tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post1968421647998585930..comments2024-03-29T10:16:11.858-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Czech reformer Jan / THU 8-14-14 / Lovable 650-pound TV character / Biblical betrayer / Commercial start for Pen / Former Ford full-sizes / Another name for Odysseus / First mass-production auto company outside the USRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21983653634322224492014-09-21T18:47:41.772-04:002014-09-21T18:47:41.772-04:00Here in earthquake country we are wary of collapsi...Here in earthquake country we are wary of collapsing freeways. So there is a natural gap in underpass traffic during heavy commute hours as we all strive to protect ourselves from certain doom.<br /><br />That's the only explanation I can come up with, except it isn't true. Maybe for a week in October of 1989, but yeah, we're all in a rush to get where we're going so we close that gap. We're hidden from aerial view. Theme is stupid. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49041062231403824672014-09-18T21:39:39.433-04:002014-09-18T21:39:39.433-04:00I really enjoyed this puzzle, because the "da...I really enjoyed this puzzle, because the "dash" clues were driving me crazy. When I got UNDER and IDIDN and SENDS I was able to guess that the other side must complete them, and somehow UNDERPASS leaped into my Surf City head. (Here in the OC, we get the Times crossword 5 weeks later.) And I was lucky; thru my love of old French films, I knew CITROEN. Normally, I struggle with Thursday puzzles, but I lucked out with this one, therefore, I LOVE IT....Surf City Dude.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54262253167115333912014-09-18T20:08:42.986-04:002014-09-18T20:08:42.986-04:00From "Today in History" as published in ...From "Today in History" as published in my local daily: "On September 18, 1851, the first edition of The New York Daily Times, which later became The New York Times, was published. It seems happy birthday wishes to "The Old Gray Lady" are in order.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86625752020798972452014-09-18T16:51:56.980-04:002014-09-18T16:51:56.980-04:00I thought the puzzle was a marvel of engineering, ...I thought the puzzle was a marvel of engineering, although I shared the confusion expressed by @Joe Dipinto concerning the wording of the reveal clue which seems to imply two different engineering features, not one feature (the UNDERPASS) depicted twice in the grid. I thought the theme worked just fine from a visual point of view as the theme answers start on the left, disappear into tunnel and emerge from it on the right side.<br />A wonderful Thursday exercise IMHO.<br /><br />1510 - nope, I'm not going to win THE GAME today.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73726807548891555122014-09-18T16:12:07.169-04:002014-09-18T16:12:07.169-04:00Just lost interest in this one, partially bogged d...Just lost interest in this one, partially bogged down by the trivia, and partially by thinking an "engineering feature" would be some portion of a project, e.g. a keystone. In my opinion, the Golden Gate Bridge is not a "feature", but an "accomplishment". Anyway, put this one aside and came to see what it was all about. Seems I in the minority, but some days are like that!<br /><br />263 = 2, so no winner there. Maybe I,m wrong, but I think @rondo crowed too soon. Doesn't 658 = 19 = 1?DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63119112286945871072014-09-18T15:28:23.235-04:002014-09-18T15:28:23.235-04:00Didn't need to DELIBERATE long before gimmes L...Didn't need to DELIBERATE long before gimmes LTDS and EMU confidently led to DIVVYUP at 3D. Tilt, or should I say ERR? <br /><br />Back on the tracks with DELILAH & DELUISE (definitely an odd couple) but off them again with RAILWAYCROSSING aided and abetted by the S from HUS. <br /><br />In the end NOMAN, OMICRON, GENTLEBEN and THEGAME as well as the Iron Bowl school (thought it would be played between colleges in Minnesota) required googling to prevent a DNF.<br /><br />Loved the theme though. Much better than just a PASS, IMHO. Thank you, Jason Flinn.<br /><br />3344. Hmmm, think I'll divide it by zero and see what happens...Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29235825426278348172014-09-18T15:18:00.646-04:002014-09-18T15:18:00.646-04:00Once again proof that there are no bad crossword p...Once again proof that there are no bad crossword puzzles... only bad clues. Two thumbs down.