"Leading Men" - October 4, 2019

[BrianDavidson]

On shore.

[a3jay]

On shore.

[juliet]

Statistics for the last 200 Puzzles!

CORRECTION TO YOUR STATS:
Tim Maness, Mt. Pleasant, MI - 2 Mugs Won

And your photo proves it!!

[juliet]

California has a lot of lawyers (my husband is one), that's how I found out about this contest when he brought the WSJ home. Maybe I still have a chance! (Heidi)

A few years ago I picked up a WSJ while waiting for a tax return appointment and turned to the puzzle page. It had been decades since I'd done crosswords--not since the 80's when I lived in Manhattan. (No one had smart phones then, and a puzzle was good diversion while waiting for the bus or subway.) When I looked for some to do online, I came across the contest. It took me a while to figure what a meta was and how to interpret the comments. . . when posters commented they were on a cruise, landing on shore, or visiting the bar for liquid inspiration, I thought they meant literally!

[docison]

Ashore yesterday (but I forgot to come here to check in!).

Not my favorite puzzle - but what a terrific dialogue this week. Maybe inversely proportional to the quality/difficulty of the puzzle, just like baseball announcers really shine in the 7th inning of a 13-2 blowout!

[GlennG]

(snark deleted)

I'm not getting this one...

[Bill Harts]

On shore but seems too easy. Worried about a PAGEANT.

[TMart]

Time for Pennsylvania to represent!

There is one mug in Malvern, PA that I know of!

[CPJohnson]

I'm now on shore, having seen the error of my ways. I temporarily forgot Rule 1 of meta-solving.

[Tom Shea]

Finished the grid. No inspiration on the meta yet.

Isaac, set me up with a coffee please.

[Guy]

Edit: win, lose or draw on the meta, Dorothy and I will try a new beverage at sundown thanks to Natalie @ #119.

Got something, but not sure so I will ponder a bit longer.

[Dennis]

I need to watch my Penn State Nittany Lions play Purdue today, so I sure hope there is satellite TV in the bar. I, for about the fourth week in a row, have only been pursuing deep, empty holes! This is getting depressing!

[Patty]

I have an answer but not happy with it so shall remain at the bar for a bit longer.

[Patty]

Good thing I waited or I would have been on a deserted island without beverage service

[Bob cruise director]

Good Saturday morning muggles. An interesting contest and there are a lot of four letter words. Hopefully we have not selected an anagram of the right one.

First a warm welcome to our newest muggles - StElmoFlash, Alexis'mom, Devilbunny, and to Jonathan and Amanda (Saxerbrau) who posted on the WSJ page a while ago. And we thank Saxerbrau for here statistics on winners.

We have six keeping Isaac company for now since most have an answer but want to be sure and we have 107 on the shore. Our record for the crowded shore is 132

On the ship for now are
Maine Marge
Olaf
colin
Tom Shea
Guy L
and Dennis

The crowd on the shore is:
31 Down
Al
Leslie
Frankie
Mike H
Beth T
Cindy
Joe R
Darryl
Meg
Laura
Nalugirl
Barbara K
darthdriessen
gamera13
Howard H
Jean
Mark L
sharkicicles
Your humble cruise director
Glyn
Tmart
steve b
spotter
oldjudge
Tony S
Mary F
Tina
Janet
troysail
OguyDave
Bird Lives
hector
anita
Josh
Erich
StElmoFlash
Heidi
Eric P
scooby
Beth A
streroto
burd
Jereemy
Brian M
Frank
JakeorJacob
Ann P
Jack
ky-mike
Toby - back from travel and exile
DrTom
Chris
John B
Jeffrey
Fred
David K
Trey and Marion
Sean
Rita and George
Bill T
Barry
WBYonder
Jeffrey G
Michael
Alexis'mom
Les
Ed S
ALS
Jim and Anita
Janet P
inca
Peter L
Jennifer
Rad26
deb
Diane
JimmyJam
Juliet
Paul D - who beat his son
STL-D
William V
Devilbunny
damefox
tim1217
Domenic
Scott M
Commodore
Natalie
horsesense
ErikThor
Jazzvibist
Thurman8er
Geoduck
James C
Beth C
Joedbee
Saxerbrau
Julie O
glenn G
Brian
Gerry
Bill H
a3jay
docison
Cynthia J
and Patty

Good luck to everyone trying to become a first time winner or a second time winner or a third time winner or a fourth time winner

[Susan Goldberg]

On shore

[DrTom]

Got it, momentarily hung up on the tricky “double.”

That's the "Trouble with Doubles" - beam me up Scotty (I know, I know, but it wasn't a Triple so I could not use the best word play).

[MarkL]

I'll take square or even circular towns (GA?) over the totally bizarre and convoluted zip codes of Tampa/St Pete (incorporated and not)!!

[GlennG]

The crowd on the shore is:
glenn G

If I understand your analogy, this isn't so! Per most of the time, I don't have a clue on this one. Maybe that will change - we'll see.

[bunella]

Got a late start and needed a tush push but i'm onshore with pretzels and some Blue Moon beer.