"Three-Pointers" - January 7, 2022 (MMXXII)

[mitchel674]

I"ve finally taken my leave of our friend Isaac and rowed to shore singing "A-ha ha y una botella de Negra" which doesn't quite fit the rhythm of the famous pirate song but when you've solved a Mike Shenk meta for the first time in your long life you really don't care about that. Point me to the cabana, mateys!

Edited to add: Thanks to Joe Ross for his link to the SAD meta. I don't think I'd have made it to shore without that.

Uh-oh! What have I done? I hadn't solved (well, had it solved for me) when I posted that...

:::checking that SAD post:::

Hopefully, the 5th of whiskey was your inspiration, not some spoiler which is too clever for me to spot.

Hey, since the bottle is out, I'm buying!

Joe, can you post a link to the infamous SAD meta? I don't remember that one.

[dk letter]

I am getting a late start on this one, as I wanted to try this year's NY Times Super Mega crossword but severely underestimated the effort required to pound through the 50x50 grid. The deadline was midnight last night to submit the puzzle answer, and my procrastination over the holidays cost me... I made the deadline, panting across the finish line exhausted from the marathon solve. A bit weary, I am now turning my attention to the WSJ!

[Bob cruise director]

One quick note to new muggles - we discourage using your email address as your screen name. We do not limit who comes on to the forum and I don't know about you but I get enough emails and spam without sending my address out to the world.

[Joe Ross]

Joe, can you post a link to the infamous SAD meta? I don't remember that one.

There are several SAD metas. A SAD (Simple An Difficult) meta was coined by @MattGaffney who defines it as just that: simple and difficult. The mechanism is straightforward (in that it doesn't have multiple steps nor based on arcane anagramming, language, ultra-specific references, etc.) but can be devilishly hard to spot.

This meta may not be SAD according to Mr. Gaffney, but it fills the bill, IMStoopidO. To me, a sign of a SAD meta is the solving rate of muggles. Some get it right away (& may think it "easy"), then other solvers trickle in, slapping foreheads.

Quoted below is my referenced post linking only one of Matt's puzzle solutions which he deemed as SAD.

Inspired by @Bob cruise director's current avatar, I am rededicating efforts to solve this apparent, classic SAD puzzle, to earn the right to beg for a tall mug.

[CPJohnson]

Wait.... Solved the WSJ contest puzzle. Solved the MGWCC. So... what do I do with my weekend? Book? What's a "book"? Hobbies? I gave those up years ago for meta-puzzles. Oh, those guitars over there? Yeah, but I lost my callouses in 2021. Shovel snow? Nah, I'll just stay in. Still plenty of wine.

I'll figure it out.

Try the MMM, the MOAT, and the MEOW for this week.

Oh, trying to get me into the harder stuff? I'm wise to you, you pusher. Keep your evil drugs away from me. I refuse to get addicted to more of these.

Now... where's my wine? Oh, next to all those empty coffee cups.

The MMM, MOAT, and MEOW aren't for-sure harder than the WSJ....some are easier, some are not. But they all offer nudges...MMM nudges come on Wednesday, MOAT nudges show up on Friday evening (Saturday in Australia), and MEOW nudges come on Saturday. And, if you want a really quick process, log on to pandorasblocks.org/season1 (or 2 or 3)....you can print a puzzle, work on it for a while, then look at the solution to confirm your answer or learn the error of your ways.

[katnahat]

For those who saw the zoom call but are new. We use the normal Tuesday zoom link above. It is open to all. No meeting ID is needed. If you have any questions, PM me.

Bob

For those who are relatively new to this contest, the Zoom call is a wonderful way to learn and to see the thought process of solving in action. I jumped on the call yesterday a little late but was able to watch the process unfold to the end. This is a terrific group of people - smart, funny and kind. I'm still at a point where I usually just see letters, rarely mechanisms. But I want to get better and this is a good way to go about that. Thanks Bob and all the other Muggle Zoomers for the experience.

[CPJohnson]

For those who saw the zoom call but are new. We use the normal Tuesday zoom link above. It is open to all. No meeting ID is needed. If you have any questions, PM me.

Bob

For those who are relatively new to this contest, the Zoom call is a wonderful way to learn and to see the thought process of solving in action. I jumped on the call yesterday a little late but was able to watch the process unfold to the end. This is a terrific group of people - smart, funny and kind. I'm still at a point where I usually just see letters, rarely mechanisms. But I want to get better and this is a good way to go about that. Thanks Bob and all the other Muggle Zoomers for the experience.

Please join the Tuesday evening sessions. DrTom was silent yesterday because he had already solved. But on Tuesdays, you can hear him pun in person, off-the-cuff.

[katnahat]

For those who saw the zoom call but are new. We use the normal Tuesday zoom link above. It is open to all. No meeting ID is needed. If you have any questions, PM me.

