tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post1526807689824652655..comments2024-03-28T22:09:11.213-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Signature song for MC Hammer / MON 5-6-13 / Believers in essential worth of all religions / Something smashed by Abraham in Jewish tradition / Sicilian secret society / Enclosed body of water on tropical island / Film ogre voice by Mike MyersRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67419335364841683492013-06-10T17:24:27.162-04:002013-06-10T17:24:27.162-04:00Dirigonzo -- You receive an A when you get no wron...Dirigonzo -- You receive an A when you get no wrong answers or one or two. A, B, C, D, and F are the grades. Teachers say you get an E for 'e'ffort when you try your best but still fail. Students would love to get an A when they fail; But teacher I tried real hard, really I did.Syndy Solver in Texasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40181129375936183472013-06-10T16:09:54.016-04:002013-06-10T16:09:54.016-04:00Finished quickly (for me, in "syndi time"...Finished quickly (for me, in "syndi time" which I regard as the blog equivalent of "island time" and forgot to look for a theme which I never would have seen anyway. One write-over the decidedly late week Abaft before the more Mondayish AREAR. On a more positive note, whenever the clue refers to a farming prefix I write in AGR and wait for the cross to provide the vowel since at least three of them work. It's been discussed here before, but the phrase where I come from is "you get an A (as in "good job") for "effort" (as in trying hard, but failing). But I'm over complaining about it.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86441839839351281882013-06-10T14:34:30.302-04:002013-06-10T14:34:30.302-04:00Monday puzzles like this give me back the confiden...Monday puzzles like this give me back the confidence that posers like last Saturdays erode!! I found this one straight forward after changing AGRi to AGRO. Did I see the theme? Of course not, and this time I even looked for one! <br /><br />@Ginger: Haven't heard from you lately. Wasn't that a bit of a "what-ho" in Paris last night? Impressed that the game went on, and impressed by Nadal!DMGrandmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-61683128164539966122013-06-10T13:45:17.859-04:002013-06-10T13:45:17.859-04:00Does one HAVE to see the theme? If a theme is unn...Does one HAVE to see the theme? If a theme is unnoticed, maybe in the forest, is it really there? When is a theme not a theme, and more importantly, MUST there be a theme? I thound like I'm lithping.<br /><br />Theriouthly, I mean, seriously, these are important questions. If a puzzle has a theme, should there not be a revealer? I mean, if half the people don't see the theme, it's rather pointless. It's like doing the puzzle while drunk... Perhaps where LAGOON or REREAD are found, Joel could have contrived to have VOWELS in there.<br /><br />I suppose it doesn't matter. The puzzle was a competent piece of work, and I enjoyed it, theme recognition be damned.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90476561980886001712013-06-10T10:52:38.234-04:002013-06-10T10:52:38.234-04:00Solved it, every letter correct, no writeovers. Bu...Solved it, every letter correct, no writeovers. But...did I really solve it? I put it down, came here to blog about somebody sneaking in a Fagliano themeless on a Monday--and oops! There WAS a theme! So...<br /><br />Did I solve it?<br /><br />It goes to show where we've gone as a society: that OFL would reject a religious song in favor of rap. How sad.<br /><br />But on a more pleasant note: two symmetrical downs put some REAL music into my head: HOODOO conjured up Simon's (was gonna say "the Paul Simon classic," but then realized that's redundant) "Loved Me Like a Rock:"<br /><br />"...now who do, who do you think you're foolin'?"<br /><br />Then there came to join him Mama Cass ELLIOT:<br /><br />"...And ev'rybody's gettin' fat 'xcept Mama Cass!"<br /><br />Now THERE, folks, is some MUSIC.<br /><br />Captcha=injanis. There goes ANOTHER piece o' MY heart!spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12716572200713140212013-06-08T23:46:13.702-04:002013-06-08T23:46:13.702-04:00Scrabble is great board game, it can enhance your ...Scrabble is great board game, it can enhance your memory and its very challenging..Scrabble Consonant Wordshttp://www.anagrammer.com/scrabble-words/all-consonant-wordsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40885274712610380722013-05-07T01:09:02.811-04:002013-05-07T01:09:02.811-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation and my 10/15/2012 post for an explanation of a tweak I've made to my method. In a nutshell, the higher the ratio, the higher this week's median solve time is relative to the average for the corresponding day of the week.<br /><br />All solvers (this week's median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Mon 6:13, 6:14, 1.00, 47%, Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:53, 3:44, 1.04, 71%, Medium-Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12282524410219894312013-05-06T23:43:35.087-04:002013-05-06T23:43:35.087-04:00At a conference so had to solve this on an iPad. Y...At a conference so had to solve this on an iPad. Yuck. Give me dead trees any day.<br /><br />Now to try to drunk solve the Tuesday puzzle on a iPad.Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-604396653153334232013-05-06T23:17:52.980-04:002013-05-06T23:17:52.980-04:00Just because:
