"Poetic Justice" - February 5, 2021

A place to discuss the weekly Wall Street Journal Crossword Puzzle Contest, starting every Thursday around 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Please do not post any answers or hints before the contest deadline which is midnight Sunday Eastern time.
Locked
NuYear68
Posts: 118
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2020 2:35 pm

#381

Post by NuYear68 »

The Joker's make-up = Smile Smudge
MikeMillerwsj
Posts: 286
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:46 pm

#382

Post by MikeMillerwsj »

Greetings--as you may have seen in my colleague Taylor's post above, our February contests are going to be tailored to beginners (spread the word!), so that they can serve as our curriculum for a forthcoming guide to solving metas. The result: we blew past all our previous records, with 3762 submissions. About 76% were correct, right in line with our typical level. We take this as proof that the addressable market for metas is much bigger than we'd been reaching--we just need to build the right on-ramp. And for you seasoned Muggles, don't worry, things will get spicier in March. Meanwhile we had almost Pageant levels of guesses for JUDGE alone, with 849! Plus several other flavors of judges (Juvenile, Circuit, Small Claims, et al.)

Congrats to this week's winner who beat the longest odds yet: Peter Covert of Stanford, Calif.!
User avatar
Jeremy Smith
Posts: 970
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:45 pm
Location: Tampa Bay area

#383

Post by Jeremy Smith »

22.6% submitted JUDGE. I wonder what percentage of us (myself included!) submitted something like BOWL GAMES in the PAGEANT meta?
User avatar
BarbaraK
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Virginia

#384

Post by BarbaraK »

Jeremy Smith wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 8:29 pm 22.6% submitted JUDGE. I wonder what percentage of us (myself included!) submitted something like BOWL GAMES in the PAGEANT meta?
Only 13% submitted PAGEANT. I'd guess most of the remaining 87% were some variation of bowl games, but if Mike reported the exact number, I didn't record it.
User avatar
FrankH
Posts: 242
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2019 4:15 am

#385

Post by FrankH »

Jeremy Smith wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 8:29 pm 22.6% submitted JUDGE. I wonder what percentage of us (myself included!) submitted something like BOWL GAMES in the PAGEANT meta?
That was never mentioned in Mike Miller's post. Maybe some of the statisticians here can verify, but I believe the percent of correct entries was in the teens.

JUDGE also popped into my mind immediately, but it seemed not satisfying. So I kept looking and it took me some time to find the answer.
User avatar
BarbaraK
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Virginia

#386

Post by BarbaraK »

MikeMillerwsj wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:15 pm Greetings--as you may have seen in my colleague Taylor's post above, our February contests are going to be tailored to beginners (spread the word!), so that they can serve as our curriculum for a forthcoming guide to solving metas. The result: we blew past all our previous records, with 3762 submissions. About 76% were correct, right in line with our typical level. We take this as proof that the addressable market for metas is much bigger than we'd been reaching--we just need to build the right on-ramp. And for you seasoned Muggles, don't worry, things will get spicier in March. Meanwhile we had almost Pageant levels of guesses for JUDGE alone, with 849! Plus several other flavors of judges (Juvenile, Circuit, Small Claims, et al.)

Congrats to this week's winner who beat the longest odds yet: Peter Covert of Stanford, Calif.!
Awesome!

I still wonder how many people are out there who solve regularly but don't bother to submit. I can imagine lots wouldn't want to risk getting on some junk mail list (because who really trusts businesses to not sell their data) just for a small chance to win a mug.

Maybe you should offer a really really big prize sometime and see what happens :)
User avatar
Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 4511
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#387

Post by Bob cruise director »

MikeMillerwsj wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:15 pm Greetings--as you may have seen in my colleague Taylor's post above, our February contests are going to be tailored to beginners (spread the word!), so that they can serve as our curriculum for a forthcoming guide to solving metas. The result: we blew past all our previous records, with 3762 submissions. About 76% were correct, right in line with our typical level. We take this as proof that the addressable market for metas is much bigger than we'd been reaching--we just need to build the right on-ramp. And for you seasoned Muggles, don't worry, things will get spicier in March. Meanwhile we had almost Pageant levels of guesses for JUDGE alone, with 849! Plus several other flavors of judges (Juvenile, Circuit, Small Claims, et al.)

