"Don't Overthink It!"

[Darth]

So you're telling me NOT to think about that elephant on the couch!?... What elephant?...
(...but I'm still on the couch )

[HeadinHome]

OH for Pete’s sake - got it. I missed one thing because I was using a neighbor thing that wasn’t a thing. Cute puzzle, and exactly the mechanism I thought it was going to be all along (but didn’t work cuz I had one wrong thing). Thanks Muggles - you are amazing! I wish I had been in on the fun… I have been so bound up with work, and now I have a weekly meeting on Tuesday nights that will keep me off the zoom except around holidays and such (or when the meeting gets canceled, which happens). Enjoyed being on the receiving end of this!

[hoover]

I am SERIOUSLY overthinking this because I don't see anything here.

[Qmark]

Off the couch. A fun group puzzle...thanks!

[MaineMarge]

So you're telling me NOT to think about that elephant on the couch!?... What elephant?...
(...but I'm still on the couch )

I’m with you, @Darth, still on the couch. Under the elephant.

[Darth]

Well, @MaineMarge I'm off the couch! I just needed to sleep on it... the meta, not the couch... and certainly not the elephant!

[Way to go, Zoom team! Ya'll rock! ]

[bhamren]

Unconfirmed but definitely off the couch. Very clever. Before starting I knew where to look for the answer, and there it was.
The answer makes it even more clever.

[Dplass]

Unconfirmed but definitely off the couch. Very clever. Before starting I knew where to look for the answer, and there it was.
The answer makes it even more clever.

"Before starting I knew where to look for the answer" that makes me feel even stupiderrer.

[MaineMarge]

Unconfirmed, but definitely OTC.
FANTASTIC! We’re FANS, so please do it again, Sam.

Couch is all yours Elephant.
Thanks @Darth.

[ZooAnimalsOnWheels]

I decided to check it out after seeing Barbara's prompt on the WSJ Meta page, and I'm off the couch! Clever construction and fun,; thank you Tuesday Muggle Zoom Roomers!

[MikeyG]

This reminds me, perhaps in a left-of-center way, of the famed April 1 exercise from elementary school - like 4th or 5th grade. Here's a sample of one:



(For the record, I didn't pass it then - and might not pass it now!)

I feel like what to do in this puzzle is the either the most obvious thing or the most clever thing or that there is some really cool trick, but nothing is coming as of yet! (Maybe spinning some 18-A albums will help!)

I will say that there is something kind of fun (seriously!) about that feeling. It's this feeling of bewilderment before all the pieces click into place, where you're like, "What am I missing? What's escaping me?" Sometimes, posting helps - sometimes that feeling is necessary for elucidation.

Sometimes, who knows, haha.

[Joe Ross]

First, I think we need to do this 2 or3 times a year. A date should be set when this puzzle is revealed for the next Tuesday Night Zoom MMM Confab.

Second, a bit about how it started: Somebody, I forget who, mentioned this as being a good idea for a meta. Within 5 minutes Will Pfadenhauer, @AnswerPfinder, banged out a skeleton grid for the theme entries. Abra-Cadabra, indeed! POOF! Then Bob Brylawski, @ReB, made a great suggestion for the title, which changed the grid & used up another 5 minutes of Will's incredible brain power to rearrange. Portions of the grid were assigned to muggles in attendance & all were to offer clues for some common entries. I wasn't involved in the editing - handled by @MarkWoychick, Jay @Bird Lives, & @DrTom - which was made much more difficult in using at least a clue or two from all. The editors did the hard work, with Peter @Abide keeping it all together. A final polish of the clues by @Wendy Walker for grammar & panache and we had a puzzle to publish.

Third, I encourage any group of muggles to co-publish future MMMs.

I, for one, enjoyed the process & appreciated everyone's efforts. I may have some facts missing, for which I apologize & welcome corrections.

[DavyGravy]

OFF THE COUCH! Thank you fellow muggles for a nice "brain drain!" Do I submit the answer somewhere?

[Dplass]

This reminds me, perhaps in a left-of-center way, of the famed April 1 exercise from elementary school - like 4th or 5th grade. Here's a sample of one:



(For the record, I didn't pass it then - and might not pass it now!)

I feel like what to do in this puzzle is the either the most obvious thing or the most clever thing or that there is some really cool trick, but nothing is coming as of yet! (Maybe spinning some 18-A albums will help!)

I will say that there is something kind of fun (seriously!) about that feeling. It's this feeling of bewilderment before all the pieces click into place, where you're like, "What am I missing? What's escaping me?" Sometimes, posting helps - sometimes that feeling is necessary for elucidation.

Sometimes, who knows, haha.

"I will say that there is something kind of fun (seriously!) about that feeling. It's this feeling of bewilderment before all the pieces click into place, where you're like, "What am I missing? What's escaping me?" Sometimes, posting helps - sometimes that feeling is necessary for elucidation."

You and are could not be more different, Mikey... the feeling of not knowing what to do slowly boils my blood and feeds my self-insecurity.

[AaronT]

Got it! Stared at it for a loooong time (each “o” represents about 15 minutes) last night and got nowhere. Pulled it up today and boom (each “o” here represents about 15 seconds)!

[minimuggle]

Still on the couch, definitely overthinking it. May need the nudges.... or maybe it will come to me during the Willy Nelson concert tonight:).

[Scott M]

OTC. A bit of a relief since I'm floundering and flailing at the Friday puzzles of late.

[lbray53]

Off the Couch! I managed to come up with several variations of what eventually proved to be the correct mechanism. I had a VERY difficult time escaping from one particular rabbit hole.

Great puzzle. I had to "think it over" to truly appreciate it.

[whimsy]

Thanks so much -- and SUPER job! -- to all my colorful friends!

[Abide]

TUESDAY NIGHT LEADERBOARD

A few more to add, a few more still overthinking it. But fear not, Nudge Wednesday begins in 12 hours.

21. HeadinHome
22. Qmark
23. Jeremy Smith
24. Darth
25. Zonkswonk
26. Johnny Luau
27. Alvibu67
28. whimsy
29. lbray53
30. bhamren
31. Maine Marge
32. Dplass
33. Aaron T