tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post3080831909728368398..comments2024-03-19T04:46:24.598-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Home of Team Coco / WED 12-31-14 / Muslim princely title / Firth of Clyde island / Pioneering sci-fi play / Actor with movie line Me I always tell truth even when I lieRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22621282933571639602015-02-04T20:02:09.184-05:002015-02-04T20:02:09.184-05:00One thing about RP's critique that I don't...One thing about RP's critique that I don't get: why are EYRA and NABAB so objectionable when they are pretty accessible via crosses?leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43225005496647715982015-02-04T14:33:07.152-05:002015-02-04T14:33:07.152-05:00This one left me with a question and an error. . T...This one left me with a question and an error. . Though I "knew" NAWAB in sme deep recess of my mind, I still have no idea what Team Coco is. A TV show? My error was in misspelling REMNeNT, and wondering why the clue had called for a relatively obscure cat rather than our old friend Jane on a Wednesday. Wanted the beast to be a pumA, which, oddly enough, would have given me the A I Naticked(?) on. <br /><br />@Rondo: yep, the c(k)arat thing crossed my mind. but I think (hope?) it's been solved for me by whoever it was that reminded me that my jewelry is marked 14K or whatever.<br /><br />CheckDMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45728489145253951422015-02-04T13:10:44.598-05:002015-02-04T13:10:44.598-05:00Hey, Monday called and wants its puzzle back! EZEZ...Hey, Monday called and wants its puzzle back! EZEZEZ. I'm sure I did this one faster than Mon and Tues.<br />Lotsa black space and the toughies easily sussed by crosses. Only near miss was the B in NAWAB, but figured the cross was TV related, and me w/o cable.<br /><br />Did everyone remember the CARAT v, karat thing?<br /><br />MIRA Sorvino a true yeah baby. HELLO!<br /><br />Took more time to post this than to solve the puz. Liked it just fine.<br /><br />check<br /><br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11717636132284738782015-02-04T11:01:41.286-05:002015-02-04T11:01:41.286-05:00For almost the entire puzzle, I shot through like ...For almost the entire puzzle, I shot through like grease through a goose. ARRAN was in on crosses before I even noticed it. Then I came to the SW corner. Luckily the clue for EYESONME left little doubt, or my woes might have extended northeastward. No, just right there in the corner was where I had trouble. NAWAB I had to accept; turns out it's a native variant of NABOB, who knew? And IMSET does not exactly jive with "No more for me." We don't say that. We say "I'm good," or "I'm OK." IMSET sounds like a talking glob of glue announcing that it has hardened.<br /><br />I liked the offsetting STICK to open in the NW; I also liked the twin jeans companies and BEN the RAT ("Tear 'im up!"). I feel that BEN lives on as RAT in the comic "Pearls Before Swine."<br /><br />The theme was gimme-loaded, which made most of this easy-peasy. Were it not for that SW, that'd be my rating, but I guess I have to call it easy-medium. Rare that I rate one easier than OFL.<br /><br />And by the way, Mr. Kramden, just what IS a "PRNDL?" A peekaboo dirndl, perhaps? Ooh, prurient!spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78974573358766140212015-01-01T18:21:33.180-05:002015-01-01T18:21:33.180-05:00RP forces himself to be polite on occasion, just t...RP forces himself to be polite on occasion, just to throw us off.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77588473771221790132015-01-01T09:21:00.134-05:002015-01-01T09:21:00.134-05:00Apparently, how you classify the color puce depen...Apparently, how you classify the color puce depends on where you grew up. In certain areas people do think of puce as green. <br /><br />When I finally earned enough money to buy a brand new car as opposed to the dilapidated wrecks I could afford in grad school, I was thrilled Togo back driving with a stick, I sadly sold that car when I moved to NY City because the thought of having to get up in the morning and move it thrilled me as much as the thought of getting up to walk a dog, not in my morning repertoire. So now I hate driving and it probably has a lot to do with the fact that all the rental cars are automatics. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74924407451550516612014-12-31T21:25:49.035-05:002014-12-31T21:25:49.035-05:00Teedmn: "eminently" was correct. Your ...Teedmn: "eminently" was correct. Your second guess is not even a word.