tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post4109358769855934185..comments2024-03-29T05:08:37.783-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Movement founded by Yasser Arafat / THU 9-27-12 / Part of metaphorical ladder / Batman villain in cryogenic suit / Classic 1740 romance subtitled Virtue Rewarded / Speechwriter Read My Lips No New Taxes / Classical musician whose career has had its ups and downsRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10154694125993386242021-10-08T01:02:48.652-04:002021-10-08T01:02:48.652-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.seanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73720147069876166162020-06-17T11:47:34.695-04:002020-06-17T11:47:34.695-04:00Hello from the future. It's 8 years later, nea...Hello from the future. It's 8 years later, nearly, and I'm using my Archives feature to retroactively complete all of the Thursday puzzles; they're generally my favorite ones.<br /><br />I haven't commented on a past puzzle till now, but I had to point out (since apparently no one else did) that ON PAROLE doesn't make sense as an answer in a puzzle all about ON/OFF SWITCHES.<br /><br />Otherwise, I hated the puzzle :) It was a rare DNF -- so much crosswordese and too many bizarre clues, like the one for YOYO MA. Ugh.<br /><br />Be well!<br /><br />DavidDavidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02916620287643579807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10330964390586291022012-11-13T04:51:24.398-05:002012-11-13T04:51:24.398-05:0027A - A dis to Michael Jackson?
"thurible&quo...27A - A dis to Michael Jackson?<br />"thurible" - Charles Barkley-esque for "really bad"?Anonyratnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44368248186921474572012-11-01T19:19:28.908-04:002012-11-01T19:19:28.908-04:00Just so it's clear to @Ellen S and @Acme, I am...Just so it's clear to @Ellen S and @Acme, I am writing this on November 1, 5 weeks after the puzzle was originally published - in syndi-time, DAREISAY? And I'm proud to say that I finished, despite the gibberish, with only one wrong square: LaS at 28a. My completed grid, in ink, is not pretty.<br /><br />@DMGrandma, I think the clue at 1a refers to the "corporate ladder" which so many seek to climb, and ever higher paying jobs are the steps up the ladder. Happily, it's only a metaphor.<br /><br />Seeing the LEONID meteor shower in the grid gives me the perfect opportunity to remind everybody that it occurs this month (syndi-synchronicity!) and peaks on the morning of the 17th. It is caused by the Comet Tempel and should produce about 20 "shooting stars" per hour as Earth passes through the debris field of the comet.<br /><br />Belated congrats to @Rex on all counts, and belated welcome to @rain forest who apparently, like all of us from time to time, could use a hug.<br /><br />Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75659777955074510262012-11-01T18:50:50.841-04:002012-11-01T18:50:50.841-04:00Meant "missed him" - sometimes I miss wh...Meant "missed him" - sometimes I miss what the iPad robot did with my words.DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71746696179555802072012-11-01T18:28:14.182-04:002012-11-01T18:28:14.182-04:00Not my kind of puzzle. Don't understand what ...Not my kind of puzzle. Don't understand what a "metaphorical ladder" is. Had lop eared, and thought <br />TEBOW was a kind of exercise, like tae chi. Though I now seem torecallreading something about him somewhere, but that was some time ago. Maybe he was more in the news when this puzzle originally ran.<br /><br />That said, I got about half the puzzle, including the revealer, and a couple of the theme answers, but they looked so strange I decided I'd done something wrong. Given that and my aversion to clues that only reference each other with nothing as to either of them, I quit and came here and feel better to discover I'm not alone.<br /><br />Glad to hear from @Diri that the storm issued him.DMGrandmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62327175235530753072012-11-01T17:01:03.172-04:002012-11-01T17:01:03.172-04:00Happy Anniversary, Five Weeks Late, @Rex and Sandy...Happy Anniversary, Five Weeks Late, @Rex and Sandy! As to the Blog being six years old (what is that in CATYEARS), I'm just sorry I missed the first five. Thank You, Rex, it's my 'guilty pleasure' every day!<br /><br />The NW did me in. No amount of staring and re-reading the clues brought any sort of answers. Had aPp for 17A, confirmed by ONPAROLE, then of course nothing would come. Did eventually finish the rest.