"One False Note" - May 22, 2020
- CPJohnson
- Posts: 1098
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:38 pm
- Location: Kingsport, TN
Let me hasten to add that my R Johnson is not the muggle; mine is one of the eye-rolling spouses.
Cynthia
- 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
I knew it was R from the WSJ comments. R L is even better. Maybe you can get Matt to put you in a special version of the meta. I took the names from when we were commenting on the WSJ page and they had the subscriber's name. With the blog, I have so many that I don't know their real names.CPJohnson wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 3:02 pmI’m actually married to R Johnson..R L, in fact.Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 1:52 pm What amazed me was that the constructors could find anyone of note's name where the two initials and a five letter last name did not contain any of A/B/C/D/E/F/G
So I was wondering how many muggles would qualify. I limited the count to those who had a WSJ account because I knew the first and last names and counted first initial and last name with five or more letters. Out of 417 who qualified we have 18. (Hey, it is cold and overcast here in southern Maine, there are no sports on TV and I am tired of watching old movies/documentaries or doing jig saw puzzles)
T Wilson
T Murphy
T Roszkowski
R Winski (sorry George)
T (or M) Runnion
R Otis
J Irvin
L Simon
R Johnson (sorry Cynthia)
W or S Horning
J Horton
S Timmons
R Wilkinson
W Koslosky
J Rising
S Smith
K Quinn
M Wolff
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
Cruise Director
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- Posts: 304
- Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:46 pm
Did you say COLD? What is that? Please send some south. It is 90 degrees and MUGGY here.
- DBMiller
- Posts: 550
- Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 8:59 pm
- Location: New Hampshire
I have seen the phrases, "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge/Favor/Favour", and "Does Fine" for the staff lines.
It was interesting that all the theme answers were often two words instead of one. I tried to use an online pattern matcher to find similar words, but it cuts off at 1000 matches, and the pattern can only be so complex. I did manage to coax a range of 5 to 11 letter long words out of it...
https://www.quinapalus.com/cgi-bin/qat? ... rch&dict=0
It was interesting that all the theme answers were often two words instead of one. I tried to use an online pattern matcher to find similar words, but it cuts off at 1000 matches, and the pattern can only be so complex. I did manage to coax a range of 5 to 11 letter long words out of it...
https://www.quinapalus.com/cgi-bin/qat? ... rch&dict=0
If I'm around, I am willing to join the Muggle Zoom room at other times to lend a hand to those in need.
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- Posts: 188
- Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 9:14 pm
That's funny. When I took guitar lessons I was taught Eat All Day, Get Big Easy.
- Al Sisti
- Posts: 2069
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:28 pm
- Location: Whitesboro NY
Here in Utica -- home of Utica Club beer; the first beer sold after prohibition -- we have a 15K road race called the Boilermaker. I've run 20 of them, and that's plenty for a non-runner. That brings the total number of times I've run more than 3 miles -- training included -- to 20.Bird Lives wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 2:36 pmWikipedia: A boilermaker can refer to two types of beer cocktail. In American terminology, the drink consists of a glass of beer and a shot of whiskey.[1] The beer is either served as a chaser or mixed with the whiskey. When the beer is served as a chaser, the drink is often called simply a shot and a beer. In Philadelphia, it is commonly referred to as a Citywide Special; in Texas, it is known as a Two-Step.boharr wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 10:17 amWhile I'm sure there may be regional variations, these definitions applied back in my bartender days in New York. Still do in most places I might patronize.Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 2:21 am Clever puzzle but the nit I had (and it may be a regional definition) was 34 A
When we were in college and the drinking age was 18
If you ordered a depth charge, the bartender would bring the shot and the beer and drop the shot glass into the beer
if you ordered a boilermaker, the bartender would bring the shot and the beer and pour the shot into the beer
and if you ordered a shot and a chaser he would bring the shot and the beer and leave both of them for you
So technically with the boilermaker there was no chaser.
- Thurman8er
- Posts: 393
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:05 pm
- Location: Fresno, CA
For the 138th week in a row, not a single person in my house was impressed by any of my solves this week. Not even the Week 4 MGWCC.
This does not mean I am going to stop showing them.