Congrats to this week's winner who beat the longest odds yet: Peter Covert of Stanford, Calif.!
I wonder if these weeks should go into the record books with an * like steroid records in baseball??? :lol:
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
michaelm
Posts: 487
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2020 3:21 pm

#388

Post by michaelm »

Kind of feels like when that local musician you first heard and loved hits it big time?
Ah well, gonna need a bigger beach!
User avatar
escapeartist
Posts: 419
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2020 12:24 am

#389

Post by escapeartist »

BarbaraK wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 8:56 pm
Maybe you should offer a really really big prize sometime and see what happens :)
Wait, what?

The official WSJ puzzle mug is the pinnacle of all prizes on the planet, IMO. 8-)

Gimmie that mug!
* 2022 WSJ Mug Winner - I bask in its Glory *
User avatar
C=64
Posts: 684
Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2020 8:29 pm
Location: PDX

#390

Post by C=64 »

Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 8:58 pm
I wonder if these weeks should go into the record books with an * like steroid records in baseball??? :lol:
I was thinking about the Bruins' scoring records in 1970-71 against expansion clubs.
steveb
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:25 pm
Location: Silicon Valley, CA

#391

Post by steveb »

MikeMillerwsj wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:15 pm Greetings--as you may have seen in my colleague Taylor's post above, our February contests are going to be tailored to beginners (spread the word!), so that they can serve as our curriculum for a forthcoming guide to solving metas. The result: we blew past all our previous records, with 3762 submissions. About 76% were correct, right in line with our typical level. We take this as proof that the addressable market for metas is much bigger than we'd been reaching--we just need to build the right on-ramp. And for you seasoned Muggles, don't worry, things will get spicier in March. Meanwhile we had almost Pageant levels of guesses for JUDGE alone, with 849! Plus several other flavors of judges (Juvenile, Circuit, Small Claims, et al.)

Congrats to this week's winner who beat the longest odds yet: Peter Covert of Stanford, Calif.!
The closest to me the mug has come so far! Just nudge it over a mile or two.
User avatar
KscX
Posts: 234
Joined: Sat May 02, 2020 12:09 pm
Location: Charlotte, NC

#392

Post by KscX »

steveb wrote: Tue Feb 09, 2021 11:31 am
MikeMillerwsj wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:15 pm Congrats to this week's winner who beat the longest odds yet: Peter Covert of Stanford, Calif.!
The closest to me the mug has come so far! Just nudge it over a mile or two.
Last week it was 20 miles from me. This week it’s 2,690 miles from me. That’s a lot of progress lost.
User avatar
SusieG
Posts: 431
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2020 9:20 pm
Location: Arkansas

#393

Post by SusieG »

MikeMillerwsj wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:15 pm Greetings--as you may have seen in my colleague Taylor's post above, our February contests are going to be tailored to beginners (spread the word!), so that they can serve as our curriculum for a forthcoming guide to solving metas. The result: we blew past all our previous records, with 3762 submissions. About 76% were correct, right in line with our typical level. We take this as proof that the addressable market for metas is much bigger than we'd been reaching--we just need to build the right on-ramp. And for you seasoned Muggles, don't worry, things will get spicier in March. Meanwhile we had almost Pageant levels of guesses for JUDGE alone, with 849! Plus several other flavors of judges (Juvenile, Circuit, Small Claims, et al.)

Congrats to this week's winner who beat the longest odds yet: Peter Covert of Stanford, Calif.!
Your trick worked at our house. My daughter and her boyfriend saw my puzzle sitting on the table Friday and tried to solve it. My daughter said “they’re usually too complicated for me,” but is willing to give it a go this week, since they’re geared for beginners.

