Former Meet the Press Host Marvin / TUE 10-4-11 / Pricey bubbly / Raptorial seabird / Bejeweled headgear / Pseudonym of artist Romain de Tirtoff

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Constructor: Dan Feyer

Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium

THEME: JUGGLING PINS (54A: 51-Down's talent ... or what the circled squares represent?) — 51D: Circus performer = CLOWN; eight sets of three contiguous circled letters are scattered around the grid, each of them containing the word PIN.


Word of the Day: Marvin KALB (9D: Former "Meet the Press" host Marvin) —
Marvin L. Kalb (born June 9, 1930) is an American journalist. Kalb was the Shorenstein Center's Founding Director and Edward R. Murrow Professor of Press and Public Policy (1987–1999). The Shorenstein Center and the Kennedy School are part of Harvard University. He is currently a James Clark Welling Fellow at The George Washington University and a member of Atlantic Community Advisory Board. // Kalb spent 30 years as an award-winning reporter for CBS News and NBC News. Kalb was the last newsman recruited by Edward R. Murrow to join CBS News, becoming part of the later generation of the "Murrow's Boys." His work at CBS landed him on Richard Nixon's "enemies list". At NBC, he served as chief Diplomatic Correspondent and host of Meet the Press. During many years of Kalb's tenures at CBS and NBC, his brother Bernard worked alongside him. // Kalb has authored or coauthored nine nonfiction books (Eastern Exposure, Dragon in the Kremlin, The Volga, Roots of Involvement, Kissinger, Campaign ’88, The Nixon Memo, and One Scandalous Story) and two best-selling novels (In the National Interest and The Last Ambassador). His most recent book is about the haunting legacy of Vietnam ,co-authored with his daughter. // He hosts The Kalb Report, a monthly discussion of media ethics and responsibility at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. sponsored by the Shorenstein Center and George Washington University. He is a news analyst for Fox News, and a contributor to National Public Radio and America Abroad. (wikipedia)
• • •

Hey, it's reigning American Crossword Puzzle Tournament champion Dan Feyer. Nice guy, cool puzzle idea. Can CLOWNs really juggle *eight* pins? That seems like a lot. No wonder one of them hit the ground. This will sound extra-weird, but I think of CLOWNs as having minor juggling talent, i.e. maybe four balls or pins at once. I think of the real professional (?) jugglers as human beings, not CLOWNs. Not to dehumanize CLOWNs. Anyway, eight seems like a lot for your run-of-the-mill circus CLOWN is what I'm saying.


Seems like PIN in JUGGLING PINS should be circled. It's a PIN, it's in the grid ... circle it. If you can do eight, you can do nine, CLOWN. Also, would've been nice if JUGGLING PINS' symmetrical counterpart were somehow theme-related. NIPS IN THE BUD isn't juggly or clowny (20A: Squelches early) ... not that it isn't a great answer—possibly the best bit of fill in the whole grid. It's just a bit strange to have a non-theme answer be the only other long-Across in the grid. This puzzle's success rests entirely on the theme, as the fill is pretty ordinary. Ordinary, leaning crosswordese-ward (at least the crosswordese gets tricked out in fancy clues like 15A: Bejeweled headgear => TIARA and 42A: Raptorial seabird => ERN). But that's somewhat understandable given the number of PINS that have to be accommodated. DOM PERIGNON is fantastic (3D: Pricey bubbly). Most of the rest is just tolerable. Minor speed bumps for me included KALB and DONEN (who went in first as DONAT—an old-timey actor, not an old-timey director) (49A: Stanley who co-directed "Singin' in the Rain"), as well as the PACE part of KEPT PACE (41D: Stayed with the leader). SHRILL (29A: Like the sound of a teakettle) and HAIRDO didn't come right away either, possibly because I kept misreading the clue for HAIRDO (my eyes wanting to include "Butter or mayo" (29A) in the clue's own list of Weave, shag or braids). Is a "weave" a haircut? I thought it was fake hair.


