tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post4053440086306845927..comments2024-03-19T04:46:24.598-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Mythical Hun king — FRIDAY, Oct. 23 2009 — 2001-05 Pontiac made in Mexico / Actor Ford of Snatch / Title girl in 1968 Turtles hitRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14984173070484031922022-03-23T08:21:39.736-04:002022-03-23T08:21:39.736-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.flags worldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12284635964606690444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85870507911240502432009-12-01T14:45:28.233-05:002009-12-01T14:45:28.233-05:00I'm probably one of the few people here old en...I'm probably one of the few people here old enough to have owned the Turtles' album containing the song "Elenore." Every time I see Eleanor, I think it's misspelled.<br /><br />By the way, who are you people? Googling? Erasing? Use a pen and your brain, nothing else.<br /><br />Rex, Rex, Rex. Any reference to the immortal Stooges is proper material for crosswords forever and ever.Old Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1091397185624015702009-11-27T14:18:47.766-05:002009-11-27T14:18:47.766-05:00From SyndCity: toughie today. Desperately wanted t...From SyndCity: toughie today. Desperately wanted to use STINGER (weird back-formation from STINGY) instead of STINTER. Had PARROTER instead of PARAKEET and TUXEDOS for TOPHATS. Wanted WALLAWALLA instead of VALLEY FORGE (even tho it didn't fit). Stumbled into the other pitfalls of SHAH and ORTEGA as well which didn't help. Also, wanted BARGES rather than LARGOS. Only ended up solving correctly after Binging BRYCE CANYON and ADELE.<br /><br />Nevertheless, IMHO a great Friday puzzle. Thanks, BCS.Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35653918998046891012009-10-25T03:48:13.189-04:002009-10-25T03:48:13.189-04:00@Rex
Did you know "It's raining men"...@Rex<br />Did you know "It's raining men" was co-written by Paul SHaffer (of David Letterman fame) in 1979, I think before Letterman was even a gleam in the eyes of the young girls he's slept with...<br /><br />@Hudson Hawk<br />ohmygod, I realize the Poundstone curse can work with Gamache as well!<br />A lot of people love my puzzles, but do you know who they REALLY think is great??? PAULA!<br /><br />FIrst answer was TINATURNER and I think the two TInas are sort of ok, bec TINA in TINA TURNER is clearly not from the name Christina in this case...<br /><br />My favorite memory of my early days in SF is my pal Johnny M dressing up as Ms Turner for Halloween...he was not yet out, but that was the final indication.<br />What's love got to do got to do with it?andrea oneliner michaelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76027090409650783382009-10-23T23:04:37.419-04:002009-10-23T23:04:37.419-04:00The very first thing I entered confidently was &qu...The very first thing I entered confidently was "ELEANOR," and the very last thing I did was to correct it to "ELENORE." Ridiculous.beam aims northhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09640660445798329531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10127652749389477772009-10-23T22:37:40.070-04:002009-10-23T22:37:40.070-04:00@ Robin - I'm out of town and non-puzzle wife ...@ Robin - I'm out of town and non-puzzle wife does not know how to upload pictures to the web page. Give me about ten days for more puppy pix. Thanks for the interest.retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26008422931373263142009-10-23T22:03:16.124-04:002009-10-23T22:03:16.124-04:00This 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 6:21, 7:00, 0.91, 26%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 7:56, 8:36, 0.92, 31%, Easy-Medium<br />Wed 10:44, 11:45, 0.91, 27%, Easy-Medium<br />Thu 13:56, 18:17, 0.76, 8%, Easy<br />Fri 33:56, 26:07, 1.30, 97%, Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:25, 3:44, 0.91, 26%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 4:07, 4:24, 0.93, 34%, Easy-Medium<br />Wed 5:09, 5:46, 0.89, 19%, Easy<br />Thu 6:34, 8:51, 0.74, 6%, Easy<br />Fri 18:15, 12:22, 1.48, 98%, Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59396534002333568212009-10-23T21:00:54.342-04:002009-10-23T21:00:54.342-04:00Lovely puzzle, Friday-worthy, clever clues and lov...Lovely puzzle, Friday-worthy, clever clues and lovely answers, and TOTALLY UNDOABLE!<br /><br />I usually do well with the Barry Silk puzzles and like them but today the whole NW was blank. For the Pope statement I had "No man" (right, right?). I've just read all the comments and it sounds as if Foodie and I are on the same wavelength.....<br /><br />Aaah, I do have an excuse. Dinner party tomorrow, I've been shopping and chopping and cooking all day.<br />Have to get back to my short-rib sauce.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70909776031412100812009-10-23T20:38:38.897-04:002009-10-23T20:38:38.897-04:00re ARA: in my Garzanti big fat Italian dictionary...re ARA: in my Garzanti big fat Italian dictionary, ARA is defined thusly: "presso gli antichi romani, altare destinato ai sacrifici." So yup, at least for the ancient Romans, the definition is legit.Ruthnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40688942366159175042009-10-23T20:11:08.530-04:002009-10-23T20:11:08.530-04:00@Ulrich - I guess it depends on how you parse the ...@Ulrich - I guess it depends on how you parse the clue.JannieBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18282015159638078416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69665520252882638652009-10-23T20:10:48.782-04:002009-10-23T20:10:48.782-04:00Wow and thanks to foodie and BuckWow and thanks to foodie and BuckTwo Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46317804765499044192009-10-23T19:34:18.999-04:002009-10-23T19:34:18.999-04:00Words to live by:
