"Two for One" - July 23, 2021

A place to discuss the weekly Wall Street Journal Crossword Puzzle Contest, starting every Thursday around 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Please do not post any answers or hints before the contest deadline which is midnight Sunday Eastern time.
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mindle
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Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2021 9:49 pm
Location: Bay Area, CA

#341

Post by mindle »

Hello-

I'm new to the forum and meta crosswords! My dad introduced me to these puzzles and I have solved four, but couldn't get this one. I enjoyed browsing this thread while I was trying to solve.

I went down some of the rabbit holes others have posted, but I thought that 60A EAU was going to be the key to the puzzle...H2O for "TWO FOR ONE"
Several clues like 17D "Listen" and 20A README made me think that we should pronounce EAU to get the letter O.

There were 7 O's in what seemed like the theme answers, which obviously yielded nothing, so I looked more broadly. I even thought maybe SONARS was leading us to look underwater/under the Os.

Anyway, I'm glad to find this forum and it was really fun to see the solution and discussion. I'm looking forward to doing more of these puzzles!
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DBMiller
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#342

Post by DBMiller »

My first trip over the two for one was putting PLEA in where POPE should go. Made me go "Hmmm" when I figured out PLEA wasn't right, but ended up being the down in POPE. Forgot about it while I finished the grid and then didn't know where to go with the meta.

I returned to that "Hmmm" moment, and also associated CARD/CIRCUS with clown, BAND/WOMAN with Queen, and RED/DYE with Easter. I then went into a deep dive looking for more. CAR/GAS finally hit me, as did FORMAL/ORB, and that's finally when I noticed the e.g. connection in the clues.

Got PARAGON after that, but still hadn't made the connection with "SET A GOOD EXAMPLE".

Finally, it dawned on me - A paragon being a good (if not best) example of something, and the "e.g." connection to that answer as well. Dang, wish I had noticed that sooner!
If I'm around, I am willing to join the Muggle Zoom room at other times to lend a hand to those in need.
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escapeartist
Posts: 419
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#343

Post by escapeartist »

I'm still waiting for the email indicating I won this week's contest mug.
* 2022 WSJ Mug Winner - I bask in its Glory *
otlaolap
Posts: 245
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 11:48 am
Location: Palo Alto, California

#344

Post by otlaolap »

On this I was both lucky and dumb. Was annoyed when "Neon" had to get remapped from gas to car; felt the constructor was just playing games with me. Felt the same when trying to reconcile hearts and organs. Guy is irritating me -- gaming me -- when I am trying to solve this grid so I can get to work on the meta. Then the stroke of luck: wait a minute -- there it is -- that's the mechanism. Never ever noticed the "e.g."s, which are true icing given 31 across. Thanks Mr Shenk for this one.
MikeMillerwsj
Posts: 286
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:46 pm

#345

Post by MikeMillerwsj »

Another brilliant puzzle (broken record, but still...) with a very successful turnout from our clever solvers. We had 1248 entries, 88% correct, quite a bit higher than our typical 75%. A grab-bag of incorrect guesses, including BARGAIN (14, where did that one come from?), PARENTS (7, also seems sort of close?), ON SHORE (5), ELEMENT (3) SYNONYM (3) and sundry others.

Congrats to this week's winner: Gregg Boone of Sioux Center, Iowa!
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pjc
Posts: 240
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#346

Post by pjc »

So, my own journey on this...

I immediately noticed the plethora of "e.g" clues - and that there were seven of them. Since we were looking for a seven letter word, that couldn't be a coincidence!

Then the middle answer about setting a good example cemented that idea. But I wasn't able to figure out what to do with the seven words.

I went down an endless rabbit hole with the other four long answers because they all consisted of two words ('two for one') and was somehow trying to connect those eight shorter words with the seven example words (or clues) to no avail.

I finally had the 'aha' about other answers in the grid pairing up with the example clues (and didn't get them all correct initially; there are at least FOUR 'mantle' answers in the grid).

Staring at it longer, I FINALLY noticed the crossings for most of my double answers and came up with the missing pairings when I looked at all possible crossings. And seeing PARAGON from all my final crossings sealed the deal twenty-four hours after starting.

Fun puzzle! Glad I finished before Boswords on Sunday!
JetStream
Posts: 86
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2021 3:56 pm

#347

Post by JetStream »

Another great meta but I'm sorry to say I wasn't even close. Impressive skills on display here. I did find the grid harder than normal but once again I gopt through that only to get completely stuck afterwards. I guess I need to slow down and pay a bit more attention. On to next week!
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boharr
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#348

Post by boharr »

I have a sense that when there are some difficult spots (for many) in the grid -- like 13A and 16A -- they are there for a reason that often has to do with hiding stuff.
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sanmilton
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#349

Post by sanmilton »

Seven pairs of crossed words vis-à-vis
Last week’s meta solution—i.e.,
The quintessence (q.v.),
Or a model. N.B.:
Here we see that the key was “e.g.
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Commodore
Posts: 362
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:12 pm

#350

Post by Commodore »

