Re: "You Don't Say" January 21, 2022
Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 12:00 pm
On shore!
Irish coffee for me, Issac. Still early out here in the PNW
Irish coffee for me, Issac. Still early out here in the PNW
A place to discuss the WSJ Weekly Crossword Contest and other "meta"-style crosswords
https://xword-muggles.com/
Well, this one *was* easy. Once you get the grid a clever person can know what the mechanism instantly and do it in 15 seconds. As for doing a grid in 10 minutes. That's beyond my average (I actually dislike speed solving) but certainly conceivable. I actually got the mechanism before completing the grid (there were some entries I couldn't get) and used the mechanism to complete the grid.zacmoretz wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 1:14 pm Hi folks, I have not been on the forum or doing the crossword for a while because it was just taking way too much time out of my weekend. But I’ve been wanting to ask, and I feel pretty sure it is a question that many would like to ask, how is it physically possible to solve the puzzle, even an easy one, in 11 minutes? I don’t understand how one could open/download/print the puzzle and fill in sufficient answers, even if one already knew every single grid answer, to get the contest answer in only 11 minutes of time. I do not see how it is physically possible to fill in the answers in only 11 minutes, or 20 for that matter. I would love to hear some explanations about how you quick solvers are able to accomplish what seems like an impossible feat. Thanks y’all.
Sex on the Beach?Puzzle mom wrote: ↑Fri Jan 21, 2022 1:36 pm I’m ashore! Can’t decide what to drink…
What’s the most topical drink in existence that will make this freezing day fade to the background?
Mostly (but not this week!), I can solve the WSJ Friday grid as fast as I can write (I always print it on paper after obsessively refreshing my browser starting at 3:59 until it drops). Once in a blue moon, I get the meta quickly, but usually it's a slog.
Echoing this, you gain more experience by doing more puzzles. Practice doesn't make perfect, but practice does make better. I started doing crosswords regularly about 10 years ago; I could do the easier (Mon/Tue/Wed) NYT puzzles but really struggled with Thu/Fri/Sat. Eventually, I got used to the tricky clues and unwittingly learned the crosswordese, and now Mon/Tue/Wed puzzles aren't a challenge. (Another Muggle has said that easy puzzles are a tedious chore, like filling out forms.)Mister Squawk wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 3:03 pmI do the WSJ puzzle every day, and the NYT Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In my experience, the more puzzles you do, the easier they are.
Once your wife sees that you claimed you were ODC, she will revoke your OCD status.Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 11:45 am Our Sunday report a bit early.
First welcome to our newest muggle - magine. We now have 1130 muggles in our clan.
@Cbaudhuin and others have asked about how many people submit each week. I keep meticulous records, charts and stuff (my wife would say ODC) on the number on ship/shore as well as those who submit and the right answer percentage. A lot of others including @BarbaraK keep similar statistics and many other muggles keep their individual statistics.
The WSJ started the contest in September 2015. My records from the WSJ go back to April 2016 and the muggle statistics go back to April 2017.
Over that time, the average number of WSJ submissions has been 1253 with the percentage correct about 75%. Which is roughly 1000 correct answers. As you might expect there is a lot of variation in all the numbers.
The trend for WSJ submissions has been increasing over the years and now runs about 1800 submissions per week which brings the number of correct submissions over the last few months at about 1300-1400. Surprisingly the percentage correct has not changed that much over time but does jump around from week to week. For muggles the percentage on shore vs WSJ correct answers his increased to about 15%.
So if you are doing this expecting to win the mug, the odds are very slim. If you are doing it for enjoyment and the comradery of the group, you came to the right place.
If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.
This week we have 2 keeping Isaac company and 256 on the shore. We are close to our record of 265 on the shore so I will be including anyone who says that they are on shore up to midnight tonight.
making it to shore since yesterday are - and fear not - Isaac is setting up additional bars on the shore and sending in all sorts of libations.
czeemuggle
joequavis
Flying_Burrito
patpatchica
katnahat
regfish
Dennis
eagle1279
ZooAnimalsOnWheels
mindle
BreeZynCO
JAQT
Cbaudhein
TheDeej
davis178
Joseph B
JRS51
TheCatt
Janet P
mkmf
Natalie
flyingMoose
mangine
Littlegreycells
Now to find out who on the ship I am.
I rarely do these quizzes, but it was fun. I am Captain Stuebing…I guess because I liked Charo?Janet P wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 7:25 am Made it to the beach for the first time in months
For just a little giggle you can find out which character from The Love Boat matches your personality -- I somehow got Isaac.
https://metv.com/quiz/quiz-which-love-b ... er-are-you
Interestingly, I purposely didn't choose the finger guns. No idea what prompted the Isaac result!HunterX wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 11:51 amWell I, for one, would never dignify this type of quiz by actually doing it! It's shear nonsense! Too silly for words! WAY beneath my level of stature in the community!Janet P wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 7:25 am Made it to the beach for the first time in months
For just a little giggle you can find out which character from The Love Boat matches your personality -- I somehow got Isaac.
https://metv.com/quiz/quiz-which-love-b ... er-are-you
Oh, and I'm Captain Stubing.
I should've given the finger guns to get Isaac. Maybe next time...
Anyone who truly suffers from this cannot abide the acronym. It must be expressed as C-D-O which, quite obviously, must represent compulsively disordered organizers.Barney wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 3:27 pmOnce your wife sees that you claimed you were ODC, she will revoke your OCD status.Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 11:45 am Our Sunday report a bit early.
First welcome to our newest muggle - magine. We now have 1130 muggles in our clan.
@Cbaudhuin and others have asked about how many people submit each week. I keep meticulous records, charts and stuff (my wife would say ODC) on the number on ship/shore as well as those who submit and the right answer percentage. A lot of others including @BarbaraK keep similar statistics and many other muggles keep their individual statistics.
. . .
Now to find out who on the ship I am.
There are some very bright, intelligent, dedicated, and competitive solvers on this forum. I am in awe of their skills. But what i admire even more is that they have built this site into such a fun, interesting, and inviting place. It truly represents the best of what the internet can be. While i do heartily partake in the "Quest For The Mug" - it's even more fun when on Sunday afternoon the discussion has evolved to topics such as the history of slide rulers, the morality of nudges, or what your love boat personality may be. What a hoot!zacmoretz wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 1:14 pm Hi folks, I have not been on the forum or doing the crossword for a while because it was just taking way too much time out of my weekend. But I’ve been wanting to ask, and I feel pretty sure it is a question that many would like to ask, how is it physically possible to solve the puzzle, even an easy one, in 11 minutes? I don’t understand how one could open/download/print the puzzle and fill in sufficient answers, even if one already knew every single grid answer, to get the contest answer in only 11 minutes of time. I do not see how it is physically possible to fill in the answers in only 11 minutes, or 20 for that matter. I would love to hear some explanations about how you quick solvers are able to accomplish what seems like an impossible feat. Thanks y’all.
I think you missed me. I think I posted, but maybe it didn't go through. anyhow, I am on shore.
Vicki hereJanet P wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 7:25 am For just a little giggle you can find out which character from The Love Boat matches your personality -- I somehow got Isaac.
https://metv.com/quiz/quiz-which-love-b ... er-are-you