"After the opera is done ...Words to live by: <br /><br />"After the opera is done I’ll re-instill some discipline or at least some pro forma hand-wringing into this process."<br /><br />From Trout Stuffed with Sagacity--AKA Nutcracker Buckfoodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052189131129098616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65394480326930590392009-10-23T19:31:40.724-04:002009-10-23T19:31:40.724-04:00I had a wicked hard time with this one due to erro...I had a wicked hard time with this one due to errors of all sorts. I had GEOLOGIST at 34D, erased it because I <i>knew</i> 17A was GEOLOGY (confirmed by the L at GOLAN and O at SOOTY), was married far too long to ORTEGA at 31A which totally bolloxed up the SE for me.<br /><br />The long way back began with neons at VALLYFORGE and BRYCECANYON and the piecing together of the NW and SE one clue at a time - loved EUROPOP and WYSYWYG - and the TAXER/REEXAMINE cross helped me correct my errors in the SE.<br /><br />I spent more time correcting mistakes than I ever remember and I got ALTOONA without knowing Penn State had a campus there which pretty much tells you all you need to know about this puzzle.<br /><br />Tough puzzle for me but perseverance saw me throug hwhen several years ago I would have given upedith bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12048817959846956992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1291293012032435832009-10-23T19:21:13.593-04:002009-10-23T19:21:13.593-04:00@JannieB: I thought the "au" and "a...@JannieB: I thought the "au" and "ai" were the vowels b/c if you pronounce them the French way, that's what they are--they are not diphthongs, and there are two of them in the phrase.<br /><br />@acme: Your remark about learning WYSIWYG reminds me of the guy in the Moliere play who learned that he has been speaking prose all his life--no need to learn anything;-)<br /><br />BTW I knew you wouldn't bite on the indoor plumbing theme!!!!!!Ulrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02086202853174403008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44870062047600219142009-10-23T19:10:44.171-04:002009-10-23T19:10:44.171-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Ulrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02086202853174403008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72792129230263474752009-10-23T18:51:35.056-04:002009-10-23T18:51:35.056-04:00@Andrea - an AU pair = A & U, both of which ar...@Andrea - an AU pair = A & U, both of which are vowels (cue Vanna)JannieBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18282015159638078416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30367694134995742882009-10-23T18:46:18.935-04:002009-10-23T18:46:18.935-04:00WAY INto Ret_Chem's puppies. More pics, pleas...WAY INto Ret_Chem's puppies. More pics, please?Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00404995201196513974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75278531919553345902009-10-23T18:33:38.849-04:002009-10-23T18:33:38.849-04:00I'm pretty sure the magician's trying to r...I'm pretty sure the magician's trying to rhyme "et cetera" and "better". And NDE finds pop music "unimaginative"!?Larry Golannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12228366166080369962009-10-23T18:10:01.641-04:002009-10-23T18:10:01.641-04:00oh, and another thing about ELENORE
I saw a sneak...oh, and another thing about ELENORE<br /><br />I saw a sneak peek of another abysmal film called "Pirate Radio" that was supposed to be about rock and roll in 1967 England but ended up, thanks to a horrid script (by the writer of "Four Weddings and a Funeral" which I loved!) that in-between English boy's Public school humor filled with sniggering jokes about small "knobs", at least four shots of people on a toilet, tittering references to lesbians and other women-fearing plotlines, homosexual experimentation referencing, one mean Scrabble joke, not-to-mention punchlines no better than "He's from (Fill in obscure English town)!" had to resort to having a character named Elenore, just so they could play that song on the soundtrack!<br /><br />On a more positive note, @Rex comment about that guy doing magic tricks at your 8th birthday will actually have me laughing out loud the rest of the day...andrea europop michaelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8326758205316020812009-10-23T17:49:34.395-04:002009-10-23T17:49:34.395-04:00ps @Robin
WIth you on googly-moogly!
