XWord Muggles Forum

First time I got the answer by only partially getting the mechanism, which I justified with a different interpretation of the title.

I spotted the HxP in the four theme answers (HP separated by one letter), which spelled out STNY, looked for another HxP set which yielded the hoped-for O. Why did I stop with HxP? - because HP manufactures CDs, which are packaged in jewel cases.

I was expecting some kind of diamond pattern, but didn't spot the vertical OxEs. Fortunately I didn't have to.

I, too, noticed the HxPs in the long answers, saw STNY, inferred STONY, and the finally noticed HOPS to sort-of-confirm-but-at-least-make-acceptable STONY, and was done. Like more than a few others I never noticed the elegance of the puzzle by seeing the OEs. I guess we in that group might be said to be vertically challenged.

whimsy wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:27 pm

MikeMillerwsj wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 4:37 pm HEIST (funny guess, 2)

Congrats to this week's winner: Tamara Brenner of Elmhurst, Ill.!

Actually I went there at one point --- as in Clouseau being on the case of the Pink Panther.

(Not going to erase Tamara . )

Funny, I also went to HEIST, also thinking of Pink Panther. Probably would have submitted, but I couldn’t find any use for it as an adjective.

SReh26 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 14, 2021 8:01 pm

RPardoe wrote: ↑Sat Aug 14, 2021 7:49 pm

Dplass wrote: ↑Sat Aug 14, 2021 7:36 pm Sorry DrTom I think I win the contest of least original screen name....first initial plus last name.

Not the only one. But you win as I tried to be somewhat creative with the avatar!

I cant get a pic in my avatar. They say its too many pixels or something.

There is an app (Image Size) that makes it fairly easy to resize a picture. There are other ways, but this is the easiest I've found.

CPJohnson wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 9:28 am

SReh26 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 14, 2021 8:01 pm

RPardoe wrote: ↑Sat Aug 14, 2021 7:49 pm
Not the only one. But you win as I tried to be somewhat creative with the avatar!

I cant get a pic in my avatar. They say its too many pixels or something.

There is an app (Image Size) that makes it fairly easy to resize a picture. There are other ways, but this is the easiest I've found.

Image Size is likely a great solution. Here are more ancient methods, as suggested by muggles.

For Dr. Tom:

John Paul was the Pope for 33 days in 78. If that had been the clue for 45 it might have been some kind of record.

lbray53 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 10:12 am For Dr. Tom:

John Paul was the Pope for 33 days in 78. If that had been the clue for 45 it might have been some kind of record.

Ouch, I just got that. Makes me think of two things. First, a poser: Which has more grooves, a 12" 33 RPM, a 7" 45 RPM or a 10" 78 RPM?

Secondly, when that pope only lasted a few weeks, some of us thought that was a little suspicious. In fact, I wrote a poem about it, and my maybe running for pope, since there was now an opening:

"I'm throwing in my hat again
And getting up my hopes.
'Cause someone's in the Vatican
Knocking off the Popes."

Oddly, that never made it to

Al Sisti wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 10:42 am First, a poser: Which has more grooves, a 12" 33 RPM, a 7" 45 RPM or a 10" 78 RPM?

They all have exactly two? But groove spacing varies depending, e.g., on how loud the passage is, and how high the tolerance for ghost echoes from adjacent grooves.

Hector wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:28 am

Al Sisti wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 10:42 am First, a poser: Which has more grooves, a 12" 33 RPM, a 7" 45 RPM or a 10" 78 RPM?

They all have exactly two? But groove spacing varies depending, e.g., on how loud the passage is, and how high the tolerance for ghost echoes from adjacent grooves.

That's the joke; they all have 2.

Dplass wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:42 am

Hector wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:28 am

Al Sisti wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 10:42 am First, a poser: Which has more grooves, a 12" 33 RPM, a 7" 45 RPM or a 10" 78 RPM?

They all have exactly two? But groove spacing varies depending, e.g., on how loud the passage is, and how high the tolerance for ghost echoes from adjacent grooves.

That's the joke; they all have 2.

Yep, that's it... but... Monty Python had an album called "Matching Tie and Handkerchief" that actually had two grooves on side two (details are here), and whichever starting spot the needle caught, that was the "side" you heard. I can't tell you how many times I searched that album -- on both sides -- for a funny bit I had heard while falling asleep the night before (yeah... we'll go with "falling asleep"), until one time the needle landed on the right groove.

Al Sisti wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 12:31 pm

Dplass wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:42 am

Hector wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:28 am

They all have exactly two? But groove spacing varies depending, e.g., on how loud the passage is, and how high the tolerance for ghost echoes from adjacent grooves.

That's the joke; they all have 2.

Yep, that's it... but... Monty Python had an album called "Matching Tie and Handkerchief" that actually had two grooves on side two (details are here), and whichever starting spot the needle caught, that was the "side" you heard. I can't tell you how many times I searched that album -- on both sides -- for a funny bit I had heard while falling asleep the night before (yeah... we'll go with "falling asleep"), until one time the needle landed on the right groove.

