tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post2454678947257585016..comments2024-03-28T20:49:13.267-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Creation director Jon / SAT 11-10-12 / Friday Night Beauty airer / Protein powder purveyor / Council city 1545-63 / TV title role for Toni Collette / 1997 Spielberg epic / Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32938222481478904502022-01-17T00:01:37.400-05:002022-01-17T00:01:37.400-05:00Hand up here as well on SOMBRERO. Where I grew up...Hand up here as well on SOMBRERO. Where I grew up, the full version is simply Kahlua & cream; if you reduce the Kahlua to an ounce or less, it's a "pregnant mom".<br /><br />One nit: I don't know where Ms. Gorski grew up where sidewalk slabs are squares, but my Midwest and West-Coast habitations show those to be in the extreme minority. A typical sidewalk slab consists of 2-4 squares, with a simple 1/4" lath line between squares: they are *not* separate slabs.Prunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00224476641730508311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23635359574683740722022-01-16T23:53:38.941-05:002022-01-16T23:53:38.941-05:00Natick city for me. First was the AMOS OZ/ZORA/ZI...Natick city for me. First was the AMOS OZ/ZORA/ZION double, then the SATAY/TARA/NINA RICCI double, and finally the 3x2 collection of proper nouns in the NE (counting AEIOUY as such). Since when is a letter list "literary"? I've never seen "cutie" spelled with the EY ending; I'd like to see "variant" or some such hint when that happens. I agree with many others that the "sundae shoppe" clue is bloody invalid, and the the question mark on EpiPen is bogus.<br /><br />Up until this entry, I've thoroughly enjoyed DQ's puzzles, as "hard, but fair" items. My balding NE area (TRENT/CUTIE/ONED/alero?) stands as evidence to ... something.Prunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00224476641730508311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17168425346808701552012-12-17T14:25:05.122-05:002012-12-17T14:25:05.122-05:00Agree with Lennie, DQ's clue is perfect just a...Agree with Lennie, DQ's clue is perfect just as it is. Sometimes Y is a vowel (as it is in "many"). Sometimes not ("York")! Every other vowel is in the phrase just once. So the phrase is genius, and I'm impressed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59928386102834270282012-12-17T12:40:08.622-05:002012-12-17T12:40:08.622-05:00To the suggestion of "a New York night club&q...To the suggestion of "a New York night club" for DQ's original clue, the problem with that is that the 'Y' in that phrase is not a vowel.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17631093655277281682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59437655264121290092012-12-15T22:59:16.705-05:002012-12-15T22:59:16.705-05:00I often read the comments but never comment myself...I often read the comments but never comment myself. I am writing in from Syndiland so I am weeks behind the other posts. I agree with Rex's rating of medium but unlike everyone else, the NW was the hardest for me and the last to fall. I had three quarters of the puzzle complete and was unable to get any traction considering that I am unfamiliar with the words rictus, Leipzig and don't know who Amos Oz is. The NW killed me but I loved the mental workout.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21678641912545920142012-12-15T21:51:50.949-05:002012-12-15T21:51:50.949-05:00Funnily enough, I found the SW corner almost Wedne...Funnily enough, I found the SW corner almost Wednesday-like with SKYPE, TROI (love that woman), REUPS and PENNY quickly revealing the obscure (Jon) AMIEL. Should have probably stopped then because, never having heard of QVC, the NE incorrectly contained AMC and MARGE (even with the gimme TRENT) and needed Googling to resolve. <br /><br />Elsewhere, found the Quarfoot cluing most uneven. For example, LST from E.T.O. craft and SALARY from Pay were so easy, I thought they must be wrong! On the other hand, ZORA, GNC, SATAY, TARA, AMISTAD and RICTUS were never going to emerge, no matter how creative I became.<br /><br />Even outsmarted myself cleverly putting down RECYCLING from the L in LII for Refuse aid (obvious trash thinking).<br /><br />Time now to put that pint-size collectible to good use...