Maybe not s...ps @Robin<br />WIth you on googly-moogly! <br />Maybe not so frisky as COKED up?andrea reexamine michaelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78463192664631815942009-10-23T17:47:10.239-04:002009-10-23T17:47:10.239-04:00GOLAN and LARRY were my only answers first time th...GOLAN and LARRY were my only answers first time through the grid...I'm such a jew!<br /><br />(Oops, I actually also got OSAY too)<br /><br />I never ever ever learn...I NEVER enjoy Barry Silk puzzles but always feel compelled to do them and then am always sorry I did...<br />but once again I slogged through with zero enjoyment in determination to join in on this conversation or at least know what y'all are talking about.<br /><br />(It feels like that old Lily Tomlin routine about adding up how long an orgasm lasts and weighing it against all the bullshit you go through to get there...)<br /><br />I STILL don't get the VOWEL clue, nor the ONENESS...I am actually sorry to learn WYSIWYG and I had to google BOTH Fords to get going.<br />(as well as BRYCE CANYON, ATLI, the spelling of ELENORE)<br /><br /><br />@Puzzlegirl<br />I haven't even heard of the Cube!!!!!!!!! I'm still in name shock from The Aspire and The Fit!!!!!!<br />They gave out Aztek Pontiacs for a while on "Survivor" which was sort of dumb to be in wilderness with no roads and then win a car.<br /><br />Considered PARROTERS I so didn't want ATKA...which is the sound I will now make whenever I see another Barry Silk puzzle.andrea rant michaelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4426713891508883532009-10-23T17:33:49.227-04:002009-10-23T17:33:49.227-04:00Hard and clever as ever w. Mr. Silk. Missed the ru...Hard and clever as ever w. Mr. Silk. Missed the rutabagas et al today.<br />So pitiable are those who refuse to try same.Hobbyistnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54549029365908412602009-10-23T16:58:17.665-04:002009-10-23T16:58:17.665-04:00Wow. Aren't we all feeling frisky today? Goo...Wow. Aren't we all feeling frisky today? Googly-moogly is my word o'the day.Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00404995201196513974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25858626115921529502009-10-23T16:26:26.154-04:002009-10-23T16:26:26.154-04:00Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 7/30/...Midday report of relative difficulty (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 of my method):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Fri 32:42, 26:03, 1.26, 94%, Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Fri 18:36, 12:23, 1.50, 100%, Challenging<br /><br />This one's stacking up as one of the most challenging puzzles (relative to the day of the week) of the 109 puzzles I've tracked over the past 5 months. In fact, as it stands now, it ranks as the most challenging based on the top 100 solve times. After the relatively easy puzzles of earlier this week, today's represents a real change of pace.sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20651515405231947012009-10-23T16:23:10.069-04:002009-10-23T16:23:10.069-04:00Steve Canyon! Yes, that's it. I think my tho...Steve Canyon! Yes, that's it. I think my thought process was something like Canyon = Nature = Mark Trail = screw it, it has something to do with one of those comic strips I never read because they were drawn serious instead of funny and that was somebody's name, like Mark Trail or Mary Worth or somebody Canyon.<br /><br />Ulrich, fished in! Of course it's the third verse of the German national anthem sung in East Frisian dialect. Who don't know that?Trout Stuffed with Sagacitynoreply@blogger.com