"Fresh Start" - November 6, 2020

[FrancesY]

On shore. Couldn’t solve the last five puzzles!

[BethA]

We are lost at sea.

But enjoying the 70-degree November weather, and happy to get the garlic planted!

[hunkra]

But in the past couple months, I've been batting like a 150.

You could've batted cleanup for the Red Sox in 2020.
And, Isaac, if the bar's TV even goes near the Magic Wall broadcast tonight, I'm never coming here again.

I guess I'm just the Bill Buckner of this week's meta

[DrTom]

We are lost at sea.

But enjoying the 70-degree November weather, and happy to get the garlic planted!

Beaver PA, 70 degrees in NOVEMBER - break out the pony bottles of Rock or cans of Iron City!

So, does garlic need cold weather to get it to grow? Could be why I have had such bad luck with it, and I'm sad because to me it is the 5th food group: Protein, Fats, Carbs, Alcohol, Garlic (order may change day to day!)

[MaineMarge]

On shore.
I was grateful to have a tough grid and meta this week to keep my mind occupied and off the alternative this weekend.
Thanks Matt for another good one!

With my gardening season winding down now, my thoughts are turning to a fresh start next spring

Tulips, daffodils and white Arabis everywhere.

[DrTom]

On shore.
I was grateful to have a tough grid and meta this week to keep my mind occupied and off the alternative this weekend.
Thanks Matt for another good one!

With my gardening season winding down now, my thoughts are turning to a fresh start next spring

005D58FA-851F-419D-9FAC-402C1751D5B2.jpeg
Tulips, daffodils and white Arabis everywhere.

Wow, if that doesn't look like a picture postcard nothing does. Your photo made me feel all warm and comfy - BEAUTIFUL. Thanks for a nice Saturday "Northern Exposure"

[Streroto]

LAS. Agree that last few weeks have been tough metas and also agree this was an unusually tough grid. I see something I am sure I am supposed to see but have no idea what to do with it. Rabbit holes everywhere. Will keep at it but thinking this one may be a K for me. Isaac, another Syrah please!!

[Bob cruise director]

On shore.
I was grateful to have a tough grid and meta this week to keep my mind occupied and off the alternative this weekend.
Thanks Matt for another good one!

With my gardening season winding down now, my thoughts are turning to a fresh start next spring

005D58FA-851F-419D-9FAC-402C1751D5B2.jpeg
Tulips, daffodils and white Arabis everywhere.

Road Trip in the spring to Maine Marge's

[Bob cruise director]

But in the past couple months, I've been batting like a 150.

You could've batted cleanup for the Red Sox in 2020.
And, Isaac, if the bar's TV even goes near the Magic Wall broadcast tonight, I'm never coming here again.

I guess I'm just the Bill Buckner of this week's meta

OUCH - that just brings out old wounds.

[DrTom]

Gosh I forgot to formally declare - ASHORE after a rather difficult slog but overall VERY neat AHA, I'll be curious about the post-mortem because I had a couple of "What" moments in my trek. Maybe I need to do some Googling to see why I am wrong (it almost NEVER is the constructor and if it is its because there was a dual possibility). Happy to be on the beach.

Interestingly I could have sworn I already posted that I was on shore and that it was too late to celebrate with a drink but that I was going to do it today with a drink I resurrected from a few weeks spent in New Orleans, a Vieux Carré. I REMEMBER typing and spell checking to make sure I got it right, but boy I cannot find it? Maybe I had a few of those while trying to spell check it - that is kind of freaky because I am almost certain I wrote that - now I have to wonder WHERE I wrote it and who is probably thinking at this point - "What in the heck is this guy talking about????"

[Joe Ross]

While sitting at Isaac's bar, yesterday (actually the 19th hole), I completed this trifecta: A friend bought 1st round offering me a choice between a (COVID-19) & a Bud Light Lime. I chose the latter. I bought second round and for myself a Rhinegeist Truth, an excellent & true local IPA. Going from BLL to RGT immediately left me feeling as if I chewed on lemon & lime rinds. I've never had that intense of a taste reaction. I'm sure that my face looked like a Looney Tunes character after ingesting alum. I finished the 19th with a Guinness Draught, which set the world right, again, naturally.

Wishing best luck to muggles, like me, who have yet to solve, congratulations to those who have, and a fantastic weekend to all.

