grid: 9 minutes, meta: immediately
Peter Gordon’s Wall Street Journal contest crossword, “Simon Says”—Laura’s review
The problem is all inside the grid, I’ll say to thee.
The answer, a song, is easy if you take it logically —
I’d like to help you with this puzzle by Peter G.
There’s just one way to solve this meta.
I’ll say it’s really not my habit to preclude.
Furthermore, I hope my post won’t be trolled or seen as rude.
But I’ll repeat myself at the risk of attitude:
There’s just one way to solve this meta —
One way to solve this meta …
WSJ Contest – 8.9.19 – Solution
- You just slip out the back, [20a: Exceptionally good, informally]: CRACKERJACK
- Make a new plan, [27a: Region including eastern Turkey and northern Iraq]: KURDISTAN
- You don’t need to be coy, [39a: Butterfly that resembles the monarch]: VICEROY
Just get yourself free - Hop on the bus, [47a: Its call sign is “Shamrock”]: AER LINGUS
You don’t need to discuss much - Just drop off the key, [52a: Dam on the Columbia River]: GRAND COULEE
And get yourself free
I’d say, why don’t we both just sleep on it tonight?
And I believe in the morning you’ll begin to see the light,
When you read my post and realize I definitely am right;
That the answer is: Paul Simon’s “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover.”
If you like that song, here’s a cover …
Bravo!
Puzzle Review of the year! If there isn’t an Orca for puzzle blogging, there should be!
Aw thanks Al!
(Can I call you Al?)
+1 ??
+1 Wonderful!
I LOL’d. Great review.
Brava!
LOVE this Laura – great job!
What Al Sanders said.
After the Grand Coulee Dam, I couldn’t get another song, “Idiot Wind,” out of my head, because not even Paul Simon is Bob Dylan. But I did realize at once that it was irrelevant.
Loved the puzzle. Love the review.
Those five names sounded so familiar but I googled them to get the answer. Were there people who identified the song from the names?
Yes I did recognize the song from the names.
My late husband’s name was Stan and we used to sing this song all the time.
Don’t forget, the theme was Simon says.
I do the meta puzzles regularly and I almost never solve them.
For some reason I got this one right away!
PS. The write-up was wonderful!
Brava, Laura! Thanks for ensuring this earworm stays firmly embedded at least one more day – but at least with fresh and clever lyrics.
5 Star Review!
I knew from the title of the puzzle, Simon Says, that the meta answer would be a song by either Carly Simon or Paul Simon. I solved the puzzle without thinking about it. Then started reading the “theme” answers and had it as soon as I said Jack, Stan
Now I have an earworm.
Wonderful review, Laura.
Consistently great blog. Thank you.