NYT Spelling Bee

[Langue_doc]

Afternoon!

Pangrams and genius; that was quite a slog, so no more puzzling today. Missed locoweed, whatever that is. Perhaps a cousin of tumbleweed?

Went birding this morning, will post later on the bird thread.

Happy solving!

[ab_grp]

Oh my dearie, I finally got to genius.  I had 30 words left until recently but have managed to whittle it down to only 16 left, including a pangram.  I am exhausted!!

I had some ideas for LB but nothing yet.  I will try on that a little more.

As for locoweed, husband said something about cows getting into it and showed me a picture, but I still think it's BS.

[ciao_yall]

QBwH, last word locoweed. How does anyone get QBABM? LB prolongs-sanctum.

Happy solving!

[Langue_doc]

Good morning!

Genius and then the pangram which I didn't think I'd ever find. Yesterday's tally was 51 words--the first pangram was capacitator, then the other two. I was surprised that participator and capri (as in capri pants) weren't accepted.

Locoweed apparently includes a whole bunch of poisonous plants
https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/logan-ut/poisonous-plant-research/docs/locoweed-astragalus-and-oxytropis-spp/

Locoweed gets its name from the Spanish word loco (crazy) which is how the abnormal behavior of poisoned animals has been described. This "locoed" behavior results from locoweed-induced neurologic damage.

Happy solving!

[cathwen]

Good morning!

QBw2LLH yesterday to find carpi, pitapat, portrait, trattoria.  But what sent me to the definitions was carioca, which I would never have gotten otherwise.  Langue_doc, I was also surprised that participator and capri were rejected.  Today I’m at genius, but missing four words, and I am mystified. 

LB:  No 2fer yesterday!  Ciao_yall, congratulations on yours.  I have a 2fer today, though.

Langue_doc, thanks for the locoweed research!

Happy puzzling!

[ab_grp]

Good morning!

Managed to find the pangram right away, and thankfully genius did not take all day.  Whew.  I'm kind of stumped now, though.  Yesterday was a total failure.   Obviously, I won't list the 30000 words I still needed.  We also did not nearly get team QB.  I think we needed 6 or so words.  My missing pangram was capacitor (first one I got was patriotic), and I also thought capri would be in there.  Oh yeah, we had to look at every possible hint in the comments to get carioca, and it was only the Steve G hint that changing the cs to ks would make it sound like embarrassing yourself singing on stage (or something to that effect) that helped us finally guess it.  I tried to see if that had ever been in there before, but I don't know.  Usually the bee solver says if that group of letters has been a puzzle before and what the center letter is, but I am not sure if this set has ever been in there together.

I also managed to have no luck on LB.  Congrats, ciao_yall! Congrats on yours today, cathwen!

Happy solving!

[ab_grp]

Well, I got QBABM a bit ago, but no 2fer yet despite a lot of contenders! Argh!

ETA: 2fer! Maybe whining helped!

[ciao_yall]

Should have been QBABM but... circumstances. Last words floor, lulu. LB referendum-mascot.

Happy solving!

[Langue_doc]

Good morning!

Pangram and above genius. It wasn't too bad yesterday--burl got me to genius, and then found the rest of the words without much difficulty. The last couple of words were ones that I thought I had entered much earlier.

comforters/sundae

I have gaps in my crossword streaks, and will probably have more gaps this weekend and the next.

ab_grp, glad you made it--I saw your posts and was rooting for you to get to the finish line on both puzzles.

cathwen, I've been thinking of taking up my knitting and sewing again. I also got a crochet starter set a year ago, which is still in the box, unopened. I do have to get started on hemming at least four pairs of pants so that I can wear them before the weather gets hot.

Happy solving!

[cathwen]

Good morning!

Like ciao_yall, I should have gotten QBABM yesterday, but did not.  I needed help to find bull (which I was sure I had, since I got bullfrog early on), bulb (duh!), and bulgur, which I kept misspelling with -ar. 

Today I have only two words to go, so I’m hopeful that I’ll make QBABM today.  But I often get stuck on the short, obvious words (see above), so we’ll see.

LB:  I had founds-sacrament.  Lots of variety this time!  I also found a 2fer today.

Langue_doc, I have a number of knitting patterns for babies who are now in middle school—so many projects planned but never executed.  I used to enjoy knitting, so I am looking forward to getting back to it—and learning to crochet as well.  As for sewing alterations, hemming pants is not hard, but having discovered a wonderful and inexpensive tailor in a neighboring town, I am very tempted to just take some pants to her.  She did a beautiful job on shortening the sleeves of a lined jacket (this is beyond my ability).  However, I do know how to hem, so I will probably do it myself.

Did I mention that I will probably retire for good at the end of the semester?  I have been working part-time for the last 15 years, full time for the 30 years before that, and I am just tired of it.  I will be 75 in April, so time to get out of the way and let younger people take over!  So, I will have time for creative projects.  And hemming those pants.

Happy puzzling!

[ab_grp]

Good morning!

Got pangram and a bit past genius.  Yesterday I had three words left and realized one was a 4, so I was trying 4s and ended up finding fluff, then bluff, and I was so excited to finally find lulu! Good luck, cathwen... you're so close!

For LB, I got fad-documenters.  A variety of solutions again! Comforters-sundae sounds cozy.  Congrats on all your solutions and on another today, cathwen!

Langue_doc, thanks for the vibes! They helped! Youngest left a crochet needle for me to try further with.  When we were going over basic stitches, it was unclear whether that skinny one or a wider one would be better.  I was making my stitches too tight to go back through.  I still have a ball of yarn that someone from another discussion board sent me 20+ years ago with a set of knitting needles.  I had intended to try to make a blanket for my friend's baby.  I just couldn't even do that.  Even crocheting, I don't understand how people can do that without looking since you have to go through the previous stitches, and I couldn't do that while staring hard at it.  Maybe it's like folding a fitted sheet correctly... not going to happen.

Cathwen, that is so exciting about retiring.  I hope you have time for all you're looking forward to! That must be kind of a weird feeling, coming up so soon.  I wish I could hem jeans myself, but I think a sewing machine is probably needed.  I have hemmed pants using staples and paper clips before, but that is not a long-term prospect.  ;-)  But if you can hem at all, like making clothes that must be a very freeing feeling.

Happy solving!

[ab_grp]

Sorry, it just occurred to me that I didn't share that I got a 2fer on my first try earlier this morning! I totally forgot about it.  Going to write it down now so I don't forget by tomorrow! Luckily I have a screenshot.

[ab_grp]

And I got lucky and got QBABM! I hope everyone else is having good luck today.

[Langue_doc]

Woohoo, ab_grp!
I too got a twofer and QB.

[ab_grp]

Woohoo, ab_grp!
I too got a twofer and QB.

Hurrah! It's a good club to join (and I am not surprised)! Congrats!