"Dude Where's My Car?" - September 10, 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.
Locked
User avatar
Colin
Posts: 546
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2019 11:57 pm

#321

Post by Colin »

Started grid on beach:
Spring Lake NJ yesterday.
Ashore now - no reach!
One world. One planet. One future.
User avatar
Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 4512
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#322

Post by Bob cruise director »

Lyman wrote: Sat Sep 11, 2021 6:21 pm Also ashore (#98). And it may have been the first time that I didn't make a paper copy of the completed grid.
What is terrifying is that I remember seeing your posting.
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
PHOFER
Posts: 157
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 9:20 pm

#323

Post by PHOFER »

On shore (of course). One hates to express disappointment in our brilliant constructors, but of course this is not even Kas-1.There is no "Aha" moment. A puzzle for those who want to learn how to solve a meta puzzle relatively quickly.
khanthedane
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2020 8:07 pm

#324

Post by khanthedane »

Ashore with a Modelo in hand.
User avatar
ReB
Posts: 667
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 9:34 pm
Location: East Tennessee

#325

Post by ReB »

Ashore
Plymouthrock
Posts: 188
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2020 3:12 am
Location: Richmond, Va

#326

Post by Plymouthrock »

Does anyone know an estimate of MOST successfully submitted answers to WSJ in a week?
Hidden in 3D
Posts: 379
Joined: Sun Nov 17, 2019 11:42 pm

#327

Post by Hidden in 3D »

SReh26 wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 10:46 pm
Hidden in 3D wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 9:52 pm ASHORE! Thank you, thank you, Matt, for taking it easy on us. I have so much to do for a very worthwhile cause this weekend (and probably for some time to come). I believe that I have mentioned in the past that I serve on our county's education foundation. Our latest partnership with the school system is a mentoring program where volunteers will meet with striving readers weekly to improve student reading proficiency in grades K-3. Most of this week has been spent interviewing candidates who will serve as coordinators at the two schools that have been chosen for our pilot program. (Third grade reading proficiency is a major fork in the road toward future student success as students need to transition from "learning to read" to "reading to learn". Students not achieving this milestone are less likely to catch up and struggle throughout their academic education.) Still lots to do to get this project off the ground!
When I was in grade school, my mom was a librarian and in the summers I participated in a Summer Reading Club held by the library. Children committed to reading a certain number of books they selected and those who completed them received gold star stickers and a certificate at a ceremony. I was an avid reader anyway, but as a child this club seemed magical and important! It’s hard to believe kids today could be motivated with gold star stickers like we were 🤣, but the club was very popular and did a lot of long term good.
I'm glad you mentioned this, because our plans actually include a three-pronged approach. The reading mentorships are, of course, part one. Then, together with the participating schools we will create special reading areas at each location. Our striving readers will be able to visit the reading room at their school as part of an incentive program. There will be reading materials of all sorts, including comic books, because it doesn't matter what they are reading, just that they ARE reading. Our foundation and the schools will also partner to create at-home libraries for the readers. Meanwhile, we are waiting on word about funding from the grants for which we have applied. Keep your fingers crossed for us!
Sara
flyingMoose
Posts: 828
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2020 2:35 pm

#328

Post by flyingMoose »

Plymouthrock wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:03 am Does anyone know an estimate of MOST successfully submitted answers to WSJ in a week?
3998 for the tutorial puzzle earlier this year on 19 February. For the "regular" puzzles, 3563 on 27 August, just a few weeks ago. Those numbers may be in jeopardy this week.

Somebody else may have better data and can correct the above.
User avatar
SReh26
Posts: 763
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:48 pm

#329

Post by SReh26 »

Hidden in 3D wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:16 am
SReh26 wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 10:46 pm
Hidden in 3D wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 9:52 pm ASHORE! Thank you, thank you, Matt, for taking it easy on us. I have so much to do for a very worthwhile cause this weekend (and probably for some time to come). I believe that I have mentioned in the past that I serve on our county's education foundation. Our latest partnership with the school system is a mentoring program where volunteers will meet with striving readers weekly to improve student reading proficiency in grades K-3. Most of this week has been spent interviewing candidates who will serve as coordinators at the two schools that have been chosen for our pilot program. (Third grade reading proficiency is a major fork in the road toward future student success as students need to transition from "learning to read" to "reading to learn". Students not achieving this milestone are less likely to catch up and struggle throughout their academic education.) Still lots to do to get this project off the ground!
When I was in grade school, my mom was a librarian and in the summers I participated in a Summer Reading Club held by the library. Children committed to reading a certain number of books they selected and those who completed them received gold star stickers and a certificate at a ceremony. I was an avid reader anyway, but as a child this club seemed magical and important! It’s hard to believe kids today could be motivated with gold star stickers like we were 🤣, but the club was very popular and did a lot of long term good.
I'm glad you mentioned this, because our plans actually include a three-pronged approach. The reading mentorships are, of course, part one. Then, together with the participating schools we will create special reading areas at each location. Our striving readers will be able to visit the reading room at their school as part of an incentive program. There will be reading materials of all sorts, including comic books, because it doesn't matter what they are reading, just that they ARE reading. Our foundation and the schools will also partner to create at-home libraries for the readers. Meanwhile, we are waiting on word about funding from the grants for which we have applied. Keep your fingers crossed for us!
Good luck! There’s also an amazing program called TV Turn Off Week. I turned mine off for good in 2002...
User avatar
Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 4512
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#330

Post by Bob cruise director »

Plymouthrock wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:03 am Does anyone know an estimate of MOST successfully submitted answers to WSJ in a week?
The most submissions has been 3998 with the most correct being 3758. They were both February 19,2021 when the title was In Character and the answer was Little Women. As I recall each of the them answers had one of the little women embedded in it.

