"You Don't Say" - January 21, 2022

[wildjed]

On shore!
Irish coffee for me, Issac. Still early out here in the PNW

[zacmoretz]

Hi folks, I have not been on the forum or doing the crossword for a while because it was just taking way too much time out of my weekend. But I’ve been wanting to ask, and I feel pretty sure it is a question that many would like to ask, how is it physically possible to solve the puzzle, even an easy one, in 11 minutes? I don’t understand how one could open/download/print the puzzle and fill in sufficient answers, even if one already knew every single grid answer, to get the contest answer in only 11 minutes of time. I do not see how it is physically possible to fill in the answers in only 11 minutes, or 20 for that matter. I would love to hear some explanations about how you quick solvers are able to accomplish what seems like an impossible feat. Thanks y’all.

[woozy]

Hi folks, I have not been on the forum or doing the crossword for a while because it was just taking way too much time out of my weekend. But I’ve been wanting to ask, and I feel pretty sure it is a question that many would like to ask, how is it physically possible to solve the puzzle, even an easy one, in 11 minutes? I don’t understand how one could open/download/print the puzzle and fill in sufficient answers, even if one already knew every single grid answer, to get the contest answer in only 11 minutes of time. I do not see how it is physically possible to fill in the answers in only 11 minutes, or 20 for that matter. I would love to hear some explanations about how you quick solvers are able to accomplish what seems like an impossible feat. Thanks y’all.

Well, this one *was* easy. Once you get the grid a clever person can know what the mechanism instantly and do it in 15 seconds. As for doing a grid in 10 minutes. That's beyond my average (I actually dislike speed solving) but certainly conceivable. I actually got the mechanism before completing the grid (there were some entries I couldn't get) and used the mechanism to complete the grid.

But 11 minutes is not common. I haven't really been paying attention but I think the average time for first submission is usually over 20 minutes. Bearing in mind that *one* person *that* week was the most lucky and cleverest of several hundred for *that* week it's not surprising it will occur.

[hunkra]

I’m ashore! Can’t decide what to drink…
What’s the most topical drink in existence that will make this freezing day fade to the background?

Sex on the Beach?

[Flying_Burrito]

Zacmoretz, the record for completing a Rubik's cube blindfolded is 16 seconds. After seeing that I stopped questioning anything that seems impossible to me...

P.S. Ashore means you solved the meta, not the entire grid

[mitchel674]

On shore with a new word!

[Rad26]

Ashore.

[Mister Squawk]

I do not see how it is physically possible to fill in the answers in only 11 minutes, or 20 for that matter. I would love to hear some explanations about how you quick solvers are able to accomplish what seems like an impossible feat. Thanks y’all.

Mostly (but not this week!), I can solve the WSJ Friday grid as fast as I can write (I always print it on paper after obsessively refreshing my browser starting at 3:59 until it drops). Once in a blue moon, I get the meta quickly, but usually it's a slog.

I do the WSJ puzzle every day, and the NYT Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In my experience, the more puzzles you do, the easier they are.

[C=64]

I do not see how it is physically possible to fill in the answers in only 11 minutes, or 20 for that matter.

I do the WSJ puzzle every day, and the NYT Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In my experience, the more puzzles you do, the easier they are.

Echoing this, you gain more experience by doing more puzzles. Practice doesn't make perfect, but practice does make better. I started doing crosswords regularly about 10 years ago; I could do the easier (Mon/Tue/Wed) NYT puzzles but really struggled with Thu/Fri/Sat. Eventually, I got used to the tricky clues and unwittingly learned the crosswordese, and now Mon/Tue/Wed puzzles aren't a challenge. (Another Muggle has said that easy puzzles are a tedious chore, like filling out forms.)

Sometimes you're on the constructor's wavelength and see the meta mechanism easily. Other times, you notice a hint or an oddity that you wouldn't have noticed a year ago because you have more experience. And still other times, you just. don't. see it.

Disclaimer: Word puzzles happen to be my jam. I am a horrible chess player. I can't play the drums because I can't keep track of my hands and feet independently. I teach math but I stink at sudoku.

[Barney]

Our Sunday report a bit early.

First welcome to our newest muggle - magine. We now have 1130 muggles in our clan.

@Cbaudhuin and others have asked about how many people submit each week. I keep meticulous records, charts and stuff (my wife would say ODC) on the number on ship/shore as well as those who submit and the right answer percentage. A lot of others including @BarbaraK keep similar statistics and many other muggles keep their individual statistics.

The WSJ started the contest in September 2015. My records from the WSJ go back to April 2016 and the muggle statistics go back to April 2017.
Over that time, the average number of WSJ submissions has been 1253 with the percentage correct about 75%. Which is roughly 1000 correct answers. As you might expect there is a lot of variation in all the numbers.

The trend for WSJ submissions has been increasing over the years and now runs about 1800 submissions per week which brings the number of correct submissions over the last few months at about 1300-1400. Surprisingly the percentage correct has not changed that much over time but does jump around from week to week. For muggles the percentage on shore vs WSJ correct answers his increased to about 15%.

