"The Woman in White" February 17, 2023

[aaugusti]

Not bragging (ok I’m bragging) but I just got the email that I am the winner for this weeks contest. There were over 2,450 entries this week.

Made my day.

[MaineMarge]

Instead of just writing about my favorite rabbit hole this week, I decided to try to turn it into another meta.

https://crosshare.org/crosswords/MEXu1x ... sj-contest

Well that was fun, @BarbaraK !
Great job

[Bob cruise director]

Not bragging (ok I’m bragging) but I just got the email that I am the winner for this weeks contest. There were over 2,450 entries this week.

Made my day.

@aaugusti Congratulations. When the mug comes, we expect a family picture. And who gets the credit - you or Kasia?

[BarbaraK]

Not bragging (ok I’m bragging) but I just got the email that I am the winner for this weeks contest. There were over 2,450 entries this week.

Made my day.

Woo hoo!! Congratulations!

[aaugusti]

Not bragging (ok I’m bragging) but I just got the email that I am the winner for this weeks contest. There were over 2,450 entries this week.

Made my day.

@aaugusti Congratulations. When the mug comes, we expect a family picture. And who gets the credit - you or Kasia?

It was truly a team effort. I start the grid, then pass it off to her. She usually gets most of it from there and we jointly finish it off.

She saw the four names in the theme, and I immediately said “those are 1st ladies“ and being a history major in college knew who the corresponding presidents were. My first inkling was to take the number of the president and put the rest together.

I will say that Aria is excited that daddy’s name will be in the newspaper.

[Jeffrey]

Would have admired this meta even more if the letter in numbered square 16 were an “M” as opposed to a “V”.

[BarbaraK]

Would have admired this meta even more if the letter in numbered square 16 were an “M” as opposed to a “V”.

Why an M? Her middle name was Virginia

[Bird Lives]

Instead of just writing about my favorite rabbit hole this week, I decided to try to turn it into another meta.

I’ve been experimenting a bit with making crosswords. So far they haven’t been good enough to share. And honestly this one isn’t either. I should have either tossed it or taken more time to work on the rough spots and get help from an experienced constructor. But by then it would have been ancient history, so here it is.

https://crosshare.org/crosswords/MEXu1x ... sj-contest

Apologies for the ugly spots. I won’t be offended if you just hit reveal there or anywhere.

The puzzle rises to the occasion and goes the WSJ a step better. The MMM awaits your subsequent efforts.

[CopperRiver]

Not bragging (ok I’m bragging) but I just got the email that I am the winner for this weeks contest. There were over 2,450 entries this week.

Made my day.

Congratulations!

[The XWord Rabbit]

Mr. Shenk’s “The Woman in White” puzzle was pretty straightforward. The first names of four US First Ladies were found among the anchor across entries. From there it was a matter of associating each with the number of their husband’s presidency and in order of their appearance in the puzzle, 37-34-40-43, making note of the letters in those squares: B-E-S-S (Truman).

Rabbit holes? Very few, actually. Some Muggles took a long look at the maiden names of the women involved…or their political party… or the “every-third-President” sequence. Still, by and large, life was pretty boring for your Rabbit this week. No nominees … and you know what that means … it means the Rabbit must dig deep into his files of nostalgia for something to fill the gap.

Will it be another Carmen Miranda video? That would be the easy way out for your Rabbit.

Instead, how about this? It’s one of the greatest pranks ever perpetrated on television viewers. Originally broadcast for the BBC in 1957 this short documentary was first introduced to American audiences by Jack Paar (remember him?). What does that have to do with First Ladies, you ask? Absolutely nothing, but it’s funny and entertaining – and that’s good enough for Your Rabbit.
Enjoy! Until next week, then.

[SewYoung]

Instead of just writing about my favorite rabbit hole this week, I decided to try to turn it into another meta.

I’ve been experimenting a bit with making crosswords. So far they haven’t been good enough to share. And honestly this one isn’t either. I should have either tossed it or taken more time to work on the rough spots and get help from an experienced constructor. But by then it would have been ancient history, so here it is.

https://crosshare.org/crosswords/MEXu1x ... sj-contest

Apologies for the ugly spots. I won’t be offended if you just hit reveal there or anywhere.

The puzzle rises to the occasion and goes the WSJ a step better. The MMM awaits your subsequent efforts.

O.K. I just worked the grid on Crosshare. Now; how do I go back and look at it to study and see if I can solve the meta? As soon as I competed the grid, it disappeared.

[BarbaraK]

Instead of just writing about my favorite rabbit hole this week, I decided to try to turn it into another meta.