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10785230786876566792014-12-31T19:01:49.901-05:002014-12-31T19:01:49.901-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Garthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12113318346829815128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65407662396737897792014-12-31T19:01:46.583-05:002014-12-31T19:01:46.583-05:00I found @Rex's write up to be of a much higher...I found @Rex's write up to be of a much higher quality than yesterday's. HIs criticism was measured and explanatory, not vitriolic. Nice job @R.Garthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12113318346829815128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78794953531084279792014-12-31T18:45:27.412-05:002014-12-31T18:45:27.412-05:00Happy New Year Rex!!! Thank you for a great year ...Happy New Year Rex!!! Thank you for a great year of puzzle commentary. Your write ups have been a welcome daily read. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66427668969388931552014-12-31T17:03:56.571-05:002014-12-31T17:03:56.571-05:00M&A
Har! They were laid 8 to 1. (The odds, th...M&A<br />Har! They were laid 8 to 1. (The odds, that is, get yer mind out the gutter!) :-)<br />2015, where are the flying cars, like in Back To The Future II?<br /><br />Roo<br />Rebel RooMonsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25138899912731813652014-12-31T15:43:39.076-05:002014-12-31T15:43:39.076-05:00I've got a car with an optional shifter, littl...I've got a car with an optional shifter, little paddles on the steer-wheel when you can have a little fun on the road, but you gotta have auto when you're on the Dallas North Tollway, going from zero to 20 & back for miles.<br />Or you could stay home, like we'll do tonight.<br />Bring on '15!SenorLynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12758850318030773855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43628599148017780242014-12-31T15:39:54.932-05:002014-12-31T15:39:54.932-05:00I posted this once before as the ultimate mondegre...I posted this once before as the ultimate mondegreen, but in case a few haven't seen it, here's Ladle Rat Rotten Hut.<br /><br />http://users.rcn.com/alderete/humor/norm/rat-rotten-hut.html<br /><br />He missed one word, you'll see it.Melodious Funkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12574217843722013277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81973535816602116482014-12-31T15:31:42.447-05:002014-12-31T15:31:42.447-05:00I got caught on Omara, leaving it as omora and plo...I got caught on Omara, leaving it as omora and plot, which made sense enough. Have no idea who Jason Omara is. Nor do I know what "Team Coco" is, but I guessed TBS correctly. That gives me two midweek DNF in the last two weeks; last week it was Tuesday. Except for my two guessed squares, I found this one easy and pleasant; went much faster than yesterday. But yesterday I finished correctly. Also never heard of Ben the rat (or any other Michael Jackson song other than Thriller) OISKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16808675378318214461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39472292691884488502014-12-31T15:29:43.054-05:002014-12-31T15:29:43.054-05:00Happy NeUU Year back, @foxaroni, et al.
@Roo--con...Happy NeUU Year back, @foxaroni, et al.<br /><br />@Roo--congrats on yer flurries. Climate change! There's a funny-named scientific organization that just passed thru town on their laboratory bus. They say that the sun is startin in on a coolin down cycle, and we are about to experience another Ice Age. Looks like it is hittin Vegas first -- what are the odds?!?<br /><br />Hey there! LABBUS! New puz-fill word.<br /><br />M&A<br /><br />**happy new gruntz**M and Auld L. S.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42851695924557407892014-12-31T15:11:33.741-05:002014-12-31T15:11:33.741-05:00This puzzle was pretty straight-forward for me. Th...This puzzle was pretty straight-forward for me. The solve came when I changed PLOT to PLAT.<br /><br />Been driving a stick for the past 40+ years (currently an Audi S5 which is a really fun way to tool around in the hills). This "skill" is always handy when I rent cars in Europe because most rentals in my experience have manual transmissions (others have mentioned this).<br /><br />@HCA President @Steve J: Heartily agree with your comments yesterday about this blog.Whirred Whackshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05637591146611998012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18652714426727138722014-12-31T15:02:39.716-05:002014-12-31T15:02:39.716-05:00Wow, I'm shocked how many people here drive a ...Wow, I'm shocked how many people here drive a STICK. I thought most cars are now automatcs. I happen to have 2 man-trans cars myself, but only because they are special editions that didn't have an auto choice. Also have auto autos!<br /><br />ANON B, "perendel" is P R N D L sounded out.<br /><br />Got some flurries here in Las Vegas today!<br /><br />Roo<br />RooMonsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4778060492562810382014-12-31T14:56:11.661-05:002014-12-31T14:56:11.661-05:00@ ANON B
