"Chemical Change" - February 26, 2021

[Bob cruise director]

Good evening. It is just after 9 here on the east coast so the contest has been out 5 hours. And we have 110 on the shore. (plus Meg's cabana boy)

Another crowded week.

Thanks so much Bob for continuing to manage us all. It occurred to me that with many new solvers, your job keeping track of everyone has also exponentially expanded. But you contribute to be a fantastic Cruise Director!

Thank you. The positive comments are very much appreciated. This is a great group and I look forward to the comments each and every week.

[Henry Paul]

Ashore as of last night. I found it a little harder than last weeks, probably because I was overthinking it. (I had trouble with 42A. If someone wants to DM me the answer that would be welcome.)

Looking forward to next month, but can't help thinking: "And they were lulled into a false sense of security and then WHAM!, the hammer fell.."

Enjoy the weekend all; stay safe.

[Bob cruise director]

Good Friday noon muggles. Another crowded shore with 161 social distancing there.

And we have several new muggles
crswenson
Daytonh
Glenn Cunningham
and Pembroke

and we welcome DianeA who is on the beach on the WSJ page most weeks but has come over here so she was a muggle already.

[NaluGirl]

So glad to join the party!

[Jb321123]

Have been away for awhile but glad to be back, and ashore. Some click better than others!

Have a great weekend!

[Jackie88]

On shore!

[PQ63]

On the beach before noon. I now have the weekend off.

Bloody Mary please.

[Kris Zacharias]

On shore. This may be an easy puzzle to solve, but I'm impressed by its construction!

[TeaJenny]

Ashore! Took me longer this week.

"Pour me something tall and strong
Make it a hurricane
Before I go insane"

[FirstMax]

On shore. Envious of all the noobs who got this easy training month. When I started doing metas, I had to find a synonym for snow before I could solve.

[BigRedBob]

new muggle here taking full advantage of training month. onshore for third week in a row - but only now confident enough to post

[PeterLeea1a]

Tougher grid. Easier meta.

[Janet]

On shore. Envious of all the noobs who got this easy training month. When I started doing metas, I had to find a synonym for snow before I could solve.

Yes , and then a synonym for "uphill both ways!"

I am ashore, watching the dihydrogen monoxide roll in.

[fuggedabowdit]

Once again, grid 1/3 done and I know the meta. I’m glad WSJ is getting lots of new solvers, but I’ll be happy for some more challenging metas next month.

Basking ashore since Thursday afternoon. I am also eagerly awaiting some metas with some deep dark rabbit holes, instead of the cottontail rowing the boat.

[Janet]

Sitting on the Wall Street Journal Today

I started it on Thursday
Hoping I could solve right away
Cause I've had nothing to live for
That mug will never come my way
So I'm just sitting on Wall Street today
Watching the meta rolling away
I'm sitting on Wall Street today, wasting time

[Olaf]

I think I’ll be on shore but pausing to submit since I also think I am missing something or stuck in a very tempting hole. I do think this one was a little more difficult, or at least a bit more clever than the last few weeks. And I tend to get only the easier ones anyway. It would be totally embarrassing if I miss this one, given my training!

[beccacollins]

Missed last week as was sun worshipping on St John but I have it printed and ready to solve. Got this weeks' in only a few hours - though longer than it should have taken me. Missed something really obvious and had to go back and try again.

a neat Clase Azul Reposado while I get to work on "in Character" - will hopefully make it a double

[flamingbear]

I’m on shore with everyone else. It only seems easy after the fact because I was blanking pretty hard at first. But pour me a stiff one and I’ll hang with everyone else.

[debbierudy]

Ashore - took a little detour and hung out in a rabbit hole for a bit, but then it popped out at me. I always marvel at the ingenuity of these constructions - this was a good one!

[Dennis]

Swam to shore after dark last night, but made it safely! Nice puzzle. I had guessed the answer before I even started the grid, but I don't submit unless I can see the mechanism. Have convinced a young friend in professional school to start looking at these and he may be hooked....another Muggle!

By the way, is there any info re: how long it takes M or M to create one of these? Maybe I have missed it but the question is always there in the back of my mind.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.