tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post4122598277086274812..comments2024-03-29T11:24:03.304-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Capital of Minorca / SUN 11-1-15 / Dr Seuss environmentalist / Voice-controlled device from world's largest online retailer / 1998 Jim Carrey comedy / Amu Darya outlet / Homes for Gila woodpeckers / Mt Olive offerings / City from which Vasco da Gama sailed to locals / black ball in el juego de billar / Distilled coal product / Fay Vincent's successor as baseball commissionerRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59785333453536187072015-11-08T18:31:18.622-05:002015-11-08T18:31:18.622-05:00Thought this one was pretty easy, nothing really c...Thought this one was pretty easy, nothing really caused problems and I was done in no time, but I did like the fill. SWAG has been in use for awhile at least at library conferences-someone once told me it was Stuff We All Get...Justine Shaffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00268854472398784544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46760992684104226312015-11-08T14:43:12.220-05:002015-11-08T14:43:12.220-05:00OZMA? Really?OZMA? Really?AnonymousPVXhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09816877873700026508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9832709018677891462015-11-08T14:26:20.565-05:002015-11-08T14:26:20.565-05:00I found this to be a pleasant Sunday puzzle, as fo...I found this to be a pleasant Sunday puzzle, as for me it wasn't a forced march through dreck. Yeah, maybe the theme is thinnish, but the actual themers were nice phrases. Nice mix of straightforward and cute cluing, and hardly any questionable fill. I liked it.rain foresthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17492836751283540015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40281656297973097262015-11-08T13:00:14.661-05:002015-11-08T13:00:14.661-05:00I was hoping that I wasn’t the first to see _JERK ...I was hoping that I wasn’t the first to see _JERK OFFS. Again on a Sun-puz I did the top, connected it to the bottom, then filled in the, mid-section. Held OFF forever on BAROF thinking I couldn’t be, but it was. I think I SWOREAT that one.<br /><br />Astonishing lack of yeah babies lately, today we get JANE CLUed as highbrow Goodall instead of Fonda or Seymour.<br /><br />Yo La TENGO a gimme as MPR 89.3 The Current (you can stream it) will play them ALLOT.<br /><br />MALLE, MALE, MAILFRAUD? ISAO pal get off your SORAS and get the LEDOUT of the ANTFARM ‘til it’s ALLGONE, them’s good ETONS. MA,HON, go see PA’S CACTI TIE, OHISEE it’s WRITLARGE ‘nuff you kin read it. SIR, yes CIR. HAR.<br /><br /><br />SPAREME from some of this stuff in the future, please.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26200512701012091162015-11-08T11:33:02.187-05:002015-11-08T11:33:02.187-05:00IDA HELPED
We RELAX at the COPACABANABEACH as a p...IDA HELPED<br /><br />We RELAX at the COPACABANABEACH as a perk,<br />to SPAREME from some HOUSEHOLD work,<br />ASI say, “YESDEAR ILET you GROPE,<br />you OTTER use that THAR BAROF soap,<br />ASU HARDEN just CLEANANDJERK.”<br /><br />--- CRUELLA EMERITA<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73098701526391584812015-11-08T10:56:03.859-05:002015-11-08T10:56:03.859-05:00@Jburgs: great catch, I didn't notice it. One ...@Jburgs: great catch, I didn't notice it. One might say "Only a JERK OFFS his enemies." Anyway.<br /><br />Some Sunday there'll be a puzzle that won't feel like a slog. Today is not that day. Uber-choppy, riddled with inelegant single black squares, I had to steer through it as in a maze. Sorry; I guess the PB1 of the other day spoiled me. But the contrast is jarring.<br /><br />Theme was ho-hum, but good enough. It turned out to be a great solving aid, so I agree with the easy-medium rating. The "medium" part came in the west, which thanks to my OOPS (I had Onme) was CLEARASMUD. Then even after I got the rest, there was the natick at #66. The down was a total WOE, and I kept staring at GA_AGE, wondering hat kind of rock that was. Yes, I even thought about the music along with the geology. GAS AGE rock??? New age, maybe...the only letter that made a word there was R: GARAGE rock. Huh? You really mean, like the "Zits" kid and his buddies banging it out in Dad's garage? Man, that is ONIONSKIN thin. Garage rock. I don't think the term actually exists per se, but with a shrug I left it in. So, REI a sports store, who knew? There was never one near where I lived, for sure. Never heard of it.<br /><br />I did like the coda of the piece, the two words guaranteed to make your marriage last: "YES, DEAR." Working on my 45th, so you know I say that often. C+.