"Position Statement" August 19, 2022

[SewYoung]

I will be in the Muggle Zoom Room at 4:30 p.m. EST if anybody wants to participate in a Group Solve! Solvers and soon-to-be solvers are more than welcome to attend. Warning: There may be calliope music in the background. My next-door neighbor owns a calliope and is regaling the neighborhood with "Patriotic Favorites." He may have moved on to "Polka Medley" by then.

This subject may have come up before, I can't remember; but ask your neighbor if he/she is a member of the "Carousel Organ Association of America". They usually have their annual meeting in association with the museum I work/volunteer with. That is the Mississippi Industrial Heritage Museum (formerly the Soule' Steam Engine Factory in Meridian). Our "Live Steam Festival" is always the first weekend of November. If the neighbor comes to that event, tell him/her to look for me there.

[iggystan]

Not really sure where I am, I have an answer but I'm not convinced. Oh well.

[Collegetowngirl]

On ship. Y’all are making me think maybe I can squint again at it and see it. Hours left.

[BarbaraK]

On ship. Y’all are making me think maybe I can squint again at it and see it. Hours left.

You absolutely can. And when you do, you’ll wonder how you missed it before.

[LadyBird]

One of the (potential) downsides of solving is that you have time for a bike ride after dinner. We rode through a near-by cemetery. Rounded a corner and there were maybe a dozen skunks eating on the side of the road. Fortunately, we whizzed past before there were any untoward reactions. On the second loop, some of the skunks had moved over to the other side of the road--we decided to run the gauntlet. On the third loop, there was a skunk in the road. We decided that the third time was NOT a charm and cut that loop short! Pic is from loop two.

[hoover]

I met a woman named Kalliope last week. She seems to pronounce it KAL-ee-OH-pee though, KAL-ee for short.

[Bob cruise director]

One of the (potential) downsides of solving is that you have time for a bike ride after dinner. We rode through a near-by cemetery. Rounded a corner and there were maybe a dozen skunks eating on the side of the road. Fortunately, we whizzed past before there were any untoward reactions. On the second loop, some of the skunks had moved over to the other side of the road--we decided to run the gauntlet. On the third loop, there was a skunk in the road. We decided that the third time was NOT a charm and cut that loop short! Pic is from loop two.
20220821_190058.jpg

@LadyBird Interesting as skunks are very nocturnal. They are not fast and can't fight really well.

[EVJ]

The 8pm zoom room was great. Lots of helpful people there. I was tracking but a little slow to get the final answer. Once I got off the zoom call I got out my highlighter and made short work of it.
Bob, please count me ASHORE in your final tally!

[RussHiggins]

Well, I solved and submitted on Friday, but a couple of steps seemed a little iffy. Thanks to the Sunday evening Zoom crew, I discover I have the right answer, but not all the right steps. More details tomorrow.

[JeanneC]

There may be calliope music in the background. My next-door neighbor owns a calliope and is regaling the neighborhood with "Patriotic Favorites." He may have moved on to "Polka Medley" by then.

I feel a certain comraderie with "Polish Patriots." My Polish great grandparents immigrated to Baltimore in 1890, were very patriotic and quite good at the Polka.

You take me back to my Polish dad and Czech mom. They would polka to Johnny Puleo and the Harmonicats. My father’s stomp and whoop almost brought the house down (literally)!

[SusieG]

I’d like to make my statement public: I am positioned with Isaac. We had a very busy weekend and I didn’t have time to do the crossword until this afternoon. Looking forward to seeing the answer tomorrow. Good luck to those who solved.

[JetStream]

My streak ends at two with this one. Driving home across Nebraska last night I thought about a new theory but that didn't pan out. I'm looking forward to the answer and as always, congrats to the solvers.

[rjy]

After many many many rabbit holes, a nudge set me straight on to the solve… still got the AHA! but skipping the mug chase for a week. Kudos to those who got it nudgelessly, esp those in the first hour… sheesh!!

[Bonnibel]

I have been attributing my inability to solve this one to jet lag & post vacation re-entry. After 10 days of sun, beach, and MaiTais in Hawaii, and after taking 2 weeks off of devices to focus on my family, I just can't see my way through on this one. Oh yes there was what seemed to be a very logical (and elegant) pathway that devolved into the typical rabbit hole.

On the bright side, we did attend 2 parties this weekend which involved good friends, merriment, and dancing the nights away. So I won't be too hard on myself.

I've secured a comfortable position at the bar with Isaac. Can't wait to see what *obvious* clues I somehow managed to miss.

Better luck next week...I hope.

[TeamDoubleTow]

We are on the ship! Our meta mojo seems to have gone on vacation... On a different cruise apparently.

[Bob cruise director]

Good evening muggles

Our final count is 26 on the ship and 123 on the shore.

Great zoom call and as always, it is fun to meet muggles

[kurtalert]

Submitted an answer, but I'm really unsure as to whether it's correct. I found what seemed to be a very clear mechanism, and it produced a perfectly normal 6 letter word... that has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the puzzle, which makes me think it is must be wrong.

[MajordomoTom]

Grabbed a red solo cup from Isaac and abandoned the ship.

Wow, what's in this thing?

[Joe Ross]

[Joe Ross]