tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post351175644005555882..comments2024-03-28T18:12:10.683-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Horse-drawn vehicle / THU 6-6-13 / Conquistador's quest / World capital that's setting for three Bond films / Doc Brown in Back to Future films / Kit Carson professionally / Food named six times in children's rhyme / Word before happiness majesty fame Shelley poem / Hoopster MingRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43611631218511579732022-04-17T15:32:01.643-04:002022-04-17T15:32:01.643-04:00I think I made every early-guess error listed in t...I think I made every early-guess error listed in these comments, which meant that I had as much fun as anyone in finishing this piece. Yes, sometimes a Thursday puzzle is there because of the well-crafted "trick" theme and worthy fill, rather than the difficulty of the answers.<br /><br />To Rex ... when you get to a "never heard of it" point, please take a minute to look up the reference. Dismissing it simply because you don't know it appears arrogant and boorish -- rare for you, but that's twice in a couple of months. Towers (NOT "tower) of Hanoi is an ancient and classic puzzle in logic, algorithmic analysis, and computer programming. Think of it as the "Casablanca" of puzzledom. Any reader who ventures beyond the cruciverbalist's square grid should know this, along with "Who shaves the Barber" (a.k.a. Russel's Paradox), checkmates fewer than 8 moves into the game, and tic-tac-toe strategy.Prunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00224476641730508311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83348957655324104742013-07-11T22:09:13.259-04:002013-07-11T22:09:13.259-04:00@Dirigonzo (if you're still reading!) I think ...@Dirigonzo (if you're still reading!) I think bedight is another form of bedecked (e.g., decked out, arrayed, dressed).<br /><br />So, I think gaily bedight means the knight was decked out in fine clothing. Or maybe fine armor?Syndi Solvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79123996542797272962013-07-11T19:39:27.744-04:002013-07-11T19:39:27.744-04:00@Syndi Solver - @the bard has been absent from the...@Syndi Solver - @the bard has been absent from the blog of late but you offer a worthy substitution. But what, exactly, does "Gaily bedight" mean?<br /><br />Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24267087334690106582013-07-11T18:52:40.344-04:002013-07-11T18:52:40.344-04:00Someone called "The Bard" (I think that&...Someone called "The Bard" (I think that's the name) used to post Shakespeare quotes with words from the puzzle. Maybe today we need Poe with an extract from ELDORADO? <br /><br /><i>Gaily bedight,<br />A gallant knight,<br />In sunshine and in shadow,<br />Had journeyed long,<br />Singing a song,<br />In search of Eldorado.<br />...</i><br /><br />I enjoyed this puzzle but the longer I do these things the more I get confused about when repetitions are okay and when they are not. <br /><br />For example, sometimes folks complain about verbs that are re-used, even in different tenses. But today no one said anything about SEE OUT and SAW TO IT. <br /><br />Rex did mention the repetition of OUT as a stand alone word in both SEE OUT and I'M OUT. Seems like that could be have been avoided by replacing SEE OUT with something like sprout, devout, or mahout (just off the to of my head). It might mean changing STRIKE OUT to something else but there are a lot of other phrases ending with OUT. <br /><br />Not trying to nitpick, I'm just trying to understand why certain choices were made, what's preferred, and so on.<br /><br />Anyway, this puzzle was on the easy side for Thursday but it was a cute gimmick and fun to do. I really liked the revealer being part of the theme with an additional FALLING OUT.Syndi Solvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69490323788820470112013-07-11T15:45:28.549-04:002013-07-11T15:45:28.549-04:00Did this whole puzzle thinking the gimmick was div...Did this whole puzzle thinking the gimmick was dividing squares so that they had OUT in the Across direction, and O in the DOWN. And, since the revealer fit that theory, I'm sticking with it! Did have to replace SEed with SUET. I well remember being sent to the butcher shop for some when I was about 5 years old with strict directions to specify kidney suet. It was used to make mincemeat which cured in a big stone crock for weeks. Now, while I nod to my English ancestors by making mince pies, my mincemeat comes in a jar!DMGrandmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30279207261589779312013-07-11T15:18:51.560-04:002013-07-11T15:18:51.560-04:00@Diri, it's amazing what good parents most bir...