 I missed "Jeopardy" last night, but the buzz is that crossword constructor and speed-solver Joon Pahk won and will appear again tonight. This time I'll remember to DVR it. I'd say "good luck," Joon, but the show isn't taking place in real time, so ... congratulations! Here's a song from the Band with the 22x platinum album "Back in Black" (AC/DC), in your honor.





Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

64 comments:

dk 7:22 AM  

All PINs and no needles today. A very fast solve for this NERD. Had calm for TAME and smooth for IRONED but those were only an EDDY as opposed to a trip down the SEWER with theTidy Bowl man. By the way AROMA over SEWER warrants:

*** (3 Stars). Thank you Mr. Feyer.

May dine at ERTE tonight in Mpls as sister will be in town. I doubt we will eat KELP.

More puzzle fill foolishness -- The MAPLES are in bloom here in Western WI. Better stop before Rex does a NIPSINTHEBUD.

dk

Anonymous 7:50 AM  

I enjoyed it. As for DOM PERIGNON, it can be (loosely) related to the theme, for a Champagne wine bottle shape is quite similar to a juggling pin.
From Bangna/Bangkok

efrex 8:00 AM  

Finished this puzzle in about the same time that it takes Mr. Feyer to finish a Saturday puzzle, so I can't complain too much about the difficulty. Pretty smooth solve overall.

Only point of contention: jugglers refer to the props as clubs, not pins, and juggling NERDs will get angry at you if you make that mistake.

efrex 8:05 AM  

Also, hardly anyone can juggle eight or more clubs, and certainly not any circus CLOWN. The number of people who could even "flash" eight clubs (do a single round of eight throws and catches without dropping one) can probably be counted on one hand. If you can do seven clubs with any consistency, you're on the shortlist of top professional jugglers (many of whom have an extreme aversion to being called clowns, but that's another story).

joho 8:07 AM  

When I was done I saw four NIPS and 4 PINS so was really impressed to see that Dan had both NIPSINTHEBUD and JUGGLINGPINS. @Rex, I did circle PINS in 54A.

For some reason I was really happy to see CRESSIDA show up and loved DOMPERIGNON.

Thank you, Dan, for this fresh theme that made for a fun Tuesday!

Speaking of fun, I can't wait to see how Joon does tonight on Jeopardy. I was actually cheering for him last night.

David 8:17 AM  

Damn, I gotta check and see if Jeopardy! is On Demand, but I doubt it....

Definitely check out Dan Feyer's blog to get his history and methodology on today's puzzle, as well as an ambitious visual aspect to the 8 theme placements which most folks probably won't get (I did not). I check Dan's blog daily, sometimes just so I can marvel at his insanely fast solving times. There's a cool You Tube video of him solving Rex's 1st NYT puzzle (I think it was Rex's first)

Enjoyed the puzzle, great for a Tuesday, and I like that the reveal answer at 54A was not made into the 9th pin - I think I just like the reveal to be separate from the theme answers themselves.

jesser 8:43 AM  
This comment has been removed by the author.
jesser 8:46 AM  

Joon was fantastic last night on Jeopardy! He got to say Vishnu's Fish Stews right out loud! And win money for it! I'm rooting for him again tonight!

The puzzle was fun, but I was having brain/eye/hand coordination problems, so I put in 12D's ASP at 21D, which made me want NIPinthebud_, which Did Not Work. Lots of wasted ink up there while that all sorted itself out.

Similar spillage down the SE way, where I wanted KEPT up with at 41D and inexplicably threw down a t where the N in PIN should have been. I'd sussed the theme by then, but forgot the word. I was suddenly juggling PIts. Another inkfest resulted.

Other than that, it was a smooth, fun solve, with some cool words in the grid: KELP, SHRILL, EMPTOR, MAZE. And you have to love (in a repulsed kind of way) the AROMA wafting above the SEWER.