Lisa saw the "PRNDL" in the ca...@ ANON B<br /><br />Lisa saw the "PRNDL" in the car and was pronouncing it as "per-nen-dal"wreckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08797908615185213756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3089618224732201412014-12-31T14:54:12.479-05:002014-12-31T14:54:12.479-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.wreckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08797908615185213756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74278366424305968592014-12-31T14:42:48.287-05:002014-12-31T14:42:48.287-05:00Enjoyed this one. I've been served tartar sauc...Enjoyed this one. I've been served tartar sauce with fish and seafood. Is AIOLI sauce the same thing? <br /><br />Conan's production company is "Team Coco" and his late-night show airs on the TBS cable channel. I learned about Team Coco from a previous NYT xword.<br /><br />The full title of Karel Capek's play "R.U.R." is Rossum's Universal Robots. It's where the word "robot" originated. (Go ahead--prove you're not a robot!) It's not crosswordese, and is worth knowing.<br /><br />Happy New Year to @Rex, @M&A, @Leapy and all of you who make this<br />blog a (usually) enjoyable read. Come back @ LMS! We miss you--and @Acme, too.foxaronihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00085435659928443459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73683914225584949442014-12-31T14:22:41.383-05:002014-12-31T14:22:41.383-05:00Wasn't STICK a good opportunity for theme rela...Wasn't STICK a good opportunity for theme related clue, say '68a not found in this (informal)'. <br /><br />Or is it better just seeing the subtleness of the opposite corner being opposite of other corner?<br /><br />Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07988007506745985696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81107257319102305232014-12-31T14:22:33.588-05:002014-12-31T14:22:33.588-05:00Sailed along until the SE corner where despite fil...Sailed along until the SE corner where despite filling DAD, SNL and PARR, I never could see the full answer ti 68a. Had to guess IBN and URBAN and blew the N. These early week puzzles are definitely getting harder.LaneBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82622634842566491402014-12-31T14:18:04.043-05:002014-12-31T14:18:04.043-05:00@Alias Z: You left out Offenbach in music and Thor...@Alias Z: You left out Offenbach in music and Thornton Wilder in literature. Perichole is delightful, and San Luis Rey was scary. I knew NAWAB from that BBC Indian series in the 70's. "Jewel in the Crown" (80's?). I always want an "er" ending over an "or" one if it's not a person, and didn't know OMARA but logic helped out on that one. EYRA was a new one on me because I figured Pumas were North American. I drive a stick so I was totally thrown by the last across. I wanted "oldies" for INDIES, not too familiar with I'M SET . I was familiar with BEN the RAT from the scary movie, didn't know the Jackson song. Luckily I finished. Generally, I liked the puzzle.Fred Romagnolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11994837736408182418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88260274297042017892014-12-31T13:53:42.823-05:002014-12-31T13:53:42.823-05:00Is EYES ON ME accompanied by the two-fingered poin...Is EYES ON ME accompanied by the two-fingered pointing at the listener's, then at the speaker's own eyes? I'm not aware of ever having heard the phrase, but have seen the gesture, which seems a marginally reasonable accompaniment.<br /><br />Initially was guessing O'HARA, but EYES ON HE made little sense.<br /><br />REUP boys, a-Wimoweh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13036260198687374992014-12-31T13:50:46.686-05:002014-12-31T13:50:46.686-05:00@wreck@12:14AM
What does "pemendal" o...@wreck@12:14AM<br /><br /> What does "pemendal" or<br />"pernendal" mean?<br /> <br />Note: Sometimes when "n"<br />follows "r" it looks like "m".ANON Bnoreply@blogger.com