What A Difference!

Lookin' good. The kitchen too.

Ahh... it helps that I just got around to looking at this week's SSS. :D

Really well executed - thanks!

Gotta find 2 letters. Nice one!

Looking sharp (both the meta and the kitchen)- very acute ;) Thanks!

I was going to give this puzzle an A, but I dropped it

(Srsly how do you smarties come up with so so many fantastic ideas? My head is so empty I can't even fathom one single idea)

While I 'solved' this puzzle with my first guess, I backsolved a couple of letters. Thanks for the puzzle!

Pretty slick grid for 15 theme entries! Are you and the Admiral DIYing the kitchen, or bankrolling new boats for local tradesfolk?

Nice one! Had to backsolve for one letter, but ultimately got there. Thanks, Rick! (Also, new kitchen looks lovely).

I'm glad it wasn't a bridge too far! VERY tight fill as usual Cap. Fun and very doable, nice change for a while. I do have to send you something though; I chuckled when I saw your puzzle for a reason that you will immediately see. Fun MMM

Ah what fun.

I never thought an ice maker would be necessary but... whoa boy is it a load off my mind.

Good luck on the project. BTDT, 6 months of endless nights & weekends work with a pregnant wife and a 1.5 year old toddler running around the house. Fond memories... NOT!

Loved the puzzle, thanks!

From what I've read below, Cap'n, you A-SPIRE to that kitchen. Very neat puzzle. Thanks for bringing your A game as always!

Nice puzzle, Cap’n! A fun aha on this once I caught the metanism after stuck in a rabbit hole looking for numerical differences (clued by AMOUNTS in the middle). Had to backsolve - rather, guess - for the B, and still don’t understand that one. I had VENUE paired with TAMPA from the notion of a stadium being a venue. Can someone explain how BONES fits?

Crosshare doesn’t seem to let you edit or reply to your own posts, so re: my earlier post: nevermind! BAR…duh!

Fun! Sadly, though, our own ‘80s-era kitchen still looks like your “before”. And may be doomed to that for a while more. Though maybe the style will come back! Not.

Late start, but speedy solve. Fun stuff, thanks. :) Need to invent a term for the disappointment that comes from seeing an entry, thinking 'oh, that would be a cool mechanism, I should make a puzzle using that,' and then realizing that...you are doing that puzzle already. :) :) :)

A+!

Ahoy Cap'n (to keep with the theme). Nice one. Completed grid this AM, but didn't see anything. Looked again this afternoon and there it was.

A couple of red herrings in there as well a SWAN is a long-necked bird and a SEA could be the home of Buccaneers

Excellent!

Nice one. Given the intro and photos, I thought the answer might be "a fridge." Also, we conspiracy theorists know there are no mere coincidences. This week, it's clear that the SSS/MMM cabal has swung into action.

Nice, straightforward puzzle to start the week! Thank you!

Thought there was another step… ie drop the “a” again but couldn’t find a seven letter synon for “bridge” in the grid…..

I sure enjoy your puzzles. Thanks, Cap'n!

Enjoyed it (again) - somehow it was all new to me!

Same as Mark (above) -- but I almost veered off track doing it this time around. Tried to use ASEA (before realizing that of course it would be the symmetric across entries) but at least still matched it with Irish Sea!

Nice aha moment with this one. I got stuck taking AMOUNTS as the hint and hearing ONE in ASWAN and EIGHT in AGATE. Knowing your penchant for symmetry, I thought that couldn't possibly be a coincidence! ;-)

That was so clever! I spent some time looking for numbers, because of the center clue “amounts” and the title — thinking it would be something minus something numerical… and of course it WAS about minus something… DROP and A. ( : Also, always glad to see UNC in a grid (we gave them a lot of money .. two kids graduated from there).

Another great meta. Thanks.

got to the puzzle late...no hints needed...thanks Cap'n Rick!

Always a joy to complete your puzzles good Cap'n! I'm a sucker for symmetry and you never disappoint!

Mazing construction!

Thanks, Rick! We’ve just remodeled our kitchen and are proceeding to finish the basement. (Long story, but so far so good.)

I just got around to your fantastic puzzle this afternoon. I saw the metanism almost immediately which I had begun the think was impossible after my poor performance with the last three WSJCC puzzles. Thanks for another great one!

We did a kitchen renovation before we moved into our house six years ago. It was a huge mess for a while, but it was so worth it. You will be so glad when it is all done!

Nice!