Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 4:52 pm
Ashore.
XWord Muggles Forum
A place to discuss the WSJ Weekly Crossword Contest and other "meta"-style crosswords
https://www.xword-muggles.com/
"Please Find Enclosed" - July 2, 2021
Page 15 of 19
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 4:55 pm
Got distracted and almost completely forgot to post - on the beach enjoying a Honey Blond Ale, waiting for the fireworks.
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:24 pm
Happy Independence Day
Hope all is going your way
if not, hope it all gets betta
right after you‘ve solved this meta
Hope all is going your way
if not, hope it all gets betta
right after you‘ve solved this meta
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:50 pm
HunterX, for a clue I would just tell people "Look at HunterX Connect 4 picture" to figure out the mechanismHunterX wrote: ↑Sun Jul 04, 2021 4:12 pmmitchel674 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 04, 2021 1:40 pm I'd love a nudge. I have the first step, but I'm stumped again at numbers in parentheses!!KFB wrote: ↑Sun Jul 04, 2021 2:38 pm I have self diagnosed numerophobia primarily manifested by fear of the number 1040, 666 and any numbers involved in solving a meta. (shouldn't they be 86 'ed once and forever?)
That said a nudge might get me through till next week's hopefully non-numeric meta.
10-4 and thanks in advance.I must be in the minority in that I don't mind the numbers. Or, rather, I mildly dislike them for a different reason than most people. (Which I can discuss tomorrow, as this meta is an example of the reason.) The Hints for Solving Meta Contests gives plenty of ideas on how they can be used. Though I always just ignore them until I've figured out the mechanism, or at least step 1 of the mechanism.
For anyone who wants a hint, if you see me, or anyone who has declared that they have solved the puzzle, online, feel free to send a Private Message explaining what you have tried so far, and how much of a nudge you want. Many of us would be happy to offer a "You're hot/cold," or "You're correct but need to continue searching," or "Just try this..." nudge.
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:55 pm
(Shhhhh! Don't reveal the "Avatar Hint Electronic Messaging System" (abbv. AHEMS). That's for the Muggles who have undergone the secret initiation rite of passage and then been sworn to secrecy.)Flying_Burrito wrote: ↑Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:50 pmHunterX, for a clue I would just tell people "Look at HunterX Connect 4 picture" to figure out the mechanismHunterX wrote: ↑Sun Jul 04, 2021 4:12 pm For anyone who wants a hint, if you see me, or anyone who has declared that they have solved the puzzle, online, feel free to send a Private Message explaining what you have tried so far, and how much of a nudge you want. Many of us would be happy to offer a "You're hot/cold," or "You're correct but need to continue searching," or "Just try this..." nudge.
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 6:27 pm
We are keeping Isaac company this weekend. We see some things but are foiled by the numbers. Not a lot of time to spend on it this weekend. Happy 4th everyone!
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:32 pm
Well by a last minute miracle we again are late but onshore. Son had an inspiration as I was cleaning up from our summer camp trip. That brings a smile to my face. Good puzzle!
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 9:08 pm
Good evening muggles
As we close out this July 4th, we have 12 on the ship and 178 on the shore
The latest to join Isaac are
mitchel674
KFB
Patty
And the last tenders to shore brought
TheCatt
Cindy N
dpl11
Peter L
Geezer Weezer
horsesense
Flying_Burrito
Grover
PJM
flamingbear
Doug C
bradisbrad
copperriver
rosiegirl
Ben B and son
Have a happy and safe July 4th
As we close out this July 4th, we have 12 on the ship and 178 on the shore
The latest to join Isaac are
mitchel674
KFB
Patty
And the last tenders to shore brought
TheCatt
Cindy N
dpl11
Peter L
Geezer Weezer
horsesense
Flying_Burrito
Grover
PJM
flamingbear
Doug C
bradisbrad
copperriver
rosiegirl
Ben B and son
Have a happy and safe July 4th
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 9:24 pm
Okay, I need a nudge. I have spent way too much time this weekend messing with this to not get across the finish line.
EDIT: On shore! Thanks. The answer was what I thought it might be, just had to grasp the how along with the what.
EDIT: On shore! Thanks. The answer was what I thought it might be, just had to grasp the how along with the what.
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 9:28 pm
Ready for some fireworks!
Have a great day at work tomorrow, England!
Have a great day at work tomorrow, England!
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 9:54 pm
Dear Matt Gaffney
Please find enclosed
my thanks for a wonderful puzzle.
