"Horseplay" - October 18, 2019

[MaineMarge]

Hey guys! I’m looking for someone who will pony up and 3D or 8D to help pay my bar tab? It’s a big one already, and looks like it will be out of sight by the end of the weekend. I’m in the same leaky boat as the other shipside Muggles- so many options- so little pencil lead left. Thanks to all for helping in the garden out back- we’ll have a big Bingo 41D later on to give our brains a fresh start.

[Commodore]

Enjoyably, The Commodore is asea once again. Break out the brandy, Isaac.

[Orsys]

Done. Very clever.

[FrankH]

On shore. After stuck in this jam-packed rabbit hole, finally found the errors of my ways.

[Dow Jones]

Solved and ashore ! Unknowns were 8 across, 51 across and 38 down.

[Jeff S]

Finally on the sand. I figured out the mechanism immediately, but couldn't see a coherent answer. Then I guessed a possible answer, but had to work backwards to be sure it followed the mechanism. I have no idea how the constructors were ever able to design something like this - hats off!

[Scooby]

On-the-ship, and no land in sight...will probably lose to Marie Kelly this week, *sigh*

[WBYonder]

Another week with Isaac so far. We’ll see if I can shake the cobwebs off.

[Miki]

I easily solved the meta, submitted the answer, went to sleep, woke up in the morning and announced that Mike Shenk should win the mug this week for such a brilliant puzzle construction. "Bravo"

[CallMeShane]

New guy reporting in.

Thursday night was a bust. Isaac gave me a shot from The Stube's private bottle for brain lube.

Friday morning I found the first crack.

Friday afternoon I found a second crack.

Swan dive off the Lido Deck and so to shore.

P.S. our constructors are savants of the first water

[DaveKennison]

Reporting in from London! Solved the puzzle pretty quickly last Thursday (somewhere in the Bay of Biscay) and got the meta shortly after that, but couldn’t get to this web site until now. In any case, I’m safely ashore (in more ways than one) and my hat is off to the constructor!

[CPJohnson]

Solved, at last. Fie on you, Mike Schenk, for all your red herrings. But thanks for a great puzzle, skillfully constructed.

[Julie O]

Still with Isaac, in good company with many others. Starting to feel the same frustration I felt with Marie Kondo. My mind clearly works differently than Mike's does. If the mechanism to the meta is what I've been trying, absolutely stunning puzzle construction.

[Joe Ross]

LAS having given this a couple of hours Thursday and one+, yesterday. Sunday will have me working this out. The many posts by solvers gives me hope.

Meanwhile, Isaac is mixing up a tub of these, which I am bringing to the Bearcats tailgate party:

Good luck to fellow travelers!

[Bob cruise director]

New guy reporting in.

Thursday night was a bust. Isaac gave me a shot from The Stube's private bottle for brain lube.

Friday morning I found the first crack.

Friday afternoon I found a second crack.

Swan dive off the Lido Deck and so to shore.

P.S. our constructors are savants of the first water

Welcome to the muggles group. Good luck winning the mug.

[Bob cruise director]

I easily solved the meta, submitted the answer, went to sleep, woke up in the morning and announced that Mike Shenk should win the mug this week for such a brilliant puzzle construction. "Bravo"

Another new Muggle. Congratulations on getting the meta and good luck winning the mug. Welcome to the clan.

[Janet]

No more nightmares for me about this puzzle! I am now galloping on the beach with the others, enjoying the mane event.

[Horsesense]

Ashore after a slightly trickier swim than usual. As always, in awe of the brilliant construction.

[Bob cruise director]

Ashore after a slightly trickier swim than usual. As always, in awe of the brilliant construction.

So the headline will read "HORSESENSE GETS HORSEPLAY"

[pddigi]

Dom beat me easily to shore (I do have the excuse of traveling for work, but I think he would have beaten me anyway). I joined him shortly thereafter. And we were both agog at the elegant construction. (And it would be so easy to post spoilers inadvertently that I will just stop typing now.)