"This, That, and The Other Thing" - April 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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KscX
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#441

Post by KscX »

Does MG read this forum? Will we get a 100 on one with him? Seems like he’s got some explaining to do for a lot of the muggles. 🙃
Carter
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#442

Post by Carter »

While you all were on the tennis court, I was with BOB DYLAN and TOM Petty and the HEARTbreakers or is that Ann and Nancy Wilson HEART or is HeART referring to PAUL Simon and ART Garfunkel or BLOOD, SWEAT and Tears and what about STAND BY Me? BOB DYLAN SINGS ON with TOM Petty in Traveling Wilburys who had a song called RATTLED but grace under fire also refers to Brett Butler's sitcom and as long as we are talking tv, weren't TOM and DICK the Smothers Brothers? I was at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame while the rest of you were at Wimbledon.

I was going to ask for a nudge but I wanted to give the generous Muggles a week off. Four more days until we start again!!
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EdStrong
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#443

Post by EdStrong »

This one seemed pretty straightforward. If you were deciding between three on a match and game set and match, there are two clear tie breakers: 1. The title of the puzzle clearly leans towards “game” and 2. The clue to 8A “Tennis player, at times”. Similar to the other five clues with asterisks, “game, set, and match” is an alternative answer to “lobbers “. This, for me, was the 100% final click as I, too, typically have heard “game, set, match”. Had he asterisked this clue, it would’ve been too funky. Guessing they would’ve put that in the explanation if they had more room. Just my two cents...
Last edited by EdStrong on Mon Apr 26, 2021 10:25 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Cindy N
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#444

Post by Cindy N »

Like a number of other folks, I only knew the phrases as GAME, SET, AND MATCH (with or without the Oxford comma). I was surprised when someone used the "no AND" as a discussion point. I stayed with that and submitted - especially since this isn't the first time we've had a meta where the pattern is established with entries and the meta is the reverse.

Peter, Paul AND Mary
Ready, willing AND Able
Blood, Sweat AND Tears
Cool, calm AND Collected
Tom, Dick, AND Harry

They all matched the pattern of the title, so with MATCH, I needed the X, X AND to complete it and that was the answer phrase.

I will say that several people mentioned Seinfeld, so I looked up the episode. Guess what? Jerry says
"GAME, SET AND MATCH, huh, Milos?"
shalmanezer
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#445

Post by shalmanezer »

My first rabbit hole was filled with 60s rock and folk: Like a Rolling Stone. Bob Dylan wrote it. The song's title could also allude to The Rolling Stones, who recorded a song called "Cool, Calm, and Collected." When Dylan recorded his song, he was famously accompanied by Al Kooper, a founding member of the band Blood, Sweat, and Tears. So "Like a Rolling Stone" connected 3 of the 5 starred answer/clue combos. But I never could get all 5 to connect.

Then I saw MATCH from "The Other Thing" in each trio, and the answer was obvious. Still, what are the odds a member of 40A worked with 17A to record a song title that refers to a band who recorded the 55A? One of my favorite wrong ways paths yet.
steveb
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#446

Post by steveb »

Colin wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 7:56 am I missed the PETER, PAUL and MARY LINK, but instead saw BOB DYLAN (MR T(ambourine) MAN), so got to MATCH anyway. BUT.... I chose THE WHOLE SHOOTING MATCH over GAME, SET and MATCH (my wife’s choice) because I thought (and still think) it linked to the title more elegantly. [Edit: but it did not fit the meta mechanism as well as GAME, SET and MATCH]
My third choice was THE THRILLER IN MANILLA because of the Ali/Frazier links, but soon knocked that one out!
I believe the phrase was "THE THRILLA IN MANILA"
steveb
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#447

Post by steveb »

KscX wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 9:01 am I went with my new #1 rule: If it can’t be explained in a small paragraph, you aren’t on the right road. The Game Set and Match seemed the only feasible explanation.

