"SS Startup" by Cap'n Rick

Formerly known as the “Sunday Summer Substitute”, editor Cap'n Rick now takes the helm for 'Smooth Sailing Sundays'. As The Commodores sang about Sunday morning, the SSS will focus on easier metas. SSS will also support smaller grids and will mentor new constructors on request. Puzzles released each Sunday around 8am Eastern. Nudges released same day at Noon Eastern. New constructors are welcome.
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Cap'n Rick
Posts: 1585
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:44 pm
Location: Nahant, MA

#21

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Day 1 Leaderboard

Between watching the Oscars and packing my bags, I thought I'd better post the leaderboard before I forget! :D

We've had an awesome SSS relaunch today with 49 solvers!

Abide (TS)
Al Sisti (TS)
boharr (TS)
whimsy (TS)
Wendy Walker (TS)
andeux
Cinny
Mikey G
Rick
MarkWoychick
schmidzy
Meg
Schmeel
Darth
Dave C
lbray53
Cindy Weatherman
MatthewL
LarsCaine
Tom Wilson
hcbirker
DCBilly
Sharkicicles
dannyvee
Berto
KayW
Hector
Gutman
JM
Meg
JHSeeman
ajk
kurtalert
woozy
Carolyn
FrankieHeck
Eric Porter
DIS
ship4u
Jeremy Smith
BarbaraK
markhr
ky-mike
benchen71
Laura M
Tyrpmom
Mr Tex
ReB
Philip Chow

Please let me know if I've missed anyone!
Last edited by Cap'n Rick on Sun Mar 10, 2024 10:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles here! Check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays" here!
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ReB
Posts: 676
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 9:34 pm
Location: East Tennessee

#22

Post by ReB »

Ssolved with help from the nudges to direct me back to a mechanism I had given up on earlier. A bit choppier of a ride than was forecast.
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ChrisKochmanski
Posts: 2216
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:51 pm
Location: Saline, Michigan

#23

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

SSSolved!!

Got to this one late (traveling), and was tempted to look at the nudges, but I’m glad I didn’t. A very satisfying solve. Thanks, Cap’n!
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whimsy
Posts: 2809
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:51 am
Location: Hopkinton MA

#24

Post by whimsy »

Sssolved --finally!
What I had for a while --
Untitledzznonamebetter.png
(Used by John Wesley Powell during his Colorado River expedition.)

Thanks, Cap'n! For the puzzle and the rejuvenation!
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Cap'n Rick
Posts: 1585
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:44 pm
Location: Nahant, MA

#25

Post by Cap'n Rick »

whimsy wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2024 12:06 pm Sssolved --finally!

Thanks, Cap'n! For the puzzle and the rejuvenation!
Thanks, @whimsy. I guess you weren't one of the test solvers on this one, huh? :D
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles here! Check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays" here!
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DrTom
Posts: 3819
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
Location: Jacksonville, FL

#26

Post by DrTom »

Solved, sadly supplemented with some superb suggestions. I should have guessed. Nice maiden voyage Rick.
NUDGES!I am always willing to give nudges where needed; metas should be about fun, not frustration. Send me what you have done so far because often you are closer than you think!
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Bob cruise director
Cruise Director
Posts: 4559
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA

#27

Post by Bob cruise director »

A day late and a dollar short but I have solved. An interesting commonality with @ajk and today's MMM.

Great SSS start.
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
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hoover
Posts: 1430
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:26 pm

#28

Post by hoover »

Sssolved! I didn't even think to look for a Sssunday puzzle!
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Cap'n Rick
Posts: 1585
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:44 pm
Location: Nahant, MA

#29

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Leaderboard Update

Fourteen more solvers have "smoothly sailed" to the answer bringing our total to 63:

ChrisKochmanski
DrTom
Bob cruise director
hoover
Danny K Bernstein
Kulea
Jaclyn
Resident Mutt
SJMcK
Tane
Omnilynx
THC
rjy
Streroto

Please let me know if I've missed anyone.
Last edited by Cap'n Rick on Tue Mar 12, 2024 7:06 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles here! Check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays" here!
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rjy
Posts: 1043
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2021 12:52 pm
Location: Gaithersburg, MD

#30

Post by rjy »

Late to it but delightful, Cap‘n!
Ray
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Streroto
Posts: 783
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2019 4:24 pm
Location: Newtown Square, PA

#31

Post by Streroto »

Ah. Took 3 nudges. Was just not seeing it. Not sure I have seen this particular metanism before. Extremely clever and a nice aha moment. KAS 5 without the nudges.