Happy 4th of July
Please find enclosed
my thanks for a wonderful puzzle.
Happy 4th of July
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 10:09 pm
for those with Insta - see my snapshots of this evening‘s amazing fireworks show at the Empire State Building!! those without, just google SReh26 instagram!
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 10:25 pm
Alas... As an employee of a Federally Insured Bank (FDIC all the way, baby!) I don't have a holiday tomorrow. We're open for business. Cash for everyone!!!
But I do get a "floating holiday." That means at some point I'll be floating on a river, lake, ocean, or in a swimming pool, or bathtub, and I'll say, "I'll think I'll take a holiday today."
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 10:44 pm
Well, I can't believe I've been staring at the answer all weekend. Finally ON SHORE after trying since Thursday to make this waaaay harder than it actually is. And how many other MUGgles have already posted something similar to this over the weekend?! Now I am really glad that I accomplished everything on my to-do list for Saturday and Sunday instead of obsessing even more over finding the meta answer sooner!
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 11:45 pm
FINALLY! ASHORE! Just in the nick of time.
Of course, I way, way, WAY overthought it. Story of my life.
Of course, I way, way, WAY overthought it. Story of my life.
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2021 11:49 pm
I am sticking to my pledge to work the solution at the last minute mainly because I too over complicated the process this week. Had a pretty good idea of what the meta should refer too quite early but kept looking for it in the wrong place. Regardless I am now on shore working on my limerick.Hidden in 3D wrote: ↑Sun Jul 04, 2021 10:44 pm Well, I can't believe I've been staring at the answer all weekend. Finally ON SHORE after trying since Thursday to make this waaaay harder than it actually is. And how many other MUGgles have already posted something similar to this over the weekend?! Now I am really glad that I accomplished everything on my to-do list for Saturday and Sunday instead of obsessing even more over finding the meta answer sooner!
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2021 12:00 am
The contest answer is SHELL GAMES.
Each of the five theme answers contains something found inside a shell: EGG, LOBSTER, ALMOND, PECAN, OYSTER. As suggested by the title, rearrange the ten enclosing "shell" letters according to the parenthetical numbers to get SHELL GAMES.
(Joe is taking a well-deserved weekend off and granted me special dispensation to post the midnight solution)
Each of the five theme answers contains something found inside a shell: EGG, LOBSTER, ALMOND, PECAN, OYSTER. As suggested by the title, rearrange the ten enclosing "shell" letters according to the parenthetical numbers to get SHELL GAMES.
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2021 12:10 am
Alright, to follow up on this I did get it right, and I had the mechanism correct. My problem was that I didn't spot "egg" and thought "Well, 'nut' seems too on the nose and there's no preceding letter, but I guess I'll just use the two letters after 'nut' instead?"HunterX wrote: ↑Sun Jul 04, 2021 4:36 pmI'm curious, so do tell us tomorrow.bradisbrad wrote: ↑Sun Jul 04, 2021 4:26 pmI'm at about 99%. Answer makes sense, mechanic makes sense, there was just one little piece that felt off to me.
Luckily that worked out to be the same two letters as the two surrounding "egg." But that certainly explains why it felt wrong.
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2021 12:13 am
Has the meta-spell finally really lost its power over this muggle? Well, I *was* curious to see what the end game would be, but although I knew for sure that the shelled insides were key and I was pretty sure that the numbers were positions in the final solution and I probably tried every kind of variation except using the 2 letter outside the foods, despite that I was fine with just letting it go at some point rather than let it drive me crazy. So you decide: has it lost its power over me or have I lost my power of it???
Re: " Please Find Enclosed " July 2, 2021
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2021 12:22 am
I quickly saw the "enclosed" words. I couldn't figure out how to get the 2 letters though.
Eventually, I realized that all 5 of them have a shell and thought it must be a part of the answer. None of the words have an 'H' in them, so I looked through the grid for the letter 'H' and when I saw one in front of 'OYSTER', I was mad at myself for not thinking of that.
I'd tried similar things like the first and last letters. I wasn't expecting something else hidden besides the words.
I felt a little bad backsolving this puzzle, but there's no rule against it.
Eventually, I realized that all 5 of them have a shell and thought it must be a part of the answer. None of the words have an 'H' in them, so I looked through the grid for the letter 'H' and when I saw one in front of 'OYSTER', I was mad at myself for not thinking of that.
I'd tried similar things like the first and last letters. I wasn't expecting something else hidden besides the words.
I felt a little bad backsolving this puzzle, but there's no rule against it.