"We're Back in Business" - July 16, 2021

[MaineMarge]

Got it, thanks to a kind Muggle who likes to spread the joy around. And good thing- no more time to give this today, as we’re off to Eastport ME for a few days of R&R. That delightful DownEast spot is the only place that can draw us away from our gardens in the summer.
Thanks to my kind friend, and to Matt, who regularly spreads such joy to us.

[sanmilton]

Muggle-y, wuggle-y,
Some solve them easily,
Some need more time to un-
Ravel the clues.

Only the strictest of
Disciplinarians
Make themselves solve before
Hitting the booze.

[CPJohnson]

I'm on shore, thanks to boharr. Had the right idea, but didn't execute properly.

[Abide]

@boharr on Baywatch patrol this weekend...⛑

[bread-girl]

On the shore (I think)!

[JaneGummy]

On the beach! I needed a little help on the last step but I'm encouraged to know I was moving in the correct direction before I fell in a rabbit hole. Happy weekend!

[SReh26]

about 8 feet from shore!

gramma, how‘d you get through 2020-2021?

well um....

[PeterLeea1a]

I had the right idea from the start, but poor execution on my part.

[CopperRiver]

Coffee worked. On the beach!!!

what kind of coffee!!!

Peets! Go Bears! Need a nudge?

[Guy]

I’m certainly not back in business, still on the boat with Isaac.

[SilviaV]

Still stuck on the boat with no exit in sight.

[MamaE]

Finally ashore!! Thanks again to lifeguard @Wendy Walker!

ETA: I accidentally hit 1/2 a star as my rating - is there a way to change/fix that? To me it was more like a 3.5 or 4! @BrianMac - is this something you could do?

[HunterX]

On shore.

I was making it harder than needed. Kept working my way up and up the sand thinking, "This is one steep beach! The tiki bar seems so far away still, and the ship looks so tiny down there!" That's when I realized it was the wrong beach.

(Insane sand dune and scenic overlook at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI)

[HunterX]

Finally ashore!! Thanks again to lifeguard @Wendy Walker!

ETA: I accidentally hit 1/2 a star as my rating - is there a way to change/fix that? To me it was more like a 3.5 or 4! @BrianMac - is this something you could do?

Did you try re-rating it? It seems you can rate it again. Perhaps that will replace your original rating.

[HunterX]

On shore.

And, might I add, quite the surprising construction! Also, my swim from ship to shore was held up by all the red herrings swimming around me, which, I firmly believe, were very intentional this time. (For Monday discussion.) I, too, suspect I know a couple incorrect guesses that may appear.

[Shirley]

Ashore. I’ve been doing the WSJ meta puzzles for about a year but this is my first post. I want to thank Mike Shenk, Matt Gaffney, the other puzzle writers, and the WSJ for giving me a brain teaser to look forward to each Thursday. I’ve been doing crossword puzzles for 49 years but none as enjoyable as these. Being a nobody, I expectantly wait each week to see if I get to have my name in the WSJ. Maybe some day!

[KayW]

Finally ashore!! Thanks again to lifeguard @Wendy Walker!

ETA: I accidentally hit 1/2 a star as my rating - is there a way to change/fix that? To me it was more like a 3.5 or 4! @BrianMac - is this something you could do?

I think once you rate a puzzle, that's IT. No do-overs. But I'll tell you what: if you like, I can rate it a 5 to help "compensate". I haven't rated it yet, and thought it was maybe a 1.5, myself. We Chicago folks are used to negotiating votes

But more importantly... you solved this week's MGWCC BEFORE you got this one?!?! Brava, sweet #16!! My hat is off to you. I'm still staring at that one

[joevdz]

Solved the grid and meta in one go. I agree with other posts that the grid was a bit clunky and harder to solve than usual.

[Wendy Walker]

Ashore. I’ve been doing the WSJ meta puzzles for about a year but this is my first post. I want to thank Mike Shenk, Matt Gaffney, the other puzzle writers, and the WSJ for giving me a brain teaser to look forward to each Thursday. I’ve been doing crossword puzzles for 49 years but none as enjoyable as these. Being a nobody, I expectantly wait each week to see if I get to have my name in the WSJ. Maybe some day!

Welcome, Shirley! But what is up with this "being a nobody"? You are now officially a Muggle! Do join us on Tuesday evenings for our weekly Muggle Zoom call. All are welcome! Just click the "Muggle Zoom Room" symbol at the top of this page.

Topic: Muggle Weekly Meeting
Time: Jun 1, 2021 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 830 5701 0873

Passcode: 707028

[SReh26]

Ashore. I’ve been doing the WSJ meta puzzles for about a year but this is my first post. I want to thank Mike Shenk, Matt Gaffney, the other puzzle writers, and the WSJ for giving me a brain teaser to look forward to each Thursday. I’ve been doing crossword puzzles for 49 years but none as enjoyable as these. Being a nobody, I expectantly wait each week to see if I get to have my name in the WSJ. Maybe some day!

Welcome, Shirley! But what is up with this "being a nobody"? You are now officially a Muggle! Do join us on Tuesday evenings for our weekly Muggle Zoom call. All are welcome!

I think Shirley was referencing that famous Dorothy Parker poem:

I‘m nobody, who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there‘s a pair of us - don’t tell!
They‘ll banish us, you know...


Welcome, Shirley!