"Just Stop" October 20, 2023

[JeanneC]

Didn’t get it but did see the “plenty” mechanism. Congrats to those who solved.
Another meta solving learning experience. Another opportunity to expand my solving tools.
Be well all. On to the next puzzle!

[Laura M]

Honestly I sympathize with those who had never heard of this show, I never would have thought to Google "plenty" synonyms along with the number of letters in each shortened title. I thought of Eight is Enough pretty quickly but it took some time to realize how it really fit.

I was amused at the themer choices because, although I don't think I watch a ton of TV and this was kind of an eclectic mix, I knew all of these shows right off, and could have named the premise and at least one of the stars for each one without looking it up. Also true for the answer show.

I guess Eight is Enough didn't stick around in the pop culture consciousness and so maybe wasn't fair game for a meta, but I have to take issue with those crying "Boomer." This is clearly a GenX show, blame the right generation please :-)

[Richard]

For the second week in a row I kind of guessed right. Got PLENTY quickly and the only show I could think of was Eight is Enough. I thought maybe there were ways to count to eight in the grid answers - ace for 1 and ocho for 8. V for five and even IV, and VI., Was told that path would not work. However I had little time this week end for the puzzle so just submitted.

[lacangah]

Dropping the last letter of 2D gave “OCHO,” which was ‘enough’ for us .

Congratulations to everyone who solved it - have a great week.

[psg117]

I’ve been playing along with this lovely group for a few years, and it goes without saying that I haven’t always gotten the meta answer, or even had a guess at all sometimes! But, I’ve always found the mechanisms to be fair and valid. Even those darn tarot cards! Until this week, in which case the only thing I’ve found the solution to be is disappointing.

I also quickly found PLENTY in the truncated grid answers.“Eight is Enough” was the very first thing I thought as the spitballing phase was starting, but I dismissed it as quickly as it appeared because there was no way the lead was that weak. There were too many other shows that were equally plausible, but again, each was an incredibly weak connection.

[woozy]

I’ve been playing along with this lovely group for a few years, and it goes without saying that I haven’t always gotten the meta answer, or even had a guess at all sometimes! But, I’ve always found the mechanisms to be fair and valid. Even those darn tarot cards! Until this week, in which case the only thing I’ve found the solution to be is disappointing.

I also quickly found PLENTY in the truncated grid answers.“Eight is Enough” was the very first thing I thought as the spitballing phase was starting, but I dismissed it as quickly as it appeared because there was no way the lead was that weak. There were too many other shows that were equally plausible, but again, each was an incredibly weak connection.

That's why the eight letters and "Just stop: You don't need the full nine-letter title: Eight is Enough" were needed

With only the PLENTY I figure "eight is enough" only was and 23%er with "Full House" being an 16% and the Three's company an 11% and Brandy Bunch and 8%er. I was dubious of 'Eight is enough" as there were only 6 themers. But once I saw that all themers had 8 letters that was enough to put "eight is enough" to 80%. And then realizing the title "Just stop/Eight/is Plenty" is a solid high eighties low nineties lock.

[mheberlingx100]

Saw “plenty” right away, then churned for a while. I saw the heaps/bunch connections but that didn’t feel conclusive. Talked to my wife for a while and “enough” emerged ”. After that I noticed the eight letter answers and it all fell in place.

[Homer Buckle]

While I did get to the right answer, I would argue that PLENTY leads to HEAPS at 3 Down, which leads to the clue of "A Bunch" which could also lead to "The Brady Bunch." At my age, neither of the answers are a "Classic TV Show." Still, a very enjoyable puzzle.

[mbryant]

As I said earlier, never watched the show but knew Dick Van Patton. Especially loved his cameo in Weird Al’s spoof on Nirvana’s “Smells like teen spirit “ and his role in Spaceballs.

[Mirage]

I considered Eight Is Enough but dismissed it when I couldn't find a path to spell it out in the grid. Doh!

I next tried to recreate the mechanism in the six theme answers to find an answer. I wrote out all the letters in the grid that followed the last letter in the theme answers, U, E, C, W, S, C. When that didn't work. I wrote out all the letters preceding P, L, E, N, T, Y. Still nothing. I even assigned a number to the letters in PLENTY P/16, L/12, E/5, N/14, T/20, Y/25, studied those clues and answers, and still no answer to the meta.

Then I zeroed in on 54D, kept coming back to it and couldn't let go. Surely that had to be confirmation that the answer was Car 54 Where Are You. The 54 and car were obvious in the clue, one of the main actors was Joe E Ross, there are plenty of cops that say "just stop", (okay, maybe they just say "stop"), there are plenty of crimes to be solved, and they drove a car, not an Isuzu, but that was a minor detail. I still couldn't find the path to spell it out in the grid but with minutes before midnight, this was the answer I submitted. Doh!

Thankfully another meta comes out on Friday and I have a chance to redeem myself. Onward.

[Jeanrosz]

I’m sorry if I confused some by saying I got the answer then used google to look it up…. I should have said I got the answer to step one (plenty) then looked it up…. It is highly unusually that the final correct answer is not in the grid. It had to be inferrred from clues and grid.

[Joe Ross]

I admit to an advantage since my six sisters, one brother, and parents tuned in early to watch this show. Most of us begged off after a few episodes, but the title stuck.

(My parents would agree.)

[batfella]

Like many, I quickly got the PLENTY step. I thought I had the right answer with the British show IN A LAND OF PLENTY. The last across clue of EUR (no O) I thought was confirmation to look into European programming. Oh well..

[otlaolap]

My waffle was Eight Is Enough. Maybe I should have tasted it before flinging it at NYC. I get to wait in hope for an email this morning after all.

[Colin]

3D got me too - settled on Brady Bunch. Never heard of Eight Is Enough in the cave where I’ve been living!

[chriscross]

I know Eight is Enough from a Family Guy joke. (A pretty tasteless but funny one.)

I think it’s common to learn about older pop culture from current pop culture. I know a lot of it from The Simpsons, as well.

My point being, of course, if you didn’t get the meta it’s because you need to watch Family Guy and the Simpsons.

[Ergcat]

After I got PLENTY, I immediately thought “Eight is Enough” but then googled PLENTY synonyms and saw “full house”. And that was a classic TV show too. How to choose? Then someone told me to count the letters in the themers….

[HunterX]

Got Plenty quickly, and Eight is Enough came to me immediately. Then I thought, "I'll bet all the shortened TV show grid answers are 8 letters each." When that turned out to be true, I didn't bother thinking of other shows. The title then clinched it for me, since you can Just Stop at eight letters since that is enough to get the show.

I can imagine this must have seemed impossible to anyone who had never heard of the show. Also, if you did know the Brady Bunch, but not Eight is Enough, I can see how you'd think it was the former.

[Kas]

“Oh dear,” he said to the Muggles,
“I need to be un-beached.”
I thought I had the Meta
But my logic’s been impeached.
I bet next week you’ll see me,
Cabana-bound, and proud.
But for now, it’s back to Isaac’s
With the Also Clueless Crowd.

[moron]

Returning in the morning I’ll take back what i said earlier. I didn’t process the eight letter pattern until just now and was blinded by misplaced rage when I read the solution earlier. I def could’ve pulled some backsolve together using “eight” if I had pieced that together.

I take it all back, i think it’s a good meta now. I got skill-checked.