"King Me!" - April 30, 2020

[LadyBird]

On shore after just a little misdirected paddling. I do BELieve that I might be getting the hang of this! After posting my “on-shore” announcement last week, I was tempTED to go back to the boat and spill my tale of woe (5 more weeks of lockdown—ugh) to that KINd bartender, Isaac. I truly was in a funk—I didn’t even head back to here until a niGht or so ago, so I missed a pretty bird picture and a lot of concert nostalgia. But I am FInally over that—the sun is SHining, the birds are singing, and I figured out the puzzle. I think that I will sit here now and enjoy a simple beER. Ahhh!

[OGuyDave]

Done and done. Another Thursday solve.

Was Al's first xword entry 48D?

TFTXWD

[camandsampowercouple]

this meta is crushing me. i have one idea in my head that i cant get rid of but i cant figure out how to make it work

[tim1217]

BTW: I almost pulled a 'Sisti' on this one...for the second time in three weeks!

[TPS]

this meta is crushing me. i have one idea in my head that i cant get rid of but i cant figure out how to make it work

I know your pain.

[beccacollins]

You all are impressive! I've been looking at this on and off for hours and still not seeing anything at all. Will now start doing old puzzles to try to get the hang of it. Any suggestions on easy ones where a newbie like me should start?

[Inca]

Ok, you can count me on shore.
I haven't submitted because I want to retrace my steps to make sure my path is complete, but I've got it enough to stop obsessing and actually go take care of the things that I should be doing. So I'll be back later in the weekend to submit, but the quest is over for me.

Oh, and big thank you shout out to Joe Ross. I like solving these online but I wouldn't have gotten this as quickly without your grid.

[BrianMac]

You all are impressive! I've been looking at this on and off for hours and still not seeing anything at all. Will now start doing old puzzles to try to get the hang of it. Any suggestions on easy ones where a newbie like me should start?

Welcome! Here are some statistically easier puzzles (more than 1500 submissions and more than 85% correct) from this year so far:

1/10/20
1/24/20
2/7/20
2/21/20
3/6/20
3/13/20
4/17/20
4/24/20

[KayW]

This is very typical of the bulk of Mike Shenk puzzles IMO - he gives very poor directions. The clues and title that are the directions tend to be easy to find and understand generally but they may as well be in Chinese for all good they do me specifically.

There is a certain game I don't think he has ever played and if he did he played the Chinese version.

Speaking of Chinese, I took up learning to write in Mandarin during my enforced staycation:

And although I respectfully disagree - I love Mike's puzzles! I do sympathize. I hate it when I can't see how or where to begin on a meta. Sometimes the directions are very subtle and discovering them is part of the solving process.

(I hope that's not a spoiler. If anyone thinks so, let me know and I can redact. Or rewrite in Mandarin.)

[Notbitter]

Frustrated for a while, however, finally getting a chance to be outside for a change of scenery was relaxing enough to bring on the solution. On shore in the sun with a frosty root beer float.

[MarkL]

Leaping literary lizards!

Grid done, seeing some semblance of a path but, alas (or is it alack!!), no progress. Started clean sheet #2 with little return. Chilling with Isaac.

Cheers.

[UTHfan]

Don't count me ashore - I failed at this one. COMPLETELY - Both Grid and Meta. This was worse than a PGW for me which is saying something.

yeah, first, grid bad. now meta bad.
But I think I have an inkling but it's not really working yet.

[Djquimby]

Shore me

[CPJohnson]

I have stumbled onto an answer, but I can't say that I have any inkling how it relates to some of the hints given. It MUST be the answer, but how was I supposed to get there? How was I supposed to know where to start? Or end? Please count me still on the boat, Bob.

[UTHfan]

oh wow

[MajordomoTom]

Grid - done. I had a few mistakes, glad I did this one in pencil.

Meta - nope, many false starts, no kings here.

recommend Gaffney's "Wave Hello!" for a true week zero puzzle if you need something easier than this one

Isaac - I'll start with a black & tan, then ... forget the tan for the rest of the night.

[Alec]

Back ashore after a two week dry spell. Fun one Mike!

[Laura M]

Hey, I finally made it to shore! It didn't quite end up like I thought it would, but this was a good puzzle... for those who didn't completely neglect a fundamental aspect of their education like I did :-)

[Scooby]

Ashore. Little bit tricky from Mike this week. Enjoyed it!

[hcbirker]

Ran out of new books to read. I rarely reread books, but in the spirit of this forum I’m reading the Harry Potter books again. Go Muggles!