So if you are doing this expecting to win the mug, the odds are very slim. If you are doing it for enjoyment and the comradery of the group, you came to the right place.

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

This week we have 2 keeping Isaac company and 256 on the shore. We are close to our record of 265 on the shore so I will be including anyone who says that they are on shore up to midnight tonight.

making it to shore since yesterday are - and fear not - Isaac is setting up additional bars on the shore and sending in all sorts of libations.

czeemuggle
joequavis
Flying_Burrito
patpatchica
katnahat
regfish
Dennis
eagle1279
ZooAnimalsOnWheels
mindle
BreeZynCO
JAQT
Cbaudhein
TheDeej
davis178
Joseph B
JRS51
TheCatt
Janet P
mkmf
Natalie
flyingMoose
mangine
Littlegreycells

Now to find out who on the ship I am.

Once your wife sees that you claimed you were ODC, she will revoke your OCD status.

[Sara Dacus]

Nice to finally get one of these again without a whole lot of struggle!

[SusieG]

Made it to the beach for the first time in months

For just a little giggle you can find out which character from The Love Boat matches your personality -- I somehow got Isaac.

https://metv.com/quiz/quiz-which-love-b ... er-are-you

I rarely do these quizzes, but it was fun. I am Captain Stuebing…I guess because I liked Charo?

[Janet P]

Made it to the beach for the first time in months

For just a little giggle you can find out which character from The Love Boat matches your personality -- I somehow got Isaac.

https://metv.com/quiz/quiz-which-love-b ... er-are-you

Well I, for one, would never dignify this type of quiz by actually doing it! It's shear nonsense! Too silly for words! WAY beneath my level of stature in the community!

Oh, and I'm Captain Stubing.

I should've given the finger guns to get Isaac. Maybe next time...

Interestingly, I purposely didn't choose the finger guns. No idea what prompted the Isaac result!

[Janet P]

Our Sunday report a bit early.

First welcome to our newest muggle - magine. We now have 1130 muggles in our clan.

@Cbaudhuin and others have asked about how many people submit each week. I keep meticulous records, charts and stuff (my wife would say ODC) on the number on ship/shore as well as those who submit and the right answer percentage. A lot of others including @BarbaraK keep similar statistics and many other muggles keep their individual statistics.

. . .

Now to find out who on the ship I am.

Once your wife sees that you claimed you were ODC, she will revoke your OCD status.

Anyone who truly suffers from this cannot abide the acronym. It must be expressed as C-D-O which, quite obviously, must represent compulsively disordered organizers.

[pookie]

Bob said:
"We are close to our record of 265 on the shore so I will be including anyone who says that they are on shore up to midnight tonight."
Add one more for me.
On shore.

[ReB]

On shore.

I was floundering around for a little while when suddenly my feet touched sand and everything came together. Had a few chuckles, and I'm glad I didn't whiff this one.

[Jeffrey]

Hi folks, I have not been on the forum or doing the crossword for a while because it was just taking way too much time out of my weekend. But I’ve been wanting to ask, and I feel pretty sure it is a question that many would like to ask, how is it physically possible to solve the puzzle, even an easy one, in 11 minutes? I don’t understand how one could open/download/print the puzzle and fill in sufficient answers, even if one already knew every single grid answer, to get the contest answer in only 11 minutes of time. I do not see how it is physically possible to fill in the answers in only 11 minutes, or 20 for that matter. I would love to hear some explanations about how you quick solvers are able to accomplish what seems like an impossible feat. Thanks y’all.

There are some very bright, intelligent, dedicated, and competitive solvers on this forum. I am in awe of their skills. But what i admire even more is that they have built this site into such a fun, interesting, and inviting place. It truly represents the best of what the internet can be. While i do heartily partake in the "Quest For The Mug" - it's even more fun when on Sunday afternoon the discussion has evolved to topics such as the history of slide rulers, the morality of nudges, or what your love boat personality may be. What a hoot!

I enjoy casually working the puzzle in my print edition of the Journal each Friday, hopefully reaching shore by Sunday evening, and checking out the muggles' forum in between. When i set the alarm clock for 11:55 pm Sunday night, my wife taunts me with "must've been a hard one this week". Now i can just tell her that i wanted to get a jump on the next day's Wordle.

Keep in mind... regardless of whether you solve at 4:15 Thurs afternoon or 11:30 Sun night, your chances of winning the mug remain pretty much nil. There's always next week.

Smiles to all.

[SewYoung]

Bob said:
"We are close to our record of 265 on the shore so I will be including anyone who says that they are on shore up to midnight tonight."
Add one more for me.
On shore.

I think you missed me. I think I posted, but maybe it didn't go through. anyhow, I am on shore.

[Inca]

To help you reach a record, letting you know that I have solved this week's meta as well

[MaineMarge]

For just a little giggle you can find out which character from The Love Boat matches your personality -- I somehow got Isaac.

https://metv.com/quiz/quiz-which-love-b ... er-are-you

Vicki here