"Back To The Start" January 19, 2024

[Zobo3737]

Ashore I think, but I’m now aware of a defensible alternate answer, so….

After submitting, does anyone else waste time looking at the “spoiler” word(s) in comments trying to figure out what was redacted?

[ReB]

Ashore after a late start. Early aha moment made this a pleasant stroll down the block (or rather what would be usually, but not this week with the persistent snow and ice and dagger icicles).

20240121_144814.jpg

I'll see your icicle daggers and raise them. The following is from the deck of our condo in Val Thorens, France, from whence I just returned. Most of the big icicles are gone in this photo. But there are a couple good ones left (both as in "remaining" and as in "on the left").

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France Photo.jpeg

Those aren't daggers, they're pikes! Yikes!

[Isw]

Made it ashore

[cbarbee002]

Ashore from AUS/NZ! G’day mates!

[OliviaL]

On shore! We escaped the cold and moved to Puerto Rico this week for my husband’s new job! Our wonderful dog, Cooper, who you all may remember from our travel photos passed away over the summer. I haven’t been keeping up with the meta as much since then, but we recently rescued this lil guy, now named Sully (after Sullivan’s Island, SC). Here he is at the beach for his first time!

[Collegetowngirl]

On the ship. Feels like we’re finally on the right trail but no ideas yet for the next step.

Oh! Got it! On the beach with y’all now!! Nice to be here after several weeks!!

[dk letter]

Ashore for the first time in a couple of weeks! This was a fun one, with a great click!

[Ergcat]

On shore! We escaped the cold and moved to Puerto Rico this week for my husband’s new job! Our wonderful dog, Cooper, who you all may remember from our travel photos passed away over the summer. I haven’t been keeping up with the meta as much since then, but we recently rescued this lil guy, now named Sully (after Sullivan’s Island, SC). Here he is at the beach for his first time!

I remember this time last year we were both heading towards Ushuaia!! Sorry to hear about Cooper. and Sully is a cutie. What’s your connection to Sullivan’s Island, SC? We just closed on our condo in Charleston!

[kgiano]

On shore - Cooper & Thief Red Wine Blend Aged in Bourbon Barrels

[Bonnibel]

Just got to this.... yep. Ashore and finding a crowded beach.

A glass of Rombauer chardonnay is doing the trick.

Cheers!

[Bob cruise director]

Good evening muggles

Our final count is 232 on the beach and an empty bar for Isaac

Good luck winning the mug

[regfish7]

Ashore! Finished the grid earlier but didn’t get a chance to work on the meta until now. Better late than never! Thankfully it was a quick solve for me.

[hcbirker]

[Miki]

Thank God I submitted all five letters, as last week I submitted only "absent" and didn't include the "minded".

[Bill Bovard]

I used OPENTO instead of OFFERS for the first word. Not a great fit but with the other four letters in place the first letter had to be an O.

[khanthedane]

finally got a printer and tried out the xword on paper. i feel like i've unlocked an achievement. uber late to the party but glad i got here!

[Flamel616]

I couldn't get the grid finished this week. Alas.

[Plymouthrock]

Ah oh! Reset.
Smarten is a makeup
And holds out (as in hanging tough) riding the rapids
With rafts.
I wonder if anyone else did that. But the mechanism was fun.

[Plymouthrock]

That was after going to ATM, back to the start, then going to DrawL where one might draw out a fifty (Roman numeral L) which would give you grant after Ulysses S. But I could not find grant to work out with starred clues or answers. Always fraught with possibilities…..

[mheberlingx100]

finally got a printer and tried out the xword on paper. i feel like i've unlocked an achievement. uber late to the party but glad i got here!

I used to solve on the computer or my phone, but for most puzzles paper is so much easier, especially when there are references back to the clues. It just helps me to be able to see all the clues at once to see patterns rather than scrolling online.