"Chit Chat" Sept. 26, 2022

A place to discuss the weekly Wall Street Journal Crossword Puzzle Contest, starting every Thursday around 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Please do not post any answers or hints before the contest deadline which is midnight Sunday Eastern time.
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Beth Tyrpin
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Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:11 pm

#21

Post by Beth Tyrpin »

😁🏝🧉👏🏼
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DavyGravy
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Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2022 6:32 pm
Location: Webster, New York

#22

Post by DavyGravy »

OK I solved the grid and am working on the meta - but in the meantime I am admiring a GREAT CLUE at 57D. It needs to be nominated for clue of the year! Well done MS.
If I’ve solved and you need a nudge, you can PM me. Happy to pay it forward. ;)
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Toby
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Location: New York City

#23

Post by Toby »

I had a sudden inspiration and then everything fell into place. Nice one.
gdshort
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Joined: Fri May 03, 2019 4:17 pm

#24

Post by gdshort »

Same here, after a debacle last week!
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NebFaninCA
Posts: 111
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2021 2:26 pm

#25

Post by NebFaninCA »

Tricky, but I’m on shore
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boharr
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Location: Westchester, NY

#26

Post by boharr »

Ashore. The puzzle’s cleverness made me thirsty. Have to hit that Tiki bar.
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Scott M
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Location: Charlottesville, VA

#27

Post by Scott M »

I've been tracking a new difficulty metric: TTCP1, or Time to Complete Page 1, which seems to be a pretty good proxy for the stats Mike Miller provides. At 59 minutes this week, this puts it in the top 30% of tough puzzles since I started tracking in late 2020. Based on this week's TTCP1, I'll estimate ~1300 entries with 74% correct.

And for the record, I have no beach in sight.
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
Mark Twain
Laura M
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Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:49 am

#28

Post by Laura M »

On shore! Nice one, if slightly ambiguous. Had to backsolve a bit.
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mattythewsjpuzzler
Posts: 351
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2020 11:47 am

#29

Post by mattythewsjpuzzler »

At sea albeit a late start due to physical.

Update: Ashore. Didn't follow one of my "Always do this" rules and that added about 12 hours to solve. Good one!
Last edited by mattythewsjpuzzler on Fri Sep 16, 2022 3:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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benchen71
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
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#30

Post by benchen71 »

Scott M wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 6:29 pm I've been tracking a new difficulty metric: TTCP1, or Time to Complete Page 1, which seems to be a pretty good proxy for the stats Mike Miller provides. At 59 minutes this week, this puts it in the top 30% of tough puzzles since I started tracking in late 2020. Based on this week's TTCP1, I'll estimate ~1300 entries with 74% correct.

And for the record, I have no beach in sight.
If the puzzle dropped at 6am, and the 20th post was at 7:59am, that's 1 hour 59 minutes. What's the TTCP1 of that? (Note: times relative to Melbourne, Australia.)
Check out "The MOAT MEOW Mashup Pack" here. US$10 for 14 metas that don't always abide by the "rules" of the game: asymmetry, 2-letter words, uncrossed letters, who knows. And this time there's a mega-meta! :shock:
Jace54
Posts: 513
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2020 7:38 pm
Location: Iowa

#31

Post by Jace54 »

On shore, second week in a row of enlightenment while walking home from the bus stop!

Took awhile to figure the last piece, then finally the aha moment came.
LesY
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Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 4:21 pm

#32

Post by LesY »

Solved. That did require two or three looks! Nice puzzle Mike.
Dplass
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Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:09 am

#33

Post by Dplass »

Hangin' out with Isaac. I see nothing, sadly.
Dplass
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#34

Post by Dplass »

Scott M wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 6:29 pm I've been tracking a new difficulty metric: TTCP1, or Time to Complete Page 1, which seems to be a pretty good proxy for the stats Mike Miller provides. At 59 minutes this week, this puts it in the top 30% of tough puzzles since I started tracking in late 2020. Based on this week's TTCP1, I'll estimate ~1300 entries with 74% correct.

And for the record, I have no beach in sight.
1300 entries with 74% correct doesn't smell like a tough puzzle... isn't that the average?
M and M
Posts: 183
Joined: Sat May 30, 2020 7:57 pm

#35

Post by M and M »

Very clever. Definitely a forehead slap.
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Joepickett
Posts: 419
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Location: Virginia

#36

Post by Joepickett »

Ok. I have step one and I hope the next step is in sight soon.

Have an answer now and I will take the rest of the night to figure out why it is right. Ashore!
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TeamDoubleTow
Posts: 445
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2021 1:58 pm

#37

Post by TeamDoubleTow »

Got this one fairly quickly for me but not 100% on the answer.
Team DoubleTow=Ali who posts here, Alex & Maya the hound(with occasional assistance from son)
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oldjudge
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Location: Pasadena, CA

#38

Post by oldjudge »

Guinness me. Was celebrating 40th birthday of my younger son and solved meta while driving home. Not recommended to drive and solve at the same time.
kawaja
Posts: 45
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2022 4:38 pm
Location: Aggieland

#39

Post by kawaja »

Isaac ripped up my tab out of kindness, I suppose. Am having a brass plaque engraved for my regular seat- my version of Les Deux Magots. But the coffee here is not to be recommended.
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Scott M
Posts: 466
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 1:10 pm
Location: Charlottesville, VA

#40

Post by Scott M »

benchen71 wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 7:40 pm
Scott M wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 6:29 pm I've been tracking a new difficulty metric: TTCP1, or Time to Complete Page 1, which seems to be a pretty good proxy for the stats Mike Miller provides. At 59 minutes this week, this puts it in the top 30% of tough puzzles since I started tracking in late 2020. Based on this week's TTCP1, I'll estimate ~1300 entries with 74% correct.

And for the record, I have no beach in sight.
If the puzzle dropped at 6am, and the 20th post was at 7:59am, that's 1 hour 59 minutes. What's the TTCP1 of that? (Note: times relative to Melbourne, Australia.)
Whoops. I misread the time of entry #20. 119 minutes puts it in the top 15%. Revised estimate: 975 entries, 63% correct. And given that the TTCP2 is 401, that estimate may be high.
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
Mark Twain
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