I'm the president of the Dona Ana County Humane Society. Last Wednesday we had our annual membership meeting and presented our annual Above and Beyond Award to Richard Hahn. Richard was working on his car outside his apartment when he saw a young woman walking an obviously injured dog. Richard asked about the dog. The woman said her abusive boyfriend had thrown it against a bedpost during a fight the night before. Richard asked if the dog had been to a vet. She said she couldn't afford it. Richard, who is not wealthy by any stretch, but has a big heart, said he'd take the dog to a vet if she'd cede ownership. She agreed. Richard took the mutt to Dr. Schumacher, who pronounced the grim diagnosis that the leg would have to amputated at significant cost. Richard agreed. A couple days later, he took the three legged-dog home, and named him THOR.

This puzzle warmed my heart. Again.

P.S. The abusive boyfriend is facing felony animal cruelty charges.

chefbea 9:04 AM  

And yet another great story from @Jesser

Good puzzle. Had kept time at first so that slowed me down in the south east.

Am anxiously awaiting Jeopardy!!!

foodie 9:05 AM  

I ADORED this puzzle. I could totally see the CLOWN standing smack in the middle of the "floor" of the circus, with PINS flying overhead, except for the hapless one that landed on the floor as noted by Rex. And the embedding of PIN and NIP in the two long horizontals as mirror images was lovely. Cross all that with ENTERTAINMENT and DOM PERIGNON and you have a wonderful, upbeat, feeling.

It did wish that AROMA did not sit on top of SEWER just where the CLOWN was standing, but in a real circus, the AROMA can be there...

As I solved, I kept feeling like I was chit chatting with someone lightheartedly, but that I could tell he was very smart-- you know without him being in your face about it. The clues were just perfect for a Tuesday-- "What people think of you, for short", "Move so as to hear better, say"

And is that ERTE's original name? What a wonderful, funky name to have! Why change it?

M07S 9:08 AM  

@jesser Ya gotta hope there's a special place in hell for people like that. (Although I know there is not, I like to think it anyway.)

Coulda been a Monday puzz.

capcha: predio before God?

John V 9:17 AM  

Didn't pick up the visuals of the juggling clown, spinning and dropped pin(s) until I came here. Pretty nifty! Played like a Monday, 9 mile rating, Stamford to Rye, so easy here for a Tuesday

Paused at 1A, wanting ABBA. Actually also paused at 5A, SPOCK as I'm not a treckie. Micheal CERA is new to me and needed all the crosses to get CRESSIDA. Otherwise, just filled it in.

Pete 9:30 AM  

"Anyone who can speak Klingon" has to be the best clue so far this year.

jackj 9:38 AM  

Sometimes we have to admit that the emperor has no clothes and this puzzle shows why.

Dan deserves our praise and admiration for his solving achievements but, in constructing, "Dan, don't give up your day job."

Seems that even Dan pretty much agrees as he notes in a NY Times commentary:

"Today, you’re solving my first and last published crossword. ……..
I would rather leave the constructing to the experts."

A perfectly cute and agreeable Monday level puzzle but not one to ooh and aah over.

Tobias Duncan 9:43 AM  

joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!joon!

I was glad to get the update yesteday since I dont have a TV and had no chance to see it, but today I am heading to my local bar to watch this so nooooo Spoilers from the east coast please! Well I suppose I can just avoid this blog from 4:30 to 6:30 so carry on.

I hope my friend does not have to battle joon.I am pretty sure she is done taping.

@efrex Did you go to clown college?

This was at least 20% faster than yesterdays puzzle, I rate it easy.Lots of crosswordese to complain about esp for a Tuesday but the puzzle had a nice lively feel, more than the sum of its parts somehow.

Mel Ott 9:50 AM  

Thanks, Jesser.

