"Squeeze Play" - September 6, 2019

[MarkL]

Been an interesting week. Isaac has been generous with the Coppertail Night Swim pours but it's time to go ashore and get some the real thing! Slept on the answer initially derived and sticking with it! Done and Done. Cheers!

[Scooby]

On shore...didn't expect this much of a curve ball from "Marie Kelly."

[KayW]

Finished the grid... Now I'm hopping you don't need to know much about baseball for this one.

I'm in the same boat. Luckily Isaac is on board too. I see a couple of "things". And some four-letter verbs are coming to mind, but nothing I can submit as an answer

[PeterLeea1a]

Add another one at the bar!

[CPJohnson]

I'm still on the ship, looking for step 2. I'll help Marge in the garden.

[BarbaraK]

I know so little about sports that I didn't even recognize the title. The central across answer and google explained it, but I still have no clue about the meta and a bad feeling that I don't have a chance. Bingo in Marge's garden sounds like my speed this week.

Nothing yet on MMMM or Fireball either. I was on vacation at a resort with minimal internet this week. Managed to download and fill the grids, but nothing on the meta, and too relaxing and peaceful to care much. Back home now though, so hopefully I'll figure out something.

[CPJohnson]

OK....post enlightenment. But I am solidly with Bob, our esteemed cruise director, in feeling that something may not be quite right with my answer. Count me on shore, but I'll probably wait until tomorrow to submit it.

[Al Sisti]

Good afternoon fellow muggles and a slightly belated status

First welcome to our newest muggles the slumin8or from our blog and Ryan Landers from the WSJ page. And the WSJ is accepting comments however there are not many these days.

We have 7 on the ship and 34 on the shore. Several on the ship and some on the shore are in the same situation as I am. We have a very well defined path to the shore which hangs together except for one aspect which gives us some pause. So while I am counting myself on shore, I have not sent in the answer but will try to dig for a while to ensure that we have not been pageant'ed again.

And in honor of Al, my avatar this week is the last drop of Guinness going into the glass before being consumed.

This is my next goal... we're gonna have that machine at our local Irish Pub on Sept 19th. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyaCq7GcF-s

[Cindy]

Solved. Forgot to post. Almost forgot to post my mgwcc solve today on his board. That would have been a real bummer and streak buster.

[31 Down]

OK....post enlightenment. But I am solidly with Bob, our esteemed cruise director, in feeling that something may not be quite right with my answer. Count me on shore, but I'll probably wait until tomorrow to submit it.

This is a no-doubter IMO.

[Jim and Anita]

MaineMarge--please count us in on Bingo as we foresee a long stay with Isaac. One nice consolation prize is all the interesting things we learn from our rabbit holes. Your stern garden sounds lovely. Let us know when we can bring salad dressing for the harvest.

[Tina]

I got nothing.

[Orsys]

A pleasant outing after I saw something I hadn't needed to consult in solving the grid. And YIPPEE, I'm a MCWCC monthly swag winner!

Congrats. I won a couple of months ago. Winning a five week month is honorable indeed!

[DBMiller]

Wow, just wow, on the overall construction on this one. Done and done.

[Deb F]

Currently keeping Isaac etal company. Clueless.

[Meg]

OK, I’m FINALLY on the beach!! This one was really hard for me. Isaac and I had a lot of time to catch up, but it's kind of hard to enjoy drinking with Isaac when you’re trying to find a new rabbit hole.

[Joe Ross]

BTW, Maris's 61 homers in '61 remains the AMERICAN LEAGUE record for dingers in a season -- and is therefore, in my estimation, the TRUE record!

Heheheheh.

I can remember my youthful days, while clipping baseball cards to the spokes of our bikes, where we really did argue about things like this.

And you had boxes of cards to trade.

One of my first memories of how to matriculate into adulthood - besides the great examples of many adults around my childhhod and the good 'sters' attempts at beating it into me with wooden rulers - was brought on by showing my next door neighbor the cards of the entire Big Red Machine clipped to my spokes. I thought it a proud moment.

His reaction defined "non-plussed" in a visceral way, despite him being the biggest Reds/baseball fan I've ever known. I had to ask, "What's the deal?" He then showed me his vast card collection, every card mint, in glassine sleeves, stored in maybe 10 cardboard boxes about 20" long, designed for this purpose.

He had multiples of all cards, some dating back to the mid-30s, when his dad started collecting. He then started telling me their worth, explaining that only the also-rans made it to his spokes and then only after he had a couple in hand.

I asked what he did with all of the gum. He explained that he sold it at school, which funded most of his continuing purchases. He also worked a deal with the drug store owner when buying 10 packs, or more.

Granted, he was three years my elder, but I remembering having one of my first "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas, anymore" moments, realizing that there is life after being a kid.

It also took away some of my fun in collecting baseball cards, yet realizing the immense fun he was having in collecting his.

Similarly, I am LAS, not having the time to fully revisit the meta since yesterday. However, I am confident it will pop.

Also, my sister in NC escaped Dorian's full wrath. I'm wishing the best for everyone else and praying for the Bahamas. I wonder if I get too preachy about this, but Dorian will take its toll on blood supplies. If you're able, consider donating.

[Tina]

Thank goodness for post-enlightenment! I am on shore!

[Inca]

For the very first time, I didn't even try to do the meta. I saw the "theme" of the puzzle and, not to be a spoilsport, I just didn't even try to figure out what the title could mean...and just left after filling the grid. I'll probably be looking at it again before it's over....or not.

[Darryl H.]

Did this yesterday and thought it was a week 2 at the start. Finally saw the furry little feet. Done and dusted nonetheless. A bit of a shrug from the 'esthetics' of the solution, though.
MGWCC was done prior to finishing the grid.