tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post3315564408575555272..comments2024-03-28T14:57:33.856-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Resistance leader in Woody Allen's Sleeper / FRI 1-1-10 / Abductor Sabine women / Play set entirely beauty parlor / Coin depicting Louis XVIRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59241369411091846732010-02-06T13:29:05.491-05:002010-02-06T13:29:05.491-05:00My experience was the same as Rex -- had an okay t...My experience was the same as Rex -- had an okay time except the NW. STY? That's not fair for a Friday. SkY, sure (ducks and geese fly in the sky, at least...) I, too, wanted NOSE instead of ERNO...MikeinSTLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13025968960490989952010-02-05T15:14:05.663-05:002010-02-05T15:14:05.663-05:00The most clueless clues ever! Withers popped right...The most clueless clues ever! Withers popped right in and woolens and tenancy, thought I was off & runnin'! Ha Ha. Tried to put Shear Madness in, because it really was entirely set in a beauty shop (not enough letters, but it could have been a trick, anyway). Steel Magnolias was NOT. BA-A-AD, not misleading, just outright false! Beefalo began as buffalo, a pot cover is teflon? quite a stretch! And hoodoo should have come up as voodoo. I put a hoodoo on this puzzle and trashed it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9810245289108885972010-02-05T14:11:23.372-05:002010-02-05T14:11:23.372-05:00This would have been a great challenging puzzle fo...This would have been a great challenging puzzle for New Year's Day, but here 5 weeks later it is Saturday on Friday! Got the whole thing except for the SW - couldn't give up idolize for LIONIZE. But its Friday, and I didn't have time to fight through and came here to put me out of my misery and fill in the last corner. What a corker this one was!Singernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91247586414565069472010-01-02T10:37:13.501-05:002010-01-02T10:37:13.501-05:00A day late and a dollar short, FINALLY finished th...A day late and a dollar short, FINALLY finished this New Year's Day puzzle!<br /><br />These posts are the best read of the morning for me (Jan. 2) and I have been conversing with each one of you in my mind.<br /><br />@Andrea, the FIL and I were just wondering New Year's Eve if Les Paul was still alive. Thanks for the info.<br /><br />On to Saturday's puzzle.<br /><br />Bless you all!fikinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06324570637549775751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55128460986319876902010-01-02T01:40:38.523-05:002010-01-02T01:40:38.523-05:00I thought 'Mix on the range' referred to c...I thought 'Mix on the range' referred to cowboy Tom Mix.jmorgienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22819495379681159242010-01-02T00:06:02.132-05:002010-01-02T00:06:02.132-05:00@jannieb, @mac, @darkman
thanks. OK, you have bee...@jannieb, @mac, @darkman<br />thanks. OK, you have been crossed off the list of possible suspects!<br /><br />I'm watching Charlie Rose doing an hour-long show with snippets from folks who died this year...oops, LAST YEAR (MMIX) and so many I know more from puzzles/blog discussions than from life: Merce Cunningham, Les Paul<br /><br />Saddest synchronicitous moment for me today:<br />First pal from my Boston standup days Bob LAZARUS would have been 40 this week.<br />No miracle there, yet! Maybe bec we're both old testament.<br /><br />The bittersweet part of this Birthday alarm computer site is that it keeps reminding me about friends' bdays who have recently died.<br /><br />Very disconcerting to get an email message: "Bob Lazarus's birthday is on Monday January 4th. Bob will be 40 years old. Click below to choose one of our especially recommended birthday greeting cards and we will send it on Bob's birthday..."<br /><br />I prefer the happier use of this whole internet thingie...i.e. this blog. Happy Healthy New Year!!!<br /><br />Oh my god, I just realized Bob must have lied about his age when signing up! (Show biz!)<br /><br />Oh, and (in Bob's honor) doesn't the OMSK clue remind you of that Seinfeld routine about Rochelle Rochelle?andrea omsk michaelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76789198282756173722010-01-01T23:11:10.519-05:002010-01-01T23:11:10.519-05:00@Andrea Fast: the best line today is about cats...@Andrea Fast: the best line today is about cats' shoulders!machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82495417983640108512010-01-01T22:51:56.897-05:002010-01-01T22:51:56.897-05:00@Anon 10:47 ALIBABA said "Open Sesame" t...@Anon 10:47 ALIBABA said "Open Sesame" to get something or other to open, which was his opening statement.AndOnAndOnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76839910548179420752010-01-01T22:51:12.041-05:002010-01-01T22:51:12.041-05:00In the old story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves...In the old story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, there was a cave with some sort of protected entrance. Ali Baba learned that the words "Open Sesame" would open the cave.OldCarFuddnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34767565239793692342010-01-01T22:47:28.187-05:002010-01-01T22:47:28.187-05:00I know this is late, but could someone explain the...I know this is late, but could someone explain the ALIBABA clue/answer? <br /><br />(Maybe it's up there somewhere in the posts, but I didn't find it.