tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post3724267734343468489..comments2024-03-28T16:04:43.540-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Limp Bizkit vocalist Fred / TUE 5-13-14 / Brazilian state northeast of Sao Paulo / Alaskan panhandle city / Enlightened Buddhist / Cousin of culottes / Spartan serf / 1971 Bill Withers hit / 1987 Buster Poindexter hit / Italian monk's titleRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14943051284877572042014-06-17T20:41:59.858-04:002014-06-17T20:41:59.858-04:00Note to crossword puzzle makers: There is a comple...Note to crossword puzzle makers: There is a completely valid spelling of the title of the rulers of Kuwait, Qatar, and the seven member EMIRates of the United Arab EMIRates. It is EMIR. Not EMEER, not AMIR.<br />Joshuanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23813221751601376902014-06-17T15:51:23.333-04:002014-06-17T15:51:23.333-04:00Funny. I had no trouble with the NW. Thought 1A ...Funny. I had no trouble with the NW. Thought 1A could be fete, fest, gala, or BASH. HRH, SITKA, and AMONG (gimmes) settled that, and watching the World Cup, I've heard BAHIA mentioned a couple times. I knew ERUCTation, so intuited ERUCT, which made me write over Borat. ARHAT (??) came from the crosses. Nice to learn that one.<br /><br />I didn't find this particularly difficult or obscure, and I liked it.<br /><br />Portugal over the USA, @SIS.<br /><br />Totally indecipherable address below.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20432528368754129762014-06-17T15:18:05.579-04:002014-06-17T15:18:05.579-04:00ERUpT/AFp? Had nFl to start. So, where @Diri made ...ERUpT/AFp? Had nFl to start. So, where @Diri made the correct choice, I went with the wrong one. <br />Wasn't my only mistake. My guitar players were AcMEN crossing PIc.<br />Hate SKORTS. Worst female fashion invention ever.<br />So, all in all, a tough monpuz followed by a tough tuepuz.<br /><br />Is the US going to get past Portugal? Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66520606486238182822014-06-17T14:49:10.309-04:002014-06-17T14:49:10.309-04:00I muddled through because all of the songs were fa...I muddled through because all of the songs were familiar and I refused to consider any possibility other than AFC for Patriots' gp. (Americans for Prosperity is most certainly NOT a patriots' group) so ERUCT stayed on sheer faith. But yeah, that NW corner was unsportsmanlike for a Tuesday.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25282075619214966782014-06-17T13:43:41.690-04:002014-06-17T13:43:41.690-04:00Had to get all the music stuff off the crosses, an...Had to get all the music stuff off the crosses, and perhaps got SITKA because I've been there. As for BAHIA, it just sounds Brazilian. At any rate got those and fell down at ERUpT. Sensed it wasn't right, but, with no help from AFwhatever, what's a gal gonna do? Add this one to my list of one square DNFs. DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26216930827351786462014-06-17T10:57:34.796-04:002014-06-17T10:57:34.796-04:00Didn't like it. Theme was less than tight, for...Didn't like it. Theme was less than tight, for reasons OFL cited. All those great "RAIN" tunes, and not one to be found! Me, I'd have even expanded to a 16-width to accommodate WHOLLSTOPTHERAIN.<br /><br />And the fill shuttles between obscure (BAHIA, ARHAT, HELOT, DURST) to the hackneyed (ASEA, EPEES). There are, admittedly, some cool tunes here, but it just lacked polish. I'm afraid that the top tier of constructors has pretty much spoiled us. <br /><br />Firecracker = LIVEWIRE?? That's a stretch close to the snapping point. Ah well, the sun'll come out tomorrow, betcher bottom dollar.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6565838978227607572014-05-14T21:27:01.695-04:002014-05-14T21:27:01.695-04:00Bahia is one of the most beautiful places on earth...Bahia is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Just saying.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30601184402015856462014-05-14T14:08:18.314-04:002014-05-14T14:08:18.314-04:00Too many NIT pickers, including the Great Rex! Tod...Too many NIT pickers, including the Great Rex! Today was fun and easier than most Wednesdays. Tuesday's was ridiculously difficult unless solver knew the songs.Honeysmomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85109264759004544942014-05-14T02:39:44.337-04:002014-05-14T02:39:44.337-04:00Tuesday not my good news day, but managed to get t...Tuesday not my good news day, but managed to get through most of the arcane stuff and generally clunky fill except for the SE corner where defeat came on the wings of UTES and DAP. What is dap (other than a fist ump, of course)? Agree w/Rex and many of the other comments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36623584466446322542014-05-13T23:05:29.562-04:002014-05-13T23:05:29.562-04:00Found it to be an easy puzzle without understandin...Found it to be an easy puzzle without understanding 65across -Axmen.<br />Why do we need e.g. in 45 down ?<br />Erect is a good boggle word.Charles Flasterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16588962898277593533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48450532237105725292014-05-13T22:39:55.777-04:002014-05-13T22:39:55.777-04:00This 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 6:44, 6:04, 1.11, 87%, Challenging<br />Tue 9:10, 8:46, 1.05, 63%, Medium-Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:57, 3:57, 1.00, 45%, Medium<br />Tue 5:39, 5:22, 1.05, 63%, Medium-Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84401204508433928112014-05-13T22:38:53.752-04:002014-05-13T22:38:53.752-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79903359762939257812014-05-13T21:44:09.491-04:002014-05-13T21:44:09.491-04:00Great puzzle for a luthier, especially one buildin...Great puzzle for a luthier, especially one building a guitar with Sitka spruce top, a Bahia rosewood back, and a nacre inlaid neck for your favorite axman!