tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post2525049499593424399..comments2024-03-29T03:22:09.826-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Old presidential dog whose name starts a Christmas carol refrain / MON 12-7-15 / Formerly top-rated show starring Mark Harmon / Muscat's land / Yemeni port city / mia Italian term of endearmentRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4685692788383252732016-12-02T09:18:02.007-05:002016-12-02T09:18:02.007-05:00I'm using Kaspersky protection for a number of...I'm using <b><a href="http://antivirus.syntaxlinks.com/r/Kaspersky" rel="nofollow">Kaspersky</a></b> protection for a number of years, I would recommend this Anti-virus to all you.Bloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07287821785570247118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64764643296563529982016-01-11T23:18:42.454-05:002016-01-11T23:18:42.454-05:00Diana,LIW
Spacecraft - loved your reminder of the ...Diana,LIW<br />Spacecraft - loved your reminder of the Ajax ads.<br />I would this puz to be more of a "B" - kinda perfect for Monday newbies, with a couple of "post-Monday answers - you know what they were. <br />Mostly easy peasy with the exception of a few Thurs + clues/answers. And it was fun.<br />Diana, Lady in Waiting for CrosswordsDiana,LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-61255007291222002782016-01-11T15:52:32.191-05:002016-01-11T15:52:32.191-05:00Pretty well acrosses only on this one, but that...Pretty well acrosses only on this one, but that's OK by me, plus it evoked a few thoughtlets:<br /><br />I've never found The SIMPSONs compelling or funny, but it's probably because my son liked it, and based on our comparative musical tastes at the time, I thought that I couldn't like it. Maybe I've missed something, but I liken it to Borat as a satirical attempt. Unsubtle, and lame.<br /><br />When I got CESAR, having already entered CEDAR on the same longitude, I briefly thought the theme might be words differing only by their middle letters. That might have been cute.<br /><br />Like someone up there mused, why does there have to be a theme on a Monday puzzle? Is it one of those arcane rules? I seem to recall a Lynn Lempel Monday puzzle that was a highly entertaining themeless, unless I missed the theme, which is certainly possible.<br /><br />Anyway, did I like this? YEPrain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60229014353081664072016-01-11T12:28:03.571-05:002016-01-11T12:28:03.571-05:00ITLL be a long time until another puz will MAKEME ...ITLL be a long time until another puz will MAKEME remember H.S. English class and the ILIAD. Seems like we spent ALOT of time on it. Probably more time than on some of the MYTHS or ROMEO and Juliet or Julius (sic)CESAR.<br /><br />The PAR and IRON mini golf theme belongs there in the deep south as we are having the coldest days so far this winter here in MN.<br /><br />Wouldn’t exactly call Ms. TRAINOR a yeah baby, but she had big success with that tune. We made it a softball TRAINing device, telling runners, “It’s all about THAT base.”<br /><br />Decent Mon-puz. I,RON SAY a puz with ARON in it is OK.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15099209079248357312016-01-11T12:03:13.676-05:002016-01-11T12:03:13.676-05:00ROMEO SPOTS LEAD
IMEAN my ACHILLESHEEL is to get ...ROMEO SPOTS LEAD<br /><br />IMEAN my ACHILLESHEEL is to get LAIDUP A LOT,<br />THAT woman on the PARISMETRO had no quarrel,<br />ALLATONCE she did SAY, “OMAN, IMHOT,<br />if you want to MAKEME, I ELECTORAL.<br /><br />--- TROYAIKMAN<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38398764606422094632016-01-11T11:11:31.854-05:002016-01-11T11:11:31.854-05:00I had the same thought about ACHILLESHEEL. Maybe h...I had the same thought about ACHILLESHEEL. Maybe he could've worked in AJAXCLEANSER, if that's not too "old."<br /><br />"Use AJAX (bum bum), the foaming CLEANSER (bububububum bum bum), floats the dirt right down the drain (bubububububu bum)!" IRENIC, ain't it?<br /><br />Numbered 3 (?) to 9? Guess Jason's too young to remember Nicklaus. The Golden Bear would never be without his one- and two-irons. Hit many a glorious tee shot with THAT one. But I like PAR in the neighborhood; also AVON RANG (ding dong!).