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9037679723787083442010-01-01T22:36:05.132-05:002010-01-01T22:36:05.132-05:00Andrea (fast): You made me howl. Meow what?Andrea (fast): You made me howl. Meow what?slypetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537129206516720012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87305685875388178622010-01-01T22:26:59.138-05:002010-01-01T22:26:59.138-05:00I must be a masochist, I'm lovin' the pain...I must be a masochist, I'm lovin' the pain.<br /><br />Hand up for noon, wolf, and idolize. But unlike Rex, I thought it got harder as I went counterclockwise. Since I knew withers, the NW corner fell rather quickly, and then I stared at blank white. After 20 minutes of staring I went and did something else. After maybe an hour, I came back and did the SW (loved beefalo). Then more blank staring. Went off and did family stuff for about seven hours, and worked my way from SE to NE after I got home. Lots of guesses, but no googles and, ultimately, no errors. But I was glad to see I was in the solid majority who thought this one was really tough; I would have been devastating to the ego if too many of you had thought it was a breeze.<br /><br />Best wishes to all for 2010, and many thanks to Rex for this marvelous blog.OldCarFuddnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42150271502828243402010-01-01T22:12:28.961-05:002010-01-01T22:12:28.961-05:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=35115061&postID=3588389571383499624&isPopup=true" rel="nofollow">7/30/2009 post</a> for an explanation. In a nutshell, the higher the ratio, the higher this week's median solve time is relative to the average for the corresponding day of the week.<br /><br />All solvers (this week's median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Mon 6:40, 6:55, 0.96, 46%, Medium<br />Tue 8:51, 8:45, 1.01, 59%, Medium<br />Wed 11:30, 11:57, 0.96, 46%, Medium<br />Thu 18:46, 18:56, 0.99, 50%, Medium<br />Fri 33:42, 26:00, 1.30, 96%, Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:39, 3:41, 0.99, 54%, Medium<br />Tue 4:34, 4:29, 1.02, 62%, Medium-Challenging<br />Wed 5:53, 5:52, 1.00, 57%, Medium<br />Thu 9:20, 9:08, 1.02, 64%, Medium-Challenging<br />Fri 17:56, 12:29, 1.44, 97%, Challenging<br /><br />So much for "Medium Week". This is the 6th most challenging puzzle (relative to the day of the week) for the top 100 solvers (out of 165 puzzles I've tracked) and 7th most challenging for all solvers. These median solve times would place this puzzle in the Medium-Challenging category for a Saturday. Will's gotten the new year started with a bang.sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59258444297504961602010-01-01T21:57:43.222-05:002010-01-01T21:57:43.222-05:00Happy new year all - and Andrea - I've been wa...Happy new year all - and Andrea - I've been waiting to hear from you all day. You didn't disappoint!<br /><br />Loved the puzzle - just insanely hard - one of the few had to walk away from. Had the second cup of coffee, breakfast, shower, and then blew through the rest. What a difference an hour makes. Had many of the same stumbling blocks as many of you. <br /><br />Meanwhile - it's a good football day at our house. We're a mixed marriage (Gator & Seminole) - and if the trend holds, we'll both be winners today! Great start to the year.<br /><br />Would be remiss if I didn't thank Rex for all he's done to make puzzle solving so much more fun, and to all of you in the blogosphere for sharing so much of yourselves with all of us. I learn from you and laugh with you every day.JannieBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18282015159638078416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2334606806535439762010-01-01T21:21:21.655-05:002010-01-01T21:21:21.655-05:00First off, mis-posted @2:10
It was the NW that ki...First off, mis-posted @2:10<br /><br />It was the NW that kicked my ass.<br />NE just fell into place.<br /><br />Tomorrow is my 1st attempt at a Sat. NYT, based on the comments, I'm aware it can be brutal (fun).<br /><br />I decided to imbibe some of my 15yo Pinch to spark the braincells.Tinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34562841136954469392010-01-01T21:05:34.221-05:002010-01-01T21:05:34.221-05:00First puzzle this year I couldn't finish!
I c...First puzzle this year I couldn't finish! <br />I couldn't do half the NW...I didn't even know the Woody Allen clue!!!!!!<br />so I asked my cats for help.<br /><br />They got ONEOCAT right away, loved PUMA under MMIX (which they told me stood for Meow Mix),<br />had ROUGH CATS and changed OFNOUSE<br />to OFMOUSE. (I fought them on kittens' MITTENS)<br />We fondly remembered Valerie PURRINE as the stripper/wife (Honey?) in "Lenny".<br /><br />Small discussion why I never changed VOODOO to HOODOO that you do...HOODOO, who nu?<br /><br />and minor pedantic musings that "sou" must come from the word "ecu", esp if it had that little squiggle under the c...leading to the Vietnamese coin XU. (Ecu-sou-xu is my Scrabble player version of Tinkers to Evers to Chance).<br /><br />When I told Koko and Blackjack that I just learned thru the blog that cats have no shoulders, they just shrugged.andrea don't worry michael I ain't going nowhere (fast) michaelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65102535522768142842010-01-01T17:54:02.819-05:002010-01-01T17:54:02.819-05:00Why, yes I do, San.Why, yes I do, San.Forhorn Leghornnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66266564345719543952010-01-01T17:48:42.289-05:002010-01-01T17:48:42.289-05:00I miss Acme!
