"Chit Chat" Sept. 26, 2022

[Dplass]

I'm on a shore (I have the solution) but am not submitting.

[HeadinHome]

FINALLY saw it after a dear other Wendy gently pulled me out of a deep (and seemingly fruitful) rabbit hole and directed me back toward an idea I had abandoned. Didn’t take long after that. Man, the power of bright shiny distractions!

On the shore, but since a lifeguard was involved, I won’t submit, of course. I do love this mechanism. Don’t love the distraction factor all over this grid/clues.

[HeadinHome]

I'm on shore. Meta experience was useful for this one.

I hope Al enjoyed the shout-out at 11D!

Oh, and about that pesky Oxford comma: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/15/worl ... gency.html

One thing to say to the officials in that article:

[Ergcat]

FINALLY saw it after a dear other Wendy gently pulled me out of a deep (and seemingly fruitful) rabbit hole and directed me back toward an idea I had abandoned. Didn’t take long after that. Man, the power of bright shiny distractions!

On the shore, but since a lifeguard was involved, I won’t submit, of course. I do love this mechanism. Don’t love the distraction factor all over this grid/clues.

I agree there were several distractions/rabbits all over this puzzle! Found a few myself! But I hope you share your rabbit hole on Monday…. Sounds like it might win “Golden Rabbit Hole”! Not a mug but still an honor!

[ImOnToo]

So far, I have nothing. So, on the boat I sit.

[DrTom]

Finally left the boat. I needed a nudge to look at something I had half looked at earlier. I was trying WAY too hard on something else. Thanks for the direction, now I have to decide how much more punishment I can take from Mr. Gaffney. I may be closing in on "enough".

So, although I am not 100% sure of my answer, I'll claim a piece of this shore.

T

[DrTom]

FINALLY saw it after a dear other Wendy gently pulled me out of a deep (and seemingly fruitful) rabbit hole and directed me back toward an idea I had abandoned. Didn’t take long after that. Man, the power of bright shiny distractions!

On the shore, but since a lifeguard was involved, I won’t submit, of course. I do love this mechanism. Don’t love the distraction factor all over this grid/clues.

Yeah, what she said. Wendy (the other, other Wendy) must buy lifesavers by the caseload!!!

[hoover]

Finally left the boat. I needed a nudge to look at something I had half looked at earlier. I was trying WAY too hard on something else. Thanks for the direction, now I have to decide how much more punishment I can take from Mr. Gaffney. I may be closing in on "enough".

Mr. Gaffney may be guilty of inducing a lot of puzzling frustrations, but this week's WSJ puzzle is credited to Mr. Shenk! (At least that's what my .PUZ says.)

[Ergcat]

Finally left the boat. I needed a nudge to look at something I had half looked at earlier. I was trying WAY too hard on something else. Thanks for the direction, now I have to decide how much more punishment I can take from Mr. Gaffney. I may be closing in on "enough".

Mr. Gaffney may be guilty of inducing a lot of puzzling frustrations, but this week's WSJ puzzle is credited to Mr. Shenk! (At least that's what my .PUZ says.)

I think Dr Tom was referring to the MGWCC which IS Mr Gaffney!

[woozy]

Oh... after two days with fresh eyes it came to me.

It's not that it's hard. Quite the opposite. It's that you'd immediately dismiss this as to be flimsy and variable like using a boggle board of letters on top of a pile of ripped screened doors for our national security launch codes. But by dang it works and you kick it and it holds up.

So... I'll have Kamikaze shots and .... oh, it's morning?.... then a mimosa with a sprig of mint. And very strong coffee with very heavy cream to the side.

[ZooAnimalsOnWheels]

I'm still drinking with Isaac this morning. I'm hoping that fresh eyes and a beer brain flush will help me see it in the evening.

[Bob cruise director]

On shore with help from the opposite coast

Now to continue with Matt’ week 3

[hunkra]

FInally ashore (with some ace help) wet, bedraggled and with a sore puzzler. Not sure why it took me so long -- this should have been right up my alley. Does the cabana boy have any warm towels??

[Barney]

Oh... after two days with fresh eyes it came to me.

It's not that it's hard. Quite the opposite. It's that you'd immediately dismiss this as to be flimsy and variable like using a boggle board of letters on top of a pile of ripped screened doors for our national security launch codes. But by dang it works and you kick it and it holds up.

So... I'll have Kamikaze shots and .... oh, it's morning?.... then a mimosa with a sprig of mint. And very strong coffee with very heavy cream to the side.

This is an interesting comment.

Whatever it means.

[Janet P]

Still aboard the ship
Enjoying Isaac's cocktails.
Weeds will have to wait!

[ArchaicMage]

Ashore, though I share with some other Muggles a slight sense that the answer I got may not be the right one... but if it is, very fun and clever!

[pjc]

Finally - on shore! 100% lock.

It's funny how the correct mechanism can spring into your head while doing other activities. I was mowing the lawn - and all of a sudden it occurred to me what to do. When I finished with the lawn, I sat right down to see if the mechanism worked and, son of a gun, it did!

[Susan Goldberg]

I tried for several days on this before checking the forum, where I knew I’d get the lay of the land. I am relieved to see others are finding it as challenging as I; but sad about my inability to rise to the next level and solve these!! My record for the year is tanking!

[Susan Goldberg]

Here is the Saturday morning report from your Deputy Cruise Director.
The Friday afternoon ZooMuggle group solve diminished the ship’s population considerably! Arriving at Muggle Beach are Zoomers Aaron T, ACarl, Al Laubenstein, DebF, Dho, Ergcat, FKelly, Gman, JaneGummy, Kawaja, Lbray53, and Turbotron. I audited some of the Zoom call while stuck in Friday-afternoon traffic and as always was amazed at the creativity of approaches. There was also some well-informed discussion of how Ohioans celebrate Oktoberfest.
Also on shore are Al Sisti, Bill Katz, Brenner TJ, Char, CromsFury, DavyGravy, Dplass, Eagle 1279, Escape Artist, Georgeall, Grandma Lolo, Jean Rosz, JP Malone, JrDad, Lacangah, LivPolFan, Lyman, Maine Marge, MattytheWSJpuzzler, MerryPotter, MiniMuggle, RLiebert, Ship4U, Streroto, VanVeen, and Zach.
Homer Buckle and Adajeo have an answer but are not confident about it.
On the ship: AJ Lying, Barney, Barnhart6, Cap’n Rick, CPJohnson, Dr. Tom, Edestlin, Hunkra, Jeanne C, LisaJoy, MajorDomo Tom, Meowmiao71, Relic, SweetC, The XWord Rabbit, and Zelq.
And you just had to know that I'd be posting this photo. My nephew got a PR in a four-mile race at the Main Line Invitational at Haverford College yesterday, cutting 45 seconds off last year's time! As you can see, his dog came out to support him -- along with both of his parents, his grandmother, and me.

I think you should call yourself “Chief Mate!”

[femullen]

I'm in Seattle this weekend attending a crew reunion for a ship I sailed in more than 40 years ago. Some of these guys I haven't seen since then. But there's a wonderful bond of friendship that grows between people with whom you've endured pitch and roll from pole to pole, and I know my heart will ache just a little when I bid them all farewell late tonight.

But we are always building such friendships, aren't we. I'm sure that in another 40 years my eyes will well up just a little when I cry, "Ahoy, Isaac!"

Count me aboard, probably to stay. At 1800 we splice the mainbrace, and once that tide comes in, there'll be no spare brain cells.