MAD Magazine also had one, with something like 7 different tracks.

Off-topic. The topic it's on is the puzzle of two weeks ago, but that forum is locked

Before the "Two Words for You" puzzle, if yoiu'd aked me if I'd ever heard of N.K. Jemison, I'd have said no. Since then, I have heard her latest book recommended on a politics podcast. And yesterday as I was passing Barnes and Noble, I noticed this in the window.

. .
I am not a sci-fi reader (if I were, I would have heard of her), but now I want to read this one.

SusieG wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 8:59 am

whimsy wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:27 pm

MikeMillerwsj wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 4:37 pm HEIST (funny guess, 2)

Congrats to this week's winner: Tamara Brenner of Elmhurst, Ill.!

Actually I went there at one point --- as in Clouseau being on the case of the Pink Panther.

(Not going to erase Tamara . )

Funny, I also went to HEIST, also thinking of Pink Panther. Probably would have submitted, but I couldn’t find any use for it as an adjective.

so what about TJ?

lbray53 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 10:12 am For Dr. Tom:

John Paul was the Pope for 33 days in 78. If that had been the clue for 45 it might have been some kind of record.

On Dec 31, 1977 Herb Caen wrote "Strange de Jim points at that for the record people who were born in 33 will be 45 in 78" the response to which were a lot of people saying "huh".

Bird Lives wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 12:54 pm Off-topic. The topic it's on is the puzzle of two weeks ago, but that forum is locked

Before the "Two Words for You" puzzle, if yoiu'd aked me if I'd ever heard of N.K. Jemison, I'd have said no. Since then, I have heard her latest book recommended on a politics podcast. And yesterday as I was passing Barnes and Noble, I noticed this in the window.

.
NK.jpg
.
I am not a sci-fi reader (if I were, I would have heard of her), but now I want to read this one.

I'm reading it currently. It's a fun read. It more like a creative writing exercise that goes on for 400+ pages. But she does it *really* well. She encapsulates the personality of the distinct five boroughs perfectly.

MaineMarge wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 6:36 am 42B719F7-8DF8-4F58-86DA-F8E422D20652.jpeg
Enlarge to see the individual hops. Cute! In a few weeks I’ll cut off some of the bines to make interesting dried arrangements. Maybe have a good Stone IPA while doing so.

As always, your picture is fascinating and impressive! Imbibing a Stone IPA while admiring hops … heaven!

Al Sisti wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 12:31 pm

Dplass wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:42 am

Hector wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:28 am

They all have exactly two? But groove spacing varies depending, e.g., on how loud the passage is, and how high the tolerance for ghost echoes from adjacent grooves.

That's the joke; they all have 2.

Yep, that's it... but... Monty Python had an album called "Matching Tie and Handkerchief" that actually had two grooves on side two (details are here), and whichever starting spot the needle caught, that was the "side" you heard. I can't tell you how many times I searched that album -- on both sides -- for a funny bit I had heard while falling asleep the night before (yeah... we'll go with "falling asleep"), until one time the needle landed on the right groove.

I'm a proud owner of that specific 3-sided record. A kindly friend had one, I offered to buy it, he said no, later the friend delivered it saying, "I actually had two, so you can have this one, no charge." Took me many needle drops to find the "hidden" side, even though I knew it was there.

Dplass wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 12:36 pm

Al Sisti wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 12:31 pm

Dplass wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:42 am

That's the joke; they all have 2.

Yep, that's it... but... Monty Python had an album called "Matching Tie and Handkerchief" that actually had two grooves on side two (details are here), and whichever starting spot the needle caught, that was the "side" you heard. I can't tell you how many times I searched that album -- on both sides -- for a funny bit I had heard while falling asleep the night before (yeah... we'll go with "falling asleep"), until one time the needle landed on the right groove.

MAD Magazine also had one, with something like 7 different tracks.

I also recall commercials as a kid for a home roulette game that used a vinyl record as the wheel. People would place their bets and then you would drop the needle and see what number was read out. The only way I could imagine that working was with different groves for each number. Never saw one in person, though. Just searched and found the Fabulous Las Vegas Roulette record, which has 38 groves!

Dplass wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:42 am

Hector wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:28 am

Al Sisti wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 10:42 am First, a poser: Which has more grooves, a 12" 33 RPM, a 7" 45 RPM or a 10" 78 RPM?

They all have exactly two? But groove spacing varies depending, e.g., on how loud the passage is, and how high the tolerance for ghost echoes from adjacent grooves.

That's the joke; they all have 2.

Great. Now I gotta go googling to find out why there's two and not just one.

mntlblok wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 3:34 pm

Dplass wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:42 am

Hector wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:28 am

They all have exactly two? But groove spacing varies depending, e.g., on how loud the passage is, and how high the tolerance for ghost echoes from adjacent grooves.

That's the joke; they all have 2.

Great. Now I gotta go googling to find out why there's two and not just one.

I recall some of my grandmother's 78 rpm records only having one side, being completely flat/smooth on the "B" side. So those only had one.