"Deal Breaker" - March 18, 2022

[JaneGummy]

Stuck with Isaac this week, I've picked up the puzzle a dozen times and nothing, not even rabbit holes.

[ship4u]

Count me amongst Isaac's customers.

No intention of looking further this weekend, so I'll just have the sushi and a sav. blanc. Or two or three.

Will delve into humiliating duh! on Monday.

"One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas I don't know."
Captain Spaulding, African explorer.

[cbarbee002]

Just up for air after a family visit. Got the AHA fairly quickly - - generally not my thing! Nice and straightforward. Good one Mike.

[SoccerMom]

I did not find this week's answer to come easily at all! I am so impressed with everybody who was able to solve it so quickly. Happy to report that I am FINALLY ashore!!

[mlvilv]

Well I’m here visiting Indianapolis to watch my son swim in the NCAA champs and also enjoying seeing the hordes of fans for the more popular NCAA event playing games here in the city. As for the puzzle I’ll be keeping Isaac company for a while. I have nothing.

Who does he swim for? The grandson of a good friend swims for Georgetown

Rowan University. They're D3. I think D1 champs are this week coming up. good luck to him!

[Ben B]

Hopelessly lost at sea for us this week. Even after a nudge/shove we just don’t see it this week. Going to set it aside and return tonight. But we have had fun with Isaac and likely will remain here for now.

[Bob cruise director]

Well I’m here visiting Indianapolis to watch my son swim in the NCAA champs and also enjoying seeing the hordes of fans for the more popular NCAA event playing games here in the city. As for the puzzle I’ll be keeping Isaac company for a while. I have nothing.

Who does he swim for? The grandson of a good friend swims for Georgetown

Rowan University. They're D3. I think D1 champs are this week coming up. good luck to him!

Thanks D1 is coming up

There is a lot of good things to say about D3 competition not the least is that they are students first and athletes second.

[Bob cruise director]

I did not find this week's answer to come easily at all! I am so impressed with everybody who was able to solve it so quickly. Happy to report that I am FINALLY ashore!!

@SoccerMom and everyone else. Metas are like driving a car or riding a bicycle. When you start, you can not believe how it can be so hard and yet others do it with ease. Many of us have been doing these weekly (or multiple times a week) for over six years. A rough number is that the experienced of us have done well over 500 metas.

Three suggestions -
1) keep at it and learn,
2) read the Hints for Solving Meta Contests under Come Aboard/FAQ's Community. A lot of lessons learned from experience muggles who also have had bruised egos
3) join in on the group solves - there are people who have the answers nudging those who don't with only positive suggestions. No shaming or castigation if it takes a while. We have all been there and are here to help.

[flamingbear]

Count me ashore. Been gone a while, hopefully I’m back for longer.

[CPJohnson]

Ashore, finally! Tried a previous rabbit hole again, and then this time I found something. Then it took a while to find the anagram.

[SoccerMom]

I did not find this week's answer to come easily at all! I am so impressed with everybody who was able to solve it so quickly. Happy to report that I am FINALLY ashore!!

@SoccerMom and everyone else. Metas are like driving a car or riding a bicycle. When you start, you can not believe how it can be so hard and yet others do it with ease. Many of us have been doing these weekly (or multiple times a week) for over six years. A rough number is that the experienced of us have done well over 500 metas.

Three suggestions -
1) keep at it and learn,
2) read the Hints for Solving Meta Contests under Come Aboard/FAQ's Community. A lot of lessons learned from experience muggles who also have had bruised egos
3) join in on the group solves - there are people who have the answers nudging those who don't with only positive suggestions. No shaming or castigation if it takes a while. We have all been there and are here to help.

Thanks for the encouragement and suggestions!!! I can see there there are some master puzzlers in this group that I can learn from and take inspiration from. I am amazed at how clever people are to not only solve these complex puzzles, but how clever the puzzles's authors are in making them. The original idea plus the construction... works of art. << insert a CHEF'S KISS >>

[Bob cruise director]

Good morning for a belated Sunday status report.

First thing - we are going to have a group zoom solve with Coach Wendy and others at 8 pm EDT tonight. All are welcome

And a welcome to our newest muggle - atom

And before we get to status, is there anyone here who is not an alum of St. Peters who picked the Peacocks to advance to the Sweet 16? Please stand up and get our admiration - and then buy some lottery tickets.

So far we have 16 on the ship and 141 on the shore.

New to the ship's bar are
JaneGummy
Deb
Tom S
CPJohnson
Ben B and son
rosiegirl
BensMom


And making their way to shore are

Omnibus
Ann
cbarbee
Hidden in 3D
SoccerMom
Susan G
mikeB
ReB
Jean
Notbitter
ajk
RichA2
OffAndRunning
atom
ladybird
auee89

[Heyitshayjay]

at long last.... ashore!

Mechanism came quickly, but man... anagrams are not my strong suit

[jrdad]

Finally ashore after returning to the same convincing rabbit hole several times.

[SoccerMom]

I am visiting my DD and fellow muggle, Regfish. She has requested that I wait until after she’s off work to do the grid and meta with her! It is killing me to wait!!! Hopefully it will be a quick solve for us!

It was actually interesting to see her at work this week. She is a math professor and in one of her classes ( data analytics) they are working on algorithms for the NCAA bracket. I had to laugh when she was telling students their homework was to make their bracket and write two paragraphs explaining which algorithm they used and why. College has changed a lot since I was there 40 yrs ago!!

Any chance that she teaches at NC State University?

[BarbaraK]

Metas are like driving a car or riding a bicycle. When you start, you can not believe how it can be so hard and yet others do it with ease.

And some times, they’re like a car or bike with glitchy steering. You think you know how how to drive. You’ve been cruising along with no problems. Then one day you find yourself stuck in the ditch with no idea how to get out, even though everyone else says the road is smooth and clear.

[Ergcat]

I am visiting my DD and fellow muggle, Regfish. She has requested that I wait until after she’s off work to do the grid and meta with her! It is killing me to wait!!! Hopefully it will be a quick solve for us!

It was actually interesting to see her at work this week. She is a math professor and in one of her classes ( data analytics) they are working on algorithms for the NCAA bracket. I had to laugh when she was telling students their homework was to make their bracket and write two paragraphs explaining which algorithm they used and why. College has changed a lot since I was there 40 yrs ago!!

Any chance that she teaches at NC State University?

@SoccerMom no, she teaches at Wofford College in Spartanburg SC

[steveb]

Belatedly onshore. Had a few distractions this weekend - a baby granddaughter born Thursday morning and having her toddler brother as a houseguest while Mom was in the hospital. Mother and baby are fine and today I got some quiet time at last with the meta.

[JJD]

Been about a month since I tried the contest and was gifted/cursed with some beginners luck again.

On shore!

[CopperRiver]

On the boat but working on several things I see.