A place to discuss the weekly Wall Street Journal Crossword Puzzle Contest, starting every Thursday around 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Please do not post any answers or hints before the contest deadline which is midnight Sunday Eastern time.
pjc wrote: ↑Mon Jul 11, 2022 8:11 am
I spent too much time trying to do a 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 countdown through the long answers. If you take the first B as a starting point, then count 10 letters to the next letter, then 9, then 8, you end up at 1 at the very last letter of the final long answer. How could that be a coincidence? Sigh.
And I played with LIFTOFF, assuming that something had to be removed somewhere. That got nowhere, too.
I did notice very early on that the four long answers had three words each, but it wasn't until Friday night that I made the '3, 2, 1' connection with the three words per answer structure.
On to Thursday!
I too, started counting down from 10. Especially with the 10's hidden in idIOt, tIO, rIO, and lIOn (Oxford comma users rejoice). Did both backwards and forwards. Also looked at first letters of the first 10 down clues. Nada
Finally went back to the 3..2..1 clue and my first instinct and it just clicked.
If I'm around, I am willing to join the Muggle Zoom room at other times to lend a hand to those in need.
iggystan wrote: ↑Sun Jul 10, 2022 10:48 pm
I don’t know if I’m going to bother with these anymore; unless they come easily, I stew over them and I have better things to do. I don’t expect them all to be like last week’s, and maybe this week’s is just as easy for some, but not for me.
I can certainly relate to your frustration, as we have been there many times (as have most of us from time to time). However, each time we have been saved by the help and encouragement of this wonderful group! We try to take each week as a learning experience of new ways to look at the meta. Don't hesitate to communicate with other muggles. And, most of all, DON'T GIVE UP!
On the other hand, if you're not having fun, it's ok to give up.
There were, indeed, an astronomical number of rabbit holes to count here. I even played with that meaning of the prompt
I love astronomy! So I am a member of the Cloud Appreciation Society (who knew?)
Every day I receive an interesting sky/cloud photo, accompanied with a meteorological description or appropriate literary quote.
On Sunday, as we were driving back from my family reunion (and tring to solve the meta), we kept passing signs for the Uranus Fudge Factory:Find Uranus! Explore Uranus! Unfortunately, that didn't lead us to find OUTER PLANETS.
LadyBird wrote: ↑Tue Jul 12, 2022 8:49 am
On Sunday, as we were driving back from my family reunion (and tring to solve the meta), we kept passing signs for the Uranus Fudge Factory:Find Uranus! Explore Uranus! Unfortunately, that didn't lead us to find OUTER PLANETS.
Sounds like southwest Missouri. Been there. Good fudge.
DId anyone notice Blood ALCOHOL Test, The LITTLE Prince, NY Daily New and The JAZZ Singer? And each of those words could be clued with an alternative in the grid - Icewine, Toy, City and I forget the last one. If you took the first letter of the grid clues, you got ICBM which is kind of like maybe astronomical. We made it too hard for ourselves?
lxp wrote: ↑Tue Jul 12, 2022 11:27 pm
DId anyone notice Blood ALCOHOL Test, The LITTLE Prince, NY Daily New and The JAZZ Singer? And each of those words could be clued with an alternative in the grid - Icewine, Toy, City and I forget the last one. If you took the first letter of the grid clues, you got ICBM which is kind of like maybe astronomical. We made it too hard for ourselves?
Not this week for me, but in general, yup, been there, done that.
Welcome aboard!
If you want help with a meta, feel free to PM me. The more specific you are about what you have and what you want, the more likely I can help without spoiling.
(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 4:11 pm
The better hurry, I have a 5 pm haircut appointment. I will open the topic with some question marks and TBD's
Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 4:11 pm
The better hurry, I have a 5 pm haircut appointment. I will open the topic with some question marks and TBD's
You should plan your schedule better, LOL! No Thursday conflicts.
Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 4:11 pm
The better hurry, I have a 5 pm haircut appointment. I will open the topic with some question marks and TBD's
Don't they realize we are all out here??!!
Quivering with antici--------pation!
You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me. ~C.S. Lewis