<br /><br />I remember when an EXTENSION was a supplemental phone number to reach a specific desk in an office. And oh yeah, the Great Wall is, in FACT, visible from space now, via GPS satellite. Better examples of MYTHS are legion.<br /><br />Clues once again bend over backwards with extra info not needed by any but the dullest of minds. "Old presidential dog" is plenty. "Decking" the clue with the carol reference is silly. Same thing with AIKMAN. We don't need a career resume. Actually, this Eagles fan doesn't need that name in the grid at all!<br /><br />We didn't get off to the best of starts with ACTIV and ADOSE, but there's not an awful lot of other dreck. I agree that the long downs, while not very spicy, are a plus for Monday. I would hope that Mr. Mueller's SOPHOMORE effort improves from an OK beginning. C+. spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70953040213155123252015-12-08T09:32:49.238-05:002015-12-08T09:32:49.238-05:00Hi, @Nancy! I don't want to be too smugly cont...Hi, @Nancy! I don't want to be too smugly contemptuous about what's write or wrong, so I'm of the general opinion that people frequently just use a phrase that's in the language, with little or no thought to what may or may not be a quotation from a source that they either are or aren't familiar with. [Let it dangle.]<br /><br /><i>That said</i>, while in college, I had a part-time job in a lab doing general factotum maintenance chores. There being at all times large quantities of glassware to clean, a catchphrase among us lower-echelon types was "Ours is not to reason why, Ours is but to wash and dry"Arphah Ligon-Wardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73941476906455018722015-12-07T19:12:17.279-05:002015-12-07T19:12:17.279-05:00@Aketi - I usually use my finger to scroll. Bigges...@Aketi - I usually use my finger to scroll. Biggest issue I have with the iPad is not being able to resize the comment box area. Annoying. There's always resizing smaller, too.<br /><br />I thought this was a fine Monday. If it were Wednesday I'd want the themers more hidden. For Monday these served well. I never saw IRENIC until it appeared as WOD. Good thing. <br /><br />If you had any doubt, Trump's newest idea should convince you that he and his ilk are <a href="http://www.pegc.us/archive/Articles/eco_ur-fascism.pdf" rel="nofollow">fascists as described by Eco.</a> I received two emails on this link off Rex, it's longish but I think well worth the read. Let me add, there is a big difference between the rhetoric of Trump and Cruz and conservatives like Kasich, Bush, and Christie.<br /><br />Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55143604565842772342015-12-07T17:14:14.369-05:002015-12-07T17:14:14.369-05:00Hi, @Bob K (10:28 am)-- Like you, I say "gild...Hi, @Bob K (10:28 am)-- Like you, I say "gild the lily," even though I know perfectly well it's wrong. I'm afraid that if I say "paint the lily," people will either 1) think I'm pretentious or 2) not know what on earth I'm talking about. But I'm enormously happy you know that, and I'm hoping others do as well. Some other ubiquitous misquotes:<br /><br />"Methinks the lady doth protest too much." (Actually, it's: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks.")<br /><br />"Money is the root of all evil." (Actually, it's: "The love of money is the root of all evil."<br /><br />"Theirs but to do or die." (Actually, it's: "Theirs but to do and die.")<br /><br />And of course the "savage beast"/"savage breast" confusion as to what music has charms to soothe. But no one here makes THAT mistake, right?Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16737377749030219974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75321457060379019042015-12-07T15:15:55.824-05:002015-12-07T15:15:55.824-05:00My first ever puzzle completed by solving only the...My first ever puzzle completed by solving only the across clues. Woo hoo!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07197749354677063492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24502296720612254762015-12-07T14:35:43.749-05:002015-12-07T14:35:43.749-05:00Despite the proximity of that AIK, MAN, there was ...Despite the proximity of that AIK, MAN, there was nothing in this elegant Monday to MAKE ME "OW". Since many construct their themes to be hidden, keeping one out in broad daylight just looks oddest, see? In general, I'm in favour of the classics, even if grounded in Classic Comics, which I must admit are my source whenever ARN or ALETA are called for.