"A Sail of Two Cities" - June 18, 2021

[JAQT]

On shore, after a bit of help!

This is an amazing place with wonderful people all around.

JAQT

[Bob cruise director]

Dragged onto shore. I actually had landed on a different beach and ready to order a Mai Tai when I was informed that I was on the wrong beach. Never in a million years would I have been able to reach the correct one without a tow. Definitely a 5 star in my books!

And I am definitely not submitting...except for my first answer. Am curious if anyone else followed the same incorrect path that I did!

You got caught in the Matt Gaffney Rip Current. Never fatal but puts you on the wrong beach very often.

[woozy]

Two days and nothing is coming.

I figure it *has* to do something with a third thing that's not otherwise accounted for but I just can't make it work.

Trouble with not getting it is I can't evaluate *if* I can't get it. Sometimes I want to declare I *can't* get it. But I can't know if I can't get it without knowing first what it is.

Okay, I won't submit and I'll take a nudge if anyone has one.

[DannyWalter]

I count this puzzle as diabolical. I was sailing right along, got out of one rabbit hole, and feel like I should be 100% to the point where the answer just falls out. But it doesn't. <Sigh>

Don't give up, never surrender and all that, but I won't have much time this evening. I will either be struck by a bolt from the blue, or more likely, not.

I am quite sure I will be impressed by the answer.

[SReh26]

I count this puzzle as diabolical. I was sailing right along, got out of one rabbit hole, and feel like I should be 100% to the point where the answer just falls out. But it doesn't. <Sigh>

Don't give up, never surrender and all that, but I won't have much time this evening. I will either be struck by a bolt from the blue, or more likely, not.

I am quite sure I will be impressed by the answer.

bolt from the blue, hope so!

[LadyBird]

Happy Father's Day to all the dads and grandpa's here in the Land of Muggles (or the Sea of Muggles).

[KscX]

I’m ashore with proof of my initial guess and some well-crafted yet vague nudges so I’ll submit. But REALLY? Sheesh. Definitely one to put in the old arsenal of tricks. Thanks to y’all know who you ares.

[JeanneC]

On shore. The Hail Mary of last night still looked pretty good to me this morning so I submitted it.
Looking forward to the follow up comments from my fellow muggles on this one.

[Flying_Burrito]

This one got me stumped (again). The first pass was easy, but after that all I got is a bunch of pages filled with crazy combinations that would qualify me for a stunt man role for John Nash in "Beautiful Mind". Hopefully the merlot noir for Father's Day dinner will allow me to 'gel' it all together.
Here's to all the dads (and more importantly supportive wives):

[SReh26]

On shore, after a bit of help!

This is an amazing place with wonderful people all around.

JAQT

I’ll say - with all these smart, interesting and accomplished folks in one place, I wouldn’t mind seeing a Confused Muggle or Junior Muggle advice column in the Acapulco Lounge. Or a Council of Muggles / Oracle of Muggle post. Or a topic with Muggles from a certain field, like Engineering or IT

The Retirement discussion in the Lounge is a good indication of the wonderful insights Muggles can bring to topics even outside the Meta!

[JaneGummy]

On shore, but I needed a LOT of "course correction" assistance this week. That said, I definitely see that I'm getting better at analytically or intrinsically "getting it". Just cuz I didn't solve on my own this week doesn't mean I was an utter failure, that's my story.... And I'm sticking with it

Cuteness

This week's cuteness, maybe one reason I'm distracted

And of course, I will not submit, tho last week I was so excited to solve on my own, I forgot to submit. Who needs another mug

[Joe Ross]

On shore, after a bit of help!

This is an amazing place with wonderful people all around.

JAQT

I’ll say - with all these smart, interesting and accomplished folks in one place, I wouldn’t mind seeing a Confused Muggle or Junior Muggle advice column in the Acapulco Lounge. Or a Council of Muggles / Oracle of Muggle post. Or a topic with Muggles from a certain field, like Engineering or IT

The Retirement discussion in the Lounge is a good indication of the wonderful insights Muggles can bring to topics even outside the Meta!

You start putting muggles on pedestals & this self-effacing crowd starts climbing down. I doubt any muggle is in it for the praise, which most (I know of none, but veer from the absolute) eschew. You have a great idea, but it needs some discreet marketing & a humbler masthead.

[Prozach]

On the Shore, barely.

[b4alltime]

Finally ! Once again onshore too late for all but the lamest of side trips. Broke the mental barrier while bicycling with my favorite person, but had already gotten into the grumpy stage by then.
Hope everyone has a good week.
Jim

[Ann]

Well, I think this puzzle has gotten the best of me. My husband, who usually merely feigns interest in the solution, is currently sitting at the table making all kinds of notes in an effort to figure it out. Props to all you smarties who reached the shore!

[MaineMarge]

Ashore here on the sandbar. I thought that was a good suggestion to beach yourself here if you got a Muggle nudgie.
Alas there will be no joy in Mugsville at my house- it took the bucket brigade to get me this far.
My solving partner and I got to the harbor, but it took a seasoned tug captain to show us where to dock. Thanks, Capt. Joe.
Great meta, Matt.
This gal is here in sympatico with me

White Sands peony and her friend Scarlett O’Hara. Oh, well. Tomorrow is another day.

[Franklin.Bluth]

Beached here on the sandbar, per the new Muggle nudgie rules.

What are the new nudge rules?

[SReh26]

Beached here on the sandbar, per the new Muggle nudgie rules.

What are the new nudge rules?

they aren’t official- the remark was tongue in cheek I believe. someone proposed a sandbar. but any new nudge rules would require full notice and comment rulemaking under the Administrative Procedures Act.

[femullen]

I'm looking at 3.5 stars from Muggles raters and thinking this is way harder than I thought it was going to be when steps 1 and 2 fell into place quickly. Got a feeling that tomorrow morning I'll once again be saying, "I'd have never thought of that. "

[rosiegirl]

I'm looking at 3.5 stars from Muggles raters and thinking this is way harder than I thought it was going to be when steps 1 and 2 fell into place quickly. Got a feeling that tomorrow morning I'll once again be saying, "I'd have never thought of that. "

The advantage of living on the west coast....I can see the answer at 9 pm. And I agree with you...this is definitely a 5 star puzzle.