretty quickly but I haven’t hit the board in a few days.
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wildjed
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2020 6:01 pm
Location: Pacific northwest

#207

Post by wildjed »

On shore! First time feeling the sand! Hand me a whiskey iced tea, if ya please!

Spent a good amount of time humming a sea shantie and biting my pen, but after taking a step back and just digging into what was in front of my eyes, made it off the boat!
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802puzzler
Posts: 178
Joined: Fri May 08, 2020 7:21 pm

#208

Post by 802puzzler »

TPS wrote: Fri Oct 16, 2020 11:06 pm
clueless_solver wrote: Fri Oct 16, 2020 10:55 pm LAS, starting to think I'm just rubbish at these and I only solve the meta when it's a gimmick that no one else seems to like. My group tried a bunch of things since there were a few answers that seemed to be obviously related to a solution, but after a few hours of trying I think the whole thing (and the multitude of rabbit holes it caused) was totally wrong. I think I'll just sleep on it.

Does anyone else feel like they always notice double letters way too much, even though I don't think I've ever had a meta that involved that mechanism?
No one and I mean NO ONE is worse at these than me - if the method isn’t a basic theme answer solve - I go through 20 crazy iterations in 30 minutes looking for methods - making origami out of the grid or turning it into a Banksy- at one point on this one I drew something that looked like a bird connecting letter and started googling summer water that looks like a bird.

So you are not alone.
You are definitely not alone! I'm ashamed to admit how much paper I waste on difficult solves (or non-solves). If it doesn't come quickly, I make photocopies of the clean, finished grid so that I can highlight, draw, write in margins, etc.

I'm still on board this weekend. Lots of rabbit holes, but no articles of clothing!?!?
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Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 4511
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#209

Post by Bob cruise director »

With more than a little water taken in from the rabbit holes I have been pursuing, I finally found the way and am on shore.
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
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Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 4511
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#210

Post by Bob cruise director »

Trey wrote: Fri Oct 16, 2020 9:46 pm Marion and I are BBBBBBBAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKK! Took a couple of weeks in the sewer for some stupid reason(s). Glad to be on shore with the Muggles and looking for the mug...........
Welcome back. I was wondering where you were.
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
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BarbaraK
Posts: 2590
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Virginia

#211

Post by BarbaraK »

Doh! I’m on shore.
zacmoretz
Posts: 101
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2020 6:50 pm

#212

Post by zacmoretz »

Ashore. Either I am getting smarter or these are getting easier. And surely they’re not getting easier right? Champagne for everyone, my good man!
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Gman
Posts: 349
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2020 2:47 pm
Location: Encinitas CA

#213

Post by Gman »

On shore. Agree with the "Doh!" comment.
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Janet
Posts: 385
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 5:22 pm

#214

Post by Janet »

Made it to sure just a minute ago. I had been chasing all sort of rabbits, then finally noticed.
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802puzzler
Posts: 178
Joined: Fri May 08, 2020 7:21 pm

#215

Post by 802puzzler »

On shore with a nudge. Not a muggable solve, but happy that I can now move on with my weekend!!!
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Tripod
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri May 08, 2020 10:19 pm
Location: Massachusetts

#216

Post by Tripod »

CopperRiver wrote: Fri Oct 16, 2020 11:01 pm
Tripod wrote: Fri Oct 16, 2020 10:30 pm Ashore. Feels like 100%er.

Got to it this evening, and was just in a groove on the grid and the meta. Perhaps a thank you is owed for the assist from Vodka and Tonic 'clearing' my brain.

Life has kept me from being able to solve them all on time, but this makes 4 metas in a row for me. After weeks (and weeks, and weeks) of not much success - also known as utter futility - this is a great feeling. Thanks for the muggle support.

Now if only someone could give me a good 'nudge' of advice to help explain to my wife what I'm doing in these 'chat rooms' on weekends...
Nudge: tell your wife you are chatting with Jake from Allstate! 👍
She always asks, "Well, what is 'Jake from State Farm wearing?'"
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DrTom
Posts: 3763
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#217

Post by DrTom »

I really do love everybody on this board, but DANG it is frustrating when you look and look at a puzzle and cannot see anything while everyone is saying how simple it is and that the answer is jumping out at them, I'd settle for a "Psst, hey buddy!". Oh, well I'll keep trying...

Not a complete loss because (1) I did get the MCWCC and even better (2) I "won" a chance to pick from my friendly ABC Wine and Spirits bourbon vault and scored a bottle of Weller 12 year. There were many even better bourbons available but I noticed the "Vault" notification about 20 minutes after it arrived and by then they were all gone. However, I think Weller is the bourbon that I like best so far (I've bought several that were 2 or 3 times the cost for not as much satisfaction or smoothness) so I'm delighted. At least I'll have something to either drown my sorrows or, should post enlightenment come, celebrate.

Oh, and I was in NE Pennsylvania last week so I thought I'd share a few "leaf peeper" pics for Floridians and others like me who don't usually see them:
IMG_2668 E.jpg
IMG_2660 E.jpg
IMG_2644 E.jpg
IMG_2617 E.jpg
IMG_2601 E.jpg
IMG_2585 E.jpg
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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ky-mike
Posts: 1941
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 4:22 pm
Location: Near Louisville Ky

#218

Post by ky-mike »

DrTom wrote: Sat Oct 17, 2020 10:23 am I really do love everybody on this board, but DANG it is frustrating when you look and look at a puzzle and cannot see anything while everyone is saying how simple it is and that the answer is jumping out at them, I'd settle for a "Psst, hey buddy!". Oh, well I'll keep trying...

Not a complete loss because (1) I did get the MCWCC and even better (2) I "won" a chance to pick from my friendly ABC Wine and Spirits bourbon vault and scored a bottle of Weller 12 year. There were many even better bourbons available but I noticed the "Vault" notification about 20 minutes after it arrived and by then they were all gone. However, I think Weller is the bourbon that I like best so far (I've bought several that were 2 or 3 times the cost for not as much satisfaction or smoothness) so I'm delighted. At least I'll have something to either drown my sorrows or, should post enlightenment come, celebrate.
Hmmm. I am also stuck on the WSJ after getting MGWCC. I also won (last month) a lottery pick of Weller 12. My leaf peeping came on a trip this week to NW Arkansas. Not as much red as in the NE US, but pretty all the same.

Here's to post-enlightenment - Cheers!
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SusieG
Posts: 431
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2020 9:20 pm
Location: Arkansas

#219

Post by SusieG »

I’m stuck on the ship. Not sure if it’s in the cards for me this week...my husband insists we leave the house for a long bike ride. It is my favorite time of year after all. Then there are the two books I have on Libby that are getting close to expiration. When I finish those I will have to dig up some Wodehouse. It’s been so long, I will likely enjoy them as much as the first time.

Ky-Mike, glad you enjoyed my neck of the woods. It is pretty in October.

Good luck to those of you who are in the running for the mug!
Fishoutowater
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2020 9:57 am

#220

Post by Fishoutowater »

Ashore finally with a nudge. Thank you for the help. Lesson is that I need to go all the way down the path I follow before crossing it off the list and not give up too soon. Will not submit for the mug given the help but good luck to all who do!
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