"Now That's a Gift!" - December 24, 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.
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Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 5024
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#201

Post by Bob cruise director »

Good Saturday morning muggles.

A fun and amusing challenge from Mr. Shenk. So far we have 16 on the ship and 147 on the shore.

And we have our newest muggle - a Christmas present - RobbyG

On the ship in the lounge by the decorated tree (it has to be artificial for safety reasons) enjoying eggnog with a little something extra and homemade fruitcake are:

SewYoung
hoover
CPJohnson
Kas
BEACHEDWHALE
Cindy N
RobbyG
JeanneC
Tom S
DrTom
barney
Henry Paul
JaneGummy
Dow Jones
bellinghamster
and SReh26 who came into the bar as I was typing this

And enjoying mimosas on the shore in front of a decorated palm tree are:

benchen71
Al
Beth A
Kay
Peter
Laura
Scott M
darth
Zagman49
Les
Jean
Schmeel
Tmart
Mister Squawk
oldjudge
joe
Wendy
streroto
sanmilton
Heidi
Jace54
ladybird
Beth T
boharr
Homer
Georgeall
Mike H
whimsy
Lacangah
higgysue
Guffman
pjc
technohumanisteach
Meg
HeadinHome
MajorDomoTom
M and M
LittleGood
TeaJenny
Jeremy
Omnibus
Shirley
RDaleHall
Ergcat
Richard
regfish
Prozach
Dannyvee
Thurman8er
sharkicicles
Chris
Cindy
Tina
dudeski
TeamDoubleTow
Miki
dk letter
Steveb
Rita and George
ADS
Lee-Ann
Lyman
MarkWoychick
coffeefrog
Magistra
Geezer Weezer
MikeM000
Toby
mntlblok
woozy
ky-mike
dplass
cbarbee
Bill
meowmiao71
EmilyW
Jack
David K
patpatchica
BeTheLight
Moi
ImOnToo
lbray
Beth C
RichA2
michaelm
Jarrod
Mary F
WSJosh
Peter L
Barbara K
rjy
Zach
mattythewsjpuzzler
Hidden in 3D
joequavis
czeemuggle
Katiedid
ALS
HunterX
DannyCincinatti
Cosmo
EVJ
David
livpolfan
Carolyn SW
Acari
Blair
Kris Zacharias
Mord
copperriver
Hammertime
mbryant
b4alltime
cinny
Susan G
Debbie
Anita
Bird Lives
Grover
Diane
stmv
Tom Wi
Lube On
Jackie88
mlvilv
eagle1279
Glyn
Powers2020
CallMeShane
docison
BrennerTJ
JennyByrd
D B Miller
Plymouth Rock
SusieG
PQ63
Harbo
Trey and Marion
cpelster
MamaE
Joey Avocado
Phil and Kelli
Fred F
minimuggle
and Joe Ross
and Flying Burrito who was in the tender to shore as I was counting noses

Let me know if I missed anyone in the crowd. Have a safe holiday.
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
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Carndog33
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2021 8:19 am

#202

Post by Carndog33 »

Hi everyone, this is the second meta that I'm trying to solve. I couldn't get last week's, either. I'm so far out to shore on the ship and have gone down so many rabbit holes that I may end up going insane before 11:59 pm tomorrow. I am enjoying the journey, though, and now I have my wife and son involved so maybe they will help me solve it. I am hopeful that I will get better at these and a light bulb will come on in my brain with a eureka moment.
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rosiegirl
Posts: 158
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2020 4:26 pm

#203

Post by rosiegirl »

Was hoping that Santa would have left me some clues to the puzzle answer in my stocking, ....but no such luck! Hopefully something will pop out at me soon!
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mindle
Posts: 66
Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2021 9:49 pm
Location: Bay Area, CA

#204

Post by mindle »

on the shore. Merry Christmas! I loved seeing people's photos of decorations, food, snow, and pets :)
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Cindy N
Posts: 1451
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2019 12:55 pm
Location: Wisconsin

#205

Post by Cindy N »

Thanks to a helpful nudge, the fog has cleared and I've made my way to shore. Whew!
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BreeZynCO
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2021 10:35 pm

#206

Post by BreeZynCO »

On shore! A merry Christmas to all from the snowy mountains of Colorado!
Attachments
IMG_20211225_113938431.jpg
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Relic
Posts: 259
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2021 4:29 pm
Location: Fort Worth, TX

#207

Post by Relic »

CPJohnson wrote: Fri Dec 24, 2021 8:16 am Still on the boat, likely to be here a while.
I'm right there with you Cynthia. I just now began working on the meta. Merry Christmas to you!
Good luck to all for a successful solve. If you see that I'm ashore - rare occasion of late - message me if you'd like a nudge. Be sure to include your progress so I can know better how to assist.

