tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post4232167252795123308..comments2024-03-28T10:05:18.052-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Canal-clearing tube; Friday, August 3, 2012; Lid for a laddie; At maximal maturityRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2936815941357939172012-09-07T20:21:59.931-04:002012-09-07T20:21:59.931-04:00I loved this puzzle! My Diva's conspicuous dis...I loved this puzzle! My Diva's conspicuous display was a HIghnote at first but the crosses fixed that. "Check", in cards could have been ipass, but NOBET is even better. And 52d Rubber-___ could have been Stamp, except stamps appeared in the clue for 51a. Don't get me started about Super PAC(s).<br /><br />Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36746339116369083832012-09-07T19:26:23.989-04:002012-09-07T19:26:23.989-04:00I had a tough time getting started, just could not...I had a tough time getting started, just could not seem to get a toehold anywhere, when, PRESIDENTial stamps got me going. Slowly the HOT PANTS fell, and the WONDERBRA (also known as miricle worker) pulled things back up. Continued the circle until I finished, which I rarely do on a Friday. Yipee!<br /><br />@Evan horses can most definitely kick with one leg, in fact they can kick sideways and really nail you good. Ouch. <br /><br />Once had a little pug named Tissy, because she loved to throw tHISSY FITS. She ruled the house for another 12 years after we rescued her at 2.<br /><br />Thanks, @Jeff, I really enjoyed this, and not just because I was able to finish it, but because it was lively and entertaining.Gingernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21442280916286463492012-09-07T15:16:32.582-04:002012-09-07T15:16:32.582-04:00Lots of, to me, odd usages in this grid, but event...Lots of, to me, odd usages in this grid, but eventually they all worked out. Got slowed down by Tug, but, eventually ASCOT cleared that up, even tho I've never seen Scooby Doo. When I finally decided 8D had to be the little used KNEELED, that gave me HIGHJINKS. And the rest fell from there. Don't know NYALA, but it couldn't be anything else.<br /><br />I don't understand INPUTS as places for jacks. I wanted trunks or some such, but I'm guessing it has something to do with computers, maybe those little doohickeys you can use to transfer information? When I was programming computers we used punched cards and magnetic tape! I guess at this stage, I have as much computer savvy as Jethro Leroy Gibbs!<br /><br />Thanks @Diri for your comments yesterday.<br /><br />Finally, a Captcha I think I can get even tho the IPad translates it as "irksome".<br />DMGrandmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64536215929501955102012-09-07T14:23:33.920-04:002012-09-07T14:23:33.920-04:00@Spacecraft - I do believe the clue refers to the ...@Spacecraft - I do believe the clue refers to the 6:30 - 7:00 PM network news broadcasts, not the 11:00 - 11:35 PM local news.Hans von Kaltenbornnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22230612254990842182012-09-07T13:46:51.876-04:002012-09-07T13:46:51.876-04:00I do use a dictionary, but only after completing t...I do use a dictionary, but only after completing the puzzle, to "check." [NOBET.] The one I use is Scrabble-dedicated--which means it will list the verb form of any word so that the participles can be included. Thus, though I was about ready to take an ERASER to ASYET because it left me with ____ASTORY, I left it and worked on the last area (for me), the NW. I'm familiar with the HIJINKS spelling, so was stalled there for a while. But INAMOMENT I saw that the JINKS part was right, so put in HIGH with a shrug. This filled in TELL for the rest of ASTORY; again I shrugged. Check that. Sure enough, after I was done, there it was: "YARN (-ED, -ING) to tell a long story." Who knew?<br /><br />But the queasiness leader for me was KNEELED. Uh-uh. That might be a legitimate word, but the last time I did it I KNELT--and so did you.<br /><br />When I filled in IREST, I had to wonder. I mean, dude, if you "rest perplexed with a thousand cares," well, you ain't restin' too good.<br /><br />The other thing that was a bit bothersome was GAMESHOW. I don't know where our esteemed constructor (kudos on the great Jeopardy! run) lives, but here those don't follow the news. Late shows do, in disgusting abundance, but not game shows.<br /><br />HISSYFIT having been thrown, Congrats for a pretty smooth--and solvable!--Friday.Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35856355333959705112012-08-04T09:05:34.214-04:002012-08-04T09:05:34.214-04:00I'm always on Jeff Chen's wavelength. This...I'm always on Jeff Chen's wavelength. This puzzle was great—the bottom half fell in about 10 minutes for me (quite fast by my standards) and while the top half took longer to crack, once a few pieces fell in place the rest followed suit quite quickly. I didn't fall for any of the traps others are reporting—had NETTED, GAMESHOW, etc. (A little worried I didn't even consider LATESHOW, considering it's 75% the same word...)