My son has a three-legged dog (cancer). She does just fine. He also fosters dogs. he's had abused and neglected dogs, three-legged dogs, dogs with cigarette burns, dogs with broken legs, hips, etc. All have been saved from being euthanized and have been placed in good homes.

Good Tues. puzzle. Circles on a Tuesday! Liked NIPS IN THE BUD.

M07S 9:56 AM  

Forgot to ask, 23A Immigrant's course...ESL? Total WTF for me. Anybody care to enlighten me?

quilter1 10:00 AM  

Great puzzle, much fun. Got to Jeopardy a couple of minutes late yesterday and wondered all through if it was Joon Pahk. So when it was over I reran the introduction and was delighted to know it was "our" Joon. I hope he has a long run.

My mom is also a Jeopardy fan and when I told her that we had done his puzzles she brightened up. Because of her stroke which affected her speech center she can't do puzzles now, or play bridge, two of her favorite things. So I hope she enjoys seeing Joon on Jeopardy.

Baking today, check in later.

David 10:02 AM  

@M07S, ESL stands for English as a Second Language, an educational course an immigrant might take.

That Rhyme Time category on Jeopardy! last night was fodder for some great crossword theme clues and answers...thanks, Rex, for posting the You Tube videos on your Facebook site.

baja 10:02 AM  

Loved this one. Very happy, breezy. Though I can't look at clowns the same way after reading Stephen King's "It".

Mel Ott 10:04 AM  

@M07S: English as a Second Language.

chefbea 10:06 AM  

@MO7S English as a second language

Pete 10:11 AM  

@jackj - I would say that this puzzle was a tour de force of construction, with an enormous theme density. That level of theme density may cause commensurate iffy fill, but you can't deny the construction.

@Rex - Go ahead, dehumanize clowns. I think that's the whole point of clowns.

Two Ponies 10:30 AM  

Finally a fun Tuesday.
I cannot hear or read "nips in the bud" without thinking of Barney Fife.
Joon was fantastic on Jeopardy.
I think he ran the category on Rhyme Time with some very difficult answers. Tonight should be fun.

hazel 10:59 AM  

@two ponies - nip it! nip it! you've got to nip. it. in. the. bud!

@Pete - that was a great clue, indeed. Just read Dan's blog - and it wasn't his. It was Will's. The one he submitted was pretty good, but the one we saw was fantastic.

i thought this was a very cool theme. the puzzle is definitely better seen from the forest (as opposed to the trees) perspective.

i gave my husband a bottle of DOM PERIGNON once. It was good - but our palates apparently don't have that extra $100 tastebud. We still use the bottle as an expensive bud vase.

Shamik 11:03 AM  

Very easy Tuesday on this debut puzzle. Kudos for ANY debut puzzle in my estimation. If experts can throw out a meh puzzle after years of constructing, then kindness towards a debut is in order.

Sorry I missed Joon last night. Best of luck, er...congratulations as Rex said...tonight.

Eric NC 11:26 AM  

NIPS in the bud is really juggling PINS isn't it?

miriam b 11:31 AM  

@foodie: ER TE are his initiala, RT, as pronounced in Russian (AIR TAY).

archaeoprof 11:41 AM  

Very good Tuesday. No writovers at all!

Remember the Far Side cartoon with the guy playing Jeopardy against God? He's got zero points and God has millions. He says, "For the record, Alex, I don't think my buzzer is working..."

efrex 12:08 PM  

@Tobias: no, but a former colleague of mine is the manager of one of the best technical jugglers in the world (Vova Galchenko),and I've gotten slightly sucked into that world.

mac 12:33 PM  

Yes, I see the clown. His name is Henry and Eddy is his assistant. They scare me a little.

Nice tuesday puzzle, with, no surprise, quite a few entertainment clues/answers. Love nips in the bud/emptor/shrill and lean in.

Nice story, @jesser.

world of linen 12:43 PM  

good read!

Anonymous 1:06 PM  

How do you get your time registered on the NYT results?

