"For Good Measure" - September 20, 2019

[KayW]

On shore. Such a clever and fun meta. I feel like a broken record (remember those?) saying the same thing each week, but HOW does Mike keep coming up with these?

Reworking the grid provided my 25A this week. I solved the online puzzle last night and saw ...something. Redid the grid in Friday's paper and saw something else.

[KayW]

I'm on the gangplank, but the harbormaster refuses to process the bill of lading...

I can only take the metaphor so far. Solving on an iPhone on the web interface, and I can't submit. Never had this problem before. Any thoughts?

You can always e-mail it. Many of us do it that way.

I prefer e-mailing so the OCD side of me can double-check my sent folder to make sure I really did submit my answer! But I would love it if WSJ sent back some kind of acknowledgment that they received my submission. I have a nagging suspicion that my failure to win a mug is due to the fact that I have a typo in the email address I've been sending my solutions to each week Does anyone know if we would be penalized for submitting both online and via email? Sort of a belt and suspenders approach, NOT trying to double my mug chances. Two times zero is still zero.

[Troysail]

Ashore.

[Bob cruise director]

On the beach! 🏖

Enjoyed it!

I see you dumped the bumblebees for the bearcats. LOL

[Meg]

I'm on the gangplank, but the harbormaster refuses to process the bill of lading...

I can only take the metaphor so far. Solving on an iPhone on the web interface, and I can't submit. Never had this problem before. Any thoughts?

You can always e-mail it. Many of us do it that way.

I prefer e-mailing so the OCD side of me can double-check my sent folder to make sure I really did submit my answer! But I would love it if WSJ sent back some kind of acknowledgment that they received my submission. I have a nagging suspicion that my failure to win a mug is due to the fact that I have a typo in the email address I've been sending my solutions to each week Does anyone know if we would be penalized for submitting both online and via email? Sort of a belt and suspenders approach, NOT trying to double my mug chances. Two times zero is still zero.

Kay, I feel your pain.....it never occurred to me that I may have misspelled the e-mail address. So, I’ll check that. I’m pretty sure that nobody at WSJ is checking for duplicates. The moral question of submitting twice is for you to decide. What if you submit, but then realize you were wrong? So, you submit a second answer using a different email. Is that wrong? Life is hard.

[Bob cruise director]

Good luck at the tournament! I'll be sending good thoughts your way.

Thanks, Barbara! I will try post some pictures and a report tomorrow.

Good luck - carry the muggle banner high

[BethA]

On the beach! 🏖

Enjoyed it!

I see you dumped the bumblebees for the bearcats. LOL

Yes, the last several years, I seem to enjoy college football more than pro. AND I guarantee the Bearcats won’t lose this weekend!

[BethA]

You can always e-mail it. Many of us do it that way.

I prefer e-mailing so the OCD side of me can double-check my sent folder to make sure I really did submit my answer! But I would love it if WSJ sent back some kind of acknowledgment that they received my submission. I have a nagging suspicion that my failure to win a mug is due to the fact that I have a typo in the email address I've been sending my solutions to each week Does anyone know if we would be penalized for submitting both online and via email? Sort of a belt and suspenders approach, NOT trying to double my mug chances. Two times zero is still zero.

Kay, I feel your pain.....it never occurred to me that I may have misspelled the e-mail address. So, I’ll check that. I’m pretty sure that nobody at WSJ is checking for duplicates. The moral question of submitting twice is for you to decide. What if you submit, but then realize you were wrong? So, you submit a second answer using a different email. Is that wrong? Life is hard.

I’m not taking the time to double check, but I believe the official rules say “one entry per person”.

I always email my one entry, since I always print the puzzle rather than solve online.

[Joe Ross]

I found another direction, which – by the small sampling of past puzzles in my experience - fits what I interpret as the puzzle maker's wont, so I've submitted & count myself ashore.

Looking forward to posting this week's Excel worksheet. Evidence of a twisted mind.

Hat tip & sincere appreciation to Bird Lives for his thoughts on a typical newcomers' approach.

On to Oktoberfest... o/¯ JA! JA! JA! JA! o/¯

[Joe Ross]

On the beach! 🏖

Enjoyed it!