<br /><br />Figured out the focus/locus, reinforced by knowing FALA; I believe that FDR had almost as many dogs as Hoover -- including President, a Great Dane, so it seems we've already had a White House President that wasn't American. In both numbers and diversity of species, nobody came close to Silent Cal. Something fishy about finding another EEL hanging onto ACHILLES' calcaneus... IRENIC? No problem slapping on a suffix, though I'd probably balk if they RE-IRENED us.<br /><br />PARISM: the attribute of coming up average on just about every parameter<br /><br />@GILL, hope that each day is better than the previous.<br /><br />After a fine solo debut, looking forward to more of Jason's challenges. Golden Fleas, anyone?Leapfingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14243620614139990887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9170607657436895072015-12-07T14:04:33.145-05:002015-12-07T14:04:33.145-05:00So @Barany is back to promoting his own puzzles he...<br />So @Barany is back to promoting his own puzzles here again, "innocently" burying the reference among those to other puzzles.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9237568568521900402015-12-07T13:53:40.847-05:002015-12-07T13:53:40.847-05:00I got pretty hung up on that fala/lala problem, be...I got pretty hung up on that fala/lala problem, because loci seemed more right than foci.<br /><br />I had a great example of a cognitive dissonance loop problem yesterday. First clue I figured out was Creative Rioters, but as the puzzle ran along, i realized that couldn't be right. I mean, who calls themselves a "creative writer." Someone might take creative writing, but they would call themselves an author, a novelist, an essay. There is no such thing as a creative writer. So it occurred to me that maybe the second word was typerioter, and then all I needed was a four letter brand name. so I erase creative rioter and put in typerioter and then spent an hour trying to make it fit, even though I knew, instinctively, that I was right the first time.<br /><br />My point is, the NYT is getting way sloppy on things which simply aren't words and make no sense. And even though I've read the Iliad (in Greek) and don't know who Meghan Trainor was, the theme answers were just plain stupid. Yeah, I did this in under two minutes, but I almost got in to the same loop as yesterday simply fighting bad thematic answers. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27489831448775124702015-12-07T13:46:09.830-05:002015-12-07T13:46:09.830-05:00Hand up with the multitude who disagree with Rex o...Hand up with the multitude who disagree with Rex on yet another Monday. This was a fine accessible puzzle with a friendly theme for new solvers, just what a Monday should be. Only gripes might be the football player (but I love the NFL) and IRENIC (somehow I know the word), but both filled fairly from crosses - and that's the idea, isn't it?<br /><br />lOCI/FOCI for a second. Remember FALA from a WW II propaganda video I saw on AMC or the History Channel in which a busy war time White House was depicted through the eyes of a neglected (and under-foot) FALA.<br /><br />@kitshef - Second your emotion on Berlin and Teri Nunn. Saw them two years ago in Philly. She paid homage to Gracie Slick (as every strong lady rocker should) with "White Rabbit" - great show.<br /><br />Terrific debut Jason Mueller - congrats.Mohair Samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16502840715719161565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83019651613438971652015-12-07T13:37:51.205-05:002015-12-07T13:37:51.205-05:00p.s.
EVAN would also work, at 59-A. As long as U ...p.s.<br />EVAN would also work, at 59-A. As long as U ain't worried about PER conflicts with PER-OT and REP.<br />Then They could keep IRONIC, and whatever (theoretical) horse it was gonna ride in on.<br /><br />Yo! ARON/AVON! Romoo Alert! har<br /><br />M&A<br />"A Kid with a New Toy"Masked and Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16027736429645378004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12728646351656965142015-12-07T13:31:15.457-05:002015-12-07T13:31:15.457-05:00Solo debUt, for Mr. Mueller. Also solo U, for Mr....Solo debUt, for Mr. Mueller. Also solo U, for Mr. Mueller.