Introduce Yourself

Please come in and say hello and tell us something about yourself.
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katnahat
Posts: 101
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2021 11:11 pm
Location: Texas

#541

Post by katnahat »

Hi, I'm Kathie. I live in northeast Texas with my husband, close to two of our adult children and their spouses and our three grandchildren. Our other child lives in Dallas with his family. I am a happily retired psychotherapist. I love gardening, reading, spending time with my family and friends, knitting and just generally puttering around doing things I've never had time for. Usually in September I spend a week in Kennebunkport, Maine with a group of knitting friends, but the plague has put that on hold. Two years ago we traveled to Ireland together, which has always been a dream of mine. I adore puzzles, especially crosswords! I'm new to the forum and recently subscribed to the WSJ at my brother's suggestion, becoming addicted to the Crossword immediately. I'm new to metas and until today have been unable to solve one, but will be going back to work on old Contests to practice. I have a question: after you submit the Friday Contest, do you receive a response if you get it right? Nice to meet you all!
Kathie
SewYoung
Posts: 726
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2019 9:25 pm
Location: Meridian, MS

#542

Post by SewYoung »

Hi Kathie,
Welcome to the group. Unless your correct submission is chosen as the winner after the deadline, you get no response from WSJ as to whether your answer was correct or not. If your correct is randomly chosen as the winner, you will receive an email from WSJ and once you have responded to that notification, Mike Miller with WSJ posts the results on this forum.
Glorfindel
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2021 6:06 pm
Location: Portland, OR

#543

Post by Glorfindel »

Hi - I'm Srinivasa, from Portland (the 'newer' one, in the Pacific NW, shall we say..). I've been solving the WSJ xword for about an year, discovering that lately after years of solving the other well known one from the Big Apple. This week's one was the first meta I could get - quite a pleasure, and a reinforcement of the humbling realization + appreciation of the skill level of many of the regular contest solvers here!
davidc
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2021 12:11 am

#544

Post by davidc »

Hi I’m David. I live in Dallas. Long time NYT crossword guy. Currently on a quest to solve all Shortz era puzzles in reverse chronological order. I’m back to late 2004. I just discovered the WSJ crossword contest and I’m hooked. Looking forward to meeting y’all online.

Btw, I really got thrown this week because the IMDB list of best picture nominees by year… didn’t include this week’s answer. Banged my head against this puzzle all weekend.

Anyhow looking forward to getting ashore and sharing a cocktail with this crew when I can!!
Katiedid
Posts: 331
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2021 8:53 pm

#545

Post by Katiedid »

Hi, I'm Katiedid on MGWCC. I've been doing MGWCC since January 2013, and the WSJ metas since they started. I've lurked on here a while.
I am a retired engineer living in Houston. I've always liked crosswords and puzzles. I play piano and sing in a choir (until recently, it was two choirs).
It seems like this week might be a good time to get my "Better Together" achievement, so I decided to join!
User avatar
GTIJohnny
Posts: 70
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2021 8:55 pm
Location: Palatine, IL

#546

Post by GTIJohnny »

Hello,
I am John from Palatine, Illinois and a long time WSJ subscriber and Xword puzzle fanatic.

A recently retired traffic engineer, I also include cars and roller coasters among my hobbies.

I'm not much into social media but this seems like a really cool site with nice folks on it. I'm fortunate to have finally discovered it! Thanks to all who make this forum special.
keysas
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2021 10:53 pm

#547

Post by keysas »

SewYoung wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 12:15 pm Hi Kathie,
Welcome to the group. Unless your correct submission is chosen as the winner after the deadline, you get no response from WSJ as to whether your answer was correct or not. If your correct is randomly chosen as the winner, you will receive an email from WSJ and once you have responded to that notification, Mike Miller with WSJ posts the results on this forum.
So when the cruise director posts the list of who is on shore as the weekend progresses, how does he get your username? I’ve been submitting correct meta puzzle answers (verified on Monday) for a few weeks, but never seem to make the list. Am I supposed to include my username in the submission email? I tried to find the answer to this question in the FAQ, but no joy.
User avatar
SReh26
Posts: 763
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:48 pm

#548

Post by SReh26 »

keysas wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:00 pm
SewYoung wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 12:15 pm Hi Kathie,
Welcome to the group. Unless your correct submission is chosen as the winner after the deadline, you get no response from WSJ as to whether your answer was correct or not. If your correct is randomly chosen as the winner, you will receive an email from WSJ and once you have responded to that notification, Mike Miller with WSJ posts the results on this forum.
So when the cruise director posts the list of who is on shore as the weekend progresses, how does he get your username? I’ve been submitting correct meta puzzle answers (verified on Monday) for a few weeks, but never seem to make the list. Am I supposed to include my username in the submission email? I tried to find the answer to this question in the FAQ, but no joy.
You declare yourself ashore in the meta contest board on this site.
keysas
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2021 10:53 pm

#549

Post by keysas »