Eric Cartman sings O HOLY NIGHTJust because:<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wofsgfQ2VSc" rel="nofollow">Eric Cartman sings O HOLY NIGHT</a>Doc Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12540112168511893896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14482714626051497982013-05-06T21:28:52.630-04:002013-05-06T21:28:52.630-04:00@PMDM - thank you - now I too like the theme A lot...<br />@PMDM - thank you - now I too like the theme A lot! Never saw it, never realized the downs were included, till I had hte good sense to come here.<br /><br />Cat mealtimes are a big deal around here (@LMS, you think YOU need a hobby...)<br />After much ceremony, involving shaking of boxes, clinking of spoons on sides of bowls, I present them with a flourish to Venus and Marzipan, accompanied by a grand "TADA!", which is immediately answered by grateful mews and chirrups.<br />I hope that wasn't TMI - I'm not a crazy cat lady - really...<br /><br />I got to play Place the H at AGah - AGHA.<br /><br />ANd yes, also love O Holy Night, in both English and the original French.<br /><br />@Cross Drunk - LOL! A shame Rex doesn't read anonymice. That was hilarious.<br /><br />@ED/Hack - ROTFLMAO!Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50012526674022932582013-05-06T19:36:30.434-04:002013-05-06T19:36:30.434-04:00So I guess no one is going to e-mail me the PDF fo...So I guess no one is going to e-mail me the PDF for the puzzle???<br /><br />Chefbeajodihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09446900244876232042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13803503918963333062013-05-06T18:08:28.882-04:002013-05-06T18:08:28.882-04:00An error (which some would call DNF) on a Monday? ...An error (which some would call DNF) on a Monday? Well, why not - without seeing the theme, I can't touch this and ISP made more sense than "U can't touch this," since I have no idea who or what MC Hammer is! Otherwise, I flew through this one, although I didn't understand "CAMO". The song title actually had "U" instead of "You"? Why???OISKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16808675378318214461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71257537609174005732013-05-06T16:58:45.850-04:002013-05-06T16:58:45.850-04:00Can’t decide which is worse, the sloppy “U sounds”...Can’t decide which is worse, the sloppy “U sounds” theme or the questionable out of sequence “A, E, I, O, U” theme, (working down the grid the descending order looks like E, A, O, I, U). <br /><br />It’s interesting to connect the letters in sequence from A to U and see what this puzzle’s theme structure looks like, Gorski style. (I’m not sure it matters but not even super scribbler Cy Twombly would own up to this visual and symmetry is, of course, a stranger).<br /><br />If Joel is going to be giving us puzzles of this kind in the future he had best develop a nom de crossword.<br />jackjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02699305265544975575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70446944903553250882013-05-06T16:37:00.032-04:002013-05-06T16:37:00.032-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation and my 10/15/2012 post for an explanation of a tweak I've made to my method. In a nutshell, the higher the ratio, the higher this week's median solve time is relative to the average for the corresponding day of the week.<br /><br />All solvers (this week's median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Mon 6:15, 6:15, 1.00, 47%, Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:59, 3:44, 1.07, 81%, Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46245011346349479152013-05-06T16:27:53.946-04:002013-05-06T16:27:53.946-04:00Did in 8:15, so happy with that for Monday. What ...Did in 8:15, so happy with that for Monday. What theme? John in Phillynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14410456395848541952013-05-06T16:22:07.892-04:002013-05-06T16:22:07.892-04:00Did the puzzle while on the way to Ct. Didn't ...Did the puzzle while on the way to Ct. Didn't see the theme til I came here. Beautiful day here in Ct. Hope I can get the puzzles on this computer...or I'll have to buy the news paper.<br /><br />It's me..chef bea. I think the google account is in my daughter's namejodihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09446900244876232042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90335424230101644712013-05-06T14:10:07.456-04:002013-05-06T14:10:07.456-04:00There were some potential theme entries that escap...There were some potential theme entries that escaped Joel's and most everyone else's attention: A-byss, A-fro, A-gha, A-gro, A-new, A-rear, E-spy, I-dol, I-hop, I-ron, O-hok, O-part, O-slo, U-napt, U-nit, U-tah, and sometimes Y-ams.