"Just Look at Yourself" - January 28, 2022

[LadyBird]

I'm on shore. Fun puzzle.

The wife came home for lunch and said "Let's play the bird game" and when the wife says "Let's play the bird game" we play the bird game. (At least, not unless I can say "I'm just two minutes from solving this puzzle...." which... as it turns out I could have said but at the time I didn't know I could say it.)

Is that Wingspan? I bought the PC version around New Year's but haven't tried it out yet....

I played the tabletop version of Wingspan for the first time over the holidays. Really fun game, and a nice option because it plays so quickly.

I think @LadyBird would appreciate it if she isn't already familiar with it.

@ZooAnimalsOnWheels but would my non-birding family enjoy it?

[ReB]

I'm thawed out enough now to report that I made it to shore last night. Enjoyable level of difficulty. Reminded me some of an Encyclopedia Brown mystery.

[joequavis]

What a great meta! I encountered exactly zero rabbit holes...well, other than the one that actually had the rabbit. Just took a lot of contemplating for me this week. Good luck, Muggles!

[DianeA]

Now ashore!!! That Bloody Mary must have been the trick. Actually, just coffee this morning.

[ZooAnimalsOnWheels]

@ZooAnimalsOnWheels but would my non-birding family enjoy it?

If they like board games of moderate complexity, they would like it. It's slightly more complex than Settlers of Catan, but it's not insanely detailed. You can explain the rules in about 15 minutes and it plays in 60-90 minutes. The gameplay is themed around birds, but you don't have to know or care anything about birds in order to just enjoy the mechanics of the game.

But the bird theme is very well integrated, unlike some European-style board games where somebody came up with a fun game mechanic and then at the end of design said, "Oh, and all these little cubes represent... let's say wine bottles". The game is played with a deck of 170 cards and each one has a different bird on it with a painted illustration and a fact about the bird. During the game, you add birds to your sanctuary, and where the bird lives, the food it eats, how many eggs it lays in what type of nest, and even its wingspan (hence the name of the game) is important. You also get little colored eggs to place on the bird cards.

Everyone we played the game with enjoyed it, and it has been popular enough that the game designers have already put out two expansions (with more bird cards!) although I didn't play those. Here's some more about it: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/266192/wingspan

[PeterLeea1a]

Ugh, stuck at the end.

[PeterLeea1a]

Ugh, stuck at the end.

And just like that, got it.

[dk letter]

Ashore! I was initially concerned about the dreaded numbers, but I must say this was the most enjoyable "numbers" puzzle that I've solved!

[Barney]

Ugh, stuck at the end.

My end is stuck on a barstool.

[FeelingSlow]

Been doing these for last 2 weeks and got the last 2 so was feeling pretty good....today has me STUMPED. New to forum, but looking forward to getting better with you all, or at least sharing the frustration of being at sea

[grwinski]

Ashore?

We think we have the pattern and solution, but there's one piece.......

Rita and George

[HunterX]

Finished the grid with the kids and quickly found steps 1 and 2 (or step 1, or whatever it might be). Then darned if we didn't hit that wall. Then the kids had to leave. Family showed up for the weekend here in the snowy Poconos. Puzzle had to wait. Unlike last week, I did not wake with the "D'oh, how stupid of me!" And the shovel called.

Now that my fingers have thawed a bit, and the temperature has risen to 6 (feels like -13), I'll take a look. More coffee please, Isaac.

Does post enlightenment happen if you are posting specifically to bring it about? Here's hoping...

[Amanda Hugginkiss]

Does post enlightenment happen if you are posting specifically to bring it about? Here's hoping...

I can report that it does not!

Edited: I take it back. I'm on shore. That was a weird, sort of subtle aha moment, brought on by the comments about the obscurity of the phrase. (For what it's worth, I've heard of it.)

[Beth C]

Finally got it! Ashore. Good luck Muggles.

[HunterX]

Does post enlightenment happen if you are posting specifically to bring it about? Here's hoping...

I can report that it does not!

Curses....

[Ben B]

Ugh. We are at sea. Looking for a starting path. Will have to come back to this one often this weekend I expect.

[Bob cruise director]

Good Saturday morning muggles - snowy Saturday that is for those of us in the northeast.

And welcome to our newest muggles - UHJ, mthurner, and Feeling Slow.

And interesting challenge from the nefarious Mr. Gaffney. So far we have 13 on the ship and 136 on the shore.

And kudos to the organizers and participants in the zoom session. They are both theraputic and educational. If feels good to see how many others go down the same rabbit holes that you do. And then collectively get the AHA moment

On the ship with Isaac are

copperriver
rjy
mattythewsjpuzzler
vandono
Commodore
Deb
barney
PhantomPhan
turbotron
GTIJohnny
Amanda Hugginkiss
SReh26
FeelingSlow

and on the shore are:

docison
Kay
pjc
darth
Cap'n Rick
Joe R
stmv
Al
oldjudge
BEACHEDWHALE
Thurman8er
Meg
Georgeall
streroto
Les
Laura
Barbara K
Peter
MikeM000
C=64
Mike H
Eric P
Scott M
Gman
benchen71
Beth T
woozy
Heidi
Jim and Anita
Acari
Tina
whimsy
sharkicicles
NebFaninCA
Jace54
boharr
ky-mike
MamaE
Chris
HeadinHome
Tmart
dplass
MarkWoychick
tmk
Wendy
Jeremy
mkmf
Anita
Glorfindel
Beth A
David K
Toby
dudeski
TeamDoubleTow
coffeefrog
ADS
DannyCincinatti
ladybird
mindle
shalmanezer
Magistra
Jordanian
hoover
sanmilton
joe
Dow Jones
Bill
BrennerTJ
Steveb
Timon30
meowmiao71
otlaolap
EmilyW
Shirley
mthurner
michaelm
Brian M
Schmeel
M and M
Bird Lives
Miki
ImOnToo
Kas
higgysue
Josh
Dave C
Tomgebhard
eagle1279
MaineMarge
Jean
Katiedid
UHJ
Hammertime
MatthewL
Homer
escapeartist
Glyn
Franklin
dk letter
Bonnibel
minimuggle
Zagman49
Diane
Moi
Rita and George
haydendog
Nlobb
Lacangah
Omnibus
Hidden in 3D
Ergcat
Adajeo
ship4u
DrTom
SusieG
Kris Zacharias
Prozach
Janet
rexthree
Bayside Bomber
HunterX
JeanneC
lbray
rolias
joequavis
Flying_Burrito
patpatchica
katnahat
flyingMoose
ReB
kamashdas
diplomatt
James D
Peter L
Olof
Doug C

Good luck winning the mug and stay safe wherever you are.

[JaneGummy]

On shore, tho needed a shove. Stay warm everyone, tho I don't expect any sympathy when I say it's going to fall below freezing here tonight in southwest Florida

[b4alltime]

On shore but needed to consult with a pro. The vernacular was not readily accesible to me. Warm, sunny day on this coast.
Jim

[Jackie88]

Stuck at the bar. I have a Hail Mary in my pocket that I will submit if I can’t make the pieces fit.