tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post2793546687692586059..comments2024-03-29T07:38:25.891-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Cartoon title character adapated from Felix Salten novel / THU 11-24-16 / My Orcha'd in Linden classic poem / First tribe encountered by Lewis clark / Biz bigs / Viking characterRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16865499128607875692022-09-29T06:06:30.511-04:002022-09-29T06:06:30.511-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.crackedfine.nethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963096710079654996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76130526987148730692017-10-19T16:49:11.465-04:002017-10-19T16:49:11.465-04:00There's SHOCKING news in the sports betting in...There's SHOCKING news in the sports betting industry.<br /><br />It's been said that every bettor needs to see this,<br /><br />Watch this now or quit placing bets on sports...<br /><br /><b><a href="http://sports.syntaxlinks.com/r/SportsCashSystem" rel="nofollow">Sports Cash System</a></b> - Sports Betting RobotBloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07287821785570247118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9841528561183757112016-12-30T07:08:41.056-05:002016-12-30T07:08:41.056-05:00Search engine optimization. It's a service tha...Search engine optimization. It's a service that people with commercial websites might subscribe to in order to direct more traffic to their sites. 101LombardSthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15789827790492165100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67485985587121579852016-12-29T20:05:45.906-05:002016-12-29T20:05:45.906-05:00@rainy: see OFL's blog, last paragraph.
Ooh, ...@rainy: see OFL's blog, last paragraph.<br /><br />Ooh, a new captcha: pretty fireworks! spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39552903603486753432016-12-29T16:01:08.986-05:002016-12-29T16:01:08.986-05:00BTW - Kings of LEON was such a gimme. "Use So...BTW - Kings of LEON was such a gimme. "Use Somebody" was on the verge of being overplayed, even on MPR's 89.3 The Current. Though the missus likens Caleb Followill's voice to a frog's on that particular song, the way he RASPS.rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15036477065298822132016-12-29T15:57:09.057-05:002016-12-29T15:57:09.057-05:00This is one of those puzzles where being Canadian ...This is one of those puzzles where being Canadian is a distinct disadvantage (Hi, @Rondo). I actually completed the puzzle reasonably quickly, although getting the words following the state names took work. And then I had to deal with the revealer. STATE POSTAL CODES, eh? HOSER! I didn't know the US has POSTAL CODES (zip codes, yes), and for some reason I thought that abbreviations for states were usually the first and last letters (CA for California, HI for Hawaii, etc.). So, the puzzle was finished, but I spent a long time sorting out the theme. But when I did, I thought it was excellent. <br /><br />In a puzzle like this, particularly a debut effort, it seems puerile to look for "junk fill" of which there was little. The log downs, and the theme itself were enough to carry it, and some nifty clues added to the pleasure.<br /><br />Because of daughter, I knew LEON, and IOS made LOPE clear, although I too thought that LUpE sounded more Spanish. <br /><br />Anyway, LOTSA fun with this one.<br /><br />PS Bridge is the best card game, ever, but how come you talked about it, @Spacey?<br /><br />rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82941879070220545582016-12-29T15:39:21.652-05:002016-12-29T15:39:21.652-05:00Easy? Not until figuring out what was going on her...Easy? Not until figuring out what was going on here. Had to see the names of the states first, then seeing the POSTALCODES gimmick, and then two letters sounding phonetically correct.....This was not easy; clever and even fun after getting the revealer, but not easy.<br /><br />And as for the RUNE clue,....oh, hell, forget it.<br />leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32112942746767335872016-12-29T15:34:09.007-05:002016-12-29T15:34:09.007-05:00GeorgiA tricky puz here. Was looking at MONTANANES...GeorgiA tricky puz here. Was looking at MONTANANEST and NEBRASKATIME and thinking, “MIchigan an idiot?” Couldn’t IDaho the trick. Did NOT CAlifornia thing. Then STATE popped up and I put on the old thinking cap. SARI, but it took that long to get it. So at first I said HAr and then HAH, the CODES went POSTAL, and it was done. NUnavut think it was hard for me to see? I’ll SasKatchewan Canadian solver what he thought, ONtario to the fact that these codes are NOT from his country . Rainy? Waxy? Some other HOSER?<br /><br />Only that one w/o to RUNE an otherwise clean grid. The trick cost me time, as if I cared about that today.<br /><br />Glad to see that yeah baby TARA Reid was not clued as the O’Hara plantation. That would NOT be right.<br /><br />Better than a bunch of letters in one square. Too bad he couldn’t work in one more STATE.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83477341479345661822016-12-29T15:17:48.995-05:002016-12-29T15:17:48.995-05:00@Z: The poem was originally published in Dorset d...