"What Not To Do" - March 27, 2020

[Jacksull]

I am still on the boar with my friend Isaac.

I tried to backsolve, but if the only way to defend your answer is to hire Alan Dershowitz, you don’t have the right answer.

[Gracie3333]

Does on shore mean you submitted an answer?

[Bob cruise director]

Does on shore mean you submitted an answer?

It does. Check out the Come Aboard/FAQ-Community/Muggle Overview for the background on a lot of our comments here. Welcome to the group

[UTHfan]

I mean, I'd like a nudge but it's like getting a spot when lifting weights. It takes an experienced hand to know what amount is too much help. I think the answer is going to be silly, and I'll just spend this week waiting for the next crossword contest. I want that mug!

[TMart]

On shore with a 10 letter word I can defend as being legitimate, but we'll see... "Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of elderberry extract. This drink's my own antiviral invention. I'm going to patent it when I can think of a good name."

Just think, there are 35,529 ten letter words in the English language so you may be right.

Assuming, of course, that it’s an English word ....

[Hector]

It's always fun when the metas get hard enough that these debates arise. Congrats in advance to those who nailed this one on their own, and to the rest of us, there's always next week!

[ReB]

Finally decided to register as I've become a regular at trying to solve the Metas - solved the last two - but this week just hasn't worked out, so I'm stuck bailing water from the ship bottom. What is with asking for "nudges"? - I don't recall seeing this before when I've skimmed through the board in past weeks? Also, I missed where you add an avatar or other information.

[Natalie]

I'm hanging with Isaac. I got an idea immediately that I liked a lot, and when it didn't work out, I couldn't get away from it. I just have to reconcile myself to staying on board. I love my idea and can't escape! I hate it when that happens. LOL : ) ) ) Stay safe everyone!

[Nlobb]

Ashore???? I hope

[elan]

It's interesting to see when people ask for nudges and don't. To me... this was definitely quick and 100% confidant. And other weeks I struggle with uncertainty when others are confidant. Are there always separate camps? Are there personalities that are willing to ask for nudges? And do those correlate with puzzle--type?

All I know is that I always have a happy rush when I have the chance to sit down with the puzzle and have the joy of the meta clicking into place.

And these days... who can't hope that many of us get that?

[jhcogan]

I might as well be useful and swab the deck.
Seems like I'm never getting off of this tub.
Stuck again. Maybe next week.

[eagle1279]

Really struggled with this one, submitted a total guess, so I feel like I’m still on the ship, or perhaps floating on a raft somewhere between the ship and shore.

[Joe Ross]

[BarbaraK]

Since I find myself awake as midnight approaches, here's my explanation of the answer.

The 1st trick is that the title is not a description of the theme answers, it's instructions for what to do with them.
Do not don't do something means you actually need to do it.

Start with me
Touch me
Stand so close to me
Interrupt me

Next take those instructions very literally and put together the resulting letters.

In 10A, M & O start with ME
In 37A, N, O, & T touch ME
in 42D, O & N stand so close to ME
in 69A, O, U, & S interrupt ME

Giving MONOTONOUS, which IMHO, may describe the theme entries but certainly does not describe the meta.

My only nit is that 15A also has an M and E, interrupted by AD. But that is outweighed by the elegance of having the theme grid MEs in the same order as the theme answers, having them placed so there is no possible ambiguity about which letters to choose, even having that third ME 'standing' vertical. Yup, I enjoyed this one!

[FrankieHeck]

Happy to be on the right island after all. One year streak!

[MajordomoTom]

it's officially MONOTONOUS

which ... I wasn't a big fan of, but it was one of our two submissions.

Yes, Bob, the wife is a shadow muggle. She isn't registered on the forum.

[oldjudge]

I agree about 15A. I think that may have confused some people and the puzzle probably would have been better without that entry. Otherwise, a great puzzle. I would be interested to hear what other answers people could justify.

[Nycerjohnnie]

I’m surprised the official explanation from WSJ doesn’t mention the title being a double-negative with the theme entries. If you take the theme entries “literally” without thinking about the title, it doesn’t work. It only works if you realize, as Barbara pointed out, that don’t not means DO!

[juliet]

Thank you for posting the solution! Now I can go to bed--and I'm exhausted, having spent four days returning to this puzzle!

Unfortunately, the closest I came to solving it was following the negative directions ("don't start with me" instead of "start with me"). . .

[WBYonder]

God bless all you who got that. I struggle to see that, even given the solution.