"I Spy" - November 19, 2021

[spotter]

I am almost sure I'm on shore! Not as confident as I normally am, but I'm pretty sure.

I'm feeling like my answer was wrong now, so I'm swimming back to the boat.

[Omnibus]

You can do this, fellow Muggles! Good luck!

[LadyBird]

I haven't been doing these puzzles for very long and got super demoralized after last few weeks.. hoping to get on shore. Solved grid and mulling it over

I've been doing them for 18 months and I am super demoralized as well! You are not alone.

[Commodore]

Rabbit holes. At sea?
Clearly madness sets in.
Yet, oddly I am happy to have spotted these furry critters for first time in weeks. O happy hoppers, the chase is on! More stout, bo’sun!

[Jeremy Smith]

I'm at sea, though I think I spy what I am supposed to do I cannot do it for everything I should. If it is NOT what I am supposed to do it is a big dang coincidence. I'll struggle on though and try to solve just so I can prove I can. However, I'll reserve my place for a last minute nudge....

Similarly, i have a few pieces that can’t be coincidental, but I’m missing one piece. Even missing only,that one piece, I’m still unable to backsolve.

[TeamDoubleTow]

Declaring ourselves on shore. Not 100% but it's a defensible answer. Teammate not sure if he remembers how to submit.

[dudeski]

On shore. Classic Gaffney. When you get it, you GET it.

[Richard]

Stuck with Issac.

The only reason I do this is to win the mug. Of course, we have many more mugs than we need but I say you can always use one more.

Problem with the group solve Zoom meeting is that I don't submit as it is the group not me that got it.

Will stare at it some more.

[Cindy]

I'm at sea, though I think I spy what I am supposed to do I cannot do it for everything I should. If it is NOT what I am supposed to do it is a big dang coincidence. I'll struggle on though and try to solve just so I can prove I can. However, I'll reserve my place for a last minute nudge....

Similarly, i have a few pieces that can’t be coincidental, but I’m missing one piece. Even missing only,that one piece, I’m still unable to backsolve.

And I bet I know what that one piece is!

[minimuggle]

I believe that I am now happily onshore. I was just about to join the zoom when it came to me. Really creative!

Edit: definitely onshore. Got confirmation. Great "aha" moment in this one.

[markhr]

Stuck on the ship with Isaac. This one seems a total slog to me.
I must be missing something.

Pour me another Old Fashioned, please.

[MajordomoTom]

I’m on the beach, still spitting out sea water. I’ve got seaweed in my hair. The cabana boy is looking at me and trying hard not to explode into laughter. He's so tactful.

I WANT THE MUG IN YOUR AVATAR!!!!

[MajordomoTom]

yes, that last piece - that's what my wife found, it's there, just keep looking at it, you are already looking at it, you just haven't "spied" it yet.

[hunkra]

Haven't had a clue since MWAHAHA! Maybe Isaac's Mojitos have lost their mojo. Switching to coffee might work. Count me on the ship.

[HeadinHome]

Well if you can’t get the puzzle and you’re done trying by Friday night, the zoom room is the place to be to share the laughs with all the other stumped & good-natured people. We finally figured it out with appropriately subtle hinting from Peter and some progressive discoveries by “the real” Wendy and others. Thanks for the fun, all!’

Not submitting, but still enjoyed the puzzle, done this way.

[GTIJohnny]

Ashore with the tremendous help of the Zoom group. Not submitting, accordingly, as I was way off course. Thanks!

[Joe Ross]

It was fantastic to meet a lot of muggles whom I've not yet, in ZOOM, tonight. Thank you!

I am ashore. I will not submit.

(So, when you see that I've won the mug - trying reverse psychology, here - remember that I didn't say that. Please and thank you!)

On the bloodletting front, if I may climb the soap box:

I was honored to have been asked to donate white blood cells this Sunday. In 40 years, this will be my fourth or fifth time allowed to do so. White blood cells are a critical resource for cancer patients and others fighting terrible diseases. In this town, with its amazing Cincinnati Children's Hospital drawing patients from around the world, well over 90% of white blood cells go to children battling cancer.

Due to the amount needed in most therapies and the compromised immune systems of patients needing them, white blood cells are closely matched using HLA factors, not only blood type. Think of organ matching, if not as stringent. To be asked to donate means that the donor is one of a very few people who match the patient and one of a very few who can help them at one of the most important times of their lives.

It's a request that cannot be denied, an offer that cannot be refused, and a treasured privilege to be invited to help another.

The donor effort involved is tiny and much less invasive than when donating whole blood & other blood products, such as platelets & plasma.

So, if you have a challenging time donating or cannot stand the idea of going through the process, consider donating whole blood only once. Your blood will be evaluated & its factors entered in a database. Then, if you're lucky, you might receive the infrequent call to help a young human who is fighting for their life. You will be glad that you made yourself available to help, as will the patient receiving this incredibly valuable gift. You'll be thanked to the point of embarrassment, knowing full-well that you were also given a precious gift.

[TheCatt]

On shore with the Zoom nudge. Was nice to see everyone going down the same rabbit holes we had also gone down before the meeting! 10 minutes of just nodding our heads, too.

(no submittal)

[NDStegs]

On shore after the Zoom call. It was nice seeing everyone!

[mrmd]

What a great Zoom call! Really enjoyed meeting everyone and benefiting from many different ways of thinking. Panicked that I had signed off too early, but I did get to shore. Not going to submit - my reward for this week was meeting some more Muggles!