"Sign Language" June 14, 2024

[JoeS]

Struggling mightily. But I refuse to give up. Plenty of irregularity to hold on to, but can't get a grip yet. I'll give myself another 24, then I'm going to dissolve into a sea of dunkel on a sunny beach south of here.

[Bob cruise director]

Good Saturday morning muggles

Our report today is early as the tender traffic has all but come to a halt however the Coast Guard and lifeguards have been very busy.

and we do have a new muggles @Nradermecher. Always great to have another muggle.

Now the tale of woe - we have 22 on the ship and 67 on the shore - most with some help or a lot of help.

An on the shore are

Mike H


Good luck to all who are submitting and Happy Father's day to all fathers.

If that's me, I'm definitely not on shore. I came up with an answer, but it can't possibly be right. Especially after the meta from a few weeks ago that stated most puzzles are not R-rated.

@mheberlingx100 and everyone. In cases like this, and there are a lot, if you said you are on the shore, you get counted as on the shore. I don't differentiate if you think you are on the wrong shore, know you are on the wrong shore, want to go back to the ship or any of the other dozen or so variations, I still count you as being on the shore.

[BigPear]

I can’t tell if I am close to an answer or have just made myself at home in a particularly cozy rabbit hole. I guess that is the nature of a rabbit hole…

[woozy]

Ohhhh, I think when you see it it's pretty clear you have it. And there's nothing cozy about it. I wouldn't say it's 100%er but... no-one finds themselves in this patch of thorns unaware. (In a previous life, I must have done something bad.....)

[LadyBird]

I am on the ship with lots of good company! It is surely a FAct that I am not going to toWN with this meta anytime soon. My short solving streak is going COLd and the shORE is far far away. But I better not sit iDLy by--grandson #2 will be here soon with his folks (for an early father's day celebration) and we have a date at the pARK.


November 2017, Kalahari Desert, Botswana

[ELSavage]

Ashore!

I knew this was going to be trouble when page one was still open at 7:30, and was thinking I would have to stay on the ship until it docked on Monday, because I have so much else going on this weekend (end of the school year, anniversary, etc.), but I did notice something that I just had to check out. I had to wait for a 'study' break to dig into it with some serious shoveling.

It was a rabbit hole, but fortunately my rabbit detection method hit on something else along the way, and slowly the answer emerged.

I was also prepared to join the grumblers and meh-sayers if/when I got dragged to shore, but I have to admit I'm impressed with the construction on this one, though it is definitely a tough solve. But I'm biased now, because I did eventually solve it.

[arecibo]

Ashore. It's top-notch. Followed two delectable candidates, each of which almost saddens me to give up, but the answer is a no-doubter. My thanks to the constructor duo.

Don't abandon.

[JeanneC]

Well, at least I know it’s not me this week.

[straffin]

Very late start, hanging out with Isaac on the boat, staring blankly at the ocean of letters all around me. Considering that the first page was available for nearly four hours and that many are speaking of how difficult this one is, I may just settle for hearing about the answer via ship-to-shore on Monday.

Update: The ever-helpful @BarbaraK

► Show Spoiler

introduced me to mechapuzzle which

helped tremendously and I am now on shore. What a weird puzzle...

[Ben B]

Now that I am 4 weeks in with Isaac, I think I could be employed as his barback. Someday it would be nice to visit the shore again. Sigh.

[Katiedid]

Weekend is too busy. Still at sea, but I'll look again before bedtime.

[otlaolap]

On the boat, enjoying a peaceful cruise. The sea is placid and featureless, seeming much like the grid answers to me. Don't even have a rabbit this week.

[Cindy N]

Ashore!

[caf.caf]

I'm on a beach, hopefully the right one....

[JoDave]

Count me on the ship with Issac on this one.

[Bob cruise director]

Good morning muggles and Happy Father's Day

Trips to the shore have come to a complete halt with no one posting in the last three hours. So far we have 30 on the ship and only 75 on the shore. The last time we had below 100 on the shore was August 2022 with Power Play. The apathy to this meta is pervasive

New to the ship's bar are

JeanneC
JoDave
ladybird
joe
otlaolap
bread-girl
Katiedid
Ben B and son
ErikThor

While getting to shore are

ELSavage
Miki
straffin
Cindy N
Nlobb
caf.caf Cathy
arecibo
woozy


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

[HeyMikey]

Lost at sea. Woe is me. We seem to have a tough puzzle, my weekend is packed, I missed the Friday zoom, and Jane is traveling in Italy with her daughter. Being bar-bound with so many muggle companions is my only consolation thus far.

I find hope in that I solved the recent hexadecimal puzzle minutes before the deadline. Can lightning strike twice?

[woozy]

It's seems obvious in hindsight. But I would never have gotten it. I just don't look for that sort of stuff. But I should. (Of course, the stuff I do look for I absolutely should continue to look for.)

I'm debating whether to submit or not. I don't have the qualms of not submitting if I had help but... a two by for to the head is a bit more than confirmation I was on the right track (which I never was).

[ImOnToo]

On shore.

[Flying_Burrito]

Started yesterday and let it simmer for a while. The theme was clear from the get-go, but putting it all together took time. I liked it because it trapped me for several hours (which is my goal for metas). Reporting ashore and submitting my answer. Pisco sours for Father's day, life is good.