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17336640211859063646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53145539122675058942014-09-18T13:16:04.515-04:002014-09-18T13:16:04.515-04:00Lost interest - DNF. Again too many 3-letter words...Lost interest - DNF. Again too many 3-letter words for my taste. Also general dislike for Thursday puzzles; gimmick must be really good to keep interest.<br /><br />658 - bingo! Or whatever one says.rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27008686122383358842014-09-18T11:52:01.598-04:002014-09-18T11:52:01.598-04:00Beastly tough! I started OK with the 1's, LTDS...Beastly tough! I started OK with the 1's, LTDS and LSD, and wondered when I might encounter my first vowel. But --of course-- I HADNO idea about the &$^#* rapper (grrr!) and hadn't yet picked up on the gimmick, so the NW was left half undone while I progressed, almost LITERALly, letter by letter down the center.<br /><br />There were a couple of "bridges" that helped: OBI/OBESITY and, don't ask me how I knew it, probably from some TV ad for a show, CEELO (guessed at the spelling). But in the main, this puzzle had a hard-to-get trick amid some pretty dicey entries. CITROEN is just not a make of car that comes to mind here in the States. I did manage to retrieve the name from just the -TRO-; I think that was just luck.<br /><br />Even after completing the grid with but a single-letter writeover (my interpretation was LIbERAL at first), it took a few minutes to visualize the UNDERPASS. I'm assuming the other ("One of two features...") was the overpass.<br /><br />While I agree that some of those myriad threes were a bit wifty, I enjoyed this solve. Considering the restrictions imposed by the demanding theme, I'd have to give it an A.<br /><br />1720; oops, I overshot my exit!spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79161012429649391652014-08-20T09:41:05.880-04:002014-08-20T09:41:05.880-04:00Was about to comment on the crews/cruise, takes a ...Was about to comment on the crews/cruise, takes a little breath out of Rex's gripingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85083237488746783812014-08-15T14:50:49.791-04:002014-08-15T14:50:49.791-04:00As far as the theme, it was a good one and I thoug...As far as the theme, it was a good one and I thought the complaints about its logical inconsistencies were making a big deal about something very small. My issue with this puzzle was inaccurate cluing (5A, 33A, 36A, 29D, 46D), the pop culture (2D, another moronic rapper), forcing us to share his personal interests (26D), clues I can't even fathom (17A, 61A). I felt like I was doing a puzzle created by an alien. I was so disgusted with the cluing and some of the answers that I doubt I'll ever do another Jason Flynn puzzle again. Too bad, the concept itself was a good one, but if you can't give good clues then the theme doesn't matter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36003149267857076442014-08-15T08:30:33.864-04:002014-08-15T08:30:33.864-04:00Cliff notes version of Rex's review: "Th...Cliff notes version of Rex's review: "This puzzle was hard for me, therefore it must be bad construction. Bad puzzle." Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34130076561141971132014-08-15T07:25:53.477-04:002014-08-15T07:25:53.477-04:00@Tita, it seems you don't "completely&quo...@Tita, it seems you don't "completely" agree with @Rex and @Zeke.<br /><br />@Hartley70: Shoot. Right up till that 'boyfriend' statement, I thought you were an XY kind of person. ...Hmm, maybe you still are...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86325976978184987382014-08-15T06:12:50.343-04:002014-08-15T06:12:50.343-04:00A day late again, but loving this puzzle. SHOPAHO...A day late again, but loving this puzzle. SHOPAHOLIC got me there. Thursday is just my weekly happy place. @AliasZ your musical links add to my solving experience and give me such a smile, thanks! I rode around in a boyfriend's deux cheveaux in 1966 and felt way too cool for high school...thanks for the memory. @Susannamac, love the photo!Hartley70noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56136891470909135332014-08-14T23:28:37.954-04:002014-08-14T23:28:37.954-04:00Very late to arrive.
