Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 2:58 pm
I'm confident that I just found the shore, but I'm not a happy camper overall.
ALS
ALS
XWord Muggles Forum
A place to discuss the WSJ Weekly Crossword Contest and other "meta"-style crosswords
https://www.xword-muggles.com/
"Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Page 6 of 10
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 3:21 pm
I'd love to get this one, but so far I am LAS.
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 5:01 pm
After submitting I did realize there was more than one way to do so. Hope multiple variations will be acceptable! Will look forward to that discussion on Monday.
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 5:06 pm
AARRGGHH! I got through the grid no problem, I struggled through the theme answers with initial difficulty until I saw the light, but the last step WOW??? I am getting nothing that makes any sense, or at least nothing I don't have to interpret. I know that interpreting what is meant in the past has gotten me into real trouble so I am sitting at the bar ruminating and pulling my hair out (well that is rather figurative speech at this point but if I had any I would!). I'm following the usual association of numbers of theme answers with letters in answer but I cannot make them work at all.
I am wondering what this miraculous grid that was developed is? I have seen reference to it twice but nothing anywhere to tell me where to get it. I am grasping at straws here. I can't even find the kid whose raft I stole last week...selfish little devil.
I am wondering what this miraculous grid that was developed is? I have seen reference to it twice but nothing anywhere to tell me where to get it. I am grasping at straws here. I can't even find the kid whose raft I stole last week...selfish little devil.
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 5:29 pm
Done, but with gripes. Sure of the answer though.
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 6:17 pm
Have you highlighted everything relevant in the puzzle?DrTom wrote: ↑Sat Oct 26, 2019 5:06 pm AARRGGHH! I got through the grid no problem, I struggled through the theme answers with initial difficulty until I saw the light, but the last step WOW??? I am getting nothing that makes any sense, or at least nothing I don't have to interpret. I know that interpreting what is meant in the past has gotten me into real trouble so I am sitting at the bar ruminating and pulling my hair out (well that is rather figurative speech at this point but if I had any I would!). I'm following the usual association of numbers of theme answers with letters in answer but I cannot make them work at all.
I am wondering what this miraculous grid that was developed is? I have seen reference to it twice but nothing anywhere to tell me where to get it. I am grasping at straws here. I can't even find the kid whose raft I stole last week...selfish little devil.
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 10:15 pm
You'll have to count me lost at sea again.
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 10:15 pm
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 10:35 pm
If you are referring to the template that Joe Ross shared, it is Post #51 on Come Aboard > FAQs - Community (and quoted below.) I love Excel and redoing the puzzle by filling in the grid a second time and then being able to highlight/erase highlights and write comments....all neatly and quickly without printing did the trick for me.DrTom wrote: ↑Sat Oct 26, 2019 5:06 pm AARRGGHH! I got through the grid no problem, I struggled through the theme answers with initial difficulty until I saw the light, but the last step WOW??? I am getting nothing that makes any sense, or at least nothing I don't have to interpret. I know that interpreting what is meant in the past has gotten me into real trouble so I am sitting at the bar ruminating and pulling my hair out (well that is rather figurative speech at this point but if I had any I would!). I'm following the usual association of numbers of theme answers with letters in answer but I cannot make them work at all.
I am wondering what this miraculous grid that was developed is? I have seen reference to it twice but nothing anywhere to tell me where to get it. I am grasping at straws here. I can't even find the kid whose raft I stole last week...selfish little devil.
Joe Ross wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2019 4:12 pm Link to Friday, 10-25-19, TAKE A NUMBER WSJ Crossword Contest
Good luck, muggles!
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 10:36 pm
Whew! I managed to drag myself to the beach. My trip was much harder than it should have been, but at least there's a full day left of the weekend for celebrating (even with daylight savings).
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 11:31 pm
Marion and I are on land and after floundering, 100% sure! We shanked last week, and it's good to be ashore with the crowd again!
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2019 11:31 am
Our Sunday report is a little early as all motion to the shore has stopped for the last 24 hours. This week is almost identical to last week with 68 on the shore and 17 on the ship and relatively few comments.
Since Marge's garden is totally taken care of, we are organizing a bridge tournament in the bar this afternoon so we can keep an eye on the football games.
Since yesterday Janet P, Cynthia J, Janet, DrTom and Ann P have all emerged from hiding and are in the ship's bar.
And making it to one shore or another are
Barry
Beth C
Alan H
Jim and Anita
Orsys
ALS
Kris
Doug C
Arnold
Jud
Trey and Marion
and Juliet
maybe enlightenment will come this rainy afternoon.
Since Marge's garden is totally taken care of, we are organizing a bridge tournament in the bar this afternoon so we can keep an eye on the football games.
Since yesterday Janet P, Cynthia J, Janet, DrTom and Ann P have all emerged from hiding and are in the ship's bar.
And making it to one shore or another are
Barry
Beth C
Alan H
Jim and Anita
Orsys
ALS
Kris
Doug C
Arnold
Jud
Trey and Marion
and Juliet
maybe enlightenment will come this rainy afternoon.
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2019 11:56 am
If you're still at sea, this is a good one to print a new copy and go through everything again as you fill it in. Something may jump out at you.
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2019 12:15 pm
I’ve spent the last week jet-lagged and playing catch-up after returning from a two-week trip, so I didn’t get around to looking seriously at the meta until this morning. And ... I feel as if I swam ashore with lead weights on my wrists and ankles, but I made it! Cool puzzle, cool meta, great ego boost! 
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2019 12:35 pm
On shore. Finally got some uninterrupted time to look at the puzzle after returning home last night. I can sort of see how the answer relates to "how the theme entries are divided", but I am not sure if my interpretation is what Matt intended.
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2019 1:08 pm
Finally on dry land.
After getting step one, I dove in off the ship, but then spent a lot of time in the water trying to spear a bright red herring.
This one was difficult, at least for me. And as with many Gaffney puzzles, very clever.
After getting step one, I dove in off the ship, but then spent a lot of time in the water trying to spear a bright red herring.
This one was difficult, at least for me. And as with many Gaffney puzzles, very clever.
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2019 1:27 pm
Finally onshore. Giggling with a friend when we finally got it.
Pretzels and Sam Adams' Utopias (no cheapskates here) for all.
Pretzels and Sam Adams' Utopias (no cheapskates here) for all.
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2019 2:55 pm
I’ve left the stern, heading for the meeting of the bridge people in the bar. It will be good to get some air after spending all weekend with lots of other Muggle people in those dark rabbit tunnels. Then it will be back to the garden instead of to the luau. I feel like a real dummy this week for having not a clue to the method.
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2019 3:03 pm
I finally got Matt’s number and found my way to shore. I had a lot of fun with the mental gymnastics of this one. I’m still racking my brain to get to step 2 of the MGWCC, though.
Re: "Take A Number" - October 25, 2019
Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2019 4:47 pm
Finally joining the party, fun puzzle!