tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post449274053246351986..comments2024-03-19T00:21:49.519-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: County in Colorado New Mexico / TUE 8-9-16 / Ottoman bigwigs / Casino game that looks like thou in reverse / What generals keep up their sleeviesRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75584468460030704772016-09-20T05:01:34.639-04:002016-09-20T05:01:34.639-04:00"If there is anyone on earth who could decide..."If there is anyone on earth who could decide not to die it would be Susan Sontag;....right before Christmas, she is lying in a bed in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, on the Upper East Side, doing something that very much appears to those around her to be dying.<br />She and her friend Sharon DeLano stay up late listening to Beethoven’s late string quartets in her hospital room. Sontag is very doped up. She is in a good enough mood to tell Sharon one of her favorite jokes. “Where does the general keep his armies?” Sharon answers, “I don’t know.” “In his sleevies,” Sontag says, smiling" - THE VIOLET HOUR Katie Roiphe (lithub.com)<br /><br />**** 72 across got my attention: <br />With 71- and 72-Across, classic Louis Prima tune [SING SING SING]<br />I'm familiar with clues that reference other clues, but I don't think I've seen a clue that references its own answer. Anyone know of any examples? Perhaps someone ambitious could create a recursive nightmare of a puzzle where all the clues make use of their own answers!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Sontagnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63321564097620660502016-09-13T23:54:36.886-04:002016-09-13T23:54:36.886-04:00@Anonymous (7:16), and @Rondo - oops! Won't h...@Anonymous (7:16), and @Rondo - oops! Won't happen again. Denigration for being grammatically correct is something I don't need any more...of.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63988284795676997602016-09-13T21:34:31.386-04:002016-09-13T21:34:31.386-04:00Or the reply to the senior at (insert snobbish col...Or the reply to the senior at (insert snobbish college here) from the hillbilly freshman when told not to end an inquiry to an upperclassman in a preposition - "Where's the cafeteria at, @$$hole?"rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66922279595145997722016-09-13T19:50:44.462-04:002016-09-13T19:50:44.462-04:00Churchill (W), when chided for ending a sentence w...Churchill (W), when chided for ending a sentence with a preposition, said, "Madam, that is something up with which I shall not put."<br /><br />D,LIWDiana,LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40711429365033134372016-09-13T19:16:28.208-04:002016-09-13T19:16:28.208-04:00@rain forest:
C'mon, you can end your sentenc...@rain forest:<br /><br />C'mon, you can end your sentence with a preposition if you want to.<br /><br />Not a Grammar NaziAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37453635725994227022016-09-13T17:52:10.735-04:002016-09-13T17:52:10.735-04:00So, I never time myself, but the note at the begin...So, I never time myself, but the note at the beginning goaded me into doing just that today. Just under 8 minutes, which I realize is very slow by elite solvers' times, although I did it in ink on paper. I didn't really enjoy the experience-too concerned about speed rather than enjoyment. <br /><br />Quite late to the fray today as I was babysitting my 1-yr old grandson. Took him to a restaurant