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Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:17 pm
by whimsy
woozy wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 8:55 pm
KayW wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 3:53 pm
And like many a week 5 meta, I have NEVER been able to find the so-called illusion within those Magic Eye posters. I am convinced they're all a hoax. By all of yas. There's nothing there, I tell you!
I had a very hard time trying to explain to my uncle that they actually work and how....
.....And there is box CUT OUT OF YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN and the velociraptor is JUST FLOATING THERE IN SPACE!....
....TRY AGAIN!
.....
Or maybe get in a little warm-up first by using the the baby step method -- find the floating hot dog between your two index fingers held out horizontally in front of you.

Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:32 pm
by Harbo
Ashore. Just had to keep staring. Could easily have failed. More importantly, I’ve got my college-aged daughter hooked.
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:23 pm
by Relic
HOORAY! I chose the right rabbit and am now ashore.
The cold air and fine cigar helped clear the brain fog.
Please don't tell my doc though. She'd be ticked!
I'll have a cabernet or two or three.
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:47 pm
by Berto
woozy wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 8:55 pm
KayW wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 3:53 pm
And like many a week 5 meta, I have NEVER been able to find the so-called illusion within those Magic Eye posters. I am convinced they're all a hoax. By all of yas. There's nothing there, I tell you!
I see it! Although at first it looked a bit like tigger (the head at least) lol
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:48 pm
by Bird Lives
I have no idea how to solve this one.
Think of it as like a Magic Eye.
Right, so I’m staring at it.
And?
And I keep staring and staring, and I still don’t see anything. Nothing. Here, let me try a different angle. Nope. And another. And wait, wait. I’m beginning to see something. I think it’s. . . Is it four Rottweiler’s playiing pickleball?
No, you moron. You’re looking in the wrong place.
Oh right. I always do that. Now I see it.
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 12:04 am
by escapeartist
Toes in the warm sand - and does it feel good with temps dropping to crazy lows tonight.
This was a fun meta to solve!
up to 3 week streak - some very good meta puzzles to start off 2023

Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 12:19 am
by DrTom
Whew, needed a "DO NOT ENTER" sign from Kay W to keep me from chasing what seemed like it HAD to be the mechanism, but eventually joined the mass migration to the beach. This was a lot more difficult than the sheer number of solvers would suggest. I have to say I did not find either of the "hint" clues very "hinty", I will be interested to see how I was supposed to interpret them. However...
ASHORE
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 1:57 am
by meowmiao71
Got a late start and then I got distracted by a rabbit hole, but I'm onshore! Unbelievably impressive construction, as usual.
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 3:36 am
by Dow Jones
Still on the ship (contemplating my "Hail Mary" for Sunday night) !!
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 7:51 am
by mattythewsjpuzzler
Sad to say still at sea. Had a late start and those never seem to work out well....
Update: Ashore. Like others this is just a flash of enlightenment. The hints are not (as others have said) very hinty. Maybe a hint of a hint.
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 8:45 am
by eagle1279
dmorack wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 5:18 pm
On shore with the help of the loose hints provided by 52A and 60A. This one will be a favorite of mine.
The loose hints were essential to me, I often doubt that I could’ve solved without such hints.
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 8:46 am
by ship4u
Bird Lives wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:48 pm
I think it’s. . . Is it four Rottweiler’s playiing pickleball?
Four? I see 56. It's a bloody zoo!!

Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 9:59 am
by clonefitz
So far, not even a rabbit hole. Line em up, Isaac!
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 10:07 am
by halseymac
This NC Tarheel is on shore! And wow! Just wow! Hat's off the Mike Shenk! This one is genius! Now on to more important things like beating Duke tonight!
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 10:14 am
by ImOnToo
On the beach thanks to DrTom pulling me off of a dead end trail and gently suggesting that I try another.
Not submitting. But, free to move on with the rest of my weekend.

Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 11:42 am
by Bob cruise director
Good Saturday morning muggles
Well, we just made it up to zero degrees from -14 last night. BBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRR
And the good news is that we have 9 on the ship and 119 on the sunny warm shore
With plenty of beer and other spirits to go around
On the ship are:
Scott M
cheekumbaldy
Barney
ladybird
mattythewsjpuzzler
Bird Lives
woozy
Dow Jones
clonefitz
And on the shore are:
MatthewL
docison
Joe R
ajk
michaelm
darth
Dannyvee
chriscross
Kay
Wendy
Beth A
whimsy
oldjudge
MikeM000
mikeB
vandono
Mme
VanVeen
Laura
Mike H
Larrry
Meg
boharr
Schmeel
Cindy
Barbara K
Beth T
Chris
Tmart
Flying_Burrito
NebFaninCA
MajorDomoTom
DCBilly
Burak
Jim and Anita
Heidi
ky-mike
Omnibus
Don and Cynthia
Trish
Miki
D B Miller
Joepickett
Peter
dudeski
ErikThor
Ron
Jean
Ergcat
Char
mbryant
RobM
Alvibu67
Les
Al
Merry Potter
Berto
Happy
benchen71
BigPear
M and M
JeanneC
mkmf
Anna
SJMck
rjy
hottieruth
Magistra
Googly
BrennerTJ
Moi
MaineMarge
Josh
Acari
SarasotaSun
Fred
Zach
eagle1279
ADS
TheFusionMoose
streroto
Tina
NDStegs
lisajoy
hunkra
Deb
Henry Paul
ReB
sf592000
Al Laubenstein
JaneGummy
MikeyG
Cinny
Doug M
CPJohnson
ZooAnimalsOnWheels
Mister and Mrs. Squawk
PQ63
SoccerMom
TeamDoubleTow
Don and Lisa
DavyGravy
jimbo1
arecibo
jhseeman
dplass
escapeartist
Harbo
meowmiao71
Sleepy
DrTom
mrmd
ricky
Jackie J
Homer
relic (and Maggie)
ImOnToo
halseymac
Daniel G
Good luck with the meta and stay warm
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 12:19 pm
by LizD
Been staring until my eyes cross with nothing to show for it. Is it just me or have the last few puzzles been a bit more difficult than usual? Don't think I've had this long of a streak stuck with Isaac before...
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 12:27 pm
by woozy
Wow, deliberate red herrings *and* false panels.
This was .... a good one. Not so much a brilliant construction as a brilliantly hidden construction
(needed a nudge from Dr. Tom)
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 12:34 pm
by markhr
Took me a day and a half to figure this out. But it was kind of hard to see.
I thought this was one of Mike's better puzzles -- nicely done.
Re: "Backdrops" February 2,2023
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 12:40 pm
by Bob cruise director
LizD wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 12:19 pm
Been staring until my eyes cross with nothing to show for it. Is it just me or have the last few puzzles been a bit more difficult than usual? Don't think I've had this long of a streak stuck with Isaac before...
@LizD My wife's theory is that Mike has "upped his game" so there are no gimme weeks.
Last couple of months percentages from WSJ
1/27 MG 72%
1/20 MS 87%
1/13 MG 70%
1/6 MS 72%
12/30 MG 80%
12/23 MS 70%
12/16 MG 85%