I see you dumped the bumblebees for the bearcats. LOL

Why wouldn't anyone?

[Joe Ross]

I'm on the gangplank, but the harbormaster refuses to process the bill of lading...

I can only take the metaphor so far. Solving on an iPhone on the web interface, and I can't submit. Never had this problem before. Any thoughts?

Someone had the same question here, or in last week's WSJ Comments. The successful answer for that person was that all blocks in the online puzzle form must be filled & in "pen", versus "pencil", before the Submit form will open.

[BarbaraK]

Kay, I feel your pain.....it never occurred to me that I may have misspelled the e-mail address. So, I’ll check that. I’m pretty sure that nobody at WSJ is checking for duplicates. The moral question of submitting twice is for you to decide. What if you submit, but then realize you were wrong? So, you submit a second answer using a different email. Is that wrong? Life is hard.

Checking all the submissions for duplicates might be more trouble than it's worth. But it would be very squeezy to check just the one randomly selected winner to be sure there is no other from that address (and disqualify it and pick another if there is). I can't imagine that WSJ wouldn't do that much.

[Louwers]

Safely ashore, any Guinness left for me?

[KayW]

I prefer e-mailing so the OCD side of me can double-check my sent folder to make sure I really did submit my answer! But I would love it if WSJ sent back some kind of acknowledgment that they received my submission. I have a nagging suspicion that my failure to win a mug is due to the fact that I have a typo in the email address I've been sending my solutions to each week Does anyone know if we would be penalized for submitting both online and via email? Sort of a belt and suspenders approach, NOT trying to double my mug chances. Two times zero is still zero.

Kay, I feel your pain.....it never occurred to me that I may have misspelled the e-mail address. So, I’ll check that. I’m pretty sure that nobody at WSJ is checking for duplicates. The moral question of submitting twice is for you to decide. What if you submit, but then realize you were wrong? So, you submit a second answer using a different email. Is that wrong? Life is hard.

I’m not taking the time to double check, but I believe the official rules say “one entry per person”.

I always email my one entry, since I always print the puzzle rather than solve online.

Yep on second thought that was a pretty dumb idea. Plus it might skew Mike's weekly numbers. But like I said, it would be reassuring to get a "we received your submission" message. On the other hand, I suppose if I really did use a bad email address, I hope I'd be getting some sort of negative acknowledgment/bounce-back message from the server. No news is good news?

[FrankieHeck]

I'm on the gangplank, but the harbormaster refuses to process the bill of lading...

I can only take the metaphor so far. Solving on an iPhone on the web interface, and I can't submit. Never had this problem before. Any thoughts?

You can always e-mail it. Many of us do it that way.

I prefer e-mailing so the OCD side of me can double-check my sent folder to make sure I really did submit my answer! But I would love it if WSJ sent back some kind of acknowledgment that they received my submission. I have a nagging suspicion that my failure to win a mug is due to the fact that I have a typo in the email address I've been sending my solutions to each week Does anyone know if we would be penalized for submitting both online and via email? Sort of a belt and suspenders approach, NOT trying to double my mug chances. Two times zero is still zero.

I email my submissions, and I also obsess about it. Even though I pull it from my contacts, I still can't stop myself from taking out a printed puzzle and checking the address to make sure it matches up. I would love to have an acknowledgement that it's been received.

[EdStrong]

After two weeks of offshore currents, finally found land. I have to believe the answer was also lurking in my deprived subconscious, making the aha moment that much more enjoyable!

[Bob cruise director]

I have great news for Al and others on the beach. I spotted the Guinness truck and grabbed a photo for my avatar. It should keep us in stock for the weekend.

[Bob cruise director]

Safely ashore, any Guinness left for me?

Your humblest wish is my command. The truck is on the way

[SewYoung]

No problem with the grid. I see something but have no idea what to do with it. Still on the ship. A glass of cabernet, Isaac. Thanks.

[gdshort]

Relaxing onshore with a pint of bitter. While musing in a beer-inspired doze I tried to remember if it is possible to win more than one mug. I believe this question has been raised before but I can't recall the answer. If is is indeed possible, has anyone ever achieved the feat?