"Under the Table" - July 9, 2021

[DannyWalter]

Still not getting anywhere. I’d appreciate a nudge if anyone has one to offer.

PM sent.

[kimberlysg]

WooHoo--I finally made it ashore! It took me 3 days and multiple steps (some of which led nowhere), but the final inspiration hit just in the nick of time. Four weeks in a row is my longest streak ever, so I'm proud even if I cut it close!

[Levi12]

Struggling to even see where to start on this one. I see nothing still after much searching. Would appreciate a nudge. Thank you!

[boharr]

Struggling to even see where to start on this one. I see nothing still after much searching. Would appreciate a nudge. Thank you!

PM sent

[Susan Goldberg]

Now is the time where I start to say, ok well if I solved it every week, it wouldn’t be a challenge would it? That doesn’t mean when I had dinner out with my husband, I didn’t ask him, so…”what does under the table mean to you?!”

[FKelly]

On shore with a nudge from boharr.
Had to revisit a discarded pathway from day one. I actually forgot I had tried it.
Once again, I have to chalk up my early mistake to COVID-19 brain rot.
A great puzzle from Mike Shenk.
And I now see how Al Sisti could have solved it in less than 8 minutes. Use an efficient solving strategy!

[stmv]

Oh, I stared at this for so long, I tried so many things, I was trying to force this into the mold of a previous meta, I was seeing nothing, and I just settled down with a Lambrusco Spritz with my wife for one last try at the meta and bam! suddenly it came to me, and there it was and I am on shore, exhausted, bedraggled, but happy. Ah well, better late than never....

[JeanneC]

Natasha and I are at the dacha about 100km SE of Moscow. Could not get interactive grid loaded on my phone,, was able to load pdf but no printer here so reconstructed grid on graph paper. Solving grid not too bad, but sadly, do not see mechanism. Title and clues imply this should be drop dead simple, but not yet. It's 95 degrees here and no AC so sleep is poor. Czech beer may be slowing me down also.We are 7 hours ahead so I have one last chance til tomorrow morning. How about a Moscow Mule, Isaac?

Dacha, is that Russian for "cruise ship with excellent bar service"?

Trust me, it’s not!!!!!!!!!

[Wendy Walker]

Muggles, like Hobbits, are peaceable, loyal and slow to rile, but when they do....!!!!!!

Yes, and we like our second breakfasts, too!

[Jeremy Smith]

Onshore—finally! I had seen two of the pieces on Thursday, but thought they were important in a different and incorrect way. I would have been upset with myself, had I not solved this.
Hopefully the tiki bar hasn’t run out of tequila!

[pipster]

Greetings all. Long time, first time. Was compelled to finally join the discussion by this meta that has had me beating my head against the wall all weekend. Last one that had me this stumped was the bad “smell” last year. Nudges appreciated. Cheers!

[Cap'n Rick]

Ashore at the eleventh hour with a "Boharr-ian" assist. Funny how easy these become when you get the correct connotation.

[Commodore]

[pipster]

Sometimes the internet is a wonderful place. 5 replies in 15 minutes. Kicking myself as I considered this rabbit hole multiple times but couldn’t make it work. Finally got it to click, thanks to everyone who PM-ed.

[Bob cruise director]

Muggles

Before we get to this week's final report, yesterday in the mail I received a package that means more than I can express. The mug pictured below was unexpected and appreciated a lot. This group is off the charts in everything good in the world. I hope it goes on forever and thanks to all of you.

And we have our newest muggle- pipster

That brings us to 27 on the ship for the week and 153 on the shore

New to the ship since lunch are

Inca
SilviaV
joes
pipster


And making their way to shore are:

Peter
regfish
rtwitchell
jimmyd
Fishoutowater
cinny
Cosmo
Olof
Mulligan
stmv
Jeremy
Fred
Cap'n Rick


Have a good week everyone and again, thank you very much.

[CPJohnson]

Meta Daughter to the rescue! We have solved, mostly due to her excellent intuition. (We arrived home at 11:15 pm Saturday night; she flew into Knoxville. Today was full of visits with family and friends, so we tackled the meta just a short while ago. Her 25-hour trip plus the day's activities have left her exceedingly tired, so she probably won't even submit or post.)

[femullen]

We are the Woolly Buggers Water-Whippin' n Whisky-Sippin' Society, my fellow retired sailors and I. Waist-deep in the Shenandoah this afternoon, I flubbed the second half of a double haul when it hit me. Ashore.

[pookie]

Bob! That's what happened to your avatar for this week! I was looking for that big yellow "ORB".
What a great gift you got from your appreciative fans (and crew, since you are the cruise director).
Congrats! You got the best mug and the one that means the most.

[SReh26]

Bob! That's what happened to your avatar for this week! I was looking for that big yellow "ORB".
What a great gift you got from your appreciative fans (and crew, since you are the cruise director).
Congrats! You got the best mug and the one that means the most.

I second that motion.

And I heard through the grapevine (no, not really) that annual Croix des Mugles awards will be presented at year end in the following categories:

Humanitarian of the year (boharr a shoo-in)
Parent/Offspring duo champs
Most Creative screen name
Most Creative Screen Pic
Best Gardener
Proudest New Grandparent
Fastest Hiker (Hunter X)
Most Vociferous Newbie
Regional awards, esp Lake Michigan, Gulf Coast and NC

and special mention
Muggle Poet Laureate..... (Its me vs Colin vs L. Savant!)

[zacmoretz]

If anyone might PM me a nudge it would be appreciated. No clue on this one. Got the grid and I presume the theme answers, but I think I’ve jinxed myself staring at it so long. Thanks!