@Diri, it's amazing what good parents most birds are. A few years ago a pair of seagulls nested on the roof of a garage next to my downtown office. We could see the pair nest, lay eggs, hatch chicks, feed them in shifts and share alternating guard duty from the crows until the chicks were big enough to fly. It was like seagull cam without the cam. Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73479978773197395932013-07-11T15:06:54.336-04:002013-07-11T15:06:54.336-04:00The puzzle was easy but who knew the Conquistadors...The puzzle was easy but who knew the Conquistadors were looking for a Cadillac?<br /><br />Just saw a local news item about 3 osprey chicks that were blown out of the nest by a storm on July 5 - park rangers found them, built a platform in a nearby tree and placed the chicks on it. At last report, the parent ospreys were seen rebuilding their nest on the platform and feeding the chicks. I love a happy ending.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83696883176506769672013-07-11T14:24:16.971-04:002013-07-11T14:24:16.971-04:00OUT of sight puzzle! OUT of this world puzzle! Far...OUT of sight puzzle! OUT of this world puzzle! Far OUT puzzle!<br /><br />IRS crossing with TIT, as in "on the public." Appropriate. <br /><br />Especially liked the new cool words Mr. Tuttle created: STRIKEO; SPELLO; FERRETSO; CHILLO; and, FAL LINGO.<br /><br />capcha: abutruid. Flatulence?<br /><br /><br />Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53982006822905098332013-07-11T13:34:04.879-04:002013-07-11T13:34:04.879-04:00At first I was not fond of the theme since I was t...At first I was not fond of the theme since I was thinking that it would be cooler to have second cross ending in "ut", but that would have been possibly impossible. Halfway through this admittedly easy puzzle, I liked it much more, especially the revealer which is a theme entry itself and also uber-descriptive. <br /><br />Right on about ACME's comment, @Spacecraft. As M&A would say, har. Perhaps she was being ironic.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84626095928283051102013-07-11T11:44:17.033-04:002013-07-11T11:44:17.033-04:00On the mediumish side of easy for me. Was having t...On the mediumish side of easy for me. Was having trouble with "Begin a journey;" if 6d was really SEEOUT we'd have an "O" ending. I even considered incorporating the downward OUT as part of it, unknowingly nailing the theme, but couldn't incorporate the K of PECK. Only later, when I went back to pick up the NW, did I come up with STRIKEOUT. Now, I have seen this phrase used in this context, though not written in this or the last century. "Strike out" on a journey: man that's OOOOLD school. A much better clue would be: Not get to first base?<br /><br />My only other hangup was ISLe, forgetting to Hispanicize the spelling. But SeW TO IT? Well, when Betsy Ross was commissioned to make the flag, she...oh well. I changed to ISLA, and was reminded of that great song "La ISLA Bonita" by the woman who in a parallel universe I want to have my babies, Gloria Estefan.<br /><br />Cool theme; super-cool revealer--a theme entry itself. Amusing that Acme denies, then perfectly describes, ESCAPISM. It's OK, sweetie, we all do it. ISWEAR. These days, there's a LOT to escape FROM.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75609332328763735512013-07-11T11:35:37.069-04:002013-07-11T11:35:37.069-04:00From syndicity: don't remember an easier Thurs...From syndicity: don't remember an easier Thursday puzzle. Once the theme was FERRETedOUT, it was fun but not much of a challenge. Natticked at the TIT-TACO (say no more!) juncture but guessed correctly.<br /><br />Over and<br />O<br />U<br />T.Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59349038186521411942013-06-06T22:59:22.022-04:002013-06-06T22:59:22.022-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation and my 10/15/2012 post for an explanation of a tweak I've made to my method. 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 5:58, 6:09, 0.97, 35%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 8:25, 8:14, 1.02, 59%, Medium<br />Wed 9:44, 9:54, 0.98, 46%, Medium<br />Thu 12:31, 17:11, 0.73, 7%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:37, 3:46, 0.96, 23%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 4:52, 4:53, 1.00, 49%, Medium<br />Wed 5:34, 5:40, 0.98, 46%, Medium<br />Thu 7:21, 9:49, 0.75, 8%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76698503083410086612013-06-06T21:04:13.337-04:002013-06-06T21:04:13.337-04:00@Tita did not know that...and I took french for h...@Tita did not know that...and I took french for how many years???chefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84080388262331276412013-06-06T20:53:24.502-04:002013-06-06T20:53:24.502-04:00@chefbea - the French word, ENTREE, ironically - e...@chefbea - the French word, ENTREE, ironically - er - that is, correctly, on a French menu, ENTREE means the appetizer - the "entry" to the meal!