"Measure Twice, Solve Once" December 13, 2024
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- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2023 9:26 am
OK, after giving up 'forever,' on trying the metas... I am back. OK. I've done the puzzle, but just can't see ANYTHING! My mind is definitely 'tree not forest' so I'm going to try again to see if I can train it to see differently. I need some hand holding/coaching to even get started. I read the clue "measure twice, solve once" so looked for repeated letters but got nowhere. Otherwise I'm just staring at a blank/brick wall! Can I get a little first step to how to think about this? Backchannel ok if better. What do folks do first when they start to solve? Thanks for any assist!
- boharr
- Moderator
- Posts: 3601
- Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:57 am
- Location: Westchester, NY
Sent you a PM.AustinBunny wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 10:23 am OK, after giving up 'forever,' on trying the metas... I am back. OK. I've done the puzzle, but just can't see ANYTHING! My mind is definitely 'tree not forest' so I'm going to try again to see if I can train it to see differently. I need some hand holding/coaching to even get started. I read the clue "measure twice, solve once" so looked for repeated letters but got nowhere. Otherwise I'm just staring at a blank/brick wall! Can I get a little first step to how to think about this? Backchannel ok if better. What do folks do first when they start to solve? Thanks for any assist!
- Miki
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2019 8:32 am
Sent you a PM with a reply to "what do folks do...?"AustinBunny wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 10:23 am OK, after giving up 'forever,' on trying the metas... I am back. OK. I've done the puzzle, but just can't see ANYTHING! My mind is definitely 'tree not forest' so I'm going to try again to see if I can train it to see differently. I need some hand holding/coaching to even get started. I read the clue "measure twice, solve once" so looked for repeated letters but got nowhere. Otherwise I'm just staring at a blank/brick wall! Can I get a little first step to how to think about this? Backchannel ok if better. What do folks do first when they start to solve? Thanks for any assist!
- Joe Ross
- Moderator
- Posts: 6624
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
- Location: Cincinnati
Hints for Solving Meta ContestsAustinBunny wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 10:23 am OK, after giving up 'forever,' on trying the metas... I am back. OK. I've done the puzzle, but just can't see ANYTHING! My mind is definitely 'tree not forest' so I'm going to try again to see if I can train it to see differently. I need some hand holding/coaching to even get started. I read the clue "measure twice, solve once" so looked for repeated letters but got nowhere. Otherwise I'm just staring at a blank/brick wall! Can I get a little first step to how to think about this? Backchannel ok if better. What do folks do first when they start to solve? Thanks for any assist!
Past WSJ Crossword Contests & Solutions
- SeanS
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2019 2:11 pm
- Location: York, PA
Self-imposing a deadline of noon on Fridays to preserve my sanity (78 rabbit holes later).
Tip of the cap to the solvers- I'll be floating around this weekend with my pals Isaac, Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin.
Tip of the cap to the solvers- I'll be floating around this weekend with my pals Isaac, Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin.
- Bob cruise director
- Cruise Director
- Posts: 5018
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
- Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA
Good morning muggles
A challenge from the nefarious Mr. Gaffney this week. So far we have 1 on the ship, 53 on the shore, many with assistance from the Coast Guard and many more scurrying around the bilges or bars of the ship looking for inspiration
And speaking of inspiration, don't forget the 4:30 pm ET zoom solving session.
A challenge from the nefarious Mr. Gaffney this week. So far we have 1 on the ship, 53 on the shore, many with assistance from the Coast Guard and many more scurrying around the bilges or bars of the ship looking for inspiration
And speaking of inspiration, don't forget the 4:30 pm ET zoom solving session.
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
Cruise Director
- hcbirker
- Posts: 2527
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:24 pm
- Location: Studio City, CA
Finally on shore after many shallow rabbit holes. Should have remembered this from before. Thanks to @BarbaraK for the redirect.
Heidi
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- Posts: 32
- Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2024 4:04 pm
Ok I’m on an actual cruise ship this weekend. I have my iPad and am going to use the puzzle shared on this thread! Hope to see y’all on shore!
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- Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:39 pm
- Location: Ohio
Ashore !
At lunchtime on Friday!
Celebration Time!
At lunchtime on Friday!
Celebration Time!
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- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2022 3:13 pm
Today's? Not getting what you mean. Are you referring to a grid other than the crossword?
Andrew Bradburn wrote: Thu Dec 12, 2024 5:07 pm On shore. Interesting and unusual that the grid includes , as it is not a word one sees everyday.
- HeyMikey
- Posts: 113
- Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2024 7:13 pm
- Location: San Rafael, California
Puzzle Buddy Jane and I are still at sea. To be fair, Jane is distracted by moving from her recently sold house. I'm alternating between chatting with Isaac and retreating to the men's room to bang my head against the wall. Today's Zoom meeting can't come quickly enough.
I prefer my kale with a silent K.
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- Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2022 3:47 pm
I am noticing that a number of my grid answers are… highlighted. Isaac, I may be here awhile.
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- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:51 pm
- Location: Los Angeles
I posted on Thursday, so it was Thursday's wordHanKP wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 1:25 pm Today's? Not getting what you mean. Are you referring to a grid other than the crossword?
Andrew Bradburn wrote: Thu Dec 12, 2024 5:07 pm On shore. Interesting and unusual that the grid includes , as it is not a word one sees everyday.
- DrTom
- Posts: 4915
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
WOw, I guess I should learn how to use Discord. I am in the same boat of seeing nothing. A couple of potential thoughts on the mechanism really yielded nothing, so I am back to staring, transfixed, to an unyielding GRID.
My wife asks, "this is fun why?"
T
My wife asks, "this is fun why?"
T
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges IF ASKED; metas should be about fun, not frustration. PM me what you have done so far, because often you are closer than you think, and I will try to help you move along.
- Janet
- Posts: 431
- Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 5:22 pm
I have finished the grid. I do hope to "solve once!" At least before Monday.
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- Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2020 3:21 pm
My wife asks, "after all these years you're still attempting to talk to me about this why?"DrTom wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 2:39 pm WOw, I guess I should learn how to use Discord. I am in the same boat of seeing nothing. A couple of potential thoughts on the mechanism really yielded nothing, so I am back to staring, transfixed, to an unyielding GRID.
My wife asks, "this is fun why?"
T

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- Posts: 71
- Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2024 5:53 pm
- Location: Iowa
Grid complete, but I'm still stuck in the same boat as many... caught in the seaweed.
Probably InAJam
- Dickie_Dunn
- Posts: 116
- Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2023 6:45 pm
- Location: USA
Ahoy Isaac! It's Happy Hour!
Dickie Dunn wrote this, it's gotta be true.
- Alvibu67
- Posts: 195
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- Location: Santa Cruz, CA
- SamKat9
- Posts: 437
- Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2023 7:45 pm
- Location: Maryland
Ashore, but a few hints from Discord were needed. Tough puzzle, but I enjoyed how it turned out.
Shannon 
PS: If you want help with a meta, PM what you have so I can help without spoiling too much. I've received lots of help in the beginning and I love to pay it forward!
PS: If you want help with a meta, PM what you have so I can help without spoiling too much. I've received lots of help in the beginning and I love to pay it forward!