"This Stays Between Us" January 27, 2023

[Bob cruise director]

Good Sunday morning muggles


We have a steady if not spectacular progression to the shore, so we have 9 on the ship and 165 on the shore.

New to the ship's party are:
Liz
Oxford Comma Mama
JRS51
Colin

And arriving on shore are:

Jean
vandono
jrdad
b4alltime
auee89
RDaleHall
Trey and Marion
Kwyjibo
dot
Ergcat
Libbypibby
Nlobb
cheekumbaldy
PQ63
dk letter
PlymouthRock
Sara Dacus
chatger
copperriver
Scott M
and Ben B and his son.


And don't forget the Last Call zoom call at 8 pm tonight ET

[LadyBird]

I am on the ship, but with 13 pages (which I haven't read yet), I feel like I should be on shore, perhaps. My eyes have not LIT up yet with recognition of the mechanism, but I have spent very litTLE time on it so far this weekend. Just BEtween us, I don't sEE how Mike and Matt creATe these each and evERy week! Although I wish that they would use the mechanisms that I come up with based on the title, and not their own! Hoping for post-enlightenment.

Little Vumbura Camp, Botswana, December 2017

[pipster]

Finally ashore with no nudges. Did anybody else besides me end up deep in the rabbit hole that (I think) is supposed to be a signpost?

[mbryant]

Also finally ashore. Very nice meta.

[31 Down]

Spent way too much time and was ready to send in a guess. Being the unfailing masochist, took one final look and then !!! I made it much harder than necessary but isn't that usually the case?

Another brilliant, consistent construction.

[Onaquest]

Onshore. “Classic Gaffney” are not words that fill us with hope. However, passing the baton back and forth, Tim and I finally just found it. A grind, but fun also.

[Tom Shea]

Sitting with my very close friend Isaac.

I feel like I've done my part in contributing to his grandchildrens' college fund.

[Justmarebear]

A good weekend for a cruise >.. maybe next week I will get to shore...

[PhantomPhan]

Ashore. My head hurts.

[Fogway]

Ashore just in time for happy hour. Make mine a French 75.

[LizD]

Ashore after a tiny nudge - Almost got stuck a couple more times but I powered through!

Gaffney is both genius and completely maddening!

[LadyBird]

Post enlightenment strikes! I had noticed a lot of random things and then saw how they actually worked for the meta. So--I am ashore!

We're going to a wine-pairing dinner tonight--I definitely earned my drinks.

[lbray53]

FINALLY got there with a nudge. (Thank you Don and Cynthia).

A family waterpark weekend limited my time to work on this.

I might have made it sooner but I read about there being so many steps that I looked for and found several. However, my extra steps were forced and produced gibberish.

Looking back at my notes I had highlighted everything I needed plus two more things while filling in the grid. The two more things led me far afield.

One coincidence had me locked on the wrong scent for far too long. I may be one of a very few who would have known about it.

[Ann]

Hooray! On the shore. A very satisfying mother-daughter solve.

[TheCatt]

On the shore! It took us a while, but we did it!

We typically get the easy ones, this feels at least medium But the list above says it's easy. Oh well.

[dpl11]

ashore

[Flamel616]

I have an answer, but I don't like it. There are a lot of gaps, and based on the above, it should be more clear than it is. I suppose I found a shore, maybe.

[ADS]

I’m ashore. Very satisfying to get this one.

[DannyWalter]

Ashore! Ashore! That's three of the last four! There you go. The extent of my poetic inclinations.

Another beautiful puzzle though. How do they do it?

[Secret Adversary]

A beautiful puzzle indeed! My solving partner and I do love a good Gaffney puzzle. Solved!