Metas can be difficult for outsiders. When I was recently explaining a MGWCC week 5 my husband looked at me and said “I know you’re speaking English, but I didn’t understand anything you just said.”
User avatar
Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 4511
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#394

Post by Bob cruise director »

C=64 wrote: Tue Feb 09, 2021 11:13 am
Bob cruise director wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 8:58 pm
I wonder if these weeks should go into the record books with an * like steroid records in baseball??? :lol:
I was thinking about the Bruins' scoring records in 1970-71 against expansion clubs.
True but all six original teams were playing against those same expansion clubs.
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
User avatar
Abide
Moderator
Posts: 1273
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:16 pm
Location: Biloxi
Contact:

#395

Post by Abide »

MikeMillerwsj wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:15 pm The result: we blew past all our previous records, with 3762 submissions. About 76% were correct, right in line with our typical level. We take this as proof that the addressable market for metas is much bigger than we'd been reaching--we just need to build the right on-ramp. And for you seasoned Muggles, don't worry, things will get spicier in March. Meanwhile we had almost Pageant levels of guesses for JUDGE alone, with 849!
22.6% of the submitted answers is a definite Pageant to me, not "almost" :ugeek:
The site is just a web page, a meeting place, a clubhouse - it's the group that's special.
—Brian MacDonald
ron
Posts: 81
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 4:49 pm

#396

Post by ron »

BarbaraK wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 8:56 pm
MikeMillerwsj wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:15 pm Greetings--as you may have seen in my colleague Taylor's post above, our February contests are going to be tailored to beginners (spread the word!), so that they can serve as our curriculum for a forthcoming guide to solving metas. The result: we blew past all our previous records, with 3762 submissions. About 76% were correct, right in line with our typical level. We take this as proof that the addressable market for metas is much bigger than we'd been reaching--we just need to build the right on-ramp. And for you seasoned Muggles, don't worry, things will get spicier in March. Meanwhile we had almost Pageant levels of guesses for JUDGE alone, with 849! Plus several other flavors of judges (Juvenile, Circuit, Small Claims, et al.)

Congrats to this week's winner who beat the longest odds yet: Peter Covert of Stanford, Calif.!
Awesome!

I still wonder how many people are out there who solve regularly but don't bother to submit. I can imagine lots wouldn't want to risk getting on some junk mail list (because who really trusts businesses to not sell their data) just for a small chance to win a mug.

Maybe you should offer a really really big prize sometime and see what happens :)
Or possibly the mug allotment could be increased on a per capita basis so the odds wouldn't be even more remote than they are now.
User avatar
Gman
Posts: 349
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2020 2:47 pm
Location: Encinitas CA

#397

Post by Gman »

Abide wrote: Tue Feb 09, 2021 2:00 pm
MikeMillerwsj wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:15 pm The result: we blew past all our previous records, with 3762 submissions. About 76% were correct, right in line with our typical level. We take this as proof that the addressable market for metas is much bigger than we'd been reaching--we just need to build the
22.6% of the submitted answers is a definite Pageant to me, not "almost" :ugeek:
In fact, I would say we should now refer to trickster one more step answers as to be PAGEANT JUDGED!
User avatar
Commodore
Posts: 362
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:12 pm

#398

Post by Commodore »

SusieG wrote: Tue Feb 09, 2021 12:09 pm Metas can be difficult for outsiders. When I was recently explaining a MGWCC week 5 my husband looked at me and said “I know you’re speaking English, but I didn’t understand anything you just said.”
"It's simple. In other words, the Meta is analogous to purchasing an out-of-the-money put option contract on Gamestop using a long hard-fork position in a derivative bitcoin nano swap, pretend this salt shaker is 10 naked calls deliverable at the March triple witching while the spoon here is a clearinghouse....blah, blah, blah."
Mattbelc16
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2021 5:14 am

#399

Post by Mattbelc16 »

Commodore wrote: Tue Feb 09, 2021 5:40 pm
SusieG wrote: Tue Feb 09, 2021 12:09 pm Metas can be difficult for outsiders. When I was recently explaining a MGWCC week 5 my husband looked at me and said “I know you’re speaking English, but I didn’t understand anything you just said.”
"It's simple. In other words, the Meta is analogous to purchasing an out-of-the-money put option contract on Gamestop using a long hard-fork position in a derivative bitcoin nano swap, pretend this salt shaker is 10 naked calls deliverable at the March triple witching while the spoon here is a clearinghouse....blah, blah, blah."
I understand every word you said. I just don’t know what they mean in that order.
User avatar
Meg
Posts: 2136
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:41 pm
Location: St. Petersburg, FL

#400

Post by Meg »

Matt posted this on Twitter. Ada Louise Gaffney, bundle of joy, born 2/3/21.
Attachments
Ada b.jpg
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
Locked