<br /><br />As to initials, LOL (used to think it meant little old lady), IMO etc, it's the new normal. It's the evolution of our modern culture, and trying to fight it will just result in frustration. Get used to it. @Anon 3:51 I'm LMHO at your calendar reference.<br /><br />Gingernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10812996951311324642012-11-01T15:30:06.020-04:002012-11-01T15:30:06.020-04:00I had no trouble starting this puzzle in the NW as...I had no trouble starting this puzzle in the NW as I assumed "uno" or "una" for 14A, and "jug" made me remove "lop" for 1D and the rest of the NW was clear. Same for the middle N. I was very proud to see LEO, and then CANCER, but entire NE was a total scmozz, for the longest time. Like many, I eventually figured out the theme and when I reluctantly put in FROFFTONICE, I have to say I thought, "cute!" This is a puzzle I admire, but don't really like, and maybe it's because I dnf'd in the NE, or maybe it's because I realize that I'm not as good a solver as I sometimes think I am, which is sort of shallow. But hey, I got two 'welcomes' from Z and Ginger and so I feel a lot better about myself (blush). I have had 4 cats, all of whom lived 17 human years, so I've always thought catyears are 6X human years, of which they sleep 5X human years.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24614562009221054752012-11-01T13:16:40.688-04:002012-11-01T13:16:40.688-04:00Yoyo, you know, ups and downs. I get it, but I di...Yoyo, you know, ups and downs. I get it, but I did not get it on the puzzle.gold freakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10455605182046925208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71495685412613097892012-11-01T12:46:18.915-04:002012-11-01T12:46:18.915-04:00Never had a Natick at square 1 before! Totally at ...Never had a Natick at square 1 before! Totally at sea with the 1a clue, I had _OB and _UG. I thought, maybe BUG-eared? BOB made no sense--but neither did anything else! I guess now that you say "JUG-eared," I wouldnt go "HUH?"--but it's certainly not a description in common use in MY experience. So, a single-letter error took me down.<br /><br />Hand up for dog years (mini-YEAR theme?) Agreed that the theme phrases ought to make some kind of sense, even if just cute. These were not cute. FROFFT? ELECTIOFF? Please.<br /><br />The Tebow issue: the American public has all sorts of record-setting and championship-winning heroes. But here's a guy with average skills who just BELIEVES, in a way that few ever have, in our experience. Believes in what, you ask: himself or God? And I answer: yes. Both! He is inspirational, that is his special skill. I understand the poll result; it has nothing to do with his career results.<br /><br />I also agree with OFL's objection to the clue for YOYOMA. Makes it sound like he overcame drugs or something.<br /><br />Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3466931908821861872012-09-28T01:25:11.521-04:002012-09-28T01:25:11.521-04:00@Tango Echo Victor - no NHL ties since 2005. Regul...@Tango Echo Victor - no NHL ties since 2005. Regular season games have an overtime period (5 minutes, I think) then go to a shootout if not resolved in overtime. For the standings, an overtime or shootout loss counts as 1 point and wins count as three points. No shootouts in the playoffs - more overtime periods are added as needed.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00908435585355038973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88841465665244338642012-09-28T01:01:32.372-04:002012-09-28T01:01:32.372-04:00Thanks for the welcomes yesterday. Much appreciat...Thanks for the welcomes yesterday. Much appreciated. Didn't hate the puzzle until you all explained why I should. Just thought it was hard. Now I see it was insane.Amelianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18411521722213864132012-09-27T23:54:41.991-04:002012-09-27T23:54:41.991-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 8/1/2009 post 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 6:12, 6:48, 0.91, 15%, Easy<br />Tue 9:18, 8:56, 1.04, 66%, Medium-Challenging<br />Wed 13:59, 11:50, 1.18, 89%, Challenging<br />Thu 23:31, 18:50, 1.25, 88%, Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:37, 3:41, 0.98, 44%, Medium<br />Tue 5:28, 4:39, 1.17, 91%, Challenging<br />Wed 7:12, 5:57, 1.21, 90%, Challenging<br />Thu 12:54, 9:22, 1.38, 92%, Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39718473039534153232012-09-27T22:36:58.194-04:002012-09-27T22:36:58.194-04:00@Andrea, darlin'...Wow. Thanx. Sweet of you ...@Andrea, darlin'...Wow. Thanx. Sweet of you to offer, but you go on ahead with that UP/DOWN thingy. It's all yours. I'm pretty darned unorganized, and would just slow you down. Besides, hard for anyone to work with someone who cherishes his secret identity. All the best.