Stats we have. Let me know if there is any more data that will get you eye rolls from nonmeta people
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
JeanneC
Posts: 616
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 11:25 am
Location: Florida

#331

Post by JeanneC »

Hidden in 3D’s post and the responses to it made me think of my grade school days and Scholastic Books. Every month Scholastic Books sent out a flyer with books to buy. They were 25 cents to 50 cents apiece. My favorites were the Martin Gardner puzzle books (fiction and nonfiction I would borrow from the library to save money). I so enjoyed those puzzle books! I would do them after dinner at the kitchen table. My father would peer over with his coffee and kibbitz and then start to work on the puzzles as well. We had a great time together with not an IPad or cell phone in sight.

So…anybody think kid meta puzzles are doable? Matt? Mike?
“I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions”. Lillian Hellman
User avatar
Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 4512
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#332

Post by Bob cruise director »

Good Sunday morning Muggles

We are on the cusp of greatness. We have tied the record of 258 on the shore with 12 hours left to establish a new mark.

On another meta note, I hope to post the link to the interview of Pete Muller on Friday September 17 for the 10th anniversary of his Muller Monthly Music Mata. Matt will be dissecting one of Pete's metas and then there will be a Q&A. In addition to the electronic raising of hands and chat questions, if you can not be there and have any questions, please send them to me in a PM and I will make sure that they are asked.

Since yesterday the following muggles have gotten their way to the very crowded but socially distancing shore (and apologies to Barbara K and Jeremy for my missing them yesterday)

Ben B and son
Barbara K
mindle
Jeremy
Bonnibel
Ann
Natalie
Annabelle
Lyman
Scott L
Olof
Colin
OGuyDave
sphorning
phofer
ReB
khanthedane
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
Dennis
Posts: 102
Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 4:58 pm

#333

Post by Dennis »

I'm ashore.....at least "as sure" as I can be.
kamashdas
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2020 12:30 am

#334

Post by kamashdas »

I've been ashore since Thursday, but just able to login today... Anyone else think Mike/Matt had a "Freaky Friday" experience? Recent puzzles have had an odd "out-of-character" feel to them. Maybe it's just me?
User avatar
SReh26
Posts: 763
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:48 pm

#335

Post by SReh26 »

kamashdas wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:21 pm I've been ashore since Thursday, but just able to login today... Anyone else think Mike/Matt had a "Freaky Friday" experience? Recent puzzles have had an odd "out-of-character" feel to them. Maybe it's just me?
I was going to joke, “it’s a trick..” and then my mind went to IAWL again..

“It’s a lie! He’s been in jail for years for poisoning a kid. And if you ask me that’s where you belong!” What character in IAWL uttered those famous lines?
User avatar
JAQT
Posts: 139
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 4:55 pm
Location: California

#336

Post by JAQT »

SReh26 wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 3:09 pm
kamashdas wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:21 pm I've been ashore since Thursday, but just able to login today... Anyone else think Mike/Matt had a "Freaky Friday" experience? Recent puzzles have had an odd "out-of-character" feel to them. Maybe it's just me?
I was going to joke, “it’s a trick..” and then my mind went to IAWL again..

“It’s a lie! He’s been in jail for years for poisoning a kid. And if you ask me that’s where you belong!” What character in IAWL uttered those famous lines?
I'm guessing it's "bizarro world" Nick, the bartender (who apparently is the owner of Martini's in the alternate reality).
JustAQuickThought
User avatar
Meg
Posts: 2136
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
Location: St. Petersburg, FL

#337

Post by Meg »

SReh26 wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 3:09 pm
kamashdas wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:21 pm I've been ashore since Thursday, but just able to login today... Anyone else think Mike/Matt had a "Freaky Friday" experience? Recent puzzles have had an odd "out-of-character" feel to them. Maybe it's just me?
I was going to joke, “it’s a trick..” and then my mind went to IAWL again..

“It’s a lie! He’s been in jail for years for poisoning a kid. And if you ask me that’s where you belong!” What character in IAWL uttered those famous lines?
Mrs. Bailey, George's mother.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
flyingMoose
Posts: 828
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2020 2:35 pm

#338

Post by flyingMoose »

Since we are setting a new record, I will note that I have been Done since Thursday. I am a grinder at best on these things, so like others, first time to do the entire thing in less than a hour, first time to see the meta before finishing the grid, first time to use the meta to complete the themers. I even thought, If it is this easy for me, this is probably only a 0.5 star rating (if there is such a thing).
LaurenB
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2020 3:02 pm
Location: Columbus, GA

#339

Post by LaurenB »

Ashore!
edot
Posts: 97
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2020 9:48 pm
Location: New York, NY

#340

Post by edot »

Ashore like everyone else :)
Locked