JenCT 1:12 PM  

Nice puzzle, Monday easy.

Had REFUSE before REJECT, and OISK before OISE, but easily fixed.

I hope that boyfriend gets the book thrown at him, @jesser!

Had to bail my own dog out of jail (the pound) yesterday - he decided to visit his girlfriend down the street. Cost me $15.00....

600 1:28 PM  

Your story touched me, @Jesser. I agree with @M)7S that there should be a special place in hell for the "boyfriend," but even more, a special place in heaven for Richard. I too hope the BF gets the book thrown at him.

Thank you for introducing me to Dan Feyer's not a blog, @David. I've added it to my daily list. It was fascinating.

Looking forward to Jeopardy--and sorry I missed it yesterday!

Did anyone else have Riker before SPOCK? Does it make me a NERD that I'm pretty sure he was second in command to Kirk?

Loved this puzzle. Several minutes under my average time, yet it didn't feel like "gimmes," as Mondays and Tuesdays often do. It felt as though I had accomplished something.

600 1:30 PM  

I meant M07S! Sorry!

Anonymous 1:33 PM  

@600 - No, you'd be a nerd if you knew he was second in command to Picard, not Kirk. Oh, damn!. I mean you'd be ok if you asked someone and that person was a nerd who know the answer. Yup, that's what I did.

r.alphbunker 1:47 PM  

Nice puzzle. I groaned when I saw all the circles but all was well when I got the theme. If the pins were bowling pins you could develop a Big Lebowski-related theme.

600 1:54 PM  

D'OH!

Tobias Duncan 1:59 PM  

@600
You just lost your nerd card there punchy,consider it revoked.Come on, lets have it.Might as well make this a full blown wallet inspection while we are at it,hand it over.

Rube 2:31 PM  

You know you've been doing too many crosswords when you put in O_SE and leave the cross to decide, ('cause you can never remember), whether it's U or I, as in the river OUSE in England or the river OISE in France.

Didn't even notice, because the crosses went in so quickly, the name ERTE. That's pretty esoteric for a Tuesday. Thanks @miriam b for the explanation.

The theme didn't do anything for me, but the discussion on juggling 8 or so "pins" as the domain of the world's "elite" jugglers was interesting.

Brian B 2:39 PM  

Some professional jugglers may object to being called CLOWNs, but others straddle the two worlds. I had a neighbor years ago who both clowned and juggled. And not all "clowning" entertainment involves the big shoes and red noses; it's amazing how versatile some acts can be. Just sayin'.

CoffeeLvr 2:51 PM  

Fun puzzle, with a twist on the usual themes. Congrats on your debut/finale Mr. Feyer.

I would have been done in pretty good time if I had known how to spell RIALTO. I do now.

Like SHRILL & Caveat EMPTOR.

Masked and Anonymous 2:51 PM  

Can't help wonderin' if Dan (or 1, as I like to call him) constructed the puz in record time. Wouldn't put it past him. Thought the overall theme was just fine: pin spins.

Fill was close enough for NYT work; we did say "what's ___ doin' in my TuesPuz" a coupla times. [Cressida, Cesa, Donen will all fill the precedin' blank admirably.]

Thumbs up. Dude can dish it out, as well as swallow 'em whole.

P.S. Puz also has a few "bent pins" in it. So 31 may want to boost up his pin count up some more.

janie 3:39 PM  

juggling eight or nine pins may be exceed the limits of possibility, but seems it *is* possible to juggle some two dozen balls. read 'em 'n' weep!

and if you ever get the chance to see the flying karamazov brothers perform their juggling feats, run don't walk!

imoo.....

;-)

sanfranman59 4:06 PM  

Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation of my method):

All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)

Tue 6:53, 8:54, 0.77, 2%, Easy

Top 100 solvers

Tue 3:52, 4:35, 0.84, 6%, Easy

Based on the posted solve times, it seems that Will got his Monday and Tuesday puzzles mixed up this week (a rarity). Yesterday's numbers would have rated either an Easy-Medium or a Medium Tuesday and today's would rate a Medium or Medium-Challenging Monday.

