"Gift List" December 22, 2023

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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RDaleHall
Posts: 233
Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:52 pm

#301

Post by RDaleHall »

Loved the meta this week… but please Deck The Halls with decorations… and keep my family and namesakes injury-free this holiday season! 😀
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Tom Shea
Posts: 603
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 6:37 am
Location: Freedonia, NH/VT/HI/Earth

#302

Post by Tom Shea »

Joe Ross wrote: Tue Dec 26, 2023 12:53 pm I promised an explanation to my personal quick solve. Sometimes a blind squirrel...
...
Here is how my PDF appeared when the AHA! hit:


XWD12222023JRSolved.png


If I can solve that quickly, anyone can.
No, not everyone.

But you do!

Happy new year and thanks for all you do here, on the wsj site and elsewhere. It makes it exponentially more enjoyable for all of us!
Rufus T. Firefly
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CPJohnson
Posts: 1092
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:38 pm
Location: Kingsport, TN

#303

Post by CPJohnson »

BarbaraK wrote: Tue Dec 26, 2023 1:13 pm
CPJohnson wrote: Fri Dec 22, 2023 3:41 pm
I was in a rabbit hole. If anyone is interested, on Monday I will be giving lessons in How to Manufacture a Rabbit Hole While Ignoring Blatant Markers for the Solution.
I’m interested! Do tell!
Sorry, I forgot to post this on Monday. Out-of-town guest and Christmas, you know.

How to Manufacture a Rabbit Hole While Ignoring Blatant Markers for the Solution
(1) Remember past metas and seize on one idea. Do not give up on that one idea. (in this case, hidden words in the themers)
(2) Identify words in the grid which might satisfy that one idea. (in this case, names….Ken, Angie, Ryan, Ward, Lane)
(3) Google the words you have found. (in this case, Ken Angie etc. characters)
(4) Scan what Google has found for you, and seize upon the first thing you see that is something you have heard of before. (in this case, list of All My Children characters)
(5) Find some of the words you have identified, but not all. (in this case, Ken Angie Ryan)
(6) Continue searching, in vain, for the other words.
(7) Forget that metas are often seasonal.
(8) DO NOT notice a word in 1A that should remind you of one of the most recognizable Christmas songs in history.

Fortunately, I was rescued this week by my out-of-town guest, who almost immediately saw the path to the solution!
Cynthia
Lube On
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2021 10:52 pm

#304

Post by Lube On »

Happy New Year and another solve!
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