SReh26 wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:06 pm
keysas wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:00 pm
SewYoung wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 12:15 pm Hi Kathie,
Welcome to the group. Unless your correct submission is chosen as the winner after the deadline, you get no response from WSJ as to whether your answer was correct or not. If your correct is randomly chosen as the winner, you will receive an email from WSJ and once you have responded to that notification, Mike Miller with WSJ posts the results on this forum.
So when the cruise director posts the list of who is on shore as the weekend progresses, how does he get your username? I’ve been submitting correct meta puzzle answers (verified on Monday) for a few weeks, but never seem to make the list. Am I supposed to include my username in the submission email? I tried to find the answer to this question in the FAQ, but no joy.
You declare yourself ashore in the meta contest board on this site.
But what if you are wrong? I guess I thought there was someone out there verifying meta-answers prior to the ashore declaration. Oh well - maybe I should be more confident in my solutions (?).
User avatar
SReh26
Posts: 763
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:48 pm

#550

Post by SReh26 »

keysas wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:12 pm
SReh26 wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:06 pm
keysas wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:00 pm

So when the cruise director posts the list of who is on shore as the weekend progresses, how does he get your username? I’ve been submitting correct meta puzzle answers (verified on Monday) for a few weeks, but never seem to make the list. Am I supposed to include my username in the submission email? I tried to find the answer to this question in the FAQ, but no joy.
You declare yourself ashore in the meta contest board on this site.
But what if you are wrong? I guess I thought there was someone out there verifying meta-answers prior to the ashore declaration. Oh well - maybe I should be more confident in my solutions (?).
Wrong, you say!!?? 😂
You’re absolutely right. We may be wrong. Declarations of being ashore aren’t guarantees, and many of us say we aren’t totally certain. Some of us confirm with more expert muggles or get nudges, but in principle no one knows if they are correct until the answer is revealed Sunday at midnight.
Ffrohbose
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 12:57 pm
Location: North Carolina

#551

Post by Ffrohbose »

I am Fred F. I live in N Carolina and spend most of my time in the pleasant town of Beaufort, at which I arrived in a circuitous fashion. In the warm months I like to paddle out to, and walk the full length of, the great Bird Shoal. In the winter there are only your friends and the wind, in the words of Bland Simpson. My wife and I often head south.

I’m a retired urologist, second generation. Also sec gen crossworder. My dad lived to be 101 and had a keen mind and worked puzzles near to the end. He did not however enter the Contest…had he, I surely would have inherited a crate of mugs given his great skill.

I was introduced to the WSJ during my college years by an elderly neighbor, who, fearful that my entire generation were budding bolscheviks, would bring over an editorial for me to read and us to discuss. I am so glad he did, introducing me to the stunning prose of fellow Tar Heel Vermont Royster among others, and to philosophy that’s helped me make some sense of a goofy world.

Also to the worlds best x word puzzles. I started in with the Contest a few years back. I win some and lose some. But finding this community has been a big win.
Elizabeth
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:11 pm

#552

Post by Elizabeth »

Hi, I’m Elizabeth. I live in Charleston, SC with my mostly grown kid and 2 dogs.

I work from home in clean energy operations, and basically my days are spent Zooming and looking at data. My team also works remote and is scattered all over the country- keeping them motivated and working together from a distance takes a bit of performance art, and when the day is over I just want to retreat back into the comfortable, peaceful quiet of my own head.

So that’s why I’ve come aboard. Looking forward to enjoying an ice cold beer out on the deck with you all.
DrMuffy
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2021 10:20 am

#553

Post by DrMuffy »

HI my name is Barbara and I am from Southborough MA and Estero FL (i.e. 7 months in FL and 5 in MA annually). I have been doing nyt xword for many years and Matt Gaffney's for many years. I am also addicted to the nyt spelling bee. Just found this forum in Matt G's note this week!
User avatar
whimsy
Posts: 2718
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:51 am
Location: Hopkinton MA

#554

Post by whimsy »

DrMuffy wrote: Sat Oct 02, 2021 10:24 am HI my name is Barbara and I am from Southborough MA and Estero FL (i.e. 7 months in FL and 5 in MA annually). I have been doing nyt xword for many years and Matt Gaffney's for many years. I am also addicted to the nyt spelling bee. Just found this forum in Matt G's note this week!
Hi Barbara --
Your next door neighbor here in Hopkinton!
User avatar
BarbaraK
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Virginia

#555

Post by BarbaraK »

DrMuffy wrote: Sat Oct 02, 2021 10:24 am HI my name is Barbara and I am from Southborough MA and Estero FL (i.e. 7 months in FL and 5 in MA annually). I have been doing nyt xword for many years and Matt Gaffney's for many years. I am also addicted to the nyt spelling bee. Just found this forum in Matt G's note this week!
Welcome! I always like seeing more Barbaras!
User avatar
ship4u
Posts: 897
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2021 7:00 am
Location: At Wit's End, Shaker Heights, Ohio
Contact:

