"Film Editing" March 3, 2023

[pookie]

A long time ago I went on the Space Mountain ride at Disneyland. It was just horrible. I thought it would never end. I wanted to yell, "Stop this thing!".
But there were warning signs all over the place...
"For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure."
I just read the comments about this week's puzzle and, you know what? I'm going to pay attention to the warning signs this time and NOT try to solve it anymore this weekend.I've exhausted every lead I could think of.
I think Bob's got a way better idea.
"after reading all the uncertainty and discontent from the comments, I will be spending the rest of the weekend tending @MaineMarge stern garden

[Lube On]

On shore but needed a nudge.

[BigPear]

Ashore at last! I agree with everyone’s double take on the metanism. I am pretty sure I exhausted all 10,000 other possible routes to an answer, so I am looking no further. For what it’s worth, I think Shenk may have nodded to the, er, irregularity, but maybe I am reading into his methods too much. Cheers!

[tmitchell300]

Ashore at last! I agree with everyone’s double take on the metanism. I am pretty sure I exhausted all 10,000 other possible routes to an answer, so I am looking no further. For what it’s worth, I think Shenk may have nodded to the, er, irregularity, but maybe I am reading into his methods too much. Cheers!

I think I caught the nod too, but it seems like the grid could have been reworked to eliminate the problem that everyone seems to have with it.

[hunkra]

Arrived ashore after work today (with a nudge). I agree with all about the inelegance of the meta. Ready for my drink and my close-up!

[Nlobb]

Ashore

[BarbaraK]

Me too, but sometimes life is just too short and you’ve tried hard. If I use the zoom room or get help on a WSJ I don’t submit for the mug! Want to win THAT on my own-some.

My take on it - solving metas is fun! That's why I do it. And for me, all the various ways of solving are fun.

Solo solving is fun! Especially the really hard ones that I have to keep coming back to for days and finally, finally, see something - that's the classic Kas3 experience. I spent 3 years solving solo and am inordinately pleased with my MGWCC solo prizes. But then, I said enough, and went back to a mix of solo/group/nudged solves because I missed the social aspect of solving with friends.

Because solving with a partner or group is fun too! Seeing the ideas flow back and forth, sending my dead ends and having someone else pick up a piece and look at it in a different way, seeing other peoples ideas and realizing there's something we could do with this nugget. The synergies, the way a whole can be greater than the sum of its parts - it's a blast, like being part of a band instead of a solo musician. (The one variant of this I've never had a chance to try is solving with a family member. I suspect that's awesome too; maybe someday my husband will develop an interest in metas...)

And getting nudged to a solve is fun! A good nudger who can see what I've done and tell me what to just let go and where to keep digging, or can point out one little oddity in the puzzle, and I get the aha on what could have been an unsolvable meta.

And giving nudges is fun! It's kind of like a second meta, figuring out the perfect way to give the smallest possible nudge that will get someone on the right track.

And zoom solves are fun! They're like a group solve, nudged solve, and chance to nudge others all in one with the added bonus of actually seeing someone's face light up when they figure it out.

And the right balance of these is of course different for everyone, whether it's all solos or always with the kids or zoom group or some mix. I wouldn't dream of telling anyone else how much time they should spend on metas or how to spend it. Whatever is fun!

I feel really fortunate that we have these puzzles and this group where all the possibilities are open. Most (~85% as I recall) WSJ solvers are not here, so who knows how many of them solve with family, friends, colleagues, Facebook/twitter groups, etc, and how many solve exclusively alone whether by choice or just because they know of no other options.

So thank you WSJ (and all the other meta providers) for the puzzles, Brian for setting up this forum, and moderators for keeping it running smoothly!

[eagle1279]

My b*tt is firmly planted on a stool at the bar, totally stymied with many bunny holes. I will keep trying, but Isaac is plying me with bourbon so my chances of seeing the grid clearly are diminishing.

[hcbirker]

Me too, but sometimes life is just too short and you’ve tried hard. If I use the zoom room or get help on a WSJ I don’t submit for the mug! Want to win THAT on my own-some.

My take on it - solving metas is fun! That's why I do it. And for me, all the various ways of solving are fun.

Solo solving is fun! Especially the really hard ones that I have to keep coming back to for days and finally, finally, see something - that's the classic Kas3 experience. I spent 3 years solving solo and am inordinately pleased with my MGWCC solo prizes. But then, I said enough, and went back to a mix of solo/group/nudged solves because I missed the social aspect of solving with friends.

Because solving with a partner or group is fun too! Seeing the ideas flow back and forth, sending my dead ends and having someone else pick up a piece and look at it in a different way, seeing other peoples ideas and realizing there's something we could do with this nugget. The synergies, the way a whole can be greater than the sum of its parts - it's a blast, like being part of a band instead of a solo musician. (The one variant of this I've never had a chance to try is solving with a family member. I suspect that's awesome too; maybe someday my husband will develop an interest in metas...)