Two + For + One = Seven
claim the ever unhelpful tars down on the fo'c'sle. By Poseidon, no wonder we're lost.
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escapeartist
Posts: 419
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#351

Post by escapeartist »

pjc wrote: Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:58 pm I finally had the 'aha' about other answers in the grid pairing up with the example clues (and didn't get them all correct initially; there are at least FOUR 'mantle' answers in the grid).
My first find was "COATS" - slapped my forehead when I realized it should be "YANKEE"
* 2022 WSJ Mug Winner - I bask in its Glory *
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Limerick Savant
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#352

Post by Limerick Savant »

mntlblok wrote: Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:38 am My simple mind felt sorry for the clue writer for using "mantle" as a clue for "cape" - *especially* when "Yankee" had already been somewhere in the puzzle and they'd used a "less fun" clue for that. It's conceivable that I might've noticed more of the coincidences had I not struggled so with the grid. Probably also haven't done enough crosswords over the years to recognize enough of the "standard" clues (though my wife *does* know many more of them). "Gas" certainly didn't jump to mind for 12A. :-( The Harry/Sally example should've helped here. Biggest takeaway for me this week is accepting that I can't automatically take the shortcut of just checking the clues related to the "long" answers. Love me some shortcuts. Laziness could ultimately be my meta downfall. Oh, and back to that "mantle" thing. Forced me to switch avatars, again. :-)
So what is your avatar? Can’t quite make it out with my aging eyesight.
Dedicated to no nonsense nonsense
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Limerick Savant
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#353

Post by Limerick Savant »

sanmilton wrote: Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:23 pm Seven pairs of crossed words vis-à-vis
Last week’s meta solution—i.e.,
The quintessence (q.v.),
Or a model. N.B.:
Here we see that the key was “e.g.
Wish I had said that. Too busy rhyming virtue.
Dedicated to no nonsense nonsense
Schmeel
Posts: 1642
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 2:38 pm

#354

Post by Schmeel »

escapeartist wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:16 am
pjc wrote: Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:58 pm I finally had the 'aha' about other answers in the grid pairing up with the example clues (and didn't get them all correct initially; there are at least FOUR 'mantle' answers in the grid).
My first find was "COATS" - slapped my forehead when I realized it should be "YANKEE"
And mine was TALLIS!
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mntlblok
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#355

Post by mntlblok »

Limerick Savant wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:33 am
mntlblok wrote: Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:38 am Oh, and back to that "mantle" thing. Forced me to switch avatars, again. :-)
So what is your avatar? Can’t quite make it out with my aging eyesight.
The marine snail known as a flamingo tongue. Its plain, white shell is generally covered by its colorful mantle. https://oceana.org/marine-life/cephalop ... ngo-tongue
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mntlblok
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#356

Post by mntlblok »

Schmeel wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 2:47 am
escapeartist wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:16 am
pjc wrote: Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:58 pm I finally had the 'aha' about other answers in the grid pairing up with the example clues (and didn't get them all correct initially; there are at least FOUR 'mantle' answers in the grid).
My first find was "COATS" - slapped my forehead when I realized it should be "YANKEE"
And mine was TALLIS!
The learning never stops. . .
https://www.google.com/search?q=tallis& ... 36&bih=779
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escapeartist
Posts: 419
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2020 12:24 am

#357

Post by escapeartist »

mntlblok wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:59 am
Limerick Savant wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:33 am
mntlblok wrote: Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:38 am Oh, and back to that "mantle" thing. Forced me to switch avatars, again. :-)
So what is your avatar? Can’t quite make it out with my aging eyesight.
The marine snail known as a flamingo tongue. Its plain, white shell is generally covered by its colorful mantle. https://oceana.org/marine-life/cephalop ... ngo-tongue
I'm not even gonna say what I think your avatar looks like. :shock:
* 2022 WSJ Mug Winner - I bask in its Glory *
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HunterX
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#358

Post by HunterX »

escapeartist wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:56 pm
mntlblok wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:59 am
Limerick Savant wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:33 am
So what is your avatar? Can’t quite make it out with my aging eyesight.
The marine snail known as a flamingo tongue. Its plain, white shell is generally covered by its colorful mantle. https://oceana.org/marine-life/cephalop ... ngo-tongue
I'm not even gonna say what I think your avatar looks like. :shock:
Oh my... Shades of Safety Sam from the movie "The Groove Tube"?
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mntlblok
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#359

Post by mntlblok »

HunterX wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 6:18 pm
escapeartist wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:56 pm
mntlblok wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:59 am

The marine snail known as a flamingo tongue. Its plain, white shell is generally covered by its colorful mantle. https://oceana.org/marine-life/cephalop ... ngo-tongue
I'm not even gonna say what I think your avatar looks like. :shock:
Oh my... Shades of Safety Sam from the movie "The Groove Tube"?
Found and watched said lecture. Can't seem to orient things properly to see them in that light. :-)
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SReh26
Posts: 763
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:48 pm

#360

Post by SReh26 »

I was thinking about how to say Muggle in other countries:

Le / la Mugle
Der / die Muggel
Muggle-san
Ecce Muggle
h mugglo (greek)
I Muggli (it, plural)
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