<br /><br />Anyway, good solve, thanks Jeff. On my way into Lollapuzzoola right now, hope to see many of you in an hour. <br /><br />Finnfvigelandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01432477374403343832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34831601143581276752012-08-04T03:04:57.271-04:002012-08-04T03:04:57.271-04:00This 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 6:28, 6:49, 0.95, 28%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 9:12, 8:57, 1.03, 64%, Medium-Challenging<br />Wed 11:43, 11:47, 0.99, 53%, Medium<br />Thu 15:56, 18:55, 0.84, 22%, Easy-Medium<br />Fri 19:07, 24:41, 0.77, 14%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:41, 3:41, 1.00, 54%, Medium<br />Tue 4:59, 4:38, 1.08, 75%, Challenging<br />Wed 6:16, 5:54, 1.06, 71%, Medium-Challenging<br />Thu 9:34, 9:22, 1.02, 61%, Medium-Challenging<br />Fri 9:55, 12:14, 0.81, 22%, Easy-Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23285020894240773172012-08-04T00:53:05.949-04:002012-08-04T00:53:05.949-04:00maybe think of it like "target" or "...maybe think of it like "target" or "impact"...now it's used more as a verb than not...<br />so spin a yarn perhaps evolved into yarning...? You don't gotta like it :)andrea haig michaelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7018881535623675332012-08-04T00:22:23.115-04:002012-08-04T00:22:23.115-04:00@retired_chemist - Yeah, I know. I still don't...@retired_chemist - Yeah, I know. I still don't like it.Yarn not a verbnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23761351095444919282012-08-04T00:14:52.248-04:002012-08-04T00:14:52.248-04:00@ Yarn - it's a Friday puzzle. S**t happens.@ Yarn - it's a Friday puzzle. S**t happens.retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53730651761972197832012-08-04T00:06:47.334-04:002012-08-04T00:06:47.334-04:00@retired_chemist - It may be a valid verb, but is ...@retired_chemist - It may be a valid verb, but is it in use? No.Yarn not a verbnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12688990235514124392012-08-04T00:00:44.485-04:002012-08-04T00:00:44.485-04:00Found the puzzle to be easy and fun for a Friday. ...Found the puzzle to be easy and fun for a Friday. Awesome since that means more time to read about our Olympic wins before watching them. <br /><br />Loved the SSTAR clue as we learning about astronomy in our house. (BTW, I didn't have a chance to comment yesterday, but the clue for DAY did not seem correct.... A revolution is a YEAR while a rotation is a DAY--at least that's what all the astronomy books we have say. Looking forward to Curiosity landing on Mars.)<br /><br />GO TEAM USA!!!Clueless in Texasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65523159064282751372012-08-03T22:19:03.218-04:002012-08-03T22:19:03.218-04:00Did any of the complainers about yarn not being a ...Did any of the complainers about yarn not being a verb actually look in a dictionary? My el cheapo dictionary built into the Mac OS 10 dashboard lists yarn as an informal verb as well as a noun.retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35633958701300709352012-08-03T20:07:12.758-04:002012-08-03T20:07:12.758-04:00@Evan - I'll be wearing a long red dress - oh ...@Evan - I'll be wearing a long red dress - oh - but we've met before...<br />anyhow, see you there!Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87581602944751946732012-08-03T18:38:04.046-04:002012-08-03T18:38:04.046-04:00Thanks @Ed, appreciate the answer. @Evan. I'l...Thanks @Ed, appreciate the answer. @Evan. I'll be at Lollapuzzloola too. Hope to meet you.Sparkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11149915526159432838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57708530287835125942012-08-03T17:45:55.213-04:002012-08-03T17:45:55.213-04:00@r.alphbunker:
I see. I'd be honored to have...@r.alphbunker:<br /><br />I see. I'd be honored to have my so-called Natick Heuristic in your app, even if you don't call it by my name!Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15440942981870183719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70879138949792759442012-08-03T16:45:25.776-04:002012-08-03T16:45:25.776-04:00Most of the puzzle came to me fairly quick, but th...Most of the puzzle came to me fairly quick, but the whole NW quad was a mess of erasures - INAsecoNd, INAMinute, INAMOMENT is just one example. <br /><br />Only complaint was 27D as REL. I think the opposite, that denomination is a type of religion. No biggie, though.<br /><br />Yes, -ose denotes a sugar, and -ase denotes an enzyme. This is one of the few times my biochemistry background helps me in crosswords. <br /><br />This was my first Friday I completed sans-google - yay me! Thank you, Jeff. And thank you treedweller, love the Chuck Jones clip.Milfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04923019988243284636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33159393830499310052012-08-03T16:37:32.191-04:002012-08-03T16:37:32.191-04:00Hardest for me was the northwest, but I loved the ...Hardest for me was the northwest, but I loved the puzzle, nothing stale about it. Thank you, Jeff.Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09709142959535977331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38084124344829511532012-08-03T16:34:54.591-04:002012-08-03T16:34:54.591-04:00Midday 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):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Fri 18:47, 24:40, 0.76, 13%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Fri 10:09, 12:14, 0.83, 25%, Easy-Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54520613273674138342012-08-03T16:32:36.640-04:002012-08-03T16:32:36.640-04:00@Evan
The program I am working on is evolving int...@Evan<br /><br />The program I am working on is evolving into a training tool for the ACPT. I want more that just a Happy Pencil. I want to program heuristics that will analyze your solution and critique it. For example, if you miss a Natick it will display the Birnholz Natick Resolution Heuristic. If you don't visit partial clues first it will suggest that you do so (ala Gaffney).<br /><br />The program will have two modes. In Rex Parker mode and Will Shortz mode. I am still figuring out the behavior of these modes. All I know now is that the program will be nicer to the solver in Will Shortz mode.r.alphbunkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00657275501845781384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59449806073208416972012-08-03T16:17:35.258-04:002012-08-03T16:17:35.258-04:00@r.alphbunker:
In Across Lite, you can lock the s...@r.alphbunker:<br /><br />In Across Lite, you can lock the solution to the puzzle simply by clicking on Solution/Lock solution. That way, when you've filled in the grid, it will just give you the message that it's completely filled in. Mr. Happy Pencil won't show up until you then click "Unlock solution" in the same menu. It's what I do whenever solving online so I can check over my work before "handing it in."<br /><br />It sounds like your app incorporated "lock solution" as the default. Well done!Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15440942981870183719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78780785767521914682012-08-03T16:10:43.863-04:002012-08-03T16:10:43.863-04:00@jae, @Tita & @r.alphbunker - Thanks for all t...@jae, @Tita & @r.alphbunker - Thanks for all the insight. I myself would prefer the option of hitting submit before I get a response. Right now I solve on paper, but wonder how long that will last.<br /><br />@Tita - I am from Brooklyn, NY. However, I remember Bob McAllister as the host.Birdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43652589726172532012-08-03T15:56:03.582-04:002012-08-03T15:56:03.582-04:00@jae
It goes without saying that the software sho...@jae<br /><br />It goes without saying that the software should not check the correctness of the puzzle until the user specifically asks it to do so. <br /><br />The default setting for Across Lite appears to be to check the solution once there are no more blank squares and if it finds no errors then Mr Happy Pencil appears. <br /><br />If there are errors then there is no Mr. Happy Pencil and the solver searches for the error(s) knowing that they exist. This definitely makes it easier to find the errors! <br /><br />I do not know how to turn this feature off. I do not use Across Lite for this reason.<br /><br />Since I am planning to go to the 2013 ACPT I am disciplining myself to carefully check the puzzle before asking the software to check the solution which in the ACPT is equivalent to handing the puzzle in.r.alphbunkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00657275501845781384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64014810897533166092012-08-03T15:49:55.232-04:002012-08-03T15:49:55.232-04:00@Bird...
The Crucimetrics app waits for you to &qu...@Bird...<br />The Crucimetrics app waits for you to "Submit" - akin to raising your hand at ACPT to say "I've finished!"<br /><br />If it's wrong, a scowling Rex Parker appears and points you to the incorrect fill, but your score reflects finishing with errors. (If you care about your score.)<br />If you're right when you hit Submit, then smiling Will rewards you!<br /><br />And I remember Wonderama and Sonny Fox! You muist be from NY...<br /><br />And as to your scribbles- a messy grid (and margins) have a very direct relation to puzzle difficulty! That's why we track writeovers and display a heat grid.<br /><br />See y'all on the morrow!Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28138499539831962142012-08-03T15:45:48.066-04:002012-08-03T15:45:48.066-04:00@3:13 - I didn't say, "Damn, I didn't...@3:13 - I didn't say, "Damn, I didn't know that" because I disagree that yarn can be used as a verb. I was not amused.Not Amusednoreply@blogger.com