<br />M&AM and A Banditonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50201005688312132952012-09-27T22:19:58.991-04:002012-09-27T22:19:58.991-04:00@ANON B - You don't get it. LOL is not short f...@ANON B - You don't get it. LOL is not short for what we are saying. It is short for what we are doing. And these acronyms all started when we had flip-phones with keys sharing numbers and letters. Nobody wanted to hit the keys 20 times when 3 would suffice. Eventually everyone understood that LOL meant you were laughing out loud to a joke or comment.<br /><br />You're over the limit by the way.<br /><br />PS. The captcha was one letter away from a certain description of some people by some people: ansholeOMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33650499121800364342012-09-27T21:46:37.691-04:002012-09-27T21:46:37.691-04:00@ANON B
You understood the captcha, but you sure ...@ANON B<br /><br />You understood the captcha, but you sure didn't understand what @acme was saying.<br /><br />She doesn't mean SHE can tell if you're going to hate the puzzle...<br /><br />Oh, what's the use! LOLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60195435954045913812012-09-27T21:31:54.802-04:002012-09-27T21:31:54.802-04:00@acme
You say you can tell me beforehand
if I...@acme<br /><br /> You say you can tell me beforehand<br />if I'm not going to like a puzzle.<br />How can you do that? How can you<br />know what I like and, in case you<br />do, how do I reach you, not that<br />I would want to.<br /> As far as texting acronyms, I <br />find them to be affectations. <br />How often does a normal human<br />being want to say "laugh out<br />loud" or "shake my head" in a<br />letter or a conversation?<br /><br /> P.S. A miracle just happened.<br />I got a capcha that a child<br />could understand. Even I could.ANON Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17002028042982285702012-09-27T21:28:00.017-04:002012-09-27T21:28:00.017-04:00Where is it written that gibberish is bad? Especia...Where is it written that gibberish is bad? Especially this sort of calculated, formulaic gibberish, with an obvious solution? It's kinda fun, ya whiners.<br /><br />Will, if you're reading, ignore the elitist nonsense.Bob Sneadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81451312919107574482012-09-27T21:06:32.784-04:002012-09-27T21:06:32.784-04:00@ellenS I can e-mail you the puzzle every day. Le...@ellenS I can e-mail you the puzzle every day. Let me know.chefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6972930733719608302012-09-27T20:27:47.447-04:002012-09-27T20:27:47.447-04:00@carola. Thanks for the delightful reminder of YOY...@carola. Thanks for the delightful reminder of YOYOMA on the bathroom floor with the wombat!!!<br /><br />That plus the cellist bow going up and down explanation makes me rescind my not loving the yoyo/toy into career joke. Ok, fine on YOYOMA clue, a little off, a little lame, but wasn't worth condemning on my part!<br /><br />( i think I've mentioned before he was a resident tutor in my dorm freshman year ...talk about being spoiled with treasures in front of me and not knowing, appreciating amything about classical music then..<br />Plus his wife Jill was my German teacher and I've always found it curious in following his career the last 35 years that none of the articles ever ever mention her, the kids, that he's married, nothing.)<br /><br />@masked and anonymous<br />GOOSEUPMATTRESS. Is funny AND 15, why don't we collaborate? I had the very thought last night and meant to look today to see if HAVEUPSANDDOWNS 15 had been done already. <br />As you know, I'm at my full name @gmail with a . Between middle and last name.<br /><br />Glad to see i was not alone with JOB/JACOB confusion (on Yom Kippur, no less!), multiple DOG attempts, eyebrow arched for double YEARS, etc.<br />Why I come back to the blog every day...and often a few times a day!<br /><br />@john v<br />I know your MACROFF and someone else's NOOFFAN were rhetorical, but they were Downs, not part of the theme entries which not only were Across-only but the theme entries had both OFF and ON in one phrase.<br /><br />I do agree, however, it's an elegance issue to try and avoid other OFFs or ONs that are not switched around in the grid.<br />Thing is, avoiding the two letters O - N in general would be super super tough to do.<br /><br />@anon 12:26<br />OCTOPI may be "incorrect" linguistically but it's used, acceptable now even in Scrabble, and is just an example of words that have been absorbed into English, like when folks say HEIGHTH.<br /><br />@anonB<br />My guess is if @rex is using smh in his blog writeup, he has no objections to text abbreviations...which, imho, are no longer just for 15 yr olds...it's the wotw, my friend.<br />(WOTW=Way of the world...but I just made that up)<br /><br />You Do have someone who can tell you before you start that you are going to hate this puzzle...you're reading him!<br /><br />@ellen s<br />I think your confusion is partly due to the fact that Peter Collins had both the realtime puzzle AND the syndicated 5 week earlier one same day!<br />Plus @dirigonzo replies at times both in real time or adds to the comments 5 weeks later as tho it were that day, but it's really speaking with September news but on an August puzzle.<br />Does that make it any clearer? He has hit the syndi puzzle link to comment on the puzzle you are first getting to 5 weeks later, but is coming to it 60 comments later, but with news from the fiture that didn't exist when the first 60 commenters made their comments...<br />( i hope he won't rescind my fanclub for this convoluted answer!)<br />Or yes, you could pay $40 and join in real time...but i think at least 10% -50% of all those $40 checks the NYT is collecting to access the puzzle on line should be put into a very very big pot and divvied up among the constructors at the end of the year (in proportion to how many puzzles they had) that were resold 5 or six more times to syndi, calendars, books, airline mags, mugs, ashtrays and the like!)<br />(before the usual meanies attack me for being selfserving, I've had but two and a half puzzles in the NYT this year...I'm urging on behalf of others)Acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83005242927165226332012-09-27T19:42:04.452-04:002012-09-27T19:42:04.452-04:00Huh...I disliked this puzzle as much as anyone, bu...Huh...I disliked this puzzle as much as anyone, but finished in a fast-for-me-on-Thu 25 min. One thing that is still a live horse that deserves beating: did the NHL change their rules this offseason? TIEs have been the only un-awesome thing about hockey since I met the sport in '93.Tango Echo Victornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66312082368894241312012-09-27T19:19:02.475-04:002012-09-27T19:19:02.475-04:00Rex Parker:
I may have been out of line in my co...Rex Parker:<br /><br /> I may have been out of line in my comments today but I haven't<br />had any of them removed so they<br />can't have been that horrible.<br /> Do you have an opinion on the<br />use of texting acronyms such<br />as IMHO?<br /> In expectation of a response,<br /> Thank YouANON Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52303592120588808302012-09-27T18:32:01.006-04:002012-09-27T18:32:01.006-04:00Another option for a daily dose of the puzzle is v...Another option for a daily dose of the puzzle is via NYT crossword app for iPad/iPhone.<br />I think it's about $17 / year for the app .<br /><br />And then I click to Rex's blog to get the lowdown from this delightful group.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89203427149013688322012-09-27T17:57:04.294-04:002012-09-27T17:57:04.294-04:00North took an eternity, almost gave up -- time spe...North took an eternity, almost gave up -- time spent not worth the meager payoff<br /><br />CATYEARS is, quiet possibly, the worst clue/answer of the year<br /><br />I too had a first impression of the puzzle as a Dog theme: dog-eared, dog years, Browns fans AKA Dawg Pound in the endzone.<br /><br />Very funny write-up, Rex<br />Happy Anniversaries<br /><br />hey, R.A. won his 20th! some jubilation from another disastrous seasonlong suffering mets fannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85173091162241057832012-09-27T17:26:43.800-04:002012-09-27T17:26:43.800-04:00@Ellen S
Your other option is once you get to thi...@Ellen S <br />Your other option is once you get to this page click on the Syndicated Puzzle link at the top of the page. That will bring you to the 5 week timewarp. <br /><br />I too was a Syndie-ite but after finding this blog and one time when the Saturday Puzzle was different because of the fact it was a contest, I couldn't stand not becoming part of the group.<br /><br />That $40 is well worth it IMHO.<br /><br />Thank you Rex for all your work, this blog (and all the bloggers who contribute) have made me an avid weekday xword fiend. (Too busy on the weekends.)<br /><br />This was tough for me. Just couldn't get the NE CHROMA MACRON cross did me in.<br />Actually loved the OFF ON switch theme even with the gibberish.<br /><br />Happy Thursday.Mighty Nisdenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00604834076817509735noreply@blogger.com