"Tense Situation" February 21, 2025

[Bob cruise director]

Good Sunday morning muggles

Our report is a bit early today because Isaac is serving free mimosas at the four tiki bars.

We are up to 236 on the shore. Since yesterday we have added

relic (and Maggie)
Cindy N
Hank37
Colin
cbarbee
jrdad
olev
WSJosh
Diane
bolson51
Crest
mommyX4
Collegetowngirl

Don't forget the 8 pm last call zoom solving session and general get together.

And be sure to solve @benchen71 SSS at Two Sides to Every Story

[regfish7]

Ashore! Took me a few days to find the time to finish the grid but easy solve once that was done. I enjoy this type of construction. I’ll have a glass of wine this evening to celebrate.

[Inca]

Stopped by after a long break, spent about 5 minutes clicking through 14 pages of posts almost all saying essentially the same thing. Being that I'm here, I guess I'll join in: REDACTED

[DannyWalter]

Not an aha this week, just a slap to the forehead. Was on to the chase right off, ran the drill and got gibberish. Huh, methought, how can that be? Took a second look just now and found that I had missed a piece. A piece of cake.

Speaking of cake, it's been a while, but I could go for a Chocolate Cake shot. Frangelico, vanilla vodka, and a lemon wedge coated with sugar. Goes well with Irish Car Bombs. Tales of a misspent youth. . .

[SewYoung]

p.s. the sign tells the delivery drivers to put the packages in the garage. Some still wind up in the snow on the front porch.

IMG_3231.jpeg

That looks like a nice size garage. I am jealous. A great garage to hold a couple of sport cars!

Our UPS driver brings the packages to the front porch, but FedEx puts them right in front of the garage door.
I had to put a sign at eye level on the actual garage door saying to PLEASE not put the packages directly in front of the door where they might get run over when we back the truck out. It also says that if you can't put it on the porch, just set it off to the side.
Seems like that would be common sense.

[Bob cruise director]

p.s. the sign tells the delivery drivers to put the packages in the garage. Some still wind up in the snow on the front porch.

IMG_3231.jpeg

That looks like a nice size garage. I am jealous. A great garage to hold a couple of sport cars!

Our UPS driver brings the packages to the front porch, but FedEx puts them right in front of the garage door.
I had to put a sign at eye level on the actual garage door saying to PLEASE not put the packages directly in front of the door where they might get run over when we back the truck out. It also says that if you can't put it on the porch, just set it off to the side.
Seems like that would be common sense.

@SewYoung All the drivers, on their machine that photograph the delivery, have instructions to put packages in the garage.
We even had packages leaning against the sign that told them to put the packages in the garage and Amazon pictures of the packages leaning against the sign. Every time that happens, my wife gives the delivery company the lowest rating possible.

[Brian K]

Ashore!

It seems everyone is here, but there must be some silently MIA (like me, 10 minutes ago). Despair not, for in the darkness of night, our leaders will set a bonfire ablaze to guide your way to shore - the 8pm Sunday Muggles Zoom Room is a beacon to all still adrift!

You Muggles are such curious, fun and helpful people.
I'm glad I found you!

[JerryF]

Ashore finally - after too many weeks with Isaac.

[iblinked]

Ashore!

[Kris Zacharias]

Ashore!

[3rdOf4]

I got there, I’m on the beach. I have… unnn… had a really tough couple weeks and this weekend was a hot mess for… reasons… so I wasn’t able to get to the crossword until this afternoon. I’ve been looking forward to doing this all week. Yay.

[Jeremy Smith]

On shore. Was very close on Thursday, but I misinterpreted one piece of the metanism which resulted in gibberish.

[eagle1279]

I've been tied up on a project for a few weeks, but have scheduled a platelet donation for Monday, 7 AM.

I used to be able to donate triples every two weeks or so, but have been demoted to doubles for the last couple of years.. I will try to bring my laptop and work during the time on the needle.

Thanks to @Aaron, @flandangle, @DaveWa, and @olev for donating. @iggystan, @Bob cruise director, and other muggles donate, too.

Been donating blood since they removed the restriction on Brits - apparently we all had mad cow disease!
My first platelet session, however, is on Monday. As one of the world’s slowest readers, I am looking forward to making a dent in The Splendid And The Vile by Erik Larson… gripping account of Churchill and the Battle of Britain. One heck of a ‘tense situation’ that should (hopefully) keep me awake!

Unable to donate blood after long-term use of a particular medication.

Just finished Larson's The Demon of Unrest, recounting the tense weeks leading up to Fort Sumter, excellent.

[Bob cruise director]

I just realized that Matt had a WSJ meta with the title "Tense Situation" on August 26, 2022. I do not recall the method but the answer was "Buy It".

[Big Mac]

I just realized that Matt had a WSJ meta with the title "Tense Situation" on August 26, 2022. I do not recall the method but the answer was "Buy It".

We can’t rule out the possibility that Matt is engaged in a years long, perhaps decades long, super meta that he won’t admit has even been going on until he reveals the answer on an undisclosed date.

[otlaolap]

Stopped by after a long break, spent about 5 minutes clicking through 14 pages of posts almost all saying essentially the same thing. Being that I'm here, I guess I'll join in: REDACTED

I notice this post has five likes: Bob cruise director, BarbaraK, mommyX4, 3rdOf4, and KayW. Wonder what was here . . . .

[garnermoney]

Ashore after a couple week hiatus and it feels nice!

[AveryL]

Ashore! Loved this solve

[ZazooD]

Beach volleyball, anyone?!?
Fun puzzle.

[ZazooD]

I don't know if this sort of post is okay on this forum. It has to do with a problem I've been having the last couple months doing the WSJ Xword puzzles on my phone. The format is nearly impossible to navigate. I can see only part of the grid, have to scroll to see the the clues and to enter letters into the grid, and the font is tiny! It's as if I'm on the website, but I don't see an option anywhere to switch to the good ol' mobile mode I adored (where the whole grid is visible and clues pop up when tapping on the grid, etc.). Any ideas? The puzzle isn't much fun to do and takes forever to complete when the format is so clunky. I use an Android, Samsung Galaxy S22+. Thank you!!!