I’ve been experimenting a bit with making crosswords. So far they haven’t been good enough to share. And honestly this one isn’t either. I should have either tossed it or taken more time to work on the rough spots and get help from an experienced constructor. But by then it would have been ancient history, so here it is.

https://crosshare.org/crosswords/MEXu1x ... sj-contest

Apologies for the ugly spots. I won’t be offended if you just hit reveal there or anywhere.

The puzzle rises to the occasion and goes the WSJ a step better. The MMM awaits your subsequent efforts.

O.K. I just worked the grid on Crosshare. Now; how do I go back and look at it to study and see if I can solve the meta? As soon as I competed the grid, it disappeared.

The big X in the top right corner will take you back to your completed grid. And from there, the speech bubble icon will bring back the submission form.

[mheberlingx100]

I view my weekly expectation of an email informing me that I’ve won the mug the same way Samuel Johnson viewed remarriage— the triumph of hope over experience.

[Bob cruise director]

Not bragging (ok I’m bragging) but I just got the email that I am the winner for this weeks contest. There were over 2,450 entries this week.

Made my day.

@aaugusti Congratulations. When the mug comes, we expect a family picture. And who gets the credit - you or Kasia?

It was truly a team effort. I start the grid, then pass it off to her. She usually gets most of it from there and we jointly finish it off.

She saw the four names in the theme, and I immediately said “those are 1st ladies“ and being a history major in college knew who the corresponding presidents were. My first inkling was to take the number of the president and put the rest together.

I will say that Aria is excited that daddy’s name will be in the newspaper.

@aaugusti I can see that mug going into school for show and tell when you get it.

[SewYoung]

Re: Spaghetti Harvest video... I bought a bottle of Praline Flavored Maple Syrup and the list of ingredients included "Natural Praline Flavor" I sent a message to the "Garden Mama" which is a radio program in Mississippi that answers gardening questions asking how to grow Pralines. I had no idea that they occurred in nature! I want to grow some. If I get a good harvest, I could be rich...

[MikeMillerwsj]

The contest answer is BESS TRUMAN. The four longest Across answers end with the first names of first ladies: PAT Nixon, MAMIE Eisenhower, NANCY Reagan, LAURA Bush. As suggested by the clue for MARY (“Lincoln, who was wife of the 16th president”), the letters in the grid squares numbered with the numbers of the respective presidents, in order, spell the first name of the contest answer.

​A big Presidents' Weekend turnout: We had 2452 entries, about 58% correct (plus another 109 that were arguably close enough, with BESS).

​Lots of other first ladies in the answer box, starting with BARBARA BUSH, with 203. Plus LOU HOOVER (87), BETTY FORD (79), ELEANOR ROOSEVELT (27), MARTHA WASHINGTON (20) and JILL BIDEN (16), among several others. Plus entries from outside the White House included CLARA BARTON (22) and MARILYN MONROE (not James's wife, 10). ​

Congratulations to this week's winner--a Muggle, as noted above: Drew Augustine of Northville, Mich.!

[Sleepy]

Just curious, would “Elizabeth Virginia Truman” been an acceptable answer as well? And how about “Bess V Truman” also, since the “V” was in box 16?

[woozy]

Oh... it was presidents day?

[OliviaL]

On shore! It’s been awhile since I’ve had a chance to solve so I owe you all an update on our travels. My husband, our dog and I finally made it to the “end of the world” after one year driving from the Georgia, USA to Ushuaia, Argentina!! We are in Buenos Aires now enjoying a month of down time before we head back to the states and back to reality…

@OliviaL what an awesome adventure! I was just in Ushuaia 2 weeks ago but I went via cruise ship headed for Antarctica! We took a tour to the end of the world/Pan American Hwy aka Rte. #3 ( see photo) and my husband commented how he would like to drive it all from Alaska to Ushuaia! Probably never going to happen but we loved seeing your photo! Enjoy Buenos Aires ( loved it —that was the end of our cruise then we flew back to ATL) . Safe travels!

We took a picture at that same sign! Small world. Antarctica would be a dream. We couldn’t do it this time around since we have our dog with us, but hopefully one day..! I bet you both had a blast.

[OliviaL]

On shore! It’s been awhile since I’ve had a chance to solve so I owe you all an update on our travels. My husband, our dog and I finally made it to the “end of the world” after one year driving from the Georgia, USA to Ushuaia, Argentina!! We are in Buenos Aires now enjoying a month of down time before we head back to the states and back to reality…

@OliviaL - two things - make sure that you have a steak down by the waterfront in Buenos Aires. Best steak I have ever had and it puts Texas to shame. Also did you play golf at the most southernly golf course in the world outside Ushuaia?

We have been in steak heaven. We will have to do our final celebratory meal by the waterfront. Thanks for the recommendation! We missed the most southernly golf course, but we did get some good hikes in!