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22317670294737609772015-11-06T12:00:20.948-05:002015-11-06T12:00:20.948-05:00"As to the theme", Rex and others descri..."As to the theme", Rex and others described it as "thin" which I totally agree with. Also agree with the lack of subtle cluing, with a resultant total lack of "aha" moments upon a solve. Also agree with one commentators list of way too many standard crossword answers (which I could have expanded). No real joy here, but at least there weren't any clues that I thought were a stretch or totally invalid. I'm deeply grateful for the paucity of pop culture, which I keep affirming doesn't belong in a crossword. "Yo la tengo" was easy nonetheless because Pandora keeps throwing them at me, in their usual attempt to play what THEY like instead of what you asked for. Never heard the term "swag" for what we boomers called "freebies"; wonder how many months that word will remain hip until it too gets used up? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12594989782822443662015-11-02T15:31:53.368-05:002015-11-02T15:31:53.368-05:00The theme was so mundane that I hoped for somethin...The theme was so mundane that I hoped for something actually 'framed' within the 'job'. There wasn't so I made them up. NIMALSAN; Nickname of Japan's celebrated minimalist painter. ARABOX; Sahara bovine. ATEN; Knockout. LFRAU; German wife in Majorca. MICBO; A Jackson endorsed McMeal. ORARR; Bolivian goldmine transport line. ANANDJE; Maybe an indonesian pineapple. PACABANABE; A llama wannabe. Lame, I know, but more fun than ACTUARY ETAL.Rinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14759599258625095907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81625101055285065162015-11-02T12:27:49.813-05:002015-11-02T12:27:49.813-05:00Theme was so mundane that I hoped the 'job'...Theme was so mundane that I hoped the 'job' actually 'framed' something. It didn't, so I made it up.<br />NIMALSAN: Nickname of Japan's beloved minimalist painter. ARABOX: Saharan bovine. ATEN: Knockout. LFRAU: German wife in Spain. MICBO: Jackson-themed McMeal. ORARR: Bolivia goldmine transport. ANANDJE: Indonesian pineapple. PACABANABE: Some sort of llama wannabe. I know, pretty lame, but it made me laugh more than YESDEAR and JERK OFFS combined.Rinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14759599258625095907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81086659854957523792015-11-02T00:24:18.004-05:002015-11-02T00:24:18.004-05:00All I can say is that Orion, my dog, is in the puz...All I can say is that Orion, my dog, is in the puzzle for the FOURTH time since I got him in December. "Where Rigel is" indeed. If I knew how to post pictures to this I would show you all how smug he looks.Greater Fall River Committee for Peace & Justicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11005733734000219070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3109705282718956582015-11-01T23:11:18.405-05:002015-11-01T23:11:18.405-05:00I'm thinking @Leapfinger was making ze leetle ...I'm thinking @Leapfinger was making ze leetle joke. But in case he wasn't, there was a period of time when Minorca and Majorca belonged to Britain, which coincided with the first years of the Napoleonic Wars, and Port Mahon (named after the great Admiral Mahon) was a major naval base for the Brits. This is something every fan of the naval novels of the late Patrick O'Brian knows, because all we fans have read "Master and Commander" and "Post Captain" multiple times.old timernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63321841242741551402015-11-01T22:31:11.626-05:002015-11-01T22:31:11.626-05:00@Lewis -- Finally caught up with the Duke-Miami fi...@Lewis -- Finally caught up with the Duke-Miami final play. (Would you believe that it was the spectator sports-averse @Hartley 70 who told me to look it up?) While it was far from the most ept football play I've ever seen, it was certainly one of the most colorful, unusual and exciting. After a day of truly abysmal NY pro football, defensively speaking,(some of which I did myself a great favor by not watching), this was probably the most enjoyable play I saw today. Thanks for calling our attention to it.<br /><br />To those of you who illuminated Ms. Burnikel's remarkable bio and linguistic accomplishments, thanks. Not only wasn't I aware of them; I didn't even know she's a woman. Though, if I'd been as eagle-eyed as @Ludy about EMERITA, I might have picked up on it. Knowing this makes the puzzle so much more impressive. Awesome, in fact.Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16737377749030219974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37897987872915738652015-11-01T21:35:42.409-05:002015-11-01T21:35:42.409-05:00Jamie C, here are a few simple rules for understan...Jamie C, here are a few simple rules for understanding Rex’s approach to NYT XWPs.<br /><br />Rule 1: Rex prefers certain constructors, some because they are really good and some because they are his buddies, and some who because they are both.<br /><br />Rule 2: Rex will not like any puzzle that is a NYT debut by an unknown constructor.