[pddigi]

I have noticed strange behaviors on both my iPhone and MacBook that are new (and irritating). I don't want to waste others' time here, but "disappearing grid" is the easiest way to characterize it. Has this been addressed on this forum? Has anyone found a work-around?

[Joe Ross]

I have noticed strange behaviors on both my iPhone and MacBook that are new (and irritating). I don't want to waste others' time here, but "disappearing grid" is the easiest way to characterize it. Has this been addressed on this forum? Has anyone found a work-around?

IMO, the best thing to do is write to WSJ Puzzles staff at puzzles@wsj.com. There doesn't seem to be a workaround, but you'll find them responsive. If enough people write to them, it may encourage them to fix the issue sooner than later.

[JennyByrd]

Got a late start - grid was medium difficulty for me this morning, and a few rabbits have been chased. Going to go outside for a while and enjoy a beautiful fall day in Houston.

[minimuggle]

You all really impress me. I've done crosswords all my life but new to meta. Spending lots of time in interesting rabbit holes. During an 18 mile run today in Central park I discussed with a friend and we both had fun with some ideas. Can someone explain to me the significance of the numbers in some of the clues? Thanks and enjoy this gorgeous day.

[Bob cruise director]

I have noticed strange behaviors on both my iPhone and MacBook that are new (and irritating). I don't want to waste others' time here, but "disappearing grid" is the easiest way to characterize it. Has this been addressed on this forum? Has anyone found a work-around?

Paul
Over on the WSJ web page, people have been complaining about this for weeks with no solutions. It is independent of platform and operating system and web browser. There have been several proposed work arounds but none has been successful.

My only suggestion is to go to paper.

[eagle1279]

Visiting friends in Franklin, TN, enjoying incredible weather (sunny and 70s), staying at a lovely B&B, so I didn't get to finish the grid until this morning. Found the grid challenging. I think I've found the path to the meta and I may even have the answer, but I can't complete all the intermediate steps so I'm thoughtfully sipping bourbon with Isaac before submitting.

[PJM]

You could've batted cleanup for the Red Sox in 2020.
And, Isaac, if the bar's TV even goes near the Magic Wall broadcast tonight, I'm never coming here again.

I guess I'm just the Bill Buckner of this week's meta

OUCH - that just brings out old wounds.

Your pain is my pain. Sox fans have too many fresh wounds to be revisiting old wounds!

[DrTom]

You all really impress me. I've done crosswords all my life but new to meta. Spending lots of time in interesting rabbit holes. During an 18 mile run today in Central park I discussed with a friend and we both had fun with some ideas. Can someone explain to me the significance of the numbers in some of the clues? Thanks and enjoy this gorgeous day.

Wow, there is a question that could easily take an essay to answer. In broadest terms the numbers in parentheses will refer to a characteristic that will help you solve the mechanism. A few weeks back we had one where there was a parenthetical number that referred to a grouping or a set. For example, a clue had the number (5) and the answer CHEERIEST held the word ERIE. The "hint" to the META answer was that it was part of a certain set so we were looking for "sets" of things and 5 referred to the 5 Great Lakes of which ERIE is a member. Another time it referred to the position of the letter you needed within the word that the clue lead you to. So, it is not always the same thing (which is why it is so diabolical).

My suggestion is to go to the section of the Board that has the old puzzles and look at the solutions, or even go back in time and grab some old puzzles and try to solve them (content in the knowledge that the answers are there is you start to pull out your hair - if you see pictures of many of us you will realize that we missed the "before you start to pull out your hair" instruction). There are also a LOT of great hints on how to tackle these little monsters there (forums/viewforum.php?f=18)

Glad to have you aboard and believe me, it will seem quite difficult and even impossible when you first start, but it gets easier and soon you will be AHAing with the best of us. Everyone here is kind and non-judgmental, always eager to help and usually quickly responsive.

[pddigi]

Visiting friends in Franklin, TN, enjoying incredible weather (sunny and 70s), staying at a lovely B&B, so I didn't get to finish the grid until this morning. Found the grid challenging. I think I've found the path to the meta and I may even have the answer, but I can't complete all the intermediate steps so I'm thoughtfully sipping bourbon with Isaac before submitting.

Welcome to Franklin! 'Tis a beautiful day!