@Z: The poem was originally published in Dorset dialect, as you have presented it. It was also available in a "common English" version, which Ralph Vaughan Williams used when he set the poem to music. Change the dialect v and z to f and s, and you will see that the two versions are virtually identical.<br /><br />The question remains, is it fair to call it a "classic?" <br /><br />I think so. Barnes is to Dorsetmen as Robbie Burns is to the Scots. He was well known and widely published in 19th century England, and <i>Linden Lea</i> is among his best-known works. I suspect he is less well known to Americans than Burns simply because far fewer people emigrated from Dorset than from Scotland.Sailorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05185068601066087185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9797210434214893602016-12-29T14:00:13.312-05:002016-12-29T14:00:13.312-05:00Late to the party today because this was *NOT* eas...Late to the party today because this was *NOT* easy. I hate it when OFL does this..."Oh well, you have to be an IDIOT not to figure this out," or words to that effect. Me? I guess I'm an idiot. I had NO IDEA what was going on with the theme answers. I solved down both coasts because I couldn't complete the long acrosses. Then I attacked the middle in a pincer move and was finally able--with the help, thank you, of the big reveal in the south (the STATE part, I concede, wasn't really necessary)--to get it done. And even then, thanks to a good guess at the L_PE/I_S natick. Wanted U, but IOS looked so much better than IuS that I went for the O.<br /><br />I'm not surprised that I'm so often at odds with OFL: he disses bridge, one of the finest games ever invented--at least up until it became overrun with myriad bidding conventions. It wasn't broke, yet people insisted on fixing it, and fixing the fix, ad absurdium. Though I agree that "ONENO" makes for horrid fill.<br /><br />Who could argue with the luscious TARA Reid for DOD? I get ANTSY jut thinking about her...Medium-challenging for me; getting the theme was a "HAH!" moment. Like OFL (that ALWAYS worries me!) I enjoyed the long downs. Birdie. spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77406575579381633352016-12-29T12:44:12.349-05:002016-12-29T12:44:12.349-05:00How to tell I'm "getting" crosswordw...How to tell I'm "getting" crosswordwise:<br /><br />I thought of "BeARS" but didn't write it in. <br /><br />SHOE and TAXI seemed obvious to me. Resisted the ONPAPER/LOTSA crossing for a while, but again, my first instinct was right! <br /><br />Remembered RUNE, and guessed TREYS basked on other games. (Even b-ball watching Mr. W didn't know that one.)<br /><br />Had yAlE before MAlE - didn't win 'em all. <br /><br />Anyway, passed the SMELLTEST. <br /><br />Diana, Lady-in-Waiting for CrosswordsDiana,LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69962946403524363242016-12-29T12:25:01.759-05:002016-12-29T12:25:01.759-05:00
Fun, fair puzzle almost ruined by obtrusive them...<br /><br />Fun, fair puzzle almost ruined by obtrusive theme.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31576983408678974292016-12-29T09:47:36.696-05:002016-12-29T09:47:36.696-05:00RUNE NOT MYTREAT
BAMBI, EWER ALLSMILES as the SME...RUNE NOT MYTREAT<br /><br />BAMBI, EWER ALLSMILES as the SMELLTEST went down,<br />then EWER ATOP for a while ERE ISAID,”SO GOTOTOWN.”<br /><br />--- EL ROY DES LEON<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47957799428498574322016-11-26T14:57:54.066-05:002016-11-26T14:57:54.066-05:00Problem is "M-T" sounds like "empty...Problem is "M-T" sounds like "empty", "N-E" sounds like "any", but "I-L" does not sound like "aisle". Totally broke the theme for me.socdemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04051254184347412926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29403437544155419742016-11-25T18:24:01.640-05:002016-11-25T18:24:01.640-05:00Thanks, @Trombone Tom ! Didn't know that one....Thanks, @Trombone Tom ! Didn't know that one.Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05138689615443756822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67226137786578410502016-11-25T09:30:24.357-05:002016-11-25T09:30:24.357-05:00Ugh. Printed off thurs puzzle that I normally avoi...Ugh. Printed off thurs puzzle that I normally avoid. Used completed grid to figure out theme of the clues. Goodbye Thursday, it's been real.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73110099597161633872016-11-24T20:24:15.632-05:002016-11-24T20:24:15.632-05:00@Z Linden Lea is the name of a place. Place names ...@Z Linden Lea is the name of a place. Place names often do not accurately describe their geography. Arlington Heights, Il is less than 700 feet above sea level. It is certainly not much more elevated than its surrounding towns. I am sure you know places as well where the name does not match it environs.