#556

Post by ship4u »

Hello, my name is Don and my wife and I are originally from Baltimore, Md., and were transplanted to Shaker Heights, OH about 25 years ago. We used to own a UPS Store shipping business here in Ohio, hence the moniker ship4u.
Having lived the American Dream and now retired, I spend my time woodworking, creative crafting, restoring antiques and maintaining our 1925 English Tudor Revival home. We have a particular interest in the British Arts & Crafts Movement and enjoy visiting the British countryside for annual vacations.
My wife and I started solving WSJ xwords about a year ago. We enjoy doing it together during lunch. At first, we were only able to complete Mondays, but slowly got better at it. Now, we are addicted and try to use it as a mind exercise to hopefully stave off future old age dementia, printing off random WSJ puzzles for some extra fun.
I have only been a part of this group for a week, but am enjoying it greatly and I hope to get to know more members.
Don & Cynthia

We are always happy to get to know other muggles and help in any way! PM's are always welcome. The next best thing to winning a mug is helping a fellow muggle win a mug!
User avatar
Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 4511
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#557

Post by Bob cruise director »

ship4u wrote: Sun Oct 03, 2021 11:35 am Hello, my name is Don and my wife and I are originally from Baltimore, Md., and were transplanted to Shaker Heights, OH about 25 years ago. We used to own a UPS Store shipping business here in Ohio, hence the moniker ship4u.
Having lived the American Dream and now retired, I spend my time woodworking, creative crafting, restoring antiques and maintaining our 1925 English Tudor Revival home. We have a particular interest in the British Arts & Crafts Movement and enjoy visiting the British countryside for annual vacations.
My wife and I started solving WSJ xwords about a year ago. We enjoy doing it together during lunch. At first, we were only able to complete Mondays, but slowly got better at it. Now, we are addicted and try to use it as a mind exercise to hopefully stave off future old age dementia, printing off random WSJ puzzles for some extra fun.
I have only been a part of this group for a week, but am enjoying it greatly and I hope to get to know more members.
Don and wife
Great to have you and hear about your background. If you want to meet some people who are as crazy about metas as you are, please come to our weekly zoom calls at 7:30pm Eastern time on Tuesdays. The link is at the top of the page "muggle zoom room". We normally discuss the WSJ meta but digress into other metas like the MGWCC (https://xwordcontest.com/) and the MMM (viewforum.php?f=42) or any other thing that comes up - last week it was Wendy's cookies and judging at her local fair. The only thing off limits is any political discussions - we come to escape that.

Hope to see you sometime

Bob
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
User avatar
Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 4511
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#558

Post by Bob cruise director »

DrMuffy wrote: Sat Oct 02, 2021 10:24 am HI my name is Barbara and I am from Southborough MA and Estero FL (i.e. 7 months in FL and 5 in MA annually). I have been doing nyt xword for many years and Matt Gaffney's for many years. I am also addicted to the nyt spelling bee. Just found this forum in Matt G's note this week!
Barbara - I am just up 495 in Littleton. Great to have you here.
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
User avatar
Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 4511
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#559

Post by Bob cruise director »

Ffrohbose wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:43 am I am Fred F. I live in N Carolina and spend most of my time in the pleasant town of Beaufort, at which I arrived in a circuitous fashion. In the warm months I like to paddle out to, and walk the full length of, the great Bird Shoal. In the winter there are only your friends and the wind, in the words of Bland Simpson. My wife and I often head south.

I’m a retired urologist, second generation. Also sec gen crossworder. My dad lived to be 101 and had a keen mind and worked puzzles near to the end. He did not however enter the Contest…had he, I surely would have inherited a crate of mugs given his great skill.

I was introduced to the WSJ during my college years by an elderly neighbor, who, fearful that my entire generation were budding bolscheviks, would bring over an editorial for me to read and us to discuss. I am so glad he did, introducing me to the stunning prose of fellow Tar Heel Vermont Royster among others, and to philosophy that’s helped me make some sense of a goofy world.

Also to the worlds best x word puzzles. I started in with the Contest a few years back. I win some and lose some. But finding this community has been a big win.
Fred - welcome to the forum. Since we started counting ship/shore when all the posts were on the WSJ comments, I have had you as a muggle because of your posting there. Great to have you and you may be asked exactly where in NC you live as we have a bunch of muggles scattered all over the great state of NC.

Bob
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
jbird
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2021 1:53 pm
Location: Maryland

#560

Post by jbird »

Hello All,
My name is Jason. I live in Maryland with my wife and two children. I've been doing crosswords for some time now. I always remember seeing my grandmother doing crosswords growing up and would always try and fill in the blanks for the clues she didn't solve. I started doing them on my own shortly after she passed away. I started out with WaPo crosswords and recently started doing cryptics. I think I mainly do these puzzles to help calm some of my anxieties.

I found this community when I started doing the MMM puzzles. I solved my first meta last month and thought that gave me enough credibility to join the group!

-J
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