This does not mean I am going to stop showing them.
- Tom Shea
- Posts: 603
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 6:37 am
- Location: Freedonia, NH/VT/HI/Earth
Did someone say Utica Club?Al Sisti wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 4:05 pmHere in Utica -- home of Utica Club beer; the first beer sold after prohibition -- we have a 15K road race called the Boilermaker. I've run 20 of them, and that's plenty for a non-runner. That brings the total number of times I've run more than 3 miles -- training included -- to 20.Bird Lives wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 2:36 pmWikipedia: A boilermaker can refer to two types of beer cocktail. In American terminology, the drink consists of a glass of beer and a shot of whiskey.[1] The beer is either served as a chaser or mixed with the whiskey. When the beer is served as a chaser, the drink is often called simply a shot and a beer. In Philadelphia, it is commonly referred to as a Citywide Special; in Texas, it is known as a Two-Step.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn7b2djfMKY
Rufus T. Firefly
- 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
The average is good. The high today was 56. However the rest of the week is going to be warmer.
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
Cruise Director
- 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
Shades of growing up with Schultz and DooleyTom Shea wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 5:50 pmDid someone say Utica Club?Al Sisti wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 4:05 pmHere in Utica -- home of Utica Club beer; the first beer sold after prohibition -- we have a 15K road race called the Boilermaker. I've run 20 of them, and that's plenty for a non-runner. That brings the total number of times I've run more than 3 miles -- training included -- to 20.Bird Lives wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 2:36 pm
Wikipedia: A boilermaker can refer to two types of beer cocktail. In American terminology, the drink consists of a glass of beer and a shot of whiskey.[1] The beer is either served as a chaser or mixed with the whiskey. When the beer is served as a chaser, the drink is often called simply a shot and a beer. In Philadelphia, it is commonly referred to as a Citywide Special; in Texas, it is known as a Two-Step.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn7b2djfMKY
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
Cruise Director
- Al Sisti
- Posts: 2069
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:28 pm
- Location: Whitesboro NY
...and the guy who voiced them so many years ago? Jonathan Winters...Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 6:44 pmShades of growing up with Schultz and DooleyTom Shea wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 5:50 pmDid someone say Utica Club?Al Sisti wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 4:05 pm
Here in Utica -- home of Utica Club beer; the first beer sold after prohibition -- we have a 15K road race called the Boilermaker. I've run 20 of them, and that's plenty for a non-runner. That brings the total number of times I've run more than 3 miles -- training included -- to 20.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn7b2djfMKY
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- Posts: 1633
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:57 pm
I got the meta easily without even tuning in to the musical note/letter connection- And I have played piano since I was a kid. After writing down the theme answers and noticing all the letters that appeared many times, I read the title to be we were looking for ONE of something. So luckily, first I looked for letters that appeared only once in all the theme answers. And KTOSLIN appeared, in order. Googling that brought her up.
Only when I was trying to relate the method to the title did the musical notes ring a bell.
Crossword Fiend has a video of one of her lovely songs.
Only when I was trying to relate the method to the title did the musical notes ring a bell.
Crossword Fiend has a video of one of her lovely songs.
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- Posts: 39
- Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2019 4:07 pm
First, thank you for recognizing my happenstance of being the 200th muggle on shore. Just a lucky break for me, as was a google search for anagrams for K T O S L I N when I couldn't make a name with those letters on my own.
- Wendy Walker
- Posts: 1730
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:44 pm
- Location: Unionville, PA
Friends, I did my best as a Muggle Ambassador at a small Memorial Day picnic. The local radio station was playing the Top 100 hits of all time. "Hey Jude" was ranked somewhere in the teens and so of course I explained the "na-na-na-na" meta. Little interest was shown. I think Dearest Partner was behind me making "warding off" gestures.
Good luck, fellow Muggles!
-
- Posts: 292
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:46 pm
This was a holiday weekend blockbuster. We had 2587 entries, with about 86% correct. Reba McEntire (25) and Garth Brooks (21) led the wrong answers, Willie Nelson and BB King each had 3, and several others had one or two.
Great to see our friend Peter Gordon's byline on a contest puzzle. Peter publishes the WSJ crossword anthologies (available on Amazon) and his own brilliant subscription series, Fireball Crosswords.
