"Epiphany" January 6, 2023

[clonefitz]

Before realizing the correct mechanism, I was stuck for a while on all the AHAs in the grid. I realized that A-Ha was the one hit group that did "Take On Me", which has three words but didn't really fit as an answer. Then I saw the entry "ONME" in the grid, and thought that perhaps we need to "take" all of the "ON"s and "ME"s from the grid as a mechanism. There were several, but removing them did not provide any obvious path, so I abandoned that rabbit hole.

[pjc]

I was stuck for a while because in addition to the AHAs in the grid, there were other answers containing split AHAs (ALOHA) and the letters A, H and A (AARGH) that I thought might be part of the solution. But I finally snapped out of it to solve it.

And it was REALLY hard not to say "AHA!" in my description when I found the answer (much like it was difficult to not say "Happy New Year" last time).

This breaks my previous personal best streak of 7 - up to 8 now!

[femullen]

I was soooo eager to announce myself ashore, order a mai-tai, and say, "mahalo!" Alas, another for the Weren't-Gonna-Happen locker. Had to read the answer three or four times before I even understood it.

[Onaquest]

We’ve been hooked on Spelling Bee since the start of Covid but only recently discovered, to our absolute joy, that if you get every single word you become Queen Bee so that has become our daily target instead of just Genius. We’ve managed it twice.

Ashore!

My New Years gift to myself was a subscription to the NY Times Games. Oh my goodness. I thought it would be the crossword. But it's the Spelling Bee. Why do I love it so much?

[Hidden in 3D]

@clonefitz, great avatar!!

[Bob cruise director]

I guess we solvers with paper should stock up with legal size stock. Based on what was in my copy of the WSJ this morning, it looks like the format is going to be 8 1/2 X 14

[DannyWalter]

My new system is to stare at it for 5 minutes at a time, leave it alone, and come back later. Seems to be working. I saw OMAHA - OMS and MAHAN - MTN, figured that was worth digging into. The problem was I couldn't spell the cough syrup and guessed at Epifania so I had GLUM. Then I thought, if only that was GRIM it would work. And so it did!

[KayW]

Blew that one BIG time because I saw THREE WORD and read THREE LETTER so I figured this was a VERY easy start to the month and submitted AHA

@DrTom I was ALMOST there with you. Lucky for me, I glanced back at the prompt before submitting and said "wait, WHAT!? A 3 WORD phrase?!" (Hence my "don't forget the HAM" caution.)

It was quite a while before I could say "I SEE IT". Silly me, while I was stumped I even messaged proofreader extroardinaire @Wendy Walker to make sure SHE read the prompt properly. Of course she did. And - with a host of other muggles much smarter than me - she saw step two very quickly.

[Barney]

I guess you either figured out or someone pointed out the metanism.

I saw the six AHAs immediately, but not to remove them and find a grid match. (I probably had a lot more fun with Patrick Berry’s Rows Garden.)

Also, isn’t OMS a bit of an anOMoly‽

[Bill Bovard]

I guess we solvers with paper should stock up with legal size stock. Based on what was in my copy of the WSJ this morning, it looks like the format is going to be 8 1/2 X 14

Yes, I was wondering if that was it. My printer only goes to 11" but for Saturday puzzles I found a free program (Foxit) to print on two sheets, which I then tape together. I'll have to do that everyday or accept the slightly smaller grid on weekdays.

[Deb F]

Good morning, Muggles.

Does anyone do the daily WSJ Crossword? I am not a WSJ subscriber but have been able to do the crosswords and novelty puzzles. As of this morning, I can't get in, can't even download it. I'm getting the message "You've Run Out of Free Articles". Is anyone else having an issue?

[hcbirker]

Good morning, Muggles.

Does anyone do the daily WSJ Crossword? I am not a WSJ subscriber but have been able to do the crosswords and novelty puzzles. As of this morning, I can't get in, can't even download it. I'm getting the message "You've Run Out of Free Articles". Is anyone else having an issue?

I'm not a subscriber but I was able to print it out with no problem.

[jrdad]

I submitted I SEE IT, but I didn't like it. I got stuck with the the idea that it was the two letters that bracketed AHA could also be used to bracket another letter in the grid. This worked perfectly for HAHAS, MAHAL, and MAHAN. Then OMS kind of works, except the replacement letter ("S") wasn't in the middle. And then SERA and GRIM...

I never, never saw that it was the WORD that contained AHA not the ANSWER.

I had the same problem. I knew it must be 'I see it' but it took me a while to find a mechanism that allowed switching RPM for GRIM.

[HunterX]

[Flying_Burrito]

Good morning, Muggles.

Does anyone do the daily WSJ Crossword? I am not a WSJ subscriber but have been able to do the crosswords and novelty puzzles. As of this morning, I can't get in, can't even download it. I'm getting the message "You've Run Out of Free Articles". Is anyone else having an issue?

I'm not a subscriber but I was able to print it out with no problem.

https://www.wsj.com/news/puzzle
This link always provides the c/w for free

[MikeMillerwsj]

The contest answer is I SEE IT. Six grid answers consist of or end with a word containing AHA (HA-HAS, OMAHA, MAHAL, SAHARA, GRAHAM, MAHAN). Six other answers match those words if AHA is replaced with a single letter (HIS, OMS, MEL, SERA, GRIM, MTN). The replacement letters spell the contest answer.

So many meta layers this week--a puzzle on the date of Epiphany, about epiphanies, requiring an epiphany to solve.... We had 1,799 entries, with about 72% correct. A lot of guesses (81) for AHA MOMENT (close but not all the way there). Plus 61 for I GOT IT and 21 for I GET IT, and OH MY GOD (36), I FOUND IT (12) and several others.

Congrats to this week's winner: Colin McGuigan of Chicago!

[Deb F]

Good morning, Muggles.

Does anyone do the daily WSJ Crossword? I am not a WSJ subscriber but have been able to do the crosswords and novelty puzzles. As of this morning, I can't get in, can't even download it. I'm getting the message "You've Run Out of Free Articles". Is anyone else having an issue?

I'm not a subscriber but I was able to print it out with no problem.

https://www.wsj.com/news/puzzle
This link always provides the c/w for free

Thanks! This is the link I normally use and this is what I'm getting:

She’s Got It (Monday Crossword, January 9)
Jan. 9, 2023 12:01 am ET

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[Jace54]

I was stuck for a while because in addition to the AHAs in the grid, there were other answers containing split AHAs (ALOHA) and the letters A, H and A (AARGH) that I thought might be part of the solution. But I finally snapped out of it to solve it.

I briefly took that path and initially thought that the “lo” in aloha meant that the answer would be “lo and behold”. It did not take too long to realize there was no back solve to that answer.

[Guffman]

A HA.jpg

Bill Whitehead - the writer & artist of this cartoon - was a member of my staff
for most of his career at Hallmark.

[Deb F]

When all else fails, REBOOT. All is good. I was afraid there was a new firewall!


Have a good week, Muggles!