XWord Muggles Forum

Ahoy, Muggles!

Welcome to the newly-rejuvenated SSS forum! The acronym now stands for "Smooth Sailing Sundays", and that's just what we're hoping to bring you - nice relaxing metas that shouldn't drive you too crazy. And just in case you happen to ssstruggle with a particularly ssstrenuous meta, we'll continue to deploy same-day life rafts, er, nudges to help you get to shore. You'll recognize many of the constructors featured here, and you may even see a new name pop up occasionally. One of our goals is to encourage new constructors, so if you have a good idea for a meta but don't know how to put a grid around it, give us a shout!

On a personal note, while I'm very excited to be the new SSS editor, I'm very sorry to see "Pandora's Blocks" come to an end. @AnswerPfinder played a huge role in my becoming a meta constructor a few years ago, and he has always been an encouraging and supportive mentor. I wish him well in his new "life after grad school" adventure. Good luck, Will! Hope to see you back here real soon!

So, let's get this party started and set sail with a meta by yours truly - appropriately titled "SS Startup". I'd like to thank @Abide, @Al Sisti, @boharr, @whimsy, @Wendy Walker, and @Joe Ross for testing and technical help.

The meta answer is a famous ship.

SS Startup
Crosshare
PUZ
PDF
Spreadsheet



Difficulty:
Nudges are here.
Solution is here.

Good luck!
Cap'n Rick

P.S. - As luck would have it, I'll be traveling this week, but I will do my best to keep up with PMs, leaderboards, etc.

Sssolved - great start to my Sunday morning. Thanks, Cap'n and safe travels!

Sssovled - thanks, @Cap'n Rick!

Took a nudge to get the ship back on course, but sssolved!

Sssuper! Congrats, Cap'n!

Sssolved! Nice puzzle to SS Start the new version.

Sssolved! Thanks for the puzzle, Cap'n!

Sunday Nudges

Here are a few nudges if you're still at sea:

Originally, the SS prefix on ship names stood for “steamship”.

Well, "blow me down!" There are 6 symmetrically-placed SS entries right here in the grid.

And "shiver me timbers!" The clues for those 6 entries can fit 6 other grid entries.

Yes, waiters can also bring sandwiches, but that would be too obvious, right? Like the others, look for an entry that is clued in a different way.

Meta solving 101 requires examining the first letters of... Oh wait, "thar she blows!"

Please feel free to send me a PM if you're still stuck.

SSSolved without nudges. Thanks Cap'n!

Solved Sans Suggestions. Smooth sailing indeed - thanks Cap'n!

Thanksssss for a lovely Sunday romp!

Solved with the nudges, after some meandering off course for a bit. Fun start to the reboot, thanks.

And thanks for taking on editor duties!

Very frustrating. I tried to do nudge three for a very long time last night (pre-nudges) but just couldn't find anything at all. Not even one. Post nudge I see what they were and can't really see why I couldn't see them before (as a sour-grapes excuse I'll say a certain Olivia Jaimes would like to have a word with you but that really is a sour-grapes).

Thanks Rick!
I shouldn't have needed the nudges, but it was a little tricky and I hadn't heard of the ship but was familiar with why it's famous. (Not trying to give it away.)

Nice one @Cap'n Rick . Thanks! A fun Sunday afternoon cruise!

Sssolved Sssans Nudges. Nice one! Great having a Sssunday meta once again. Thanks, Cap'n Rick!

Welcome back SSS. I've sssolved. Nice one as always from @Cap'n Rick

Sssolved without nudges.

Sssolved w/o nudges. Completed grid this AM. Needed to let the fog clear before I could navigate the stormy seas to the answer. Thanks Cap'n.

Sssolved with nudges! I think the wind was whipping up the water slightly more than the Cap'n was perhaps anticipating.