<br /><br />Pretty solid fill, altho learned a new word thanx to IRENIC. Primo side-by-side 9's, in the NE and SW.<br />CESAR/CEDAR was a nice little whatever U call that … <br /><br />Back to IRENIC. Interestin conjecture on the part of @Blu'Bel's sub, that it was originally IRONIC.<br />This would give us the extra-interestin crosser of ROMOO. So they musta had to do some furthermore rippin up of that there SW corner? Holy Romoo! Awful big corner, to do rip-ups on. I'da rather have ripped up that little Southcentral area, where IRON lives. Change AVON to ALAN, or somesuch.<br /><br />Theme was pretty much breezy and fun, save for really wantin a BRADUS-PITTIUS themer. Seemed harstorically incomplete, without him.<br /><br />fave weejecta: YEP/REP. Hey -- there it is again. We need us a name for this phenomenon. Sorta like "rhymers", but that don't quite get it, for CESAR/CEDAR. … Romoos?<br /><br />M&A<br /><br /><br />**gruntz with autocorrect (yo, @Aketi)**Masked and Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16027736429645378004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37189052971752513752015-12-07T13:20:42.700-05:002015-12-07T13:20:42.700-05:00I was going to mention the conversation between Wi...I was going to mention the conversation between Will and Joel that @George linked to. It really is amusing and lends a bit of insight to the clue writing process. If you haven't already read it, run, don't walk, to xwordinfo.com and look up the solution to today's puzzle. <br /><br />I thought this was rather easy, a fairly quick fill until I got to the end and no "congratulations" popped up. I looked and realized that I had TR_INOR and MA_EME in the downs. I've never heard of Meghan nor did I know Troy. The A was easy enough to figure out but getting the K just didn't jibe with "You and what army?!" for me. The answer for that clue seems to me to be more like <b>you can't</b> MAKE ME. AIKMAN rang some distant bell but didn't have any association with TROY for me. I"m just not that in to football. <br /><br />I debated the l OCI/FOCI question and settled on the latter because I have a vague recollection of mistakenly thinking FDR's dog was named Fido in a puzzle once. I considered Idyllic but saw it wouldn't fit. I wached IRENe fill herself in as I continued filling in the Acrosses and was at peace with that solution. "Oh yeah, her!"<br /><br />@GILL I.: there is an abundance of CEDAR shingles available on the net so apparently some people still have them on their houses. <br /><br />Thanks @Rex for the link to the Berlin song. I didn't click it but that's because I have that entire album on my phone. <br /><br />Looking forward to seeing Anabell in January and hoping she manages to get through her first finals with flying colors. Seems like only yesterday my step daughter was doing her finals finals at UGA. I now have to wonder if Patrick Berry ever grabbed a sandwich at the Subway where she worked. Numinoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01263999193499725814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18611421692869037342015-12-07T13:15:06.391-05:002015-12-07T13:15:06.391-05:00I wasn't really held up by the 5D-17A cross (t...I wasn't really held up by the 5D-17A cross (two WOEs for me) but I felt disgruntled all the same. Actually, Meghan's name looked familiar as more of it filled in, and of course I've heard the song. But this seemed less IRENIC a puzzle than tough to me, even though it still took me just short of 7 minutes, so a bit over my Monday average. (@George Barsny, I've been practicing my skill of reading the next clue while writing in the last - it makes for messy grids!)<br /><br />This was clued pretty straightforwardly, with just a little fun at 6A. But the theme worked for me (thanks @Rex, for explaining what the ILIAD didn't cover - I've never read Homer or Virgil so I assumed all of that stuff was in Homer's story).<br /><br />Congrats, Jason Mueller, on your solo debut.Teedmnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12832353448839187816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43807506355708327202015-12-07T11:24:35.065-05:002015-12-07T11:24:35.065-05:00This was a light and breezy Monday and right up my...This was a light and breezy Monday and right up my alley. I only did a double take at IRENIC since I'd never seen it before. I used the L Instead of FOCI first, but FALA was a quick correct. <br /><br />Jeff Chen was perhaps wrong to say that TROYAIKMAN couldn't be gotten from the crosses by non-football fans because that's just what I did. It sounded vaguely familiar but I would have guessed he was a Country and Western singer.