One reason I like to lurk here is to...I miss Acme!<br /><br />One reason I like to lurk here is to come after solving the NYT and then check to see what middle name she's taken.<br /><br />I'm fine if a grouch wants to make it "someone else's fault" that he's unhappy, but when it's an "Andrea's fault" thing and it drives her away, we all lose.<br /><br />I don't mean to drag us back into the muck -- I think we should stay on wordplay, which brings us here. So, back on topic, do you see a geologic feature hidden in my previous paragraph?<br /><br />;-)<br /><br />Come back, Andrea!MichaelBlakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08584896874401557009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79826321390898903292010-01-01T17:45:20.729-05:002010-01-01T17:45:20.729-05:00@David, I did notice the symmetrically placed RED ...@David, I did notice the symmetrically placed RED SEA. Note also below these, the symmetrically placed and identically clued BAL and APR (each a "Credit card statement abbr"). Gorgeous. We are dealing with professionals.<br /><br />@Glitch, it's always a little dicey to whine about "this was too easy." No one likes a know-it-all. I try to keep that stuff to a minimum and strive to be polite when I do. <br /><br />But for the record, for every person who found a puzzle too hard, there's someone who felt the opposite. You can't please everyone. When former NYT puzzle editor Eugene T. Maleska would receive a letter complaining that a puzzle was too hard, and another complaining that it was too easy, he would redact the names and send each correspondent the other's letter.<br /><br />As for me, I'm no Tyler Hinman but I do manage to complete tougher puzzles unassisted, today's being an excellent example. In fact, I'm one of those snobs who just does the puzzles at the end of the week, although around this time of year I should probably start doing them all to limber up for the ACPT. Like @SueRohr, I find the tournament mandate to race through the grid somewhat unfortunate, and not one that adds much to our enjoyment of a puzzle, but it is what it is.<br /><br />Thanks for the compliment. I enjoy your comments too.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04754156636762779545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91184921875879971502010-01-01T17:34:04.605-05:002010-01-01T17:34:04.605-05:00I like coming here for many reasons, not the least...I like coming here for many reasons, not the least of which is to confirm my opinion of puzzles as easy, medium or in this case very difficult. I spent probably 2 hours on this one, refused to google or ask, and was hugely satisfied to get it all. Sometimes I just stare at the grid for minutes until something pops in my head. The northwest was a killer. Could not get that "ready" was a verb. Never heard of hoodoo or erno.Also clung to idolize for way too long.I could do really well in crossword puzzle contests if there were (subj.?) no time limit. I win for endurance!SueRohrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13511695558054356816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17947203453827063002010-01-01T17:24:00.986-05:002010-01-01T17:24:00.986-05:00really hard -- I kept thinking it was Saturday (es...really hard -- I kept thinking it was Saturday (especially with all the college football). And I didn't finish this and I do eventually get most Saturdays. The SE was so hard for me that I couldn't get some of it even with google and I also missed some of the SW.<br /><br /> If I had gotten MMIX, I'd have done a lot better, but, like others, I had "noon."michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41940596028060158702010-01-01T17:19:25.317-05:002010-01-01T17:19:25.317-05:00Hi @Ben,
Mine was a "bemused observation&quo...Hi @Ben,<br /><br />Mine was a "bemused observation", not a "rule".<br /><br />I studiously avoid the words everybody, nobody, always, never, and similar "absolutes" in my postings.<br /><br />Prefer some, few, often, seldom, and when all else fails, IM[H]O.<br /><br />(I actually remembered your comment on the Christmas puzzle, so you get credit for my choice of "mostly").<br /><br />However, if there is a commenter that fits the "exception that proves the rule" rule, you would be my first choice ;-)<br /><br />I do enjoy your posts.<br /><br />..../GlitchGlitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14940000404613329056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6459403756343838812010-01-01T16:56:25.517-05:002010-01-01T16:56:25.517-05:00By the way, did anyone mention the symmetical part...By the way, did anyone mention the symmetical parting of the RED SEA here? Another miracle! (Albeit Old Testament for this one.)<br /><br />I'd never hear of Mocha, the place, but this placement just made those answers so right.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15955852940687828405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18824209208051452322010-01-01T16:51:34.095-05:002010-01-01T16:51:34.095-05:00@Squeak: No shame!!! 1) This was a challenging puz...@Squeak: No shame!!! 1) This was a challenging puzzle. 2) If you google, it's your puzzle...no such thing as cheating...unless you're at the tournament and you use x-ray vision to look at others' papers. ; )Shamikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11635283729322415150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6145987970608706392010-01-01T16:51:18.740-05:002010-01-01T16:51:18.740-05:00@mirium b - We have a polydactyl also, Tuxedo Main...@mirium b - We have a polydactyl also, Tuxedo Maine Coon, his name is Paddington because his feet look like little cooking pads. He's nuts!<br /><br />Oh yeah, the puzzle, crashed and burned about half way through, came here to stop the brain bleed.<br /><br />As others have said, things will get better.<br /><br />Happy New Year to all.chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.com