"The Five W's" - November 12, 2021

[Gman]

At sea. I've had a couple of interesting ideas, but they led nowhere. Perhaps Mr. Shenk decided that Mr. Gaffney was getting too much credit for being an evil genius and decided to show us muggles who's really the mastermind?

[Al Sisti]

The crowd suggests it's far more hip
To stay with Isaac in the ship
Than crash through surf and coral for
That overrated bar ashore.
I'm in the ship with Isaac too.
I've drunk so much, there's double you.

This was brilliant!

[Wendy Walker]

Friends, this afternoon's Zoom Group Solve, although great fun, proved pretty much fruitless in terms of meta solving. We decided to break for supper and much-needed brain rest and will reconvene at 1 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow (Saturday). Please join us! Just click on the Muggle Zoom Room icon at the top of this page. And if you are one of the elite who have already solved, you can still be on the call as a silent observer. See you then!

[zach]

I would just like to point out that Taylor Swift re-released her album “Red” today, and there’s a lyric on the eponymous song that really resonated with me:

…like trying to solve a crossword
And realizing there's no right answer

Coincidence?

[auee89]

Friends, this afternoon's Zoom Group Solve, although great fun, proved pretty much fruitless in terms of meta solving. We decided to break for supper and much-needed brain rest and will reconvene at 1 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow (Saturday). Please join us! Just click on the Muggle Zoom Room icon at the top of this page. And if you are one of the elite who have already solved, you can still be on the call as a silent observer. See you then!

Oh, dear! That's saying something if this group couldn't make headway to the shore. I was down and out today with flu-like symptoms after getting my second shingles vaccine yesterday. It's a doozy. Just like this puzzle!

[Joepickett]

Friends, this afternoon's Zoom Group Solve, although great fun, proved pretty much fruitless in terms of meta solving. We decided to break for supper and much-needed brain rest and will reconvene at 1 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow (Saturday). Please join us! Just click on the Muggle Zoom Room icon at the top of this page. And if you are one of the elite who have already solved, you can still be on the call as a silent observer. See you then!

Wait what? What Mugglr Zoom Room icon?

[flyingMoose]

Friends, this afternoon's Zoom Group Solve, although great fun, proved pretty much fruitless in terms of meta solving. We decided to break for supper and much-needed brain rest and will reconvene at 1 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow (Saturday). Please join us! Just click on the Muggle Zoom Room icon at the top of this page. And if you are one of the elite who have already solved, you can still be on the call as a silent observer. See you then!

Wait what? What Mugglr Zoom Room icon?

The Camera on the top line of the page - the rightmost icon of those on the left of the line.

[JeanneC]

Got my COVID booster yesterday and then printed out and started the puzzle (better than getting a lollipop for being such a brave girl)!

Grid is done but like many I’m in the “Wha?” stage of the meta. But it’s all good.

A belated thank you to veterans like my dad and grand dads.

[Bob cruise director]

Friends, this afternoon's Zoom Group Solve, although great fun, proved pretty much fruitless in terms of meta solving. We decided to break for supper and much-needed brain rest and will reconvene at 1 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow (Saturday). Please join us! Just click on the Muggle Zoom Room icon at the top of this page. And if you are one of the elite who have already solved, you can still be on the call as a silent observer. See you then!

Oh, dear! That's saying something if this group couldn't make headway to the shore. I was down and out today with flu-like symptoms after getting my second shingles vaccine yesterday. It's a doozy. Just like this puzzle!

It gets even worse. We had some rabbit holes that we were told were warm but so far no cigar. We are convening tomorrow at 1 PM EST.

[Bob cruise director]

Friends, this afternoon's Zoom Group Solve, although great fun, proved pretty much fruitless in terms of meta solving. We decided to break for supper and much-needed brain rest and will reconvene at 1 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow (Saturday). Please join us! Just click on the Muggle Zoom Room icon at the top of this page. And if you are one of the elite who have already solved, you can still be on the call as a silent observer. See you then!

Or a silent laugher chuckling at our foibles.

[BrennerTJ]

Ashore 🏖.

[Bob cruise director]

Friday night and the lights are low from our favorite crossword group -

If you liked the stats for the last two weeks, you will love this week. So far 38 on the ship and only 12 on the shore - many with either coast guard help.

[billkatz]

I have made it to shore!

[boharr]

At this point, I am virtually certain I’m going to go a second week in a row without coming anywhere near to salt in the meta. For those who are lamenting the string of very difficult metas, myself included, I think we should all hearken back to earlier in the year when the meta tutorial was being developed. I seem to recall an awful lot of complaints about a series of too-easy metas. It is now our comeuppance!!!!!

Stay well all.

My W is wine. More please, Isaac!

Unfortunately I suspect that this string of difficult ones will drive away those who were attracted by the easy ones...

You can check-out any time you like,/But you can never leave!

[LadyBird]

I first thought of whimsy when I saw this. Then Isaac. And now myself answering "I dunno" to the question of what's the meta answer!

[Joepickett]

Friends, this afternoon's Zoom Group Solve, although great fun, proved pretty much fruitless in terms of meta solving. We decided to break for supper and much-needed brain rest and will reconvene at 1 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow (Saturday). Please join us! Just click on the Muggle Zoom Room icon at the top of this page. And if you are one of the elite who have already solved, you can still be on the call as a silent observer. See you then!

Wait what? What Mugglr Zoom Room icon?

The Camera on the top line of the page - the rightmost icon of those on the left of the line.

Oh I have to turn my phone sideways to see that. Otherwise it doesn't show up. Thanks.

Or I see it under the hamburger menu. Never looked there before.

[woozy]

Well, I got way tooooo much of a nudge to submit.

It's doable and utterly fair but you have to have one brainflash that requires thinking waaaaaay outside the box. I never would have thought it.

[sharkicicles]

Friends, this afternoon's Zoom Group Solve, although great fun, proved pretty much fruitless in terms of meta solving. We decided to break for supper and much-needed brain rest and will reconvene at 1 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow (Saturday). Please join us! Just click on the Muggle Zoom Room icon at the top of this page. And if you are one of the elite who have already solved, you can still be on the call as a silent observer. See you then!

Or a silent laugher chuckling at our foibles.

I hope I wasn’t either too much of a hinter or too much of a gloater Fridays just usually work better than Tuesdays for me.

[Abide]

Well, I had a decent amount of this worked out but did rely on a slight nudge to get to shore. To be honest, I found this one pretty unsatisfying/ not very crisp.

[Joe Ross]

Well, I had a decent amount of this worked out but did rely on a slight nudge to get to shore. To be honest, I found this one pretty unsatisfying/ not very crisp.

Disagree. So simple* it's brilliant.


* "Simple" does not mean "easy."