"Party Places" February 7, 2025

[Nlobb]

Ashore!!

[Relic]

Ashore after having to figure out one little piece. Clever puzzle! IPA me!

[Lacern]

Sweet sailing! I’ll have a Shiraz!

[halseymac]

This NC Tar Heel is on shore! Meta and Grid solved! Beer me! Fun one Matt!

[Aragorn]

Ashore! This is one I think of as a “magic eye” puzzle. A few things pop out as suggestive, and eventually as your eyes start to focus on the rights ones the whole picture comes into focus.

[Deb F]

I think a little getaway to St. Croix helped clear the cache in my head. I guess we'll know next week. Meanwhile, happily ashore.

[InAJelly]

I found shore!

[moron]

Ashore! Pleasant.

[Belle]

Solved this one late Thursday afternoon and laughed out at the answer. Then laughed again when I reread the title. So many clever connections. What genius!

[Bobj]

Ashore. Got the puzzle done this afternoon, but nothing jumped out. Had to run out to officiate a couple of basketball games. Was sitting in the locker room before the game when the mechanism came to me, but I couldn't remember all the parts of the answer until I came home to look at the puzzle.

[Dickie_Dunn]

Count me ashore! Really like this construction. Wow. Cold beer helped get me there, so let's continue!

[whimsy]

rightsizeaward.jpg

... To the aforementioned finalists: Congratulations!....

And to all of you, a big thank you from the Rabbit, Mr. Guffman, Mr. Adair (artist extraordinaire), Anagramma, Carmen Miranda, and everyone else down here in the rabbit hole. We truly appreciate your dedication and love of the game.

Thanks so much for the honor, XWord Rabbit! I'm just tickled pink!

[Tcassutt]

Ashore

[b4alltime]

Ashore, late but independent.
Regards to all,
Jim

[Trey]

Marion, Jill, Mitch and I are on what appears to be a crowded shore!! Regardless, glad to be there with the Muggles crew!

[Miki]

No one here needs a hint, but let's say you wanted one, you can head over to TikTok and enjoy my new #1 "hint song"

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2kj4xA9/

[Flying_Burrito]

Ashore. Got the puzzle done this afternoon, but nothing umped out. Had to run out to officiate a couple of basketball games. Was sitting in the locker room before the game when the mechanism came to me, but I couldn't remember all the parts of the answer until I came home to look at the puzzle.

Next time I go to my daughter's HS bball game and the ref makes the wrong call I will yell "Stop thinking about the meta, ref". Who knows, we may meet.

[Joe Ross]

Ashore. Got the puzzle done this afternoon, but nothing umped out. Had to run out to officiate a couple of basketball games. Was sitting in the locker room before the game when the mechanism came to me, but I couldn't remember all the parts of the answer until I came home to look at the puzzle.

Next time I go to my daughter's HS bball game and the ref makes the wrong call I will yell "Stop thinking about the meta, ref". Who knows, we may meet.

I've been the PA announcer 6 feet off center court for dozens or hundreds of high school basketball games and often wondered what the refs were sharing as they watched the pre-game shoot-arounds, gathered at the other side of midcourt, arms crossed, one hand in front of mouths as they discussed matters of import amongst themselves.

One would always come over to say hello and review standard stuff: check to be sure both scorekeepers and the scoreboard operator were up to snuff, be sure we'd mash the buzzer if there were any discrepancies, ask if the gym had any particular quirks to keep in mind, etc.

Never once did I imagine they were working over contest crosswords together.

Huh.

[Bobj]

Ashore. Got the puzzle done this afternoon, but nothing umped out. Had to run out to officiate a couple of basketball games. Was sitting in the locker room before the game when the mechanism came to me, but I couldn't remember all the parts of the answer until I came home to look at the puzzle.

Next time I go to my daughter's HS bball game and the ref makes the wrong call I will yell "Stop thinking about the meta, ref". Who knows, we may meet.

I've been the PA announcer 6 feet off center court for dozens or hundreds of high school basketball games and often wondered what the refs were sharing as they watched the pre-game shoot-arounds, gathered at the other side of midcourt, arms crossed, one hand in front of mouths as they discussed matters of import amongst themselves.

One would always come over to say hello and review standard stuff: check to be sure both scorekeepers and the scoreboard operator were up to snuff, be sure we'd mash the buzzer if there were any discrepancies, ask if the gym had any particular quirks to keep in mind, etc.

Never once did I imagine they were working over contest crosswords together.

Huh.

It's mostly important stuff -- like whether the concession stand will have any popcorn left after the game.

[Janet]

I'm at the premier party place -- the beach!