For the naysayers- I get it. WHAT IF there had been another clue, not asterisked, that somehow subtly landed at a synonym in the grid for a synonym of game, set match? Say ... inning? I know it’s asking a lot for MG to fit one more pertinent word in there...
There were two of those! WILLING=GAME and READY=SET. You already had MATCH.
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TeaJenny
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#448

Post by TeaJenny »

Wow. I was way off. I saw what seemed like a large number of names in the grid (Bob, Joe, Peter, Paul, Will, Stan, Lee, Rex, Dick, Ana, Len, Bev, Laura, Ali, Tom), so I went with By Any Other Name. I interpreted the title as referring to things by pronouns or similar names, i.e., analogues (this, that, the other thing, whatchamacallit, thingamabob, etc.) That's what I get for rushing through the meta looking for a quick solve.
You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me. ~C.S. Lewis
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KayW
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#449

Post by KayW »

Wendy Walker wrote: Fri Apr 23, 2021 9:18 am
Cosmo wrote: Thu Apr 22, 2021 11:07 pm On shore! So many little subtleties in this puzzle that made for an enjoyable meta journey!
Cosmo, when you saw the puzzle title, did your mind go straight to the "Seinfeld" episode where that saying was used? Mine did!
Now that we're post-deadline...

I had already come up my answer (GS&M) when I first saw this post. And the Seinfeld/Milos GAME SET & MATCH reference happened to come to my mind before THIS THAT AND THE OTHER. I was shocked to see such a blatant "spoiler" from @Wendy Walker! :lol:

While we're on the topic of Seinfeld, I have a feeling the Mug Nazi - as always - will soon tell me "NO MUG FOR YOU!"
NoMugForYou.jpg

EDIT: I should add that about 90 seconds after I read Wendy's post, I remembered the THIS THAT AND THE OTHER Seinfeld episode and realized she was NOT AT ALL spoiling things. TT&TOT is very much the more memorable clip from the show. But at the time I was still pondering whether or not GAME SET AND MATCH was correct or not, so that was foremost in my brain. And yes I'll admit - I was also reading through posts hoping for spoilery confirmation or denial of GS&M ;)
Last edited by KayW on Mon Apr 26, 2021 12:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 metapuzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related charities. It is available at CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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boharr
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#450

Post by boharr »

Cindy N wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 10:23 am Like a number of other folks, I only knew the phrases as GAME, SET, AND MATCH (with or without the Oxford comma). I was surprised when someone used the "no AND" as a discussion point. I stayed with that and submitted - especially since this isn't the first time we've had a meta where the pattern is established with entries and the meta is the reverse.

Peter, Paul AND Mary
Ready, willing AND Able
Blood, Sweat AND Tears
Cool, calm AND Collected
Tom, Dick, AND Harry

They all matched the pattern of the title, so with MATCH, I needed the X, X AND to complete it and that was the answer phrase.
Pretty convincing. Also, with Matt's recent THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING (some but by no means all) were distressed that there was no clear click for "dressing," even though it was obviously part of the correct answer. Matt sometimes makes us make small leaps.
No matter though. We all get to drink together whether on shore or with Isaac.
rosiegirl
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#451

Post by rosiegirl »

TeaJenny wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 10:55 am Wow. I was way off. I saw what seemed like a large number of names in the grid (Bob, Joe, Peter, Paul, Will, Stan, Lee, Rex, Dick, Ana, Len, Bev, Laura, Ali, Tom), so I went with By Any Other Name. I interpreted the title as referring to things by pronouns or similar names, i.e., analogues (this, that, the other thing, whatchamacallit, thingamabob, etc.) That's what I get for rushing through the meta looking for a quick solve.
Like you, I made a list of all the names in the puzzle, too, which also had me asking where "Harry" was. After a nudge leading me to the _____, _____, and _____ pattern, I was able to use "Harry" after all and made the final leap to the answer.
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Richard
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#452

Post by Richard »

Limerick Savant wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 1:41 am Wow, I had it this week for all the right reasons, having discerned the missing other word to finish the 5 phrases that would also answer the starred clues and realizing their first letters spelled MATCH I immediately thought of game, set and match because it fit the pattern of the other phrases. 8A also seemed like a hint. I did not submit, however, because my poor eyesight mistook the quotes (“j at the beginning of 16A for an asterisk (*) and because the clue was OTHERwise it seemed relevant too. That caused me to believe I needed 2 more words from the grid that would complete a 6th phrase in the same THIS, THAT AND OTHER pattern. That rabbit hole of my own making left me questioning my logic and feeling a lot less certain than I would like.