<br /><br />This was an OH,OK puzzle for a Monday. It had very few threes (a good thing), and some unexpected Monday words like ABYSS, HOODOO, LAGOON, and MOTTO Guzzi who make some fine motorcycles:<br /><br />http://tinyurl.com/cnvjx82<br /><br />Oh, that is spelled with one T. Nevermind...AliasZnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90371587109868412022013-05-06T13:52:06.329-04:002013-05-06T13:52:06.329-04:00Just wondering- if this were a Thursday puzzle, an...Just wondering- if this were a Thursday puzzle, and so our mindset was at a Thursday level, would the theme have been more obvious, cuz you Know it's gonna be Tricky?<br /><br />Most of us 'sped thru' this one, so you're expecting to find the theme right away...?<br /><br />Patience is not my virtue, esp on Mondays.Sandy Knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72872256796930204102013-05-06T12:27:52.550-04:002013-05-06T12:27:52.550-04:00Drunk solving, Rex? Next time, do a Monday puzzle ...Drunk solving, Rex? Next time, do a Monday puzzle after smoking a joint while listening to the Beastie Boys' classic <i> Paul's Boutique </i> on your iPod while riding a packed 6 train to Grand Central....and <b> then </b> see if you're still under 3 minutes. <br /><br />That was my experience this morning and I still came in under my average. Such was the simplicity of today's puzzle.<br /><br />"...Louis Vuitton with the Gucci guitar, Johnny Ryall, HOO DOO you think you are?"<br /><br />Cutest Crossings: MIMI / MEME, YUMMY / YAMS...though, I'll admit, I've never been a sweet potato fan. <br /><br />Uhhhh: UNAPT? Inept?<br /><br /><br /><br />Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00267337763373340596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46003380729869122662013-05-06T11:30:07.413-04:002013-05-06T11:30:07.413-04:00The theme didn't help my solve, I just found i...The theme didn't help my solve, I just found it after the puzzle. Good Monday cluing, didn't feel stale. Are the people who clean hotel rooms still called MAIDS?<br /><br />Enjoyable puzzle, thanks JF!Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09709142959535977331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52884272291432325772013-05-06T10:59:45.521-04:002013-05-06T10:59:45.521-04:00I liked this puzzle very much, although I'm al...I liked this puzzle very much, although I'm also in the "couldn't get the theme" group, even after I REREAD the across entries a dozen times. @Milford and @joho - Love your EFFORTs! The best I could do was a chain of exclamations: OO! OW! OUCH! I also felt that WIT in 20A was mocking me, as I didn't have enough of it to find the theme. Never occurred to me to look at the Downs. Very nifty - wish I'd seen it.<br /><br />But there were many other pleasures, both entries on their own (NEATNIKS, O HOLY NIGHT) and the serendipitous grid match-ups others have commented on. I also loved MIMI x MEME (hearing it pronounced "ME! ME!"). Also liked MAFIA x AT WAR (in Rome we lived around the corner from the fortress-like building where the anti-Mafia force was headquartered). <br /><br />@loren - Did you notice STOP had it's antonym STEP in the opposite corner to start the puzzle? I also liked the outlier who delared "I HOP!" <br /><br />@chefwen - Thanks for the YUMMY YAMS - had not seen them.<br /><br />@Anoa Bob and @CrossDrunk - Thanks for the Platters - love them, did not know that one.<br />Carolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15971759975067250908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39290769428491886942013-05-06T10:57:41.320-04:002013-05-06T10:57:41.320-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Carolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15971759975067250908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91248745456243451022013-05-06T10:51:52.449-04:002013-05-06T10:51:52.449-04:00I think this puzzle would have been better and the...I think this puzzle would have been better and the theme more easily seen if the vowel progression had played out alphabetically from top to bottom. That is, the downs should've been acrosses. It looks like this was doable from a construction standpoint.DJGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14169359183650145099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71616059843771169582013-05-06T10:43:13.520-04:002013-05-06T10:43:13.520-04:00The puzzle was just fine for a Monday. What really...The puzzle was just fine for a Monday. What really made it sparkle was Rex's write-up and the comments it generated. Great fun to start my morning.<br />I'm not familiar with hoodoo as clued. I thought hoodoo was something like swamp bogeyman. Maybe from a CCR song?Two Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03279414989390373057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48616378893209260642013-05-06T10:14:43.595-04:002013-05-06T10:14:43.595-04:00Medium Monday for me. Like a few others, I thought...Medium Monday for me. Like a few others, I thought the theme was the 'U' sound also. Had to come here to see it was better than that. And yes, it definitely would have helped if all of the theme answers had been acrosses.<br /><br />Just had a good idea - an altered state of mind puzzle tounament. Sounds like half of us qualify already.Rob Cnoreply@blogger.com