"Out Of Bounds" - December 13, 2019

[Janet]

For those hanging out with Isaac: don't quit yet, there's still time on the clock!

[tim1217]

For those hanging out with Isaac: don't quit yet, there's still time on the clock!

Speaking of 'time on the clock', what happened to the countdown clock?

[sphorning]

Figured out the method pretty quickly, but got lost down one rabbit hole until I figured out my mistake. Had to use Mr. G to find the list, but then it all made sense. Ashore!

[Janet]

I forgot all about the countdown clock. How long has it been missing?

[Geoduck]

Haven't had a chance to look at this since I completed the grid on Friday and said "Hunh??!?" to myself.

I was pretty sure I wasn't going to get this one, but suddenly it clicked.

It seems like a good time for a Celebration Ale.

[JJD]

Haven't had a chance to look at this since I completed the grid on Friday and said "Hunh??!?" to myself.

I was pretty sure I wasn't going to get this one, but suddenly it clicked.

It seems like a good time for a Celebration Ale.

I had a couple of those last night at a holiday party!
Which delayed my solve until today.
I’m on the beach after seeing most of it quickly and missing the last bit until now.

[jag]

Ashore, finally! The last (and most important piece) of the puzzle eluded me for far too long. Clever construction!

[PHOFER]

The last bit eluded me for a long, long time, too. Finally! Ashore.

[Bob cruise director]

The final count is 5 on the ship and 114 on the shore

Ann P joined the ship's party

and the following joined the shore contingent

Steve Beck
HowardL
ED S
DaveWa
bobbydeee
Geoduck
Susan H
Michael Silverman
JJD
jag
and phofer

Good luck to all winning the mug

[Deb F]

Changing venue to the President's Cup didn't help--me. Glad we won. I know I know where this meta is heading but just can't make it click. Sent in a real Hail Mary which will no doubt be in Mike's "huh? wonder why they submitted that one?" Isaac--think I'll have an Irish Coffee. See you all on the Monday clarification/explanation rounds.

[Megsdathc]

Phew! Didn’t have much free time this weekend, but I’ve made it to shore just in the nick of time!

[BethA]

From the Monday crossword —

The contest answer is PHIL SIMMS. By making new Across answers off the sides of the grid (as suggested by 57-Across), you can spell the clue ELEVEN FROM THE NEW YORK GIANTS, leading to Simms, whose #11 was retired by the Giants.
—
I had a lot of trouble with ELEVEN, even though I knew what to do right away. Sounds like many others were in the same Boat!

[LaceyK]

With all the clues but ELEVEN, there were 2 possible players. And many LTs scattered around the puzzle. And #56 was Lana Turner (LT). So I kept trying to figure out how to get TAYLOR in the top left. Or ELLTEE.

[oldjudge]

I’m looking forward to the Monday morning quarterbacking — Margaret-Cho-Yma-Sumac complaints about whether this number should have been retired. Hell, the Steelers haven’t officially retired Bradshaw or Franco.

Bird-Please be careful with your posts. When you referred to a QB you limited the possibilities, I believe, to three players: Elway, Simms and Payton Manning (When Starr lifted the trophy it was not named the Lombardi trophy). By further saying it was debatable whether his jersey should have been retired you eliminated both Elway and Manning, leaving only Simms, the answer.

[Eric Porter]

When I saw the title, I knew that letters were going to be off the edge of the grid, but I still looked at it the wrong way for a while. I thought that there would only be a few NFL players off the grid. I saw 26A Kennedy and Cortez Kennedy's number was retired. Next, I saw 10D, which along with 27D and an M on top becomes Marino, a very famous player whose number was retired. If I hadn't seen Marino, I'd have had an easier time. You can also find Moore, Lott, and Greene in the grid. Hannah is almost there. All have had their numbers retired. I could make anything out of it.

Next I thought of team names. 9A is Raven. 13A can be Bear. 41A could be Lion. Another dead end.

Eventually, I started making words on both sides. Finding "New York" was the easiest as there are the fewest other words you can make. I also had some trouble finding eleven, but I knew from earlier that it was either Phil Simms or Lawrence Taylor (only 9 have a number retired and have won exactly 2 Superbowls). When I took another look at their numbers I backsolved.

[Tom Shea]

From the Monday crossword —

The contest answer is PHIL SIMMS. By making new Across answers off the sides of the grid (as suggested by 57-Across), you can spell the clue ELEVEN FROM THE NEW YORK GIANTS, leading to Simms, whose #11 was retired by the Giants.
—
I had a lot of trouble with ELEVEN, even though I knew what to do right away. Sounds like many others were in the same Boat!

I was stuck on ELEVEN for quite a while and came up with a few nonsense words (All mimsy were the borogoves!), but eventually got there.

I tried very hard to fit in LT because Phil Simms did NOT play in two super bowls. He was injured during the season of the second and Jeff Hostetler played QB in the game. I guess Simms helped by being on the sidelines, but I wouldn't really count that.

[Joe Ross]

My deepest rabbit hole was the topmost clue "OFFSIDES" in the PDF, 60A "WHO DAT", which suggested the New Orleans Saints. No luck there.

The second longest waste of time was trying to find a list of NFL players on two and only two Lombardi trophy winning teams. "Too many to list" seemed the interwebs' consensus. Did any muggle try finding this list and have success?

ETTING, KENNED, OAST, and DEBAR were "odd words" requesting attention and led to the answer. Very clever construction, IMO.

[OGuyDave]

A regular expression search (familiar to bit jockeys [familiar to computer programmers]) revealed that persnickety first word. The other two possible words the search revealed were "edemas" and "enemas."

Really enjoyed this one. Yeah, I recognize that shore again -- been a while.

[Bird Lives]

I’m looking forward to the Monday morning quarterbacking — Margaret-Cho-Yma-Sumac complaints about whether this number should have been retired. Hell, the Steelers haven’t officially retired Bradshaw or Franco.

Bird-Please be careful with your posts. When you referred to a QB you limited the possibilities, I believe, to three players: Elway, Simms and Payton Manning (When Starr lifted the trophy it was not named the Lombardi trophy). By further saying it was debatable whether his jersey should have been retired you eliminated both Elway and Manning, leaving only Simms, the answer.

I understand your point. But in my defense, I did not refer to "a QB." I used a very well-known football phrase that perfectly describes what I was talking about--- people on Monday morning making criticisms of the game that ended the day before. Also, in response to someone who, very soon after I posted that comment said that it was something of a spoiler, I said that if Brian agreed with that view he was welcome to remove the comment, something only he can do (I think). He didn't.

[Bird Lives]

Does anyone else remember the very clever "Doctors Without Borders" puzzle that appear in the NYT a few years back? Same idea.
https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=1/7/2016,