"Use Your Head" January 12, 2024
- dot
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2022 1:12 pm
Ashore! H did the heavy lifting today, J was happy to be along for the ride. H will say that she got it only because we have seen many past ones with this method that she has never gotten before. H will have a Raspberry Lime Rickey, and J will have a Hot Cocoa.
H & J
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- Posts: 139
- Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2020 8:35 pm
Ashore. What will we do if the meta answer ever turns out to be "ASHORE?"
- BarbaraK
- Posts: 2633
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:37 pm
- Location: Virginia
On May 19, 2017 the answer was BEACH. I wondered if someone might guess the answer just by noticing the one common word that the commenters never used.
If you want help with a meta, feel free to PM me. The more specific you are about what you have and what you want, the more likely I can help without spoiling.
(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
- Secret Adversary
- Posts: 39
- Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 2:58 pm
Oh my goodness, I got it. I had even typed (and sent) a nudge request to a fellow muggle with all of my thoughts, and as so often happens, that brought me to my own solution.
Happy to provide nudges if you see that I have solved.
- C=64
- Posts: 692
- Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2020 8:29 pm
- Location: PDX
Ashore in my mind but in an unusual icy snow and wind situation here in PDX.
I generally prefer Shenk puzzles because the hints are clearer, but I'm glad I stuck with this one.
I generally prefer Shenk puzzles because the hints are clearer, but I'm glad I stuck with this one.
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- Posts: 387
- Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2019 7:16 pm
- Location: Wellesley, MA
I’m so frustrated; so far two unsolved on the year. I’m fixated on one thing with this one, and it’s probably the wrong thing. Anyway, at sea for now!
- billkatz
- Posts: 321
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 6:46 pm
- Bonnibel
- Posts: 229
- Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:40 pm
- Location: Westlake Village & La Jolla CA
Finally ashore. Hooray for me!
Solving this is just the confidence boost I needed.
Hot toddy please. Can we please build a bonfire on the beach?
Solving this is just the confidence boost I needed.
Hot toddy please. Can we please build a bonfire on the beach?
- CPJohnson
- Posts: 1099
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:38 pm
- Location: Kingsport, TN
- Bonnibel
- Posts: 229
- Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:40 pm
- Location: Westlake Village & La Jolla CA
I agree. It's an elegant puzzle. 100% confirmation.grwinski wrote: ↑Sat Jan 13, 2024 4:53 pmI'm not thrilled with a couple of pieces... although perhaps my English isn't up to par ---- awaiting Mondaysteveb wrote: ↑Sat Jan 13, 2024 4:21 pmI beg to differ. I think this puzzle is quite elegant. I wonder if you're ... missing something?grwinski wrote: ↑Sat Jan 13, 2024 3:24 pm Ashore! (We think)... it doesn't have the elegance of other Gaffney puzzles, but it does appear to fit all the requirements.
In any event, need to look around to convince ourselves we're on the right beach (or if these are restless natives around us!)
Rita and George
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- Posts: 252
- Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 11:48 am
- Location: Palo Alto, California
- whimsy
- Posts: 2813
- Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:51 am
- Location: Hopkinton MA
On the Ship
@MikeyG, I'll raise you a few critters --
It's too bad mine are not there celebrating using their heads, but because I've gotten flattened by the WSJ for the last three weeks!
("Waiter, there's a hare in my pancake!")
@MikeyG, I'll raise you a few critters --
It's too bad mine are not there celebrating using their heads, but because I've gotten flattened by the WSJ for the last three weeks!
("Waiter, there's a hare in my pancake!")
- DrTom
- Posts: 3829
- Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:46 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
Well that was a frustrating day or two! Finally @HeadinHome put me straight, though it took her two tries. Very nice mechanism that I am mad I did not see, however in my defense I was "Elmer Fudding" at the time and I was NOWHERE near the intended prey.
So ashore but certainly not submitting.
Tom
So ashore but certainly not submitting.
Tom
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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- Posts: 1712
- Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 2:38 pm
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- Posts: 1636
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:57 pm
Ashore with lots of help.
