tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post1647811273782472590..comments2024-03-28T06:44:48.044-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: SUNDAY, Jan. 4, 2009 - Daniel A. Finan (Event first won by Marmon Wasp / Asian capital whose trains offer oxygen masks / Afternoon serial informally)Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44866925734911895092009-01-12T12:48:00.000-05:002009-01-12T12:48:00.000-05:00First time commenter!I live in Vancouver and the V...First time commenter!<BR/><BR/>I live in Vancouver and the Vancouver Sun publishes the New York Times crosswords a week behind. It's like pulling teeth to read this blog in proper chronology rater than jumping into future.<BR/><BR/>Loved this puzzle. It always amazes me how the difference between a good Saturday times and a bad one is the pop culture knowledge and whether you're fortunate enough to know it. This time around, I was spot on and it made for an easy puzzle.<BR/><BR/>Major complaint: SETI is an X-Files grp. by association only. As a longtime X-Files fan, I can say with certainty that this "group" has no part in the show itself. X-Files groups are the FBI, the Majestic Consortium, the Lone Gunmen, The Department of Defense, the U.S. Military, Fox, and the Area 51 Research Facility. Anything else is not an "X-Files group." <BR/><BR/>It was a stupid clue.Harrison Mooneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03261557020279875141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89515749247302985882009-01-11T14:55:00.000-05:002009-01-11T14:55:00.000-05:00For once, being from Missouri got me something.For once, being from Missouri got me something.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62893955786676360212009-01-10T19:29:00.000-05:002009-01-10T19:29:00.000-05:00Darn! I never get to offer a timely comment, as th...Darn! I never get to offer a timely comment, as the Vancouver Sun always carries the puzzle a week after you folks have already solved and commented :(<BR/>Here's the version I was raised with:<BR/>Half a pound of tupenny rice<BR/>Half a pound of treacle<BR/>That's the way the money goes<BR/>Pop goes the weasel!<BR/><BR/>Weasel is the weekly pay packet and tupenny means 2 pence (pennies). Inflation has ruined the sense of the rhyme, but it can't eradicate the memories of being bounced on my father's knees and being semi-dropped on the word "pop" - gasp!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46970742259047448642009-01-06T23:22:00.000-05:002009-01-06T23:22:00.000-05:00Yay, ballet! Kirov was a slam dunk. Ballet clues c...Yay, ballet! Kirov was a slam dunk. Ballet clues come up even more infrequently in crosswords than they do on Jeopardy. <BR/>Actually, they come up pretty regularly on Jeopardy, but almost always are the last category chosen.<BR/><BR/>If it's not the Bolshoi, it'll be the Kirov, which is again called the Maryinsky, by the way, now that the Communists are out of the way. The Kirov produced both Nureyev and Baryshnikov, as well as scads of other world famous ballerinos and ballerinas.<BR/><BR/>The next best known theater, which I doubt we'll ever see in a puzzle clued as such, is the Maly.nurturinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02035395856164817422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11472241096841291392009-01-05T22:25:00.000-05:002009-01-05T22:25:00.000-05:00Bringing up the rear, because my mind works s-o s-...Bringing up the rear, because my mind works s-o s-l-o-w-l-y compared to all yours.<BR/><BR/>Like others I had IMOUT and CARNE at first. <BR/><BR/>My favorite progression of silly umlauts is Blue Oyster Cult (umlaut over the O) to Motley Crue (over the o and the u) to Spinal Tap (umlaut over the n).<BR/><BR/>Good puzzle this week, good PuzzleGirl write-up, and good comments!Stanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02681342234536407419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73808190979335375642009-01-05T15:21:00.000-05:002009-01-05T15:21:00.000-05:00A woman has 2 X chromosomes. A man has an X and a ...A woman has 2 X chromosomes. A man has an X and a Y.Jeffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01699404861773455504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63694284345756552212009-01-05T15:18:00.000-05:002009-01-05T15:18:00.000-05:00Can someone please explain 64D - one with two x's ...Can someone please explain 64D - one with two x's = woman?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22271340469744152142009-01-05T05:24:00.000-05:002009-01-05T05:24:00.000-05:00@ parshuter -- Thanks for noting that Agnew's alli...@ parshuter -- Thanks for noting that Agnew's alliterative put-down was from author Safire! We always knew it wasn't genuine Spiro ("dum spiro, spero", etc.)<BR/><BR/>∑;)ArtLvrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03869528391374878601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26068615712360561032009-01-04T23:08:00.000-05:002009-01-04T23:08:00.000-05:00I'm going to call my Kenosha Waterloo, much easier...I'm going to call my Kenosha Waterloo, much easier to remember. That's exactly what it was for me today, between SETI, Kenosha and Rolla.<BR/><BR/>@fergus: tried the soybean, too.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88346555402360759032009-01-04T21:26:00.000-05:002009-01-04T21:26:00.000-05:00Good day for Charlton Heston: ELCID, THEXCOMMANDME...Good day for Charlton Heston: ELCID, THEXCOMMANDMENTS, and the NRA. According to some movie critics, he actually ACTED now and then, too (okay, so I wasn't a fan).Chip Hiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944056030047563287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21796631481681960502009-01-04T21:17:00.000-05:002009-01-04T21:17:00.000-05:00Rex, I figure that Kenosha, Natick and such are go...Rex, I figure that Kenosha, Natick and such are good for the soul. I seem to live under the weird notion that if I think hard enough, I will figure things out. The puzzle on hard days, or even in particular patches on easy days like today, shows me the real limits of that idea. <BR/><BR/>So, I really like your suggestion== as in: "I hit a Natick and ended up in Kenosha!"foodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052189131129098616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7421055514702242372009-01-04T20:39:00.000-05:002009-01-04T20:39:00.000-05:00@joho, IMIN! I happen to have a few bottles left i...