I completely agree with Rex &...Very late to arrive.<br />I completely agree with Rex & @zeke. I did guess the IBEAMs, but struggled like mad to fill in those blanks.<br />That's not what made me not like it - I just really wanted there to be some kind of obscured bits of the things going under the UNDER PASSes. <br /><br />Liked learning about CITROEN. My dream car is a shiny (well, probably it won't be too shiny), red rolltop Deux Chevaux. @AliasZ - do you know of a creampuff one for sale??<br /><br />@Susannamac - perfect!<br />@Mark - lol! <br /><br />While it wasn't my cup of tea, I thank you none-the-less, Mr. Flinn, if for no other reason than the ASL clue. Actually, for lots more than that.Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13328001448088650602014-08-14T21:38:40.679-04:002014-08-14T21:38:40.679-04:00@LaneB - ASL=American Sign Language, someone "...@LaneB - ASL=American Sign Language, someone "talking" in ASL would be seen, not heard.Zed the Answer Mannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67709254787258603762014-08-14T21:36:10.872-04:002014-08-14T21:36:10.872-04:00@AndyNelson: Yup!the Citroen hit the guardrail and...@AndyNelson: Yup!the Citroen hit the guardrail and wrapped itself around the overpass. Susannamacnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41600756340492674922014-08-14T21:26:55.912-04:002014-08-14T21:26:55.912-04:00Managed to do a good part of this whilst sitting ...Managed to do a good part of this whilst sitting with the dogs at the Humane Society. They didn't do as well as usual today, probably because the puzzle was a challenging one--which I later finished with the help of Googling @ a54,d26,d29 d37 and d49. Did not really have to for Reddy, but her name escaped me for too long and I grew impatient. The googling did open up the lower SE.<br />A clever idea but as Rex contended, the clues were odd and I still don't know what ASL has to do with seeing a talk. I'm sure it makes perfecxt sense, but not for me.LaneBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25025465487968590122014-08-14T21:04:10.095-04:002014-08-14T21:04:10.095-04:00Those empty lanes were obviously the bike lanes or...Those empty lanes were obviously the bike lanes or the shoulders of the road, or the walking space on a railroad trestle.andyn840@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17001613260435940433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90448505771006561442014-08-14T21:03:08.731-04:002014-08-14T21:03:08.731-04:00Great demo, @Susannamac! I think @Mark tried to re...Great demo, @Susannamac! I think @Mark tried to replicate, went from fold straight on to mutilate.<br /><br />LFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11072124267595385162014-08-14T20:42:38.471-04:002014-08-14T20:42:38.471-04:00@Z Thank you for simplifying the link to my photo!...@Z Thank you for simplifying the link to my photo!<br />@Mark Yikes! What happened to your iPad? :(<br />Susannamacnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18186642415858188452014-08-14T20:32:14.734-04:002014-08-14T20:32:14.734-04:00Technically, Delilah was not a traitor. She was a ...Technically, Delilah was not a traitor. She was a Philistine prostitute who betrayed Samson to the Philistines, so she in fact was loyal to her own people. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30543169129562132072014-08-14T19:32:24.121-04:002014-08-14T19:32:24.121-04:00@Anonymous 10:38, Casco & geordiegirl - e.g. ...@Anonymous 10:38, Casco & geordiegirl - e.g. can occasionally imply an abbreviation or truncation. This happens mostly in later week (i.e. more difficult) puzzles.<br />So, geordiegirl is pretty much right -- e.g. is usually just what it means.<br /><br />The most common use of e.g. to signal an abbreviated answer is with sports teams. You might see a clue like "Lions and Bears, e.g." and the answer would be NFLERS or NFL Teams. jaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33139407012052978702014-08-14T18:54:21.978-04:002014-08-14T18:54:21.978-04:00I Google for rappers, songs and movies - as needed...I Google for rappers, songs and movies - as needed - and this puzzle had all three! Once I got that out of the way, I could appreciate this construction - and found it fun. I'm no nitpicker of the minutiae - and appreciate the creativity!Arlenehttp://www.listeningclosely.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51493486447475981792014-08-14T18:27:01.985-04:002014-08-14T18:27:01.985-04:00@anonymous - Abbreviations can also be signaled by...@anonymous - Abbreviations can also be signaled by another abbreviation within the clue - such as Washington, D.C. or NYC - but I think e.g. is usually just what it means. geordiegirlnoreply@blogger.com