Never really found time to return to the puzzle or I might have caught my unforced error. Lessons learned: 1. Submit my best guess. And 2. Use the magnifier on my phone. 🔍
I had a similar but not exactly the same experience. I did not see the asterisk at 18a Bob Dylan but figured he had to be important. I also saw Peter Paul and Mary so was thinking "Blowin in the Wind." However to me it did not fit. Another Mugger straightened me out and once I saw the asterisk I quickly saw the first letters spelling MATCH and thought of Game Set and Match.

Need to get computer glasses to go with my glasses, skunglasses and readers I guess.
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ky-mike
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#453

Post by ky-mike »

KscX wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 10:03 am Does MG read this forum? Will we get a 100 on one with him? Seems like he’s got some explaining to do for a lot of the muggles. 🙃
He does pop in occasionally. Here are his comments from the Crossword Fiend comments -

"Thanks, Laura. In retrospect I should probably have titled this one “You Win” to make the click a little stronger, which sounds like it was needed for many solvers. I decided not to use that title since I thought that “game, set, and match” being a triumphant cry, like something you’d say when you solve a meta, would be clicky enough. But that may not have panned out as I’d thought.

I considered putting GAME and SET into the grid but thought it would make the answer too guessable. If I’d noticed the THREE ON A MATCH possibility, which is unfortunately apt, I would have most likely gone for either including GAME and SET or titling it “You Win” to disambiguate.

Metas are, like football, a game of inches."
brulo
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#454

Post by brulo »

spent so much time trying to find two other words in the grid to go w/ match. in the end i submitted game set and match on friday and enjoyed a nice worry free weekend, glad to see it was correct!
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Janet P
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#455

Post by Janet P »

Three on a Match here.
But no rancorous feelings.
New streak starts next week!
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HunterX
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#456

Post by HunterX »

I had Game, Set, and Match (GS&M) as the fairly obvious answer. Gaffney often has us "apply" the mechanism, in one fashion or another, at the end. And I saw the tennis references, which aided the conclusion. Missed the Willing = Game and Ready = Set part. Perhaps because they were already in use.

But I also wondered whether 55D provided confirmation. It's in the lower left, while Lobber is in the upper right. (Though not axially symmetrical.) When you win the match, and they announce "Game, Set, and Match," your win is complete and total. You didn't just win the game, or the set. You won the whole match. And sometimes the phrase GS&M is used outside of tennis to indicate a complete win.
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CPJohnson
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#457

Post by CPJohnson »

I'm glad I didn't spend a lot of time on this one. I'm fortunate to get the ones where the answer is not buried so deep, and I'm terrible at the metas where I have to "think" of something that isn't in the grid. I didn't get thousand island dressing, either.
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pjc
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#458

Post by pjc »

Being a new guy here...

I had '3 on a match' because I thought it was actually in the grid itself! The stack of 4 A's in the lower left had 3 A's on their match - another A.
JetStream
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#459

Post by JetStream »

Second week in a row that I feel like I'm in way over my head. Kudos to those that solved this one! The grids are trivial but the meta.....wowzer.
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Jacksull
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#460

Post by Jacksull »

I wrestled with Three on a Match and Game, Set, and Match for a long time. Then I came up with a line from Fiddler on The Roof “Matchmaker, matchmaker, MAKE ME A MATCH”. At that point, I gave up and submitted GSAM.

Looks like Matt was unaware of Three on a Match, but I don’t think it’s a terrible answer.
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