<br /> Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53939917973406821022012-12-15T19:15:13.274-05:002012-12-15T19:15:13.274-05:00Thank you, thank you, Spacecraft. Now I don't ...Thank you, thank you, Spacecraft. Now I don't have to say a thing. The cluing was absolutely outrageous. Ron DiegoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38237440728150364062012-12-15T14:45:23.180-05:002012-12-15T14:45:23.180-05:00Well, I got the bottom half, but the top was more ...Well, I got the bottom half, but the top was more spaces than letters when I threw in the towel. Tough clues combined with stuff known by the younger crew left me hanging. Once I came here and "borrowed" INSTAGRAM, a lot more of the NW fell, but not all. Didn't know the author or where the musician was born. For the NE, I wanted my literary sextet to be names, like the Five Little Peppers or the Four Horsemen, but no 6 anythings came to mind. Also don't watch shopping channels and "felt" the natural gas source was somewhere in the US. Ah well, I spent a fun/frustrating hour, and will be back to try again on Monday.DMGrandmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70371301126874017882012-12-15T12:15:20.294-05:002012-12-15T12:15:20.294-05:00I opened my mouth yesterday: "I must be getti...I opened my mouth yesterday: "I must be getting better at this." Yeah. When will I learn? I am jaw-droppingly aghast that anyone called any part of this puzzle "easy." After more than an hour of headache-generating toil, I finally was able to get the NW-SE corridor. And that only after having to write over TOPiary with TOPSOIL. But the NE and SW nooks? No way. I pondered over the "Literary sextet" clue a long while, and the vowels entered my mind, but I rejected that idea, because it's SO BAD that no self-respecting constructor would do it. And QVC? Since I'm not a fiftyish woman with twelve jewelry boxes I had no shot. "Line up" is a sadistic clue for AGREE. Not wrong, not even unfair...just sadistic.<br /><br />And the other corner! AMIEL: that's a name familiar to people--both of them. YOUIN is ridiculous. There was no hope for that corner. I was glad that the name at 54a turned out to be TROI (God, she's hot!) but OFL forgot at least two other possibilities: Worf and Data.Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19493545079365397402012-11-13T10:21:29.513-05:002012-11-13T10:21:29.513-05:00@sandy k and others, the ones who got 11D AEIOUY k...@sandy k and others, the ones who got 11D AEIOUY keep alluding to the trick without explaining -- it's. a phrase ("many New York night clubs") in which all the vowels appear. @Evan's suggestion to change it to "a New York night club" is a good one, getting rid of the extra "y" in the phrase, and either is better than Shortz's "literary sextet."<br />Lucky me, I never even saw that clue when solving, filled in the crosses and fled that corner. Hand up here for alERo before CIERA, but much gratitude to my alma mater for preparing me to fill in TRENT, these many years later.<br /><br />Ellen Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00473445503706985149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82650892494455937112012-11-11T15:58:55.809-05:002012-11-11T15:58:55.809-05:00@Anony 2:54 PM - the x and y axes are lines, which...@Anony 2:54 PM - the x and y axes are lines, which are one-dimensional or ONE D for short.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48193798114887236752012-11-11T14:54:44.125-05:002012-11-11T14:54:44.125-05:00this is the first saturday i've tried. while i...this is the first saturday i've tried. while it isn't as easy as a wednesday rex (i usually finish those) i did really make a dent in it but the ne and nw were a bit too difficult for me. i dont get the x y axis answer. anyone still there????Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28667551453636852312012-11-11T13:10:52.998-05:002012-11-11T13:10:52.998-05:00There is no shame for me in having to sleep on a S...There is no shame for me in having to sleep on a Saturday puzzle before I manage to finish it. I was way too tired to keep up with the cleverness of the cluing last night but a fresh look this morning produced lots of AHA! moments and a very self-satisfying solve, which is why I do these puzzles in the first place.<br /><br />Now back to the (syndicated) Friday puzzle which is still kicking my butt, but I'll STICKTOIT until I prevail, then it's on to BEQ's Sunday grid (it's a good thing tomorrow is a holiday - I may need extra time).<br /><br />Please take a little time out of your day to remember and honor our nation's veterans.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90205454913590416022012-11-10T17:38:55.175-05:002012-11-10T17:38:55.175-05:00average (medium) Saturday for me except for the Na...average (medium) Saturday for me except for the Natick Tara/Nina Ricci though the r was guessable.michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50552884924736796302012-11-10T16:33:44.152-05:002012-11-10T16:33:44.152-05:00That was hellishly hard. Jon Amiel (who????) when ...That was hellishly hard. Jon Amiel (who????) when the infinitely better-known Barbara is available? Ugh!Charlenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15469827362374622318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18582670027327005012012-11-10T15:57:12.450-05:002012-11-10T15:57:12.450-05:00Correction to my first comment. I meant to say:
