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.
Colin wrote: ↑Sat Nov 23, 2019 2:42 pm
Adios Isaac... howdy landlubbers!
Ashore, but I have to find a supermarket before hitting the Tiki bar. If anyone in the drinks line is reading this, please could you put a Dogfish 60 Minute on ice?
Many thanks!
Colin
The tiki bar has a pretty full stock of Dog Fish beers and ales on ice.
Deb F wrote: ↑Sat Nov 23, 2019 3:42 pm
Help! I've fallen in a rabbit hole and can't get out! And I'm not a newbie. Some weeks are easier for me. This isn't one of them.
Pretty sure I was on the right track yesterday, but today I finally found the last piece of the puzzle.
One Muggle comment got me started in the right direction. Will let you know after the reveal.
Think I'll order the calamari this time. Heard it's really good!
I’ve enjoyed the last few weeks when the meta revealed itself with a doable level of difficulty (for me
Alas, this week I’m hanging with Isaac and scratching my head. Happy to have muggle company...a small select group, to be sure.
howardl wrote: ↑Fri Nov 22, 2019 8:06 pm
Off topic, and I hope this is not proscribed, but I finished the Saturday "Squeeze Play" but I had to web-search the first and last theme answers because I had never heard of these. (Am I getting too old to do crosswords?)
I haven't done the Saturday puzzle yet, but I know exactly what you mean about wondering if you are getting too old to do crosswords. I've been getting that feeling lately too. I've gotten really good at coming up with likely names of people, performances, sports teams, stars, songs, etc, with only a few letters.
Bob - my prior post (too) obtusely registered my Eureka moment so count me ashore.
Deb F - "Help! I've fallen in a rabbit hole and can't get out! " was LOL literally to the extent people on my train turned around to give me the eye. BTW, I was returning from a Bway performance of The Sound Inside, a wonderfully performed drama that kept my attention and also had me reminiscing on my college days. Good play but see Tootsie first before it closes!
Last edited by 31 Down on Sun Nov 24, 2019 12:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
Phew! Got it. Ok- where’s the party? I’m ready. Feeling much better today after a good rest. The first day of sunshine and no snowfall in 2 weeks helped too. But most of all I must thank Isaac for the magical fluid therapy he provided me at regular intervals while I was on the ship. That guy knows his stuff.
As does Matt! I loved the meta when I finally figured it out.
Left the puzzle for a day, came back and knew right away what to look for and found it without any trouble. But, I'm glad I didn't solve this one at first glance--wouldn't want to get all swelled up.
I wasn't going to even try for this week's poetic entry, but then I just had to. Warning: it's pretty bad; I'm no Shakespeare. But then again, do you think he could solve metas?
Love you or hate you, I do not know.
But whether joy or angst is true
I will always keep giving it a go
because I just have to; I do.
You always get your hooks into me
You are within me a constant refrain.
You take over; I'm no longer free,
An earworm-- you keep plaguing my brain.
But wait, I sense a bit of light, a ray
I feel a spark, things are getting bett-a
Oh how pleasant the relief, how gay,
Aha! Hooray! I've finally solved the meta
I'm glad this week to make this plain
And in a sonnet not just a quatrain.
I’m trying to think if there are types/categories of clues to provide, but I think they’ll be very puzzle specific.
OK, well if we are offering names for a group of people chasing rabbits I'm going to go for "Go Ask Alice". (thank you Ms. Slick).
Question. Would these hints be after the contest closes? That would seem the fairest way, but obviously of no help to someone lost during the maelstrom that is Thursday after 1600 to Sunday Midnight. Is this perhaps just supposed to be a solving symposium, in which case posting some of the oldies (at different degrees of difficulty) and the path to their solution might be helpful. However, one last thought, isn't that what Crossword Fiend does each week after the contest is closed?
Dr. Tom
Definitely after the contest is closed.
The purpose is to help muggles who were on the ship to find a path to the shore. First with a gentle nudge in the right direction. Then a little push if that does not work. Then led to the shore with more definite clues. The idea is to help those who were on the ship understand the thought process that those on the shore followed.
A useful nudge is not something that is one size fits all but highly dependent on the particular situation, like knowing where the person is stuck at and what has been attempted. So the person needing a nudge should first describe his/her predicament.
Colin wrote: ↑Sat Nov 23, 2019 2:42 pm
Adios Isaac... howdy landlubbers!
Ashore, but I have to find a supermarket before hitting the Tiki bar. If anyone in the drinks line is reading this, please could you put a Dogfish 60 Minute on ice?
Many thanks!
Colin
The tiki bar has a pretty full stock of Dog Fish beers and ales on ice.
Good to know - thank you Bob!
60-minute.... perfection in every way
90-minute.... could be embarrassing
120-minute.... only in a shot glass!