MEOW #91 Talk Like a Sailor

[KayW]

I couldn't say it better myself, so I won't. Fantabulous!!

Wouldn't a naval cat be drinking rum?

Yes, and possibly Mercy Rum?

picky, picky, picky... show a cat a little Mercy will ya?

[woozy]

I dunno. Captain Haddock is my standard of all things nautical.

[MarkWoychick]

I've submitted my answer - think the cat is out of the bag but we'll see (I did version 1). Good puzzle, Dr. Tom - thank you!

Edit: confirmed

[hoover]

Submitted. Pretty sure the cat has climbed out of the cardboard box he was chewing on.

[DrTom]

Not the best idea, @woozy... you do know Mercy Rum has mercury in it, right??

'M


But it's the messenger of the gods! And I need divine inspiration.

Oh, I doubt Bette Midler can help. Maybe you have a fever - we can take your temperature if you drink the rum.

[Abide]

Out of the box idea--nicely done!

[lbray53]

What fun! Great puzzle. I really liked this one.

The cat is nowhere to be seen.

[DrTom]

Pretty good turnout for the first day I believe, and it appears that, though a surprisingly large number of folks have never heard of Mr. Cooper, the Meta is still solvable. People seem to be liking it and that pleases me no end (since I have had some clunkers of late). The solver board for today is:

1 Schmeel
2 boharr
3 Meg
4 BrennerTJ
5 Dplass
6 Wendy Walker
7 BarbaraK
8 MarkWoychick
9 LauraH
10 Hoover
11 Abide
12 lbray53
13 markhr

It is possible I have missed someone because I was getting notified in several different ways, and if I have please let me know.

So as they used to say in the Navy "Carry on" (they really didn't mean it though, because I would and they would always say "Oh stop your carrying on! - darn hypocrites)

[benchen71]

Not my week for metas, it seems. Eagerly awaiting nudges!

[Alvibu67]

I believe the cat is out! Awaiting confirmation, but pretty confident.

Great puzzle, DrTom!!

EDIT: Confirmed!

[markhr]

Enjoyed this one a lot. A nice out-of-the-box puzzle.
Well done, Dr. Tom.

[DrTom]

Whoops two more for the board, a late solver and someone I missed earlier:

14 Alvibu67
15 KayW

[rjy]

Finally got it, and wow! Agree with the earlier praise, this one's pretty great!

Constructors create these gems and toss them out into the ether, it's a shame they can't see the immediate grins and reactions when the AHA! moment finally hits. I'm still smiling about cracking this nut, and thinking about the inspiration and construction of it... not to mention @DrTom's over-achieving by working the mechanism into two effectively different puzzles.

Hope plenty of folks get this one nudgelessly!

[CPJohnson]

Pretty sure I got it; waiting on confirmation from DrTom. Great puzzle!

[woozy]

Constructors create these gems and toss them out into the ether, it's a shame they can't see the immediate grins and reactions when the AHA! moment finally hits.

But on the other hand they can't see the cursing wtf moments when it seems an orderless and arbitrary repetition of letters with no discernible pattern and no relation to two completely arbitrary and unrelated concepts.

[edestlin]

Cat is out! Fun!

[Dave C]

It took longer than it should have, but the cat is finally out.

[Cinny]

I believe the cat is out. Waiting for confirmation from DrTom. Amazing construction!!

[BarbaraK]

Constructors create these gems and toss them out into the ether, it's a shame they can't see the immediate grins and reactions when the AHA! moment finally hits.

That’s a great thing about the WSJ zoom solves - seeing the expressions when the aha moment hits.

Sometimes wonder if one of the people there with no video is really Mike or Matt.

[DrTom]

Wow, you all cannot see it but I am blushing! This praise is usually reserved for the really accomplished constructors and after my rather clunky Household Names (wow can it be almost month old already) I was ready to hang up the grid maker. But Mine Sweeper was well received, and I am overwhelmed by the kudos for this one...well now you've done it, you've encouraged me to make more. You may "DEEPLY REGRET" (3) the day.