&...Correction to my first comment. I meant to say:<br /><br />"the north<b>WEST</b> corner is especially golden."Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15440942981870183719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67471415435253422112012-11-10T15:51:35.365-05:002012-11-10T15:51:35.365-05:00Mostly agree, except I found the NE to be the one ...Mostly agree, except I found the NE to be the one really hard spot, not the SW. SKYPE jumped right out at me, so the SW was okay (although I share Rex's total bafflement at the clue on KREME).<br /><br />But the NE, oy. I naturally tried ALERO instead of CIERA, which really slowed me down, and CUTIE instead of CUTEY, the latter spelling being one I've never seen (a search for CUTIE gets 198 million Google hits while CUTEY gets fewer than 6 million). So that corner was a mess for a long time.Matthew G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07957320012395569238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80086147348785994032012-11-10T15:32:10.475-05:002012-11-10T15:32:10.475-05:00I had to Google 35D and 62A and then it seemed I w...I had to Google 35D and 62A and then it seemed I was off to the races. Well, not exactly. Took me close to an hour. But enjoyed the solve.Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09709142959535977331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64384966986214370322012-11-10T14:30:30.572-05:002012-11-10T14:30:30.572-05:00What Rex said. But...why the question mark in the...What Rex said. But...why the question mark in the SKYPE clue? Clue works without it, no?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3627266623920776922012-11-10T13:35:08.117-05:002012-11-10T13:35:08.117-05:00Wow. I agree with medium but I got the SW corner f...Wow. I agree with medium but I got the SW corner first thought the NE was a bear. Like yesterday must be an age thing Rex. Nice workout for a saturdayAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16129074135267476062012-11-10T13:02:56.720-05:002012-11-10T13:02:56.720-05:00@Sir Hillary:
Good point about the extra Y. Maybe...@Sir Hillary:<br /><br />Good point about the extra Y. Maybe it would have been better as "Sextet seen in a New York night club?"Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15440942981870183719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-92123194946384654072012-11-10T12:57:55.036-05:002012-11-10T12:57:55.036-05:00@joho -- I forgot I also had to erase aleRo. I du...@joho -- I forgot I also had to erase aleRo. I dumped it almost immediately because USA was the only airer I could think of that fit and it wasn't going to work.jaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15091474747073196272012-11-10T12:56:58.708-05:002012-11-10T12:56:58.708-05:00The SW wasn't so bad for me - I had to guess A...The SW wasn't so bad for me - I had to guess AMIEL, TROI was only a vague memory, and I think of felines as more ShY than SLY -- but it all came out rihgt. And I loved the big corners: INSTAGRAM/HATE CRIME/AMINO ACID is such an unlikely trio, and then we get such ordinary words in the SE. But the NE killed me, mostly because of "Literary" in the clue for 12D. "Literal" would have been OK, but literary sent me to literature, so I kept thinking it must be some expanded version of 'trilogy.' I finally did get it when I saw VERGE, wrote over ArRay with AGREE, and went back to my original ONE-D.<br /><br />But: in a senior moment, I could visualize but not remember the word for SATAY, and didn't know TARA or CLAY AIKEN and therefore guessed SARK and CLARK IKEN. So I finished with errors.<br /><br />I did like it, though - and I seldome complain that even the easy parts are too easy!jberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02169065390875378077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16795795803337117662012-11-10T12:05:32.057-05:002012-11-10T12:05:32.057-05:00QVC was the first thing I put in- watched "F...QVC was the first thing I put in- watched "Friday Night Beauty" last night!<br /><br />Then watched Letterman- he uses blue cards, right? I should know...<br /><br />Was on the VERGE of a fast solve with CUTEYS like CLAY AIKEN- he was runner-up, NINA RICCI, SKYPE, INSTAGRAM, ANATOLE France, to NAME NAMES.<br /><br />Trouble with RICTUS, AMIEL, SATAY, EPI-PEN, and AMOSOZ til I remembered to parse.<br /><br />Had to STICK TO IT, and then ALL AT ONCE, they fell in. For me, medium-challenging, but as Saturday puzzles go- this was not a bad PENNY.<br /><br />Still don't get the nightclub clue for AEIOUY ??Sandy Knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45576990120843078682012-11-10T12:01:54.048-05:002012-11-10T12:01:54.048-05:00Oh, somebody else who can quote Robert Service! I ...Oh, somebody else who can quote Robert Service! I memorized "Dan McGrew" (sp?) as a child, and love The Cremation...(and there sat Sam, looking cool and calm, in the heart of the furnace roar...) Like Joho, I had Alero, and then when I got a down clue, changed it to Alera, and ended up with two incorrect squares. There is a station called QVC?? Yesterday's puzzle took me much longer, but I finished it correctly. Today's went in half an hour, but with two wrong letters. I don't like the clue for AEIOUY , but the New York night club clue makes no sense to me at all. Still, a very fine puzzle, and certainly Saturday worthy.OISKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16808675378318214461noreply@blogger.com