@joho, IMIN! I happen to have a few bottles left in my cellar......Mike the Winohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06130415184285936710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85797993801062738602009-01-04T20:30:00.000-05:002009-01-04T20:30:00.000-05:00Hoser for deadbeat seems a little off to me. I se...Hoser for deadbeat seems a little off to me. I see HOSER more as a silly [Canadian] beer-drinking oaf who says "eh" a lot.Jeffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01699404861773455504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60917792862870594552009-01-04T20:10:00.000-05:002009-01-04T20:10:00.000-05:00@Mike the Wino, @santafefran & @chefwen ... I ...@Mike the Wino, @santafefran & @chefwen ... I too, was an IMOUT for a while ... we should all get together for a glass of wine!<BR/><BR/>@ulrich ... I'm going to email you regarding the umlaut!johohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12708487230515532492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48735963769355075072009-01-04T20:07:00.000-05:002009-01-04T20:07:00.000-05:00Kenosha -- that would be the BEQ puzzle of Dec. 26...Kenosha -- that would be the BEQ puzzle of Dec. 26 with EADIE/ETSEQ crossing. Absolutely no hope!<BR/><BR/>3 and out.jaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77905228301909889692009-01-04T20:03:00.000-05:002009-01-04T20:03:00.000-05:00I live in Dallas Texas and for some reason Rolla a...I live in Dallas Texas and for some reason Rolla and Kenosha were the first cities that came to mind when I read the clues.<BR/><BR/>Can't say I've been to either although my son did briefly consider Univ of Missouri at Rolla - recently renamed something like Missouri Institute of Technology. Opted for Georgia Tech instead.<BR/><BR/>pjAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54963951184403669392009-01-04T19:44:00.000-05:002009-01-04T19:44:00.000-05:00Awesome Rex! A new crossword word: Kenosha! I love...Awesome Rex! A new crossword word: Kenosha! I love it! It can be verbed too: "This puzzle kenoshed me on the clue, 'city NNE of Bakersfield'"<BR/><BR/>HUH? I'm supposed to know this obscure burg?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70770199825859458502009-01-04T19:42:00.000-05:002009-01-04T19:42:00.000-05:00Playground retorts seem to have been on sabbatical...Playground retorts seem to have been on sabbatical until the return today. Might have entered SOYBEAN before COCONUT. Otherwise, a rather pedestrian solve. Nice grid, though. <BR/><BR/>Could HOSER also have worked for Deadbeat? Crosscan?fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20386678483150776282009-01-04T19:22:00.000-05:002009-01-04T19:22:00.000-05:00I Kenosha more than I realized. ThnxI Kenosha more than I realized. ThnxPhillySolverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06896753042626337920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10964641374187193532009-01-04T19:12:00.000-05:002009-01-04T19:12:00.000-05:00That was either the easiest Sunday puzzle in years...That was either the easiest Sunday puzzle in years or I'm getting smarter.KingRoperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05133099139383242625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14124482116552282492009-01-04T18:20:00.000-05:002009-01-04T18:20:00.000-05:00KENOSHA leveled my wife today, too, as it crossed ...KENOSHA leveled my wife today, too, as it crossed SETI and ROLLA, neither of which she knew. Those schwa sounds really, really should be well known answers, and neither is ... the question really is "How Well Known Is KENOSHA?" I knew it (sort of ... I'd heard of it), so I had no trouble here, but I think there's a case to be made for a violation of the Natick Principle here. KOLN seems reasonably well known, but ROLLA??? Many people seem to have had squares wrong (or empty) in KENOSHA.<BR/><BR/>"KENOSHA" can be the new name of the nowheresville you end up in when you finish the puzzle incorrectly and realize (once you've seen the correct answers) that you never had any hope of arriving at your intended destination.<BR/><BR/>rpRex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21954918717697953312009-01-04T18:11:00.000-05:002009-01-04T18:11:00.000-05:00I'm a New Yorker, so "NoHo" was a gimme, but the c...I'm a New Yorker, so "NoHo" was a gimme, but the crossing of Koln, Rolla and Kenosha left me with holes in my puzzle.<BR/>Loved the weasel -- it made me smile when he popped up, but hated spelling out "Eleventh" (7A; Like Polk, among U. S. presidents)in a puzzle based on Roman numerals!<BR/><BR/>PG and Rex -- Thanks for all the links, asides and good humor!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25707070628298743202009-01-04T18:10:00.000-05:002009-01-04T18:10:00.000-05:00Back from visiting the snow in Flagstaff for the w...Back from visiting the snow in Flagstaff for the weekend. This was the fastest (13:23), easiest Sunday puzzle I can ever remember. Was looking for a 45 minute puzzle so I would know when to check the dryer to see if the clothes were done. Thank goodness I was late in solving and could take the time to read the 77 comments! Off to the dryer!Shamikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11635283729322415150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91531016144115972502009-01-04T17:55:00.000-05:002009-01-04T17:55:00.000-05:00@kalaala: I've used up my alloted 3 comments--plea...@kalaala: I've used up my alloted 3 comments--please send me an e-mail so that I can answer that way (my address is on my profile).<BR/><BR/>@Canadian Doug: If you put an e-mail address on your profile, I could also answer you that way when I'm 3 and out.Ulrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02086202853174403008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50497271685540212412009-01-04T17:26:00.000-05:002009-01-04T17:26:00.000-05:00Yeah, IM OUT also. Other early mistakes were RINS...Yeah, IM OUT also. Other early mistakes were RINSING instead of X-RAYING, ARE TOO instead of DOES SO, and CARNE instead of QUESO. All were easily fixed once I got a little farther into it.chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.com