And getting nudged to a solve is fun! A good nudger who can see what I've done and tell me what to just let go and where to keep digging, or can point out one little oddity in the puzzle, and I get the aha on what could have been an unsolvable meta.

And giving nudges is fun! It's kind of like a second meta, figuring out the perfect way to give the smallest possible nudge that will get someone on the right track.

And zoom solves are fun! They're like a group solve, nudged solve, and chance to nudge others all in one with the added bonus of actually seeing someone's face light up when they figure it out.

And the right balance of these is of course different for everyone, whether it's all solos or always with the kids or zoom group or some mix. I wouldn't dream of telling anyone else how much time they should spend on metas or how to spend it. Whatever is fun!

I feel really fortunate that we have these puzzles and this group where all the possibilities are open. Most (~85% as I recall) WSJ solvers are not here, so who knows how many of them solve with family, friends, colleagues, Facebook/twitter groups, etc, and how many solve exclusively alone whether by choice or just because they know of no other options.

So thank you WSJ (and all the other meta providers) for the puzzles, Brian for setting up this forum, and

moderators for keeping it running smoothly!

Well said @BarbaraK !

[mattythewsjpuzzler]

Still at sea. Wish I could get more frustrated like most of you guys and solve the thing!

[woozy]

Where's the bookie? Are we being pageanted? What odds are we giving?

[Joepickett]

What's the hard part? Waiting?

I’m only on the ship. Haven’t even made it to the ship in ages. I don’t think I can do the meta. My attention span is shot from playing Wordle, Letterboxed and Spelling bee. But Isaac is fun to hang out with. I liked the grid a lot this time.

Oh I misread.

Do you also play https://framed.wtf ? It's a fun one.

I tried framed for the first time today and got it in one try! Maybe I should retire with a 1.000 average. Thanks!

[sjm]

Ashore with a nudge!

[BigPear]

Me too, but sometimes life is just too short and you’ve tried hard. If I use the zoom room or get help on a WSJ I don’t submit for the mug! Want to win THAT on my own-some.

My take on it - solving metas is fun! That's why I do it. And for me, all the various ways of solving are fun.

Solo solving is fun! Especially the really hard ones that I have to keep coming back to for days and finally, finally, see something - that's the classic Kas3 experience. I spent 3 years solving solo and am inordinately pleased with my MGWCC solo prizes. But then, I said enough, and went back to a mix of solo/group/nudged solves because I missed the social aspect of solving with friends.

Because solving with a partner or group is fun too! Seeing the ideas flow back and forth, sending my dead ends and having someone else pick up a piece and look at it in a different way, seeing other peoples ideas and realizing there's something we could do with this nugget. The synergies, the way a whole can be greater than the sum of its parts - it's a blast, like being part of a band instead of a solo musician. (The one variant of this I've never had a chance to try is solving with a family member. I suspect that's awesome too; maybe someday my husband will develop an interest in metas...)

And getting nudged to a solve is fun! A good nudger who can see what I've done and tell me what to just let go and where to keep digging, or can point out one little oddity in the puzzle, and I get the aha on what could have been an unsolvable meta.

And giving nudges is fun! It's kind of like a second meta, figuring out the perfect way to give the smallest possible nudge that will get someone on the right track.

And zoom solves are fun! They're like a group solve, nudged solve, and chance to nudge others all in one with the added bonus of actually seeing someone's face light up when they figure it out.

And the right balance of these is of course different for everyone, whether it's all solos or always with the kids or zoom group or some mix. I wouldn't dream of telling anyone else how much time they should spend on metas or how to spend it. Whatever is fun!

I feel really fortunate that we have these puzzles and this group where all the possibilities are open. Most (~85% as I recall) WSJ solvers are not here, so who knows how many of them solve with family, friends, colleagues, Facebook/twitter groups, etc, and how many solve exclusively alone whether by choice or just because they know of no other options.

So thank you WSJ (and all the other meta providers) for the puzzles, Brian for setting up this forum, and moderators for keeping it running smoothly!

So true! When you puzzle with someone else, you can also get to know your buddy’s thought processes well enough to say, “You actually don’t need a hint. You need a cup of coffee.” The meta mind meld is a powerful bond.

[Katiedid]

On shore. Hope it's the right one!

[ajk]

And giving nudges is fun! It's kind of like a second meta, figuring out the perfect way to give the smallest possible nudge that will get someone on the right track.

Agree with this whole post 1000%, but this in particular struck me as an especially cool part of the collaborative process.

[Sleepy]

I’ll just jump right here on page 8 with “at sea”

[lacangah]

Ashore! Same observation as with many of my fellow Muggle-istas.

New topic (apologies if this has been covered before) - what is your favorite ‘meta’ movie? As for me:

Official Favorites - “Sunset Boulevard,” “MP’s Holy Grail”
Real Favorite - “Spaceballs”

For your consideration - have a great day,

[Char]

Solved with same uncertainty as noted by many fellow solvers.

[linsocalm]

At sea! Found several possible mechanisms and one unsatisfactory solution but I think I’m keeping Isaac company this time. Hate breaking my streak!