<br /><br />Linden Lea might have been a lea sometime before someone planted an orchard. Altering the environment is a human tradition that goes back tens of thousands of years. For some reason we do not adjust name accordingly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50291560683786391742016-11-24T20:23:43.207-05:002016-11-24T20:23:43.207-05:00A line in Rex's review confirms my comment of ...A line in Rex's review confirms my comment of the other day. If he can finish quickly it's a good puzzle. If he has to struggle to get an answer he has reason to complain. I thought a good puzzle is one that challenges and affords great satisfaction when correctly completed.G.Harrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17789206383536268462016-11-24T18:03:27.989-05:002016-11-24T18:03:27.989-05:00OK @Blackbird and @Greater Fall River - If there i...OK @Blackbird and @Greater Fall River - If there is an orchard is it a LEA anymore? Also, the poem and song seem quite different:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/poems/my-orchad-in-linden-lea/" rel="nofollow">My Orcha’d in Linden Lea</a><br /> (1859)<br />William Barnes<br /><br />‘Ithin the woodlands, flow’ry gleaded,<br />By the woak tree’s mossy moot,<br />The sheenen grass-bleades, timber-sheaded,<br />Now do quiver under voot ;<br />An’ birds do whissle over head,<br />An’ water’s bubblen in its bed,<br />An’ there vor me the apple tree<br />Do lean down low in Linden Lea.<br /><br />When leaves that leately wer a-springen<br />Now do feade ‘ithin the copse,<br />An’ painted birds do hush their zingen<br />Up upon the timber’s tops;<br />An’ brown-leav’d fruit’s a turnen red,<br />In cloudless zunsheen, over head,<br />Wi’ fruit vor me, the apple tree<br />Do lean down low in Linden Lea.<br /><br />Let other vo’k meake money vaster<br />In the air o’ dark-room’d towns,<br />I don’t dread a peevish measter;<br />Though noo man do heed my frowns,<br />I be free to goo abrode,<br />Or teake agean my hwomeward road<br />To where, vor me, the apple tree<br />Do lean down low in Linden Lea.Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69977875615370221362016-11-24T17:31:50.825-05:002016-11-24T17:31:50.825-05:00Oriole or Bluejay in crosswords: ALABAMAEROriole or Bluejay in crosswords: ALABAMAERkitshefnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-61537379273091102282016-11-24T16:42:12.228-05:002016-11-24T16:42:12.228-05:00Easy-medium except for the part where I had Eric i...Easy-medium except for the part where I had Eric instead of RUNE and Tecs instead of TMEN for way too long. <br /><br />LOPE was a WOE and I would have gone with a @Rex U (hi M&A) if I hadn't known IOS. <br /><br />Cute theme, some fine long downs, liked it.jaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82607172313927071582016-11-24T14:52:38.015-05:002016-11-24T14:52:38.015-05:00Omg, I can't get those damn memberberries out ...Omg, I can't get those damn memberberries out of my head, and this isn't helping!! I'm guessing if Rex watched, he'd be saying "Member when the NYT puzzle was awesome every day? Member?"<br />Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05980511260482048263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3624821741710387852016-11-24T14:39:20.461-05:002016-11-24T14:39:20.461-05:00I've studied LOTSA British poetry, but like OF...I've studied LOTSA British poetry, but like OFL was unfamiliar with both Barnes and his poem. So we get the very common fill word LEA, clued in an unusual way but completely gettable by crosses. Fair enough.<br /><br />The themers were cool, wish there had been more, but I doubt I could have figured out the fun without some reveal. <br /><br />Anybody else see a lascivious quality to both STRAYS and GO TO TOWN? As for MY TREAT, I can't hear that too often. Thank you very much!<br /><br />During the era of our country's extermination of the Passenger Pigeon, people developed various methods to attract the massive flocks. The stool pigeon was a live, tethered, and often blinded bird displayed prominently as a lure to the wild birds. RATFINKS, indeed! Birds can be delicious. I hope yours is. <br /><br />I have a germ of an idea festering in the creative part of my brain suitable for a Moth Story Slam. It's entitled "How Gregory Peck Broke My Camera." And, yes, it contains an OMEN, not related to that scary, scary movie. Larry Gilstraphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15493069947477383208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38858301789527879112016-11-24T14:17:05.613-05:002016-11-24T14:17:05.613-05:00@Peter SEO=Search Engine Optimization; what those ...@Peter SEO=Search Engine Optimization; what those sites @Rex is cautioning us about use to get you to click on them.Trombone Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54328203933723795552016-11-24T14:09:12.543-05:002016-11-24T14:09:12.543-05:00The poor revealer confused me and I worked the ent...The poor revealer confused me and I worked the entire puzzle without understanding it. Then, whilst talking to my sister in Chicago I lamented that my daughter and son-in-law were spending the holiday with hs family, I commented that the holidays always make me feel my "empty nest" most acutely and....bingo! Overall a fine solving is experience. Happy Thanksguving to all!CDilly52https://www.blogger.com/profile/07727001753847073030noreply@blogger.com