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.
KayW wrote: ↑Fri Aug 19, 2022 5:05 pm
Dang! I just read this and hopped onto the zoom room in hopes of hearing the calliope. But I missed the boat. And the calliope. Hope it was a happy solving session!
Fret not, the calliope was not in attendance (at least that I could hear).
Fortunately the usual collection of intrepid solvers were in attendance, with the result that I am now sipping maitais on the beach, albeit not without some sheepishness about how long it took me to catch on.
Check out this very cool project by many of your favorite muggles to raise money to fight cancer. You get a fun puzzle bundle and good causes get $. Win-win: Crosswords for Cancer
edestlin wrote: ↑Fri Aug 19, 2022 4:49 pm
The Zoom was just what I needed to solve my very first WSJ meta! What a nice group and I recognized a LOT of the same rabbit holes.
DrTom wrote: ↑Fri Aug 19, 2022 12:54 pm
I am stumbling and fumbling and talking like a sailor! I am fairly certain what I should be looking for but I'll be darned if I can see it.
Hmmm - I think that if you knew what you were looking for, you would see it.
Funny, I have no idea what I'm looking for so even it was given to me I wouldn't know it!
Really enjoyed my first Muggle Zoom Room experience. For those who haven't tried it yet, it's well worth it, whether you've solved yet or not. Lots of fascinating ideas - some were rabbit holes, some turned into leads. An idea from one person triggered an idea in my head (which I hoped helped others too) that led me to the answer. Thanks to all of you - I will keep logging on as time permits whether I've solved or not.
I know from personal experience that seeing the super-pro meta solvers solve so quickly, and post their acheivement on the forum early on Thursday, can be frustrating to those of us who struggle. The Friday Zoom session was designed not only to provide nudges. It was designed so that our brilliant participants could talk about what they had attempted. There is nothing more soothing to frustration than to share with others the attempts at a solve. "Yea, I tried that too. I'm not so stupid after all!"
This is a very special community and I thank everyone who adds to it!!!
Don & Cynthia
We are always happy to get to know other muggles and help in any way! PM's are always welcome. The next best thing to winning a mug is helping a fellow muggle win a mug!
I can't say that I was close to getting it before the big nudge on the call, but I was closer than I was for his last puzzle, Power Play. I hope I remember this one the next time he does something similar.
On the beach with a hint from the smartie pants at the zoom meeting, it's my favorite time of the week! Another incredibly clever meta, I don't know how they come up with new mechanisms every week, but I am appreciative!
On a totally non muggle topic, I planted a ton of milkweed this year to try and help the Monarchs. I've pulled some caterpillars into my screened porch to hopefully improve their survival rate. Here is a link to a video of one of my caterpillars molting into chrysalis, and butterflies eclosing. Fascinating process, awesome in the true sense of the word.
Ashore after the Zoom meeting. Not sure I would have found the way. Feeling somewhat affirmed by others noticing the overwhelming (but wrong) evidence of where the mechanism should go.
Also, in case anyone had high enough resolution to see my beat up face, I lost a battle with my dermatologist’s liquid nitrogen bottle today. Encourage your kids and grandchildren to use sunscreen and wear hats.
My avatar proves that it is sometimes better to be lucky than good!
