Once Upon a Time

Formerly known as the “Sunday Summer Substitute”, editor Cap'n Rick now takes the helm for 'Smooth Sailing Sundays'. As The Commodores sang about Sunday morning, the SSS will focus on easier metas. SSS will also support smaller grids and will mentor new constructors on request. Puzzles released each Sunday around 8am Eastern. Nudges released same day at Noon Eastern. New constructors are welcome.
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Anita
Posts: 575
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 1:55 am

#21

Post by Anita »

Sssolved! Tried to overthink this one ..
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MatthewL
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Location: Atlanta, GA

#22

Post by MatthewL »

Sssolved. Like others, tried too hard to overthink this. Thanks for the puzzle, Rick!
Matthew
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ajk
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Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2020 4:22 pm
Location: Colorado

#23

Post by ajk »

Just getting to it, but speedy nudgeless solve. Fun stuff as always, thanks.
Check out this very cool project by many of your favorite muggles to raise money to fight cancer. You get a fun puzzle bundle and good causes get $. Win-win: Crosswords for Cancer
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ELSavage
Posts: 194
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2024 12:44 pm
Location: New Hampshire

#24

Post by ELSavage »

SSSolved (without nudges), giving me a 1-1 record for the weekend.
Bespoke nudges available upon request (if I'm on shore, off the couch, in the castle, petting an un-bagged cat, ...).
Let me know how small or large a hint you want, or hit me with a specific question(s).
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HeadinHome
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Location: Charlotte, NC

#25

Post by HeadinHome »

Ditto - sssolved sssans nudges. Nice to have a softball challenge after a busy weekend and two tough ones (WSJ & MG).
The other Wendy. :roll:
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InAJelly
Posts: 71
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2024 5:53 pm
Location: Iowa

#26

Post by InAJelly »

Sssolved! first time sssans nudges. getting better!
Probably InAJam
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DrTom
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Location: Jacksonville, FL

#27

Post by DrTom »

...and then the tired solver sailed into the harbor to safety and they all lived happily ever after

Thanks Rick
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.
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Cap'n Rick
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#28

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Leaderboard

We're off to a sensational start with 48 SSSolvers:

boharr (TS)
DavyGravy (TS)
MarkWoychick (TS)
Kulea
Mr Tex
benchen71
Eric Porter
lbray53
Schmeel
Pair O Ducks
shalmanezer
Wendy Walker
Abide
imontoo
LarsCaine
ky-mike
Dave C
Meg
KayW
michaelm
Bird Lives
Hector
hcbirker
woozy
Qmark
Berto
Tom Wilson
Carolyn
Cindy Heisler
DIS
DCBilly
JHSeeman
CPJohnson
Jeremy Smith
Bob cruise director
Anita
MatthewL
iceman
omnilynx
ajk
ELSavage
HeadinHome
InAJelly
Al Sisti
andeux
DrTom
Gutman
Mg305

Please let me know if I've missed anyone!
Last edited by Cap'n Rick on Mon Dec 16, 2024 11:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles! Also check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays"!
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rjy
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Location: Gaithersburg, MD

#29

Post by rjy »

Mmmonday Sssolve - does that mean I can get back on the couch? Nice one, Cap’n!
Ray
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whimsy
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Location: Hopkinton MA

#30

Post by whimsy »

Very enjoyable smooth sail.
But now bailing furiously to catch up with neglected puzzles!
zzbail.png
Thanks, Cap'n!
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Cap'n Rick
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#31

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Leaderboard Update

Nine more solvers have finished the story, bringing us to 57:

Avlan
rjy
FedexPope
Jaclyn
Sharkicicles
Tim
lankratz
whimsy
Katie

Please let me know if I missed anyone.
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles! Also check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays"!
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Darth
Posts: 1080
Joined: Sat May 15, 2021 6:51 pm
Location: Champaign, IL

#32

Post by Darth »

Sssuper funnn puzzle, Cap'n.

I'm solving from a different time zone (Galactic Time)... and on a planet far, far away! ;)
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Cap'n Rick
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#33

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Leaderboard Update, etc.