(Same thing I said last week…)
Hey! Works for me! Dorothy putting her head to good use with her Easter bonnet here
(Same thing I said last week…)
Hey! Works for me! Dorothy putting her head to good use with her Easter bonnet here
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- Posts: 86
- Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2022 3:10 pm
- Location: Dayton, Ohio
- Bob cruise director
- Cruise Director
- Posts: 4561
- Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:38 pm
- Location: Any golf course within 500 miles of Littleton MA
Good Sunday morning muggles
As a PSA and to keep muggles from jumping off the ship into the mouth of a shark, the metas over the past several months have been much harder than the long term averages. As a result, the submissions to the WSJ are down almost 30% from an 8 week average of 1700 last spring to an average of 1300 since October. Muggle percentages are somewhat higher than the WSJ numbers in solving percentages, partly, I believe, because of the options for cooperative solving and partly because the muggles tend to be more dedicated to solving metas. However, even there, our number on shore has dropped from a 6 week average of about 200 last summer to about 180 currently. A few gimmies in December and November boosted our shore averages but 2024 seems to be back to the longer term trend.
So if you are frustrated, it is not because you have lost your mojo or that your favorite football/basketball/hockey team is not doing well, it is because of the difficulty of the metas that Matt and Mike are throwing at us.
This week is among the hardest we have seen. So far we have 20 on the ship and 120 on the shore.
New to the ship since yesterday are
Commodore
Susan G
otlaolap
whimsy
And on the shore are
Schmeel
Rita and George
Bill
C=64
CPJohnson
Nlobb - who was basking in the sun yesterday but I missed her.
DrTom
H and J
Bonnibel
Secret Adversary
Acarl
Grover
And don't forget the 8 pm zoom Last Call tonight.
As a PSA and to keep muggles from jumping off the ship into the mouth of a shark, the metas over the past several months have been much harder than the long term averages. As a result, the submissions to the WSJ are down almost 30% from an 8 week average of 1700 last spring to an average of 1300 since October. Muggle percentages are somewhat higher than the WSJ numbers in solving percentages, partly, I believe, because of the options for cooperative solving and partly because the muggles tend to be more dedicated to solving metas. However, even there, our number on shore has dropped from a 6 week average of about 200 last summer to about 180 currently. A few gimmies in December and November boosted our shore averages but 2024 seems to be back to the longer term trend.
So if you are frustrated, it is not because you have lost your mojo or that your favorite football/basketball/hockey team is not doing well, it is because of the difficulty of the metas that Matt and Mike are throwing at us.
This week is among the hardest we have seen. So far we have 20 on the ship and 120 on the shore.
New to the ship since yesterday are
Commodore
Susan G
otlaolap
whimsy
And on the shore are
Schmeel
Rita and George
Bill
C=64
CPJohnson
Nlobb - who was basking in the sun yesterday but I missed her.
DrTom
H and J
Bonnibel
Secret Adversary
Acarl
Grover
And don't forget the 8 pm zoom Last Call tonight.
Bob Stevens
Cruise Director
Cruise Director
- Powers2020
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2020 6:05 pm
- Location: Charlotte, NC
Onshore with a nudge. Thanks B! Won't be submitting...Good one, though!
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- Posts: 422
- Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 6:40 pm
- Location: Idaho
At sea. I’ve been here since Thursday. I kept hoping I would solve. Now that I’ve posted wish me luck for a post-post epiphany.
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- Posts: 369
- Joined: Sun May 17, 2020 7:14 pm
- Location: Phoenix, AZ
Thanks for the encouragement! The statistics are interesting, and unfortunately my personal solving percentage is lower lately, matching your report.Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2024 11:47 am Good Sunday morning muggles
As a PSA and to keep muggles from jumping off the ship into the mouth of a shark, the metas over the past several months have been much harder than the long term averages. As a result, the submissions to the WSJ are down almost 30% from an 8 week average of 1700 last spring to an average of 1300 since October. Muggle percentages are somewhat higher than the WSJ numbers in solving percentages, partly, I believe, because of the options for cooperative solving and partly because the muggles tend to be more dedicated to solving metas. However, even there, our number on shore has dropped from a 6 week average of about 200 last summer to about 180 currently. A few gimmies in December and November boosted our shore averages but 2024 seems to be back to the longer term trend.
So if you are frustrated, it is not because you have lost your mojo or that your favorite football/basketball/hockey team is not doing well, it is because of the difficulty of the metas that Matt and Mike are throwing at us.
This week is among the hardest we have seen. So far we have 20 on the ship and 120 on the shore.
But I continue to enjoy the challenge, and this forum, and I learn from the solutions and from the many fascinating/humorous accounts here!
As for this week, I am still at sea.