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15789697051039156812014-05-13T21:14:12.791-04:002014-05-13T21:14:12.791-04:00In the HOT To Trot gang. Thought I was the only o...In the HOT To Trot gang. Thought I was the only one until I got to Gill I.P.'s comment, now I see many more are coming out of he woodwork. PHEW!chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6040864712632535012014-05-13T20:58:33.947-04:002014-05-13T20:58:33.947-04:00Crikey, Rex, you're grumpy.Crikey, Rex, you're grumpy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11570920150597686982014-05-13T20:35:34.493-04:002014-05-13T20:35:34.493-04:00@Z, thanks for the disc lesson! There is no end to...@Z, thanks for the disc lesson! There is no end to what I learn here! <br />There were a few crashes on the Tour today, but nobody coded while climbing the two highest mountains in the Bay Area on the hottest day of the year thus far. Tomorrow is sure to be cooler, with most of the route on Highway 1. Should be gorgeous with the wild flowers in full explosion. (Was going to write ERUCTion, but that would be wrong...) Jisvanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09195053073057452069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23369425569724666622014-05-13T17:35:30.373-04:002014-05-13T17:35:30.373-04:00I really enjoyed the puzzle. Two of my favorite s...I really enjoyed the puzzle. Two of my favorite singers (Withers and Seger), a childhood hero (Buster Poindexter), and a personal shoutout (COE). Pretty darn good.<br />@Phil: It took me exactly three minutes to do today's puzzle on the IPad, and it felt slow. The thing I like about magmic/iPad solving versus AcrossLite/keyboard solving is that it is a much more accurate reflection of my solving times on paper.Benkonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60602237484975527062014-05-13T16:56:42.086-04:002014-05-13T16:56:42.086-04:00Pretty much what everyone else has said. Tough fo...Pretty much what everyone else has said. Tough for me. Liked the theme, knew the songs, but the fill was way off base for a Tues.<br /><br />nFl before AFC but I was sure it had to be football plus I've seen ERUCT before.<br /><br />@Dick Swart &Steve J. Thanks for reminding me about the Chabon book. I somehow missed reading it and then forgot about it. It's now back on my list.<br />And, if you haven't read it already, Telegraph Avenue is excellent.<br />jaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4169724864180422072014-05-13T16:43:32.768-04:002014-05-13T16:43:32.768-04:00Can't believe I finished w/o Google.
Didn'...Can't believe I finished w/o Google.<br /><br />Didn't know much about any of the music. AINT NO SUNSHINE is an earworm w/o knowing MR. Withers. <br />As things filled in letter by letter (oh, yes, I've heard of that song) I said, well I guess the Brazilian state is BAHIA. I guess a fist bump must be a DAP. I guess the Cedar Rapids college must be COE...etc.<br /><br />Rex made me laugh. The ARHAT might teach the HELOT to relax and accept his fate.Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81266238164169015432014-05-13T16:15:35.058-04:002014-05-13T16:15:35.058-04:00I also was hot to trot.
@ LMS, Yew are two funny....I also was hot to trot.<br /><br />@ LMS, Yew are two funny.Two Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14628118401830346832014-05-13T15:32:58.614-04:002014-05-13T15:32:58.614-04:00Midday 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 />Tue 9:05, 8:46, 1.04, 61%, Medium-Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Tue 5:45, 5:22, 1.07, 66%, Medium-Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87629114203190148082014-05-13T14:15:30.749-04:002014-05-13T14:15:30.749-04:00I'm in the HOT TO TROT club. I remember going...I'm in the HOT TO TROT club. I remember going to see/hear Buster Poindexter in a jazz club in Greenwich Village, oh, it must have been around 1989. I'm sure he did HOT HOT HOT, but what I remember was his rendition of Mack the Knife.<br /><br />The puzzle was kind of hilariously bad for a Tuesday.Clarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17459992224851404501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78754790225495608242014-05-13T13:27:27.251-04:002014-05-13T13:27:27.251-04:00another one for DNF cuz of ERUpT---oh well
hey @Z...another one for DNF cuz of ERUpT---oh well<br /><br />hey @Z - i went to the tiger game vs orioles last night- happy for the win-- my friends not so much....schmuzzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15641995525666982653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2713039861220946282014-05-13T13:10:24.954-04:002014-05-13T13:10:24.954-04:00There was a Disney movie which featured the song &...There was a Disney movie which featured the song "Bahia" during the war (the BIG one, thanks, Archie) I think it was called "The Three Caballeros," and wasn't Sitka the capital of Russian Alaska?Fred Romagnolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11994837736408182418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57936057011027359202014-05-13T13:03:36.380-04:002014-05-13T13:03:36.380-04:00Medium. I've learned not to start NYT puzzles ...Medium. I've learned not to start NYT puzzles in the NW corner. It just seems, in general, to be more difficult there.<br /><br />I accidentally did a google image search of culotte instead of culottes. Apparently that 's' is a pretty important distinction. <br />jdvnoreply@blogger.com