Alan A. and Maggie Muggle
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Adajeo
Posts: 151
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2021 9:31 pm

#208

Post by Adajeo »

Finally able to tie up the ribbons on my pointe shoes and swim to shore. A la Marie Taglioni I shall be performing La Sylphide entirely en pointe on the beach.
"To finish the moment, to find the journey’s end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom" Ralph Waldo Emerson
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kamashdas
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2020 12:30 am

#209

Post by kamashdas »

Daughter helped drag me to shore. Hoping to convince her to be a regular! Egg nog, please (spiked!)
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ship4u
Posts: 1221
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2021 7:00 am
Location: At Wit's End, Shaker Heights, Ohio
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#210

Post by ship4u »

BreeZynCO wrote: Sat Dec 25, 2021 1:47 pm On shore! A merry Christmas to all from the snowy mountains of Colorado!
Nice to see the snow! Holiday skiiers will be happy! Looks magnificent. I loved my winter vacations to the Rockies to spend a week downhill skiing. Sadly, one day a bad fall took out my knee.
Last edited by ship4u on Sat Dec 25, 2021 5:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Don & Cynthia

We are always happy to get to know other muggles and help in any way! PM's are always welcome. The next best thing to winning a mug is helping a fellow muggle win a mug!
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DrTom
Posts: 4919
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#211

Post by DrTom »

Oh for heavens sake! A life line cast my way by Cbarbee02 showed me I had been so close, but so far, so many times. What a brilliant construction from beginning to end. Mike and Matt are very different, and it would be hard to say which metas I like more (well except for the ones constructed by muggles, they are obviously the best overall!) but it is interesting to see the subtle differences.

So Cruise Director take me out of the lounge, I've bid seasons greetings and farewell to Isaac and am swimming to shore (albeit with a wetsuit, the ocean is cold in December) where I hope to join the HUGE party going on there.
Christmas BEach.jpg
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges IF ASKED; metas should be about fun, not frustration. PM me what you have done so far, because often you are closer than you think, and I will try to help you move along.
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ship4u
Posts: 1221
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2021 7:00 am
Location: At Wit's End, Shaker Heights, Ohio
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#212

Post by ship4u »

Onshore last night after a sudden AHA. Thanks to muggle friends for encouraging me not to give up and also adding some gentle guidance!
Merry Christmas to all!!!
Don & Cynthia

We are always happy to get to know other muggles and help in any way! PM's are always welcome. The next best thing to winning a mug is helping a fellow muggle win a mug!
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Barney
Posts: 1199
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2020 4:12 pm

#213

Post by Barney »

My solving partner solved this, and tried to give me a pointer. But it’s too much work.
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JAQT
Posts: 142
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 4:55 pm
Location: California

#214

Post by JAQT »

On shore! Merry Christmas to all, and to your families too, who patiently indulge us in our crossword obsession.
JustAQuickThought
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Janet
Posts: 432
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 5:22 pm

#215

Post by Janet »

Merry Christmas. I am on shore. Hoping for a mug in the new year!
Still waiting for WSJ to fix the acrostic -- now that would be a gift!
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sphorning
Posts: 118
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2019 4:24 pm
Location: Steamboat Springs, CO

#216

Post by sphorning »

Once again hanging with Isaac, singing Christmas carols, sipping egg nog...
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JerryF
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2021 6:00 pm
Location: Pompano Beach, FLorida

#217

Post by JerryF »

Add me to the ship's lounge bunch. My mind just doesn't want to work. Maybe later...
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Janet
Posts: 432
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 5:22 pm

#218

Post by Janet »

A Visit from the WSJ -- (need some help to finish this!)

Twas the night before Monday and all through the net,
Solvers were solving who hadn't solved yet;
The clues were gathered on a notepad with care,
In hopes that the meta soon would be there;
The shore-party were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of mugs danced in their heads
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BEACHEDWHALE
Posts: 35
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2021 1:58 am

#219

Post by BEACHEDWHALE »

Had a break in festivities and time to glance at grid again. Wow! If it was a snake it would have bit me!!
Belatedly Onshore! Hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas!
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Ben B
Posts: 226
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2021 11:50 pm
Location: Houston

#220

Post by Ben B »

Merry Christmas Muggles!

We are on shore. Thanks for another fun puzzle Mike.

This week marks one year since my puzzle loving son introduced me to metas. For those just starting out please don’t get discouraged. It takes time and practice to develop the skill to solve most of these incredible constructions. My nudges come from my son who has a knack for seeing things. But the thrill of the eventual solo solve is very much worth the time and effort!
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