XWord Muggles Forum

Ahoy Muggles!

With Christmas just a week away (and with apologies to Clement C. Moore), I thought I’d share a little poem that was inspired by this puzzle:


Oh yeah, the puzzle! In addition to @Abide, @Al Sisti, @boharr, @MarkWoychick, and @Joe Ross, I'd like to thank the "New England Muggles" (i.e. @Bob cruise director, @Dannyvee, @docison, @whimsy and Phil Totino) for their help with pretesting.

The meta answer is a country.

• "Land Ho!" - Crosshare

• "Land Ho!" - PUZ

• "Land Ho!" - PDF

• "Land Ho!" - Spreadsheet

Nudges are here.
Solution is here.

Happy holidays!
Cap'n Rick

Off the couch with a slight groan. Must be getting old!

Off the couch, and I love the poem!

Off the couch,
That I can vouch.
Ouzo and feta
Will have to be lat-uh! (In my best New England accent)

(Not a spoiler, y'all)!

Gotta love that poem!

OFT. Loved the poem.

OTC and loved that poem!

Further proof -- not that it's needed -- that @Cap'n Rick is not only an A-team constructor but also an outstanding versifier. Thanks for the fun puzzle AND the shout-out, Rick!

Off the couch. "Nice!" ... You "sleighed" it, Cap'n! ;) Loved the puz and love-love-loved the poem!

OTC! Excellent meta and fabulous poem. Loved it!

So what's it called when you see something that you figure absolutely must be the key, but also you can tell absolutely can not contain any information?

That's where I am. Usually when I can tell something can't contain information as this can't, I try a different tack but here it is not at all clear what else could be a tack, and there is simply no way this can't be the tack. Even though there is no information it can contain.

EDIT: Soon as I post that I did see another take that... spells nothing. But this other tack has to be it.

And done! Clever red herring and nice twist on the end.

woozy wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2023 12:17 pm So what's it called when you see something that you figure absolutely must be the key, but also you can tell absolutely can not contain any information?

That's where I am. Usually when I can tell something can't contain information as this can't, I try a different tack but here it is not at all clear what else could be a tack, and there is simply no way this can't be the tack. Even though there is no information it can contain.

Ah! The Red Herring strikes again!

Off the couch. Great puzzle, great verse, and great picture of Rick as Santa on the beach, no doubt just after solving the WSJ.

A double-treat this week - the "usual" elegant and clever meta, and a 43A treat of a poem. Thanks, Cap'n!

Santa may have tipped me towards an answer. Not necessarily the right one.

OTC! I enjoyed the poem and puzzle. I mentioned my rabbit holes over on Crosshare.

OTC!

And as for the poem? Who says there are no new Christmas classics?

Thanks, Cap’n!

Off the couch, finally. Wonderfully clever puzzle. Thanks Rick!

Left the couch when I found a new land. I did have a pun about Land Ho, but thought better of it. I think I'll just enjoy the feeling of vacating the couch, and of course of luxuriating in the "Cap"tivating meter of the offered verse.

OTC at last. Got lost down a deep rabbit hole, but I blame it on travel fatigue… home soon from visiting far off lands!

OTC. Nice one. Had a pretty deep rabbit hole before hitting on the correct path!

Stay well all