Big Trouble

[ChrisKochmanski]

Off the couch!

Got to this one late, finished the grid, stared off and on for quite some time, then got it, truly, in a flash. Meaning that I went from nothing to the answer in approximately one second. Crazy!

Happens that way sometimes.

[rjy]

Seems more like a Stickley couch to me… did enjoy the grid and the clueing, but that ain’t no IKEA couch…

Still noodling

[Darth]

Off the couch! Thanks, Jay!
One of my favorite stories.

[TeamDoubleTow]

Alex gets all the credit for solving this one! He needed to sleep on it but it came to him pretty quickly this morning. Loved the cluing. Thanks so much for the fun puzzle.

[Bird Lives]

At the end of Day One, forty solvers had left their respective and various couches. (If I’ve inadvertently left you off the roster below, please tell me.)
.

For those who remain baffled, nudges tomorrow.

[benchen71]

I remain well and truly baffled. Looking forward to those nudges!

[Eric Porter]

I'm going to need the nudges too. I don't see where to start. I spent a bit of time going down a rabbit hole related to a well-known story which is not the correct answer.

[bhamren]

Took another look and am off the couch. I laughed when I got it.

[Ergcat]

I'm going to need the nudges too. I don't see where to start. I spent a bit of time going down a rabbit hole related to a well-known story which is not the correct answer.

Me too! I don’t see where to start. Looking forward to a nudge

[KayW]

Add me to the list of those awaiting a nudge

[edestlin]

+1 Patiently awaiting nudges. Enjoyable grid, but stumped on where to get started.

[KayW]

Nudged off the couch. Nice one, Jay!

[benchen71]

Off the couch with a nudge. Nice one!

[Bird Lives]

On day two, five more solvers came in from the cold:

41. Teamdoubletow
42. bhamren
43. KayW
44. benchen71
45. Alvibu67

Perhaps those still not heard from are waiting for the nudges. If so, here they are in increasingorder of nudginess.

It’s all in the four themers — the 11-letter entries. Everything else is just fill.

The meta is a one-stepper. Once you see the gimmick (it barely qualifies as a mechanism), look no further

But where is the gimmick? The 1973 musical “Seesaw” had one hit song “It’s Not Where You Start, It’s Where You Finish.”{ https://www.youtube[dot]com/watch?v=88GNBzrhlZI] It applies here.


Or if you prefer The Bard to Broadway, there’s good ol’ Macbeth:
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time.

[Cap'n Rick]

That couch felt so comfortable that I needed to be nudged off. Good one, Jay!

[edestlin]

Oy. I was blind but now I see. Off the couch with nudges. Fun, except for my obstinate refusal to see mechanism. Thanks, Jay!

[Ergcat]

Off the couch after the nudges! Good one! Thank you, Jay!

[JeanneC]

Good one this week(actually every week).
Muggles owe these constructors a debt of gratitude. The more puzzles you do, the better you get at them.

[jhseeman]

I like @Cap'n Rick was far too comfortable and lazy on the couch. Required some nudges to get my sorry arse moving.

Thanks Jay.

[rjy]

Uggggghhh! Needed the nudges but still salvaged a groaning AHA out of the journey. Pretty great, Jay! Wished I had seen it on my own, but still a treat, thx!