Bob

For those who are relatively new to this contest, the Zoom call is a wonderful way to learn and to see the thought process of solving in action. I jumped on the call yesterday a little late but was able to watch the process unfold to the end. This is a terrific group of people - smart, funny and kind. I'm still at a point where I usually just see letters, rarely mechanisms. But I want to get better and this is a good way to go about that. Thanks Bob and all the other Muggle Zoomers for the experience.

Please join the Tuesday evening sessions. DrTom was silent yesterday because he had already solved. But on Tuesdays, you can hear him pun in person, off-the-cuff.

Thanks! I will!

[DrTom]

For those who saw the zoom call but are new. We use the normal Tuesday zoom link above. It is open to all. No meeting ID is needed. If you have any questions, PM me.

Bob

For those who are relatively new to this contest, the Zoom call is a wonderful way to learn and to see the thought process of solving in action. I jumped on the call yesterday a little late but was able to watch the process unfold to the end. This is a terrific group of people - smart, funny and kind. I'm still at a point where I usually just see letters, rarely mechanisms. But I want to get better and this is a good way to go about that. Thanks Bob and all the other Muggle Zoomers for the experience.

Please join the Tuesday evening sessions. DrTom was silent yesterday because he had already solved. But on Tuesdays, you can hear him pun in person, off-the-cuff.

Cynthia, when you are telling people about my tendency to play with words are you folking pun at me...and as for "off the cuff" I can only say A HEM...

[Flying_Burrito]

Ashore - long live the mailman

@Flying_Burrito Good luck to your Bulldogs on Monday. It should be a great game.

Thanks Bob. I think the world of Nick Saban, but it's time for UGA to take up the mantle. Go Dawgs.

[Al Sisti]

Finally on shore, at the end of the line to get a Guinness. What? "Now serving number 8" and my number is in scientific notation!?? This could take a while.

[sphorning]

Still on the ship with Isaac. I'll private message a few of you for a nudge. I've thought of something, but can't seem to make it work.

[lbray53]

On the beach! I finally found the right rabbit to follow!

[M and M]

Elegantly constructed and a definite forehead slap. Glad to be on the beach since it's been close to zero degrees around here.

[Bob cruise director]

Elegantly constructed and a definite forehead slap. Glad to be on the beach since it's been close to zero degrees around here.

Ouch - we were at 10 last night outside of Boston and have made it to a balmy 20. @MaineMarge would be out tending her garden in this warmth. Our turn in the real deep freeze comes Monday and Tuesday.

Stay warm

[Bob cruise director]

Still on the ship with Isaac. I'll private message a few of you for a nudge. I've thought of something, but can't seem to make it work.

there are a lot of somethings to mislead you this week.

[Ben B]

We made it to shore! Two hot chocolates please.

[Bob cruise director]

Good Saturday morning muggles

A very interesting challenge from Mike Shenk and we have 27 on the ship and 80 on the shore.

And we have a bunch of new mubbles - ORHman, Puzzled1, jeffrey, bzkfri and Katianalt1029. Always great to have more muggles.

Keeping Isaac company in the warm ship's bar are:

Hammertime
Jace54
Peter
joe
MikeM000
samandcam
hunkra
MatthewL
pjc
802puzzler
Tina
patpatchica
Janet
Heidi
Homer
rosiegirl
drbockel2
Kas
Henry Paul
ZooAnimalsOnWheels
Jedimaster
Dow Jones
JeanneC
whimsy
James D
sphorning
dk letter

And basking on the shore with many still with some sea water in their stomachs are:

darth
benchen71
Wendy
Cindy
oldjudge
Beth T
C=64
mbryant
Bill
BrennerTJ
Flying_Burrito
bskptkl
girubato1
ORHman
Meg
Chris
boharr
Barbara K
Tmart
MajorDomoTom
Dannyvee
dudeski
Bonnibel
PQ63
Beth A
woozy
Les
Fred
Miki
Omnibus
Toby
GTIJohnny
DannyWalter
Bbaack
Jennifer
Puzzled1
dplass
MaineMarge
cbarbee
BEACHEDWHALE
Gman
Cap'n Rick
Mike H
ky-mike
HeadinHome
EVJ
Acari
Kay
coffeefrog
Moi
Joey Avocado
Joe R
HunterX
mlvilv
CPJohnson
SusieG
DrTom
Bill Swerski 13
Jean
turbotron
ship4u
joequavis
Plymouth Rock
Trey and Marion
Brian M
ajk
auee89
RPardoe
joes
Notbitter
jeffrey
glennk
mattythewsjpuzzler
bzkfrl
Katianalt1029
vandono
Al
M and M
lbray
katnahat

Good luck to all getting the meta and stay safe.

[Ergcat]

Still with Isaac on the ship! Talked it over with my daughter (Regfish7) but nada! We discussed many rabbit holes but didn’t see anything! On my way to visit grandkids now and , while hubby drives, I am staring at the grid hoping for some enlightenment! I may not have time to work on it once we arrive (1 and 3 yr olds) so a hint would be nice….

[C=64]

Finally on shore, at the end of the line to get a Guinness. What? "Now serving number 8" and my number is in scientific notation!?? This could take a while.

8.675309 × 10^6