Four more solvers bring our total to 61:

Dickie Dunn
Darth
Serafin
kurtalert

Speaking of Christmas tales, here's one from last year at this time (again with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore and a few Muggle friends :D ):

Santa and Poem.jpg
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles! Also check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays"!
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hoover
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Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:26 pm
Location: at the intersection of grits and breakfast tacos

#34

Post by hoover »

Not sure how I miSSSed this one! Sssolved without nudges!
I don't have anything clever to say, but if I did, it would go here.
Eli
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BarbaraK
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Location: Virginia

#35

Post by BarbaraK »

Good Sunday morning, everyone!

What? It’s not Sunday? It’s Wednesday already? How can that be?

Well, obviously I’m way behind on puzzles this week, but this was a nice quick sssolve.
If you want help with a meta, feel free to PM me. The more specific you are about what you have and what you want, the more likely I can help without spoiling.

(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
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Cap'n Rick
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#36

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Leaderboard Update

Five more solvers have finished the story bringing us to 66:

Tyrpmom
hoover
markhr
BarbaraK
SJ
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles! Also check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays"!
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Cap'n Rick
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#37

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Leaderboard Update

Six more solvers bring us to 72:

Sendhil Revuluri
MikeyG
axmszr
Lanny Gilbert
Viro
Meta World Peace

Will we make it to 75 before tomorrow's reveal? We'll just have to wait and see how this story ends. :D
Last edited by Cap'n Rick on Sat Dec 21, 2024 10:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles! Also check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays"!
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Cap'n Rick
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#38

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Ahoy, Muggles!

The meta answer is HISTORY, which pretty much indicates the time period of all those stories that begin with "Once upon a time..." :D To solve, you first needed to notice the 7 symmetrically-placed entries that can be preceded by "TIME" (i.e. 14A OFF, 18A PERIOD, 33A TRAVEL, 41A HONORED, 48A TESTED, 64A KEEPER, and 69A OUT). The letters that appear "once" directly above ("upon") the initial letters of the "time" entries spell the meta answer.

Reveal Grid.jpg

As I mentioned in one of my nudges, this puzzle title was probably the most literal that I've ever used. And as a fisherman, it's important that I strictly adhere to the absolute truth when recounting my tales. :D

Thanks for solving, everyone! Our good friend @Clark E. Tripe is up next with a special holiday puzzle on "Smooth Sailing Sundays!"

Happy holidays!
Cap'n Rick
Last edited by Cap'n Rick on Sun Dec 22, 2024 7:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles! Also check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays"!
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Seattle DB
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#39

Post by Seattle DB »

Cap'n Rick wrote: Sat Dec 21, 2024 10:53 am Ahoy, Muggles!

The meta answer is HISTORY, which pretty much indicates the time period of all those stories that begin with "Once upon a time..." :D To solve, you first needed to notice the 7 symmetrically-placed entries that can be preceded by "TIME" (i.e. 14A OFF, 18A PERIOD, 33A TRAVEL, 41A HONORED, 48A TESTED, 64A KEEPER, and 69A OUT). The letters that appear "once" directly above ("upon") the initial letters of the "time" entries spell the meta answer.


Reveal Grid.jpg


As I mentioned in one of my nudges, this puzzle title was probably the most literal that I've ever used. And as a fisherman, it's important that I strictly adhere to the absolute truth when recounting my tales. :D

Thanks for solving, everyone! Our good friend @Clark E. Tripe is up next with a special holiday puzzle on "Smooth Sailing Sundays!"

Happy holidays!
Cap'n Rick
Am I missing something? The solution grid doesn't look like how the actual answers should be.
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Cap'n Rick
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#40

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Seattle DB wrote: Sun Dec 22, 2024 6:42 pm Am I missing something? The solution grid doesn't look like how the actual answers should be.
You're absolutely right, @Seattle DB! I posted the wrong puzzle reveal version. I just replaced it with the correct one, so you should be all set.

Thanks for the heads-up!
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles! Also check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays"!
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