To all you Jeopardy-watchers out there, please don't spoil the outcome of Joon's appearance tonight for those in time zones to the west of yours. Thanks!

chefwen 4:24 PM  

I'm with you @baja, that book scared the liver out of me.

Super easy, but a fun and whimsical puzzle. Agree with sanfranman59 with the switching of days.

My friend Andy and his buddy Tommy came in first on 59D Sunday. They won a trip to Ireland. GO ANDY!!!

Looking forward to Joon tonight, he was outstanding yesterday. GO JOON!!!

quilter1 4:30 PM  

I'm glad I wasn't the only one to think of Barney Fife. Two minutes until Jeopardy.

natorks: really twisted Naticks

long suffering mets fan 4:46 PM  

@jesser -- good story, may the girlfriend as well as the dog get far away from the scumbag

Clowns are just plain creepy, except for, of course, Krusty

@John V -- saw Mamma Mia last year and I don't remember the song "Back in Black"
Bjorn and Benny do belt out a mean "Hells Bells" though LOL

Missed last night's jeopardy and will miss tonight's -- did Joon mention his crossword construction in the awkward "schmoozin' with Alex" segment?

Go get 'em Joon wait, already taped long ago --- HOPE YOU GOT 'EM JOON !!!!!

fergus 4:50 PM  

Best visually themed puzzle in a while!

Chip Hilton 4:57 PM  

I promise to keep my big fat mouth shut tonight concerning Joon on Jep. Apologies to West Coasters for ruining their enjoyment of the show last night.

Sfingi 5:09 PM  

@DK - Here in Upstate NY, our MAPLES are dropping them, not keeping them in the air. The leaves, that is. We have a disease called Maple Leaf Tar Spot, exemplified by coin size black spots. According to Cooperative Extension, the disease started in a town nearby (New Hartford) at least a decade ago. The spots have been slower getting smaller. Looks like it's spread West.

@Jesser - someone shot (dead) a very docile and quiet white pitbull down the street from us. Some said it was a drug grudge, but why take it out on the dog? Those types never face someone bigger than they.

@Rex - KALB and DONEN are oldster.

I can't juggle one ball. Haven't caught a ball in my life, and not gonna start now.

Remember, "What's new on the Rialto?" from the Merchant of Venice? (Salanio, III i) There, it's a lovely bridge with shops on it.

Two hours to Jeopardy, here.

Captcha - plato.

Dan 5:18 PM  

Thanks for the comments, everyone! Glad most of you enjoyed it - wasn't expecting such a positive reaction from this crowd, dont'cha know. There's definitely more iffy fill than I'd like (even with the diagonal constraints), but constructing is not my forte...

An early draft had the PIN in the revealer entry circled, but the picture is much less elegant that way. I didn't even think about the fact that eight pins is a lot to juggle -- just wanted to have all eight possible configurations. I did know that they're properly called "clubs", but there couldn't be a puzzle using those letters!

@600 and others - I wouldn't recommend visiting my "blog" reguarly, since usually all I do is post solving times. It's not a blog, you see.

foodie 5:56 PM  

@miriam b, thanks! Makes all the sense in the world, except it never occurred to me!

Looking forward to watching Joon. I used to watch Jeopardy assiduously. Then I let it drop. I might get hooked again thanks to him...

@Dan, I really hope you will reconsider your plan not to construct... This is like someone serving you a perfect chocolate soufflé and you want to be their best friend, and then they announce they'll never make it again. You'd try to get them to rethink it, right? I bet it gets easier, and you definitely have the magic touch..

chefbea 6:21 PM  

one hour and 10 minutes and counting

Z 6:58 PM  

I didn't get to the puzzle until lunch today. Had to get a little extra sleep after getting home late from the ball game (Go Tigers). Caught on to the pins in the air visual as I was solving, but missed the standing clown element until I got here.