<br />Makes more sense, no?Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76484512672584912602013-06-06T20:18:26.485-04:002013-06-06T20:18:26.485-04:00Got up at 3 am to go to the airport, did the puzzl...Got up at 3 am to go to the airport, did the puzzle at the gate, now seems like a couple of days ago. I do remember liking it a lot. <br /><br />@joho - I wonder who'll ERNE the first one :)Carolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15971759975067250908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67023116059058694072013-06-06T20:14:27.047-04:002013-06-06T20:14:27.047-04:00@LaneB –Thanks! I was going to contact you off bl...@LaneB –Thanks! I was going to contact you off blog, but you’re unemailable. I’ll let you know if I ever have plans to be in the Bay area. We can do coffee. And PIG OUT on some SUET.Loren Muse Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05308030011870397977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5117900780449277162013-06-06T19:54:34.150-04:002013-06-06T19:54:34.150-04:00Loooonnng day. I enjoyed the puzzle. Loved that OU...Loooonnng day. I enjoyed the puzzle. Loved that OUT fell down. <br /><br />I think we need an EEL Award.johohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12708487230515532492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76264517178723055822013-06-06T19:27:27.818-04:002013-06-06T19:27:27.818-04:00Late start and got all the OUTS reasonably fast f...Late start and got all the OUTS reasonably fast for me.) not knowing ELON and TONY made that SE corner harder than it should have been. And I did't think One POTATO was a nursery rhyme but rather a method of making a choice. However, a clever puzzle and one I didn't find all that easy. Hats off to the many who did, proving that I'm truly a novice among the pros.<br /><br />Always enjoy Loren Muse Smith' s comments. If she's ever in the Bay Area, I'd like to meet her..LaneBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5779175400015351852013-06-06T18:01:43.385-04:002013-06-06T18:01:43.385-04:00One thing I enjoy about crosswords
is to marvel at...One thing I enjoy about crosswords<br />is to marvel at the constructors' <br />clues. <br /> I am amazed that, after having<br />the fill "nor",anyone could come<br />up with "word before ..........<br />at the start of a Shelley poem".<br />It's one thing to know the poem but<br />quite another to have the word<br />"nor" conjure it up.<br />ANON Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30229160347005906452013-06-06T17:18:57.044-04:002013-06-06T17:18:57.044-04:00This was a case where getting the theme helped me....This was a case where getting the theme helped me. Half the time, I don't notice.<br /><br />Got NOR, TIT and LANDAU right away, but eventually Googled for YAO, EMMETT, SCOUT, all pretty much guy things. <br /><br />Had tickEt before ENTREE, but cleared that up. <br /><br />Not bad for me on a Thurs.<br /><br />My laptop crashed last night and am using Hubsters. Hope Carbonite comes thru on new one. Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79374570395075971272013-06-06T16:05:25.184-04:002013-06-06T16:05:25.184-04:00@Doc John I would have clued it as "main cou...@Doc John I would have clued it as "main course of a meal"chefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79463096071175981952013-06-06T15:30:04.574-04:002013-06-06T15:30:04.574-04:00@Doc John - from M-W dictionary:
en·trée noun \...@Doc John - from M-W dictionary:<br /><br />en·trée noun \ˈän-ˌtrā also än-ˈ\<br />1a : the act or manner of entering : entrance b : freedom of entry or access <br /><br /><br />taken in this context, access card seems ok, as it is a manner of entranceRob Cnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84366500197119900462013-06-06T15:27:38.472-04:002013-06-06T15:27:38.472-04:00Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 8/1/2...Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation of my method and my 10/15/2012 post for an explanation of a tweak to my method):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Thu 12:27, 17:11, 0.72, 7%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Thu 7:31, 9:49, 0.77, 9%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74769728159301497942013-06-06T15:10:57.155-04:002013-06-06T15:10:57.155-04:00Nobody else had a problem with ENTREE being clued ...Nobody else had a problem with ENTREE being clued the way it was?Doc Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12540112168511893896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17881447923976486242013-06-06T14:08:15.304-04:002013-06-06T14:08:15.304-04:00Who knew that many first-time voters were TEENAGE ...Who knew that many first-time voters were TEENAGE SPYS? Chilling.Notsofastnoreply@blogger.com