<br /><br />@GeorgeBarany, that was a post full of interesting links! I liked Kim Davis' rendition. I've got the earworm now for the rest of the day and I expect I'll be bouncing along.<br /><br />This puzzle was a great mix of old and new, easy and less easy, and I thought it was a stellar debut Jason Mueller.Hartley70https://www.blogger.com/profile/00557118655188472450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23861176084706305982015-12-07T11:21:33.833-05:002015-12-07T11:21:33.833-05:00Epic puzzle! Well, fun on a Monday, anyway. I en...Epic puzzle! Well, fun on a Monday, anyway. I enjoyed this one a lot as a follow-up to yesterday's Priam real estate. Was hoping to see Hector (Berlioz, maybe) and Helen Someone. I knew I couldn't expect Agammenon to appear. <br /><br />Coming here, I see I DNF: never checked the cross with lOCI. And I knew FALA, too. Grrrrr.<br /><br />Carolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15971759975067250908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25713759076642595142015-12-07T11:08:30.631-05:002015-12-07T11:08:30.631-05:00Finals are why I had been hoping Annabel would hav...Finals are why I had been hoping Annabel would have done last Monday's puzzle. I predicted that the first Monday in December would be impossible for her.<br /><br />A thought the theme was clever. But my time was slow for a Monday, because there weren't a whole string of super-easy Acrosses for me to work with.old timernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42060029775754138582015-12-07T11:06:01.659-05:002015-12-07T11:06:01.659-05:00Above-average Monday. Had some freshness, some zip...Above-average Monday. Had some freshness, some zip, and a somewhat amusing theme. Not sure why Rex is hating on it. I notice most of the other reviews are positive as well. Colbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01689267070985508341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14425603677028576142015-12-07T10:54:45.161-05:002015-12-07T10:54:45.161-05:00I disagree with the grandmaster on this one. I tho...I disagree with the grandmaster on this one. I thought it was a very nice production for a Monday. There was a proper name (Trainor) that I had never heard of and the irenic word that I did not know/had not seen used. But, both answers filled themselves in from the crosses. In addition, it never hurts to be reminded of the classics of literature. Including them with the Fox cartoon character who is the antithesis of anything cultural and educational is, well, interesting.Andrew Heinegghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18101651673327984167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55777271911597355722015-12-07T10:28:29.982-05:002015-12-07T10:28:29.982-05:00"This puzzle is a classic." (Already be..."This puzzle is a classic." (Already been said? How about,)<br /><br />"It's all Greek to me"? (Well, in a way, but actually was super-easy.)<br /><br />Although I know that 25 D, "GILD the lily" is 100% "in the language," we should once in a while remind ourselves that the original quotation comes from Shakespeare's "The Life and Death of King John," Act IV, Scene 2:<br /><br />SALISBURY.<br /><br /> Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp,<br /> To guard a title that was rich before,<br /> <b>To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,</b><br /> To throw a perfume on the violet,<br /> To smooth the ice, or add another hue<br /> Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light<br /> To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,<br /> Is wasteful and ridiculous excess. Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15966480778577394042015-12-07T10:21:54.417-05:002015-12-07T10:21:54.417-05:00Good Monday, and smooth and easy. I also hesitated...Good Monday, and smooth and easy. I also hesitated at Fala/foci, but I did remember the dog.<br /><br />Yes, le Metro or Metropolitain, without the Paris, normally. Beautiful art nouveau signs at some of the entrances.<br /><br />Hang in there, Annabel!machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.com