"Two for One" - July 23, 2021

[SusieG]

Ashore! So happy to solve on a Thursday after a few weeks of too much time with Isaac. Would’ve been much quicker if my family were more understanding of my addiction.

Fun puzzle and nice construction.

[zach]

I’d like to propose a new word for when it takes more than an hour just to complete the grid.

Gridiculous.

I’m lost at sea.

[eagle1279]

Ashore, great meta. I couldn't spend much time on last week's puzzle because we were in Phoenix visiting the grandkids (oh, and their parents). Now I'm enjoying a Newcastle Brown Ale, but wishing for a Four Peaks Kilt Lifter, my favorite Phoenix-area brew.

[EmilyW]

On shore! Enjoyed my celebratory beer before starting the puzzle which was a Term Oil Fluffernutter by Toppling Goliath. Not only was it an incredibly tasty beer, I might even say it's one of the best desserts I've ever had.

[fuggedabowdit]

I am ashore after a short swim, i.e., I am high and not so dry at the Tiki bar!!

[MileHighSolver]

Felt good having my toes in the sand again on a Thursday. Corona-rita please!

[DannyCincinnnati]

Decidedly on the shore - bedtime now!

[Schmeel]

And I just woke up.
Ashore!

[woozy]

Well... *That* was relaxing. Ashore.

[madhatter5]

I
Shore

[Franklin.Bluth]

On shore after a miss last week. Brings my YTD solve rate up to 87%.

[Franklin.Bluth]

I'm curious where the difficulty rating will end up for this one. I saw what was going on early, but maybe I was just lucky. The puzzles I can think of that are most similar have been difficult.

I rated this a 4, for a couple of reasons that I'll go into on Monday. For now, I'll say that:

(a) The "click" is not immediately apparent, even if you noticed one or two coincidences while filling out the grid. Even once I got on the right trail, some of the signposts were still elusive and took time to find.

(b) There is at least one additional step in the mechanism. I think several solvers will do what I did and go down the right trail, but then just be staring at gibberish before the final reveal.

If we're to rate the meta's construction rather than the speed at which we solved it, I think this one is a solid 4.

[sanmilton]

I’d like to propose a new word for when it takes more than an hour just to complete the grid.

Gridiculous.

I’m lost at sea.

zach, you're certainly not alone this week in having experienced gridlock. There are recondite names crossing each other as well as recherché nouns (proper and common) and a couple of rather rare references to films from the 1980s. Just keep at it, and you may improve your skills as a sandwich-maker and even learn to fly.

[dk letter]

A brilliant construction! Count me ashore!

[Gman]

This is one where experience definitely helps, especially with the final step to derive the letters.

[PeterLeea1a]

Expecting a crowded beach, which I am on.

[littlegreycells]

Ashore! I solved the meta before the grid, but happy to put my toes in the sand

[pjc]

This is one where experience definitely helps, especially with the final step to derive the letters.

There's probably truth here. As a relative newcomer, this final step is eluding me. I came up with ANOTHER set of items last night - and was SURE I had it this time - and still not sure what to do with them.

[Bob cruise director]

A couple of things
1) My avatar this week is a big surprise that arrived in the mail from the muggles. As with the mug, it is greatly appreciated
2) Our Saturday report may be an hour or so late as my beloved and I are taking advantage of one of the few days here in NE when it is not raining or super hot.
3) On shore - I had the methodology last night but fumbled the ball on the five yard line. A good night's sleep and jet skied to shore

[RPardoe]

Solve and submitted.