Dear Gem shot,
I finally figured you out! Your secret is to nudge the machine to the right when the ball is going around the Quorra loop. Get the ball to separate from the left side wall and then, BAM!, use the upper flipper to fire the ball into you! It took me a while to get the finesse and the timing down... but... WOW... what a pay off!
Also, I love how I can sometimes plunge the ball right into you. Very satisfying.
Thank you for making me a better player.
Signed,
I LOVE THIS GAME!