Congrats to this week's winner: Rick Ciampa of Walpole, MA!
Great to see our friend Peter Gordon's byline on a contest puzzle. Peter publishes the WSJ crossword anthologies (available on Amazon) and his own brilliant subscription series, Fireball Crosswords.
Congrats to this week's winner: Rick Ciampa of Walpole, MA!
- sanmilton
- Posts: 178
- Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 11:44 pm
- Location: New York, New York
LadyBird, I'm right there with you. I am saving "'Y' Is for Yesterday" until tomorrow, at least. On the other hand, I finally read (Sunday was a week ago) the last of John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee mysteries, "The Lonely Silver Rain." (Hmm, wonder if that rain was a lonely as I am!)LadyBird wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2020 2:14 pmI have read them all--through X. I haven't been able to bring myself to read Y, because I'm so sad that we won't learn how things wrap up for Kinsey.flyingMoose wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2020 1:32 pmAll but Z (is for Zero). From a quote from her daughter, "... as far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends at Y."
I never noticed that bit with the client's name! Maybe if I had been doing metas then....
Last edited by sanmilton on Tue May 26, 2020 4:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- sanmilton
- Posts: 178
- Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 11:44 pm
- Location: New York, New York
Awesome, yes, but then you got me trying to decipher ILOSZHNINXHYRTYNMYYK!
I BECAME ADDLED. CODE EFFACES FACT.
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- Posts: 5
- Joined: Fri May 08, 2020 7:53 pm
I was very frustrated all weekend (my birthday weekend, no less) because I could not figure out what so many people were calling a very easy meta. I didn’t figure it out or submit an answer.
I opened the solution today expecting to be disappointed with myself... quite the opposite. I could have stared at this for ages and it never would have come to me. I’ve never played an instrument and I am not musically inclined. Checking for “do, re, mi, etc.” was as far as I got.
I’ll take the Build Your Brand puzzle from two weeks ago over this one any day.
I opened the solution today expecting to be disappointed with myself... quite the opposite. I could have stared at this for ages and it never would have come to me. I’ve never played an instrument and I am not musically inclined. Checking for “do, re, mi, etc.” was as far as I got.
I’ll take the Build Your Brand puzzle from two weeks ago over this one any day.
- Al Sisti
- Posts: 2069
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:28 pm
- Location: Whitesboro NY
...and here's my semi-regular plug for crossword-friendly Utica. Yep, that's where John D. MacDonald grew up. But I would've loved Travis McGee and his philosophical musings no matter where the author came from. My favorite, from "The Scarlet Ruse," goes like this: "Today, my friends, we each have one day less, every one of us. And joy is the only thing that slows the clock." So true...sanmilton wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 2:22 pmLadyBird, I'm right there with you. I am saving "'Y' Is for Yesterday" until tomorrow, at least. On the other hand, I finally read (Sunday was a week ago) the last of John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee mysteries, "The Lonely Silver Rain." (Hmm, wonder if that rain was a lonely as I am!)LadyBird wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2020 2:14 pmI have read them all--through X. I haven't been able to bring myself to read Y, because I'm so sad that we won't learn how things wrap up for Kinsey.flyingMoose wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2020 1:32 pm
All but Z (is for Zero). From a quote from her daughter, "... as far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends at Y."
I never noticed that bit with the client's name! Maybe if I had been doing metas then....
- 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
this was a typical Matt Gaffney contest. The title led you to a music solution (titles are always leading). However you had to know that the notes of a scale were A/B/C/D/E/F/G. The other option was to notice the commonality of those seven letters throughout the seven long answers/Texcellent wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 6:42 pm I was very frustrated all weekend (my birthday weekend, no less) because I could not figure out what so many people were calling a very easy meta. I didn’t figure it out or submit an answer.
I opened the solution today expecting to be disappointed with myself... quite the opposite. I could have stared at this for ages and it never would have come to me. I’ve never played an instrument and I am not musically inclined. Checking for “do, re, mi, etc.” was as far as I got.
I’ll take the Build Your Brand puzzle from two weeks ago over this one any day.
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
Cruise Director