Stay well
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Anita
Posts: 442
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 1:55 am

#32

Post by Anita »

SSSolved without nudges. Just took us awhile to get around to solving it
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Cap'n Rick
Posts: 1585
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:44 pm
Location: Nahant, MA

#33

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Leaderboard Update

Three more solvers bring us to 66:

Alvibu67
frostyjhammer
Anita

Please let me know if I've missed anyone.
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles here! Check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays" here!
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Bird Lives
Posts: 2721
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 6:43 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:
Contact Bird Lives

#34

Post by Bird Lives »

An auspicious ssstart. Nice to have Sunday back on the board (even if I didn't notice it till Wednesday).
Jay
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Cap'n Rick
Posts: 1585
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:44 pm
Location: Nahant, MA

#35

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Leaderboard Update

Three more solvers bring us to 69:

michaelm
Susan
Bird Lives

Please let me know if I've missed anyone.
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles here! Check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays" here!
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Qmark
Posts: 306
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2022 4:33 pm
Location: Ottawa, Canada

#36

Post by Qmark »

SSSolved after using the first 3 nudges to confirm I was on the right track...thanks Capn Rick!
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Cap'n Rick
Posts: 1585
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:44 pm
Location: Nahant, MA

#37

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Final Leaderboard

@Qmark brought the final solver total to an even 70.

Not bad for an initial launch! Reveal will be up shortly.
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles here! Check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays" here!
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Cap'n Rick
Posts: 1585
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:44 pm
Location: Nahant, MA

#38

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Minnow and Skipper.jpg

Ahoy, Muggles!

The famous ship was the "S. S. Minnow" - the exotic island charter famous for it's "3-hour tours" on the 60s TV show "Gilligan's Island". To solve, puzzlers first needed to notice six symmetrically-placed entries consisting of two words starting with the letter "S". Those entries included 14A SHESHED, 16A SKISUIT, 20D SIDESALAD, 33A SMOOTHSAILING, 57A SEASALT, and 58A SADSACK.

Reveal Grid.jpg

The next step was to look for other entries that, while clued differently, could also fit the SS clues when viewed in a different way. So for example, 9D MINT was clued as "Money maker", but it could also be "Something a waiter might bring" per the clue at 20D. The first letters of these six entries, in grid order, spelled the meta answer "MINNOW".

Reveal Table.jpg

According to some of the feedback, the solving experience for this puzzle was somewhat similar to the sailing experience of the "Minnow's" passengers. Things started out smoothly enough, but then "the weather started getting rough". Fortunately, the SSS (see Easter egg at 54D) provides same-day nudges to help passengers, er, solvers get safely to shore. :D

Thanks for solving, everyone! @Wendy Walker is up tomorrow with the next episode, er, installment of the SSS!

Cap'n Rick

Stats.jpg
Last edited by Cap'n Rick on Sun Mar 17, 2024 8:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles here! Check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays" here!
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SamKat9
Posts: 275
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2023 7:45 pm
Location: Southeast Florida

#39

Post by SamKat9 »

I didn't get a chance to solve this fun-looking puzzle, but I just wanted to say Happy Birthday Cap'n Rick!
Shannon 🐱
PS: If you want help with a meta, PM what you have so I can help without spoiling too much. I've received lots of help in the beginning and I love to pay it forward!
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CPJohnson
Posts: 1098
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:38 pm
Location: Kingsport, TN

#40

Post by CPJohnson »

I am late to the party....didn't even realize SSS had returned. Thanks for the puzzle, @Cap'n Rick! I enjoyed it.
Cynthia
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