"Backcourt Fundamentals" - April 30, 2021

[femullen]

I'm ashore only because the lifeguard dragged me up the beach and administered CPR, i.e., I had to google 80% of it. I haven't been this cranky about a crossword in a long time. I need an attitude adjustment: Jameson, please, and make it a hat trick.

[meowmiao71]

Ashore, but not without a lot of help from someone more knowledgeable about the theme than me (i.e. Monsieur Google).

[ErikThor]

Safely ashore. Toes in the sand. Drink in hand.

[Sean]

After taking the night between finishing the grid and considering the meta, I'm on the beach!

[Joedbee]

Onshore!

[rosiegirl]

After reading many of the first comments, I thought this would be an easy week for me. Especially since the theme is something that I do have an interest in. But the theme answers are leading me nowhere and one of them is a word I had never heard before! Ugh!

[mikeB]

Ashore. For me, the two highlights of the journey were the Aha! moment, which came fairly early, followed a half-minute later by the Now What? moment, which actually was quite a bit longer than a moment.

[mlvilv]

On shore, drink in hand!! I was utterly stumped until it became completely obvious and I wasn't anymore. Happy Friday everyone!

[sanmilton]

An embarrassingly long swim to shore this week for me! Finally, just in time for the first round of the weekend, I reached shore. Not nearly as hard as it seemed to be, and yet I enjoyed the challenge! Thanks, Mike!

[TheCatt]

I found some stuff I think I was supposed to find, but it's not leading me anywhere.

I may be drinking on the ship this week.

ALS

Feel like I'm in the same boat.

[SReh26]

Isaac is keeping me company for now as I squint at the completed grid.

[agatha]

On shore. Squinting made a difference for me, I think.

[ALS]

Ah. Turned out I found the right stuff but assumed I knew more than I did about it.

A little visit with Mr. Google helped straighten me out.

Ashore.

ALS

[Geezer Weezer]

Ashore. Compared to last week this one is 100%. I think.

[Harbo]

On shore with a little help on the grid from IMDB and thefreedictionary.

[SewYoung]

Still on the ship. I had composed a haiku in my head while I was doing somethin else but couldn't remember it by the time I got to the computer to post . I got my second Moderna shot yesterday afternoon. No bad effects, just tired and sleepy today. Maybe just a psychological self fulfilling prophecy because others have told me that it knocked them down for a day or so.

[steveb]

I propose a new rule for Mike Shenk and other puzzlemeisters: No TV/movie people or titles are allowed to cross. Can I get an "Amen!"

We have 4D, 26A, 29D, and 31A making a big hole right in the middle of the grid, so I can't get 37A, one of the theme answers.

>8^(


Update. Ok, I googled them, and well that I did: never in life have I seen or heard the word at 37A.

And the meta? I sure hope I don't need to know anything about backcourt fundamentals to get this. Those rank right up there with movies, TV, and 37A in my vast store of ignorance.

Mark me adrift, Cruise Director.

Agree on 37A.

Background on the only place I (and presumably many others) have ever heard of 37A: https://milehighcardco.com/blog/the-bus ... n-pastime/

[Jackie88]

Ashore. Very easy this week.

[SewYoung]

I propose a new rule for Mike Shenk and other puzzlemeisters: No TV/movie people or titles are allowed to cross. Can I get an "Amen!"

We have 4D, 26A, 29D, and 31A making a big hole right in the middle of the grid, so I can't get 37A, one of the theme answers.

>8^(


Update. Ok, I googled them, and well that I did: never in life have I seen or heard the word at 37A.

And the meta? I sure hope I don't need to know anything about backcourt fundamentals to get this. Those rank right up there with movies, TV, and 37A in my vast store of ignorance.

Mark me adrift, Cruise Director.

Agree on 37A.

I had heard of the gerund form of 37A but did not know that it was a real word. I thought it was a slang term for something that was very appetizing, in the vein of "Finger lickin' good!". If I have ever actually used that word, apparently I was using it wrong.

[TheCatt]

We are on shore after a quick dinner break.