XWord Muggles Forum

Glad people are enjoying the puzzle! Being new to this forum, I'm really curious: Where does "off the couch" come from?

adamsimonlevine wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:22 pm Glad people are enjoying the puzzle! Being new to this forum, I'm really curious: Where does "off the couch" come from?

I think it dates back to this post from one of Al Sisti's puzzles, Left Right Right Left??:

Quote #11 Post by Abide » Mon May 25, 2020 3:29 pm
I'm off the couch! (MMM version of "on shore")

There were other mentions in those comments. If I'm wrong, someone will correct me.

adamsimonlevine wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:22 pm Glad people are enjoying the puzzle! Being new to this forum, I'm really curious: Where does "off the couch" come from?

It evolved here and is akin to being "lost at sea"/"still on the boat" (still working the puzzle) and "ashore"/"on the beach" (solved the meta) in the WSJCC forums.

The dude Abides.

I'm still firmly a couch potato. Nothing is jumping out at me, absolutely nothing. Ah well. Looking forward to nudgeday Wednesday.

Off the couch! I had step one pretty quickly, but needed a while (and my wife's eyes on the puzzle) for step two to kick in

I just discovered this puzzle thanks to tonight's Zoom gathering. I have an answer but don't know where or how to submit it.

Bird Lives wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:08 pm I just discovered this puzzle thanks to tonight's Zoom gathering. I have an answer but don't know where or how to submit it.

Just PM the author. He will respond.

Bird Lives wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:08 pm I just discovered this puzzle thanks to tonight's Zoom gathering. I have an answer but don't know where or how to submit it.

Hey, did you see Pete Muller quoted you in his writeup for July's MMMM?

Al Sisti wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:22 pm

Bird Lives wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:08 pm I just discovered this puzzle thanks to tonight's Zoom gathering. I have an answer but don't know where or how to submit it.

Hey, did you see Pete Muller quoted you in his writeup for July's MMMM?

Yes, I saw that. I often strike out on the MMMM since I haven't listened to much rock/pop in a long long time. But this one was in my wheelhouse.

Lots of correct answers rolling in, which is exciting to see! (I think some people have managed to backsolve it without actually figuring out the intended mechanism, but so it goes.)

Here's your nudge, written in Rot13. The three hints go from easier to harder.


1. Gur svir gurzr ragevrf nyy ersre gb n pregnva frevrf bs hasbeghangr riragf, juvpu fubhyq or snzvyvne gb znal crbcyr sebz yvgrengher, zbivrf, be n pregnva naahny npgvivgl.

2. Gnxr gur gvgyr frevbhfyl: Vg'f abg whfg hasbeghangr riragf, ohg n FREVRF bs hasbeghangr riragf.

3. Vgrzf va n frevrf unir ahzoref nffbpvngrq gb gurz. Fb qb fbzr fdhnerf va pebffjbeqf.

Thanks to a hint from another Muggle I am off the couch. Thanks!

I am off the couch having managed to guess the answer from step 1. I tried lots of mechanisms to back solve step 2, but needed a little nudge. I should have seen step 2--very SHENKian.

adamsimonlevine wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 7:46 am Here's your nudge, written in Rot13. The three hints go from easier to harder.
1. Gur svir gurzr ragevrf nyy ersre gb n pregnva frevrf bs hasbeghangr riragf, juvpu fubhyq or snzvyvne gb znal crbcyr sebz yvgrengher, zbivrf, be n pregnva naahny npgvivgl.

2. Gnxr gur gvgyr frevbhfyl: Vg'f abg whfg hasbeghangr riragf, ohg n FREVRF bs hasbeghangr riragf.

3. Vgrzf va n frevrf unir ahzoref nffbpvngrq gb gurz. Fb qb fbzr fdhnerf va pebffjbeqf.

This forum is getting even nerdier. Ciphers?
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

SusieG wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 1:19 pm

adamsimonlevine wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 7:46 am Here's your nudge, written in Rot13. The three hints go from easier to harder.
1. Gur svir gurzr ragevrf nyy ersre gb n pregnva frevrf bs hasbeghangr riragf, juvpu fubhyq or snzvyvne gb znal crbcyr sebz yvgrengher, zbivrf, be n pregnva naahny npgvivgl.

2. Gnxr gur gvgyr frevbhfyl: Vg'f abg whfg hasbeghangr riragf, ohg n FREVRF bs hasbeghangr riragf.

3. Vgrzf va n frevrf unir ahzoref nffbpvngrq gb gurz. Fb qb fbzr fdhnerf va pebffjbeqf.

This forum is getting even nerdier. Ciphers?
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

I made up a cipher (well, it went beyond that, with lots of word symbols and symbols for verb tenses and sound combinations) when I was in 7th grade. I have a collection of journals written in that code from 7th grade to grad school, and I still use the code for Christmas lists and other secret things. Thankfully, when I die, I'm sure nobody will be interested in cracking it to read my deepest secrets

FrankieHeck wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 1:26 pm I made up a cipher (well, it went beyond that, with lots of word symbols and symbols for verb tenses and sound combinations) when I was in 7th grade. I have a collection of journals written in that code from 7th grade to grad school, and I still use the code for Christmas lists and other secret things. Thankfully, when I die, I'm sure nobody will be interested in cracking it to read my deepest secrets

Since 7th grade? That's commitment. I'm impressed!

SusieG wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 1:50 pm

FrankieHeck wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 1:26 pm I made up a cipher (well, it went beyond that, with lots of word symbols and symbols for verb tenses and sound combinations) when I was in 7th grade. I have a collection of journals written in that code from 7th grade to grad school, and I still use the code for Christmas lists and other secret things. Thankfully, when I die, I'm sure nobody will be interested in cracking it to read my deepest secrets

Since 7th grade? That's commitment. I'm impressed!

Well I stopped writing in the journals back in the 90s. I recently read the ones from my teen years. My gosh, I was a whiny, miserable, moody, wretched, self-centered person I was! Not a fun read.

FrankieHeck wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 1:56 pm
Well I stopped writing in the journals back in the 90s. I recently read the ones from my teen years. My gosh, I was a whiny, miserable, moody, wretched, self-centered person I was! Not a fun read.

I guess it’s a good thing no one else can read it! Wish I could say the same for some of mine.

That was fun! Thanks, Adam! And thanks Brian for the suggestion to do a non-WSJ meta, my first!

FrankieHeck wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 1:26 pm
I made up a cipher (well, it went beyond that, with lots of word symbols and symbols for verb tenses and sound combinations) when I was in 7th grade. I have a collection of journals written in that code from 7th grade to grad school, and I still use the code for Christmas lists and other secret things. Thankfully, when I die, I'm sure nobody will be interested in cracking it to read my deepest secrets

There's a podcast where adults, before a live and usually lively audience, read aloud the journals they wrote as teenagers. It's called "Mortified."

https://getmortified.com/podcast/