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.
Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Sun Jun 06, 2021 11:06 am
Good luck to all winning the low probability mug
I think it would be great if Matt or Mike constructed a mug themed meta. And the very tricky but appropriate mechanism can be that there is no solution.
Nope! I am absolutely nowhere except in the bar on the boat! I used to solve with occasional frequency, but am beginning to wonder if all the events of the past 16 months has affected my brain.
CPJohnson wrote: ↑Sat Jun 05, 2021 7:04 pm
See post #35, Bob....I WAS on the boat. However, I am now on shore, thanks to Meta Daughter. Her knowledge base is much broader than mine. HOWEVER, we disagree on the correct answer, so we have submitted 2 different things.
I'd like to say there's some sort of interesting bet behind it, but there's not. In our family we prefer smug correctness, bragging rights, and fame and glory.
I see quite a lot here, so feel like I must be close, though I am missing the 25% so many others have mentioned -- at least I assume it's the same piece No idea yet on the numbers. Will keep staring at it!
EDIT: On shore! Still need to backsolve the 25%, but 100% confident. Nice one.
Last edited by tonyrobots on Sun Jun 06, 2021 3:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
CPJohnson wrote: ↑Sat Jun 05, 2021 7:04 pm
See post #35, Bob....I WAS on the boat. However, I am now on shore, thanks to Meta Daughter. Her knowledge base is much broader than mine. HOWEVER, we disagree on the correct answer, so we have submitted 2 different things.
I'd like to say there's some sort of interesting bet behind it, but there's not. In our family we prefer smug correctness, bragging rights, and fame and glory.
(And Oxford commas.)
See PM to you and your mom. But you have to announce who won and what the bet is
Anyone mind offering me a nudge? We truly don't have a starting point (aside from the clues that are obviously part of the solution). Thanks in advance! Signed, Two Sadly LASers
On shore!
Although a rip-tide current tried to drag me to the Island of the Lost World on the last step, I went with the flow and approached the coast anew closer to a local maximum, geographically speaking.
Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Sun Jun 06, 2021 4:21 am
Wendy credits her misspent youth for her speed. She will explain Tuesday
Bob, it was actually the MGWCC puzzle for which (at least one year of) my misspent youth was a ginormous solving aid!
Interesting, it was MY misspent youth that almost led me astray on this WSJ puzzle (though I was indeed led astray many times during my misspent youth, the years 18-25 at least!).
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
CPJohnson wrote: ↑Sat Jun 05, 2021 7:04 pm
See post #35, Bob....I WAS on the boat. However, I am now on shore, thanks to Meta Daughter. Her knowledge base is much broader than mine. HOWEVER, we disagree on the correct answer, so we have submitted 2 different things.
Well that ought to be interesting - cannot wait to hear the back story.
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
Ashore! Solved the grid Thursday night, but didn't see anything right away. Just picked it back up this afternoon, and it jumped right out at me. Or at least enough of it did.
I'm super excited to be starting a new job tomorrow (I've been out of work since COVID). It will probably mean less time for crosswords, but I haven't been doing very many anyway since ramping up the job search a few months ago. Basically down to just WSJ and MGWCC.
BrianMac wrote: ↑Sun Jun 06, 2021 4:35 pm
Ashore! Solved the grid Thursday night, but didn't see anything right away. Just picked it back up this afternoon, and it jumped right out at me. Or at least enough of it did.
I'm super excited to be starting a new job tomorrow (I've been out of work since COVID). It will probably mean less time for crosswords, but I haven't been doing very many anyway since ramping up the job search a few months ago. Basically down to just WSJ and MGWCC.
Well congratulations Bryan - sorry that you were made redundant by Covid, but I am sure that whoever now has the pleasure of having you work for them will quickly realize the find they have. Good luck in the new endeavor. We will miss you on the Boards. Hopefully you'll still be around for some constructive criticism on futile META puzzle building attempts.
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
Back from the literal shore (Pine Knoll Shores, NC) and am now on the the figurative shore. Would never have made it if not for the archive! Count me as part of the 75% club who needed to backsolve to find my initial error.
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. Mark Twain
With a little shove (and I didn't have my life jacket on), I finally made it to shore. Matt's last paired number puzzle gave me some fits as well - this is another meta lesson learned. His constructions are pretty impressive, I have to say.
Got a late start on this, and began composing sad limericks in my head to compensate for no solution. Even after figuring out the basic mechanism, only gibberish resulted. Darn those parentheses! Anyway, as is often the case with Gaffney, it is multilayered and tricky, and one more layer has emerged. There are a few gaps yet for me but I'm pretty sure I've got the solution. And now to celebrate with a very nice rose (I drink mine over ice) in a crystal wine glass!
Didn't work on until last night. Visiting son in Pacific NW. First time seeing him in person in 17 months!
Back-solve 25%? - Check
Worried about something I haven't seen mentioned by anyone yet, though. Well, I think 2 posts might have hinted at it. Hmmm... Guess I'll find out at 9pm PDT tonight. (One advantage to being out here.)