Four minutes saves hours of guesswork later.

Man, this is the same thing that happens with old wooden furniture. Dry air makes it shrink and crack, then it swells back up when it gets some moisture. Acetate is basically plastic that soaks up water like a sponge. So it makes sense that a dry record warps just enough to mess with the groove, and soaking it lets it relax back into shape. Humidity in your basement probably plays a big role too, dry winter air versus a muggy Philly summer could change everything.

That 80-year-old mechanic just taught you the strip records final proof, not your mental note to come back later.