I thought the puzzle was a good Tuesday puzzle before I got here, the added insight of this group makes me appreciate it even more. The crosswordese is okay with me when you have these added elements in the construction.

I did finish with two wrong letters. My tea kettle SHRIeks. ILe looked fine (never read the clue) and kIRAS is as plausible to me as LIRAS for Turkish money. Did the head slap when I read the blog.

I have to agree with @foodie, Dan needs to make another chocolate soufflé.

Tobias Duncan 9:17 PM  

Hmmm somehow now I feel that Dan owes me another puzzle... and a chocolate souffle... get cracking.

foodie 11:25 PM  

Is everyone done watching Jeopardy? Probably not the folks in Hawaii? So, I'm not sayin how it turns out. I only want to say that it was fun to "meet" Joon...

And I now have on my DVR two shows THAT SHALL NOT BE ERASED, this one and Dinner Impossible, with Andrea et al from the Puzzle Tournament. I still have plenty of space for other geniuses amongst you who want to make appearances on National TV, so to quote Tobias Duncan, Get Cracking...

JenCT 5:43 AM  

@foodie: just a word of warning; you may want to transfer those shows to a DVD or tape as a backup: my old DVR died on me, and I lost everything on it. :-(

Lisa Feather Art 12:30 PM  

I loved this puzzle! So fun!

Also loved Jesser's tale. Poor pup, but it seems in losing his leg he found a good home at last.

Anonymous 7:17 PM  

I love reading all your comments..getting a chance to see other tries @ solving clues: what was "easy",what was "tough" and enjoying the stories you all share too, like that abused dog, so sad ! Yeah,rescurer! So,thanks again everybody. "dinosuz". P.S. There is a special hell for that boyfriend: he gets to be who he is for the rest of his life. YUCK !

Anonymous 12:02 PM  

Some nice crosses/stacks in here. MAP-MAZE, AROMA-SEWER, CLOWN-ACT (and JUGGLING-ACT), ESL-Schwarzenegger, OATHS-ASS, and even AC/DC-THOR.

I found out today that if I want to continue doing Monday puzzles I will have to go to a newstand, as my local paper has deemed Monday morning delivery not worth the effort.

Dirigonzo 4:46 PM  

Writing from the land of the latter day solvers (meaning no disrespect to members of the original LDS), I found this to be great fun and I'm more impressed now that DF pointed out that he got all 8 possible spin configurations in - that had to be hard!

I hope THOR the rescue cat in @Jesser's story lives as long and happy a life as my THOR (although he's a cat who only thinks he's a dog).

So let's continue @Rex's concept of checking in on this date in 2006:
- "Solving time: 9:24 (on the NYT website - Java Applet)"
- "At some point last night, I had heard the same reporters and politicians and pundits say the same things so many times that the phrase "New Direction" started to sound like "Nude Erection": "We need a Nude Erection in Iraq!" Well, why not? Can't be any worse than our current policy."
- " Slowish on puzzle again, curse the applet."
- "Good for the Times for including a FOX News, uh, Personality in the grid. Perhaps, inspired by overwhelmingly centrist election results, the Times will temper its legendary political bias, reaching across party lines and bringing a nude erection to the puzzle."
- "Seedy poker-playing loser jerks should not get to hide behind the word "gentleman.""
- "47A: Surrender, as arms (lay down) makes me think of my hero Bill Clinton. And not because he brokered peace agreements (OK, I know that in order for the full Lewinsky-ness of this reference to work, the phrase should be LIE DOWN, but I work with what I got)."
- There were 6 comments, including this from @Rex in reply to @Orange: "Save the puns for the Forum Folk who LUV them so much."

Anonymous 11:34 AM  

so all Klingons are nerds? ;D

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