"We're In This Together" - August 28, 2020

[M and M]

A construction marvel, as usual.
We're safely on the beach, though that last bit took a while. Can't wait to hear about all the rabbit holes on Monday - there are some good ones!

[Bob cruise director]

I don’t know know how many people would get PAGEANT’D if that puzzle came out today - Based on what I’ve seen in my 18 months of doing this puzzle and from what I am told by a few on here who have been doing the puzzle a lot longer - the difficulty has steadily ramped where I think that would be a 60-70% puzzle now. I’ve certainly seen more difficult mechanisms is year with higher solve rates. But that is just my opinion.

Many are wiser from the Pageant experience. At the time, the extra step was a bit out of left field and caught many off guard. That's why we say experience is the best tool in the box.

Cheers!

Also it came between Christmas and New Year's so between lack of time and expecting an easy meta, we were ripe for the picking.

[SewYoung]

I saw the mechanism but now I have gibberish. I think I'm close.

Right there with you!

Me three!

[DrTom]

Well I certainly remember TASTYKAKES and Broad Street bullies. I grew up eating TastyKakes and I'm sad to say they are not a shadow of what they used to be. For that matter neither are the Flyers. I can remember when "fight night in America" was any night the Flyers played the Rangers.... I'd love to go back and watch one of those classic matches complete with Kate Smith and God Bless America (and yes I know Kate Smith had some skeletons in her closet, but I am remembering the situation not the person)

Dr. Tom, if you don't get the meta by Sunday, I have a really, really good hint for you! And you are SO right about the Tastykakes.

I guess they kept taking the butter out and putting preservatives in. The Butterscotch Krimpets taste more like sugar than butterscotch and are no longer soft (and greasy!). The chocolate cupkakes, which I would have fought people for at one point, are almost plastic tasting - so sad. I may need Sunday Saving, I'm cycling and just keep returning to the same place. I'm pretty sure I have it all I just can put it together (which would be an appropriate reply even if this were an IKEA discussion or a home repair forum).

[Streroto]

I'm calling it - Never solving this one.

TPS I challenge. I bet you will.

[Big Mac]

Happily on shore early this week (for me). Had to step away and come back a couple hours later, then it was fast. Brilliant puzzle and very Gaffney-meta.

[DrTom]

Well THAT'S better. The curtains finally lifted from my eyes and with a little struggling there it was. I'll say no more for fear of giving it away, but all I will comment on is how deviously clever this is and how these constructors make it all tie together. Truly awesome (oh SURE Tom you say that now, moments earlier you were cursing the very existence of META puzzles and invoking 9A himself about METAs being the opium of the masses).

So thanks for the offers of nudges, I thankfully will not need one for this puzzle (though I am sure I will be hat in hand for MGWCC). I however will offer nudges on Sunday for those who are floundering like I was - think of them as Sunday prayers. In the meantime keep at it, folks are right you do eventually see it, faintly at first, but there it is.

[yourpalsal]

Rowed ashore just in time for Shabbat! Have a great weekend my pals!

[BrianDavidson]

Made it ashore!

[TPS]

I'm calling it - Never solving this one.

TPS I challenge. I bet you will.

You missed your chance Streeoto - because I would have totally made that bet at the time but I somehow did solve it eventually.

[Bob cruise director]

I saw the mechanism but now I have gibberish. I think I'm close.

Right there with you!

Me three!

Are you safe from the hurricane. Hopefully you were too far east of the real rain and damage.

[ky-mike]

At the bar with Isaac this Friday evening. Make it a double bourbon, neat.

[Susan Goldberg]

I’m with Dr. Tom. There was no way I was going to give up on this one; having fallen short for two weeks. And, finally, there it was. Thankfully I am on shore on Friday and can do other things this weekend. Good luck to all.

[SewYoung]

Right there with you!

Me three!

Are you safe from the hurricane. Hopefully you were too far east of the real rain and damage.

We're fine. It went way west of us. We did get a good bit of rain off and on yesterday and today. Thanks for asking.

[Beth C]

Safely ashore this week. Tough grid and challenging meta. Good one, Matt! Good luck Muggles.

[MaineMarge]

On shore now that I’ve got it together.
I liked this one. But then, I never met one I didn’t like.

[arlecchino]

ashore (and learned a few new words on the way)!

[CopperRiver]

Was getting ready to jump in and swim to shore but alas I think I’m in the biggest rabbit hole ever. Saw a shark and stayed on board for now. Still trying to solve using another method.

[Dow Jones]

Finally got it and On Shore. This could have been much tougher (Kas 5) if Matt didn't give us such a generous hint.

[TPS]

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