#18 - "Triple Deckers"

[Hector]

The answer to the metapuzzle is a kind of sandwich.

[Hector]

The meta for this one went quickishly for me (though the grid was difficult). Impressive construction.

[FrankieHeck]

Maybe I'm just hot and cranky, but this might be the first time I give up on a meta because I don't have the mental energy to fill in the grid.

[Hector]

Solving the meta actually helped me finish the grid.

[FrankieHeck]

Solving the meta actually helped me finish the grid.

Ok...I won't give up yet, then!

[Laura M]

I'm not optimistic... The grid took me 1.5 hours and there's still one or maybe two squares that I can't fill even with Google. And I'm drawing a complete blank on the meta. I've had a good few weeks, but about 1 in 4 PGW metas are just beyond me!

[Beth Tyrpin]

That grid was a beast. Wish I had been as observant as Hector. I think PGW has us convinced it’ll be like a week five (or more) meta and we’re making some of these harder than they should be to solve. This time I’d say do not give up. You can get this one.

[Meg]

Tough grid!! I guess I have the meta, though I have this feeling there was more to it.....

[ChrisKochmanski]

Tough grid indeed! And I too am still unsure of a couple of letters. I've now set it aside, and will look at the meta later today. No good ideas jumped out immediately.

[Al Sisti]

Day 1: Grid done. Meta> Nothing...nothing....Day 2: nothing...nothing....nothing... Day 3, Nothing...nothing... do some chores... Okay, got a few minutes to kill before WSJ, so I guess I'll BAM! There it is!! Typical PGW, which means clever, elegant, clean, and...how did I not see that for two days??

[FrankieHeck]

Well, I finished the grid after two days. I'll see if I get the BAM.

[FrankieHeck]

*BAM*

I got a nudge yesterday, but still couldn't figure anything out. Pulled it out just now to give myself a break from the mgwcc, and it all just came together beautifully.

[Laura M]

Congrats, Frankie! I tried to give up on this after making no progress by Friday, but I still kept coming back to it over the weekend. Which makes it even sadder that I'm still exactly nowhere... Ah, well. It happens.

[ChrisKochmanski]

I'm with you, Laura. Still nowhere -- in spite of getting a healthy nudge!

[LesY]

A big congrats to those who have solved this one. I feel like I'm going to be kicking myself when I see the mechanism.

Can someone share a nudge with me thru PM? No shame in a group solve, esp. with no prizes other than personal pride!

[Hector]

A big congrats to those who have solved this one. I feel like I'm going to be kicking myself when I see the mechanism.

Can someone share a nudge with me thru PM? No shame in a group solve, esp. with no prizes other than personal pride!

Will do.

[ChrisKochmanski]

With one more nudge ... I got it!

Thanks again to my favorite nudger.

Good one. I advise sticking with it. Or teaming up with someone.

[LesY]

Got it! Thanks Hector and BrianMac! If I can ever return the favor please let me know.

It's funny how advice works better when you hear it from someone else instead of yourself (and obviously it also helps to know the advice works!).

Fascinated by my blind spot on this one - will share more after the deadline.

[Laura M]

Wow, that was great and I never came close! "Submarine" was actually my favorite last-ditch answer, but really only because it had nine letters, and I never could justify it. I really should have thought more about the prefix "sub." Kudos to PGW and to all who got this one!

[LesY]

My blind spot -- I've always had a strange mental block when it comes to prefixes and prepositions. For instance, to this day I'll sometimes write "for" instead of "from" and vice versa. Also had trouble with the prepositions WSJCC a few months ago.

In this case, I can't believe I listed out synonyms for all the themers and none of them started with sub- !

Great puzzle and congrats to all who solved solo!