<br /><br />Rule 3: Rex dislikes any fill that is pop culture older than 6 months and his dislike increases exponentially for each month older than that.<br /><br />Rule4: Rex hates pangrams as much as he hates racists, unless the pangram does not result in any bad fill, in which case he either ignores it or lectures us on why the pangram is not important.<br /><br />Rule 5: Rex likes fill that is like Rice Krispies, as long as it has snap, crackle and pop, but hates it if soggy.<br /><br />Rule 6: Rex especially dislikes three letter fill that isn’t a common word like SLY and he really hates it if someone tries to clue a three letter fill word slyly.<br /><br />Rule 7: Rex doesn’t give two shots in the spittoon about themes unless they are themes by Liz Gorski or Patrick Berry.<br /><br />Final Rule: Forget all about the previous rules because it depends on what kind of mood Rex is in when he does the puzzle.<br />Da Bearshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10584502565199186614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5762887809562235542015-11-01T17:44:04.890-05:002015-11-01T17:44:04.890-05:00Agree with Rex, admirable fill and some of the the...Agree with Rex, admirable fill and some of the theme answers were clever (some not) but the theme itself felt pretty uninspired and dull. As usual, respect the effort and smarts it took to construct, but not much joy for me.<br /><br />I thought we might see a Leo Sayer vid from OFL but I'll take J. Geils any day!<br /><br />Did like the cluing for CLEARASMUD and MAILFRAUD.<br /><br />Have a great week all!Hughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02534114117788875905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90746490473750422152015-11-01T16:02:33.958-05:002015-11-01T16:02:33.958-05:00@Leapy....You really out-did yourself today. You...@Leapy....You really out-did yourself today. You are truly JUAN IN A MILLION!! <br />@Z. Yikes...I can't tell you how many bags of sh#t I passed out at sales conventions but I promise you I never said "Here's your little bag of SWAG........" Swish!<br />Yours Truly,<br /> McMahonGILL I.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05605766053820226324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10783794143563141162015-11-01T15:02:48.641-05:002015-11-01T15:02:48.641-05:00Meh. Last area to fall for me was the clump involv...Meh. Last area to fall for me was the clump involving CLU (who?), FRET, and USAFB.Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18080027831092093115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3961033390845387162015-11-01T14:01:45.035-05:002015-11-01T14:01:45.035-05:00Hey All !
Good CC puz. Some dreck as pointed out...Hey All ! <br /><br />Good CC puz. Some dreck as pointed out. Had a similar idea theme rejected by Will, so I did like the theme in this one. <br /><br />Watching my Steelers game, so, short and sweet.<br /><br />AS I, AS U<br />RooMonster <br />DarrinV RooMonsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14103892151115549684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47250922919087081342015-11-01T13:53:42.427-05:002015-11-01T13:53:42.427-05:00I actually think I would have preferred this as a ...I actually think I would have preferred this as a themeless. The fill is pretty clean with a handful of nice answers. It feels like a very standard NYT puzzle, but in a mostly good way. But the theme was just so insultingly flimsy that it actually made me enjoy the puzzle less than if the exact same grid didn't have any circled/shaded letters.Rabi Abonourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10650612051534860466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79275609675687026662015-11-01T12:38:36.139-05:002015-11-01T12:38:36.139-05:00ECHOing @Hartley70: "...that football play in...ECHOing @Hartley70: "...that football play in the Duke game. Thanks @Lewis!" Wow! So much to go wrong: bad blocks (holding / in the back / tripping / clipping /....), one of those lateral/backward passes going even slightly forward, stepping out of bounds, or other common kickoff return penalties / play stoppers.<br /><br />Had DoLLS for DILLS for a while. And me with not one, not two, but three (count 'em) jars of various MT. Olive pickles (including DILLS) sitting in the fridge only a few feet away!<br /><br />I was on one of those "staple" tour BUSes in the early 1980s (for the curious: Marshall Tucker Band's). It (and others) could have easily n the source of 'What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,' as that was definitely the case for those BUSes...as in what might be characterized as things they would not tell their mothers :O<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14124431793780560248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16567220183847188802015-11-01T12:37:33.838-05:002015-11-01T12:37:33.838-05:00Hey, @Nancy! If something is WRIT_LARGE, it should...Hey, @Nancy! If something is WRIT_LARGE, it shouldn't be CLEAR_AS_MUD. Just a thought.<br /><br />Think I also see CRUEL_LA_WOMAN trying to make a comeback.<br />Leapfingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14243620614139990887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12417622567669403812015-11-01T12:35:54.061-05:002015-11-01T12:35:54.061-05:00@Gill I - Apparently Uncle Google has been in the ...@Gill I - Apparently Uncle Google has been in the closet. Who knew? FWIW - SWAG is slang for the free stuff handed out at events. If you go to conference you might get a pen and notebook or an embossed satchel. We ran a Mackinac Bridge road race last year sponsored by Sam Adams and got a nice long sleeve tee shirt, a medal, and a beer glass. Not a bad haul for the pleasure of seeing the sun rise over Lake Huron from the top of the Mighty Mac.<br /><br />@Brian W. Ogilvie - it's been years, but I've been to that Nature Sanctuary. I always liked Al Sabo better.<br /><br />@Syndies - I forgot it's Sunday, so just one week later...Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23515025277461317472015-11-01T12:31:00.093-05:002015-11-01T12:31:00.093-05:00I always thought the Isle of MAHON as between Engl...I always thought the Isle of MAHON as between England and Ireland, not as the Isle of Minorca. This might be a good time to introduce @mac to MAHON, d'you think?<br /><br />As others have mentioned, some lively fill to support a fairly thin theme. We don't quite have OCHO RIOS, but there's a NUMBER of them tucked around the grid to round out the COPACABANA.<br /><br />Cute to see some other jobs sprinkled in -- for some reason, I liked PAS -- some ofthem even being themable. If you don't like Spillane's Private D.EERT.ICK, you can fly with WC Field's The Bank D.EERT.ICK. The best Easter egg, however, was the JOB_CUTS heading (hi, @et al!)<br /><br />Had a smidge of trouble, not with FAUNA but with Flora, having to mow done Iris and Lily for ROSE, and also thought it was CLEAR (the floor) AND JERK. That latter still remains CLEAR AS SMUT for me. Next on the agenda: Find out what AL ERT did with his EX.<br /><br />Have to thank @Lewis for that awesome clip (I don't care about Duke football) and also @'mericans for coming back with style.<br /><br />Now I've really got to get the LED_OUT. Later. <br />Leapfingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14243620614139990887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9992094703208714702015-11-01T12:10:11.029-05:002015-11-01T12:10:11.029-05:00I solved this puzzle in the NYT app, and it had no...I solved this puzzle in the NYT app, and it had no circled or shaded squares. So, I was surprised when I came here and discovered that it actually had a theme. I had assumed it was themeless. Which perhaps says something for how well-integrated and necessary the theme was. <br /><br />It was a good, solid grid, though. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09999068654309644676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75584625180729731212015-11-01T12:08:14.909-05:002015-11-01T12:08:14.909-05:0012 down: Andrews is not USAFB. It is now Joint Bas...12 down: Andrews is not USAFB. It is now Joint Base Andrews: Navy assets based there too; renamed within past few years. <b>Kenneth Jost</b>https://www.blogger.com/profile/08130278447396616546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52415014930381335652015-11-01T12:05:04.133-05:002015-11-01T12:05:04.133-05:00Hey @Rex! Most of the time the online Times puzzl...Hey @Rex! Most of the time the online Times puzzle comes out way too late for tricker-treaters to be out. Different on Saturday nights? Where I live, a lot of householders think 9:00 is the absolute limit for giving out candy --8:30, some say. When we give out candy, we turn the lights on outside between 5:30 and 6:00, to accommodate the little ones in their cute costumes. By 8:30, only teenagers are left (at least on schoolnights) and we tend to think kids 14 and up should do something else than beg for candy -- maybe go to a party if there is one, or enjoy the night with a couple of friends.<br /><br />I do wish Daylight Savings ended earlier than Hallowe'en. It's more fun going door-to-door in the dark, less fun if it is still light at 7 p.m.<br /><br />Now for Sunday puzzles, my criterion is: Am I bored halfway through? I wasn't with this one. I wanted to finish it, and did -- top to bottom, too, which is a sign it is easy for a Sunday. About halfway through, I appreciated the gimmick, as the circled letters told me to look for an occupation of some sort. Made the solve a lot easier.<br /><br />I did think OFL would dislike it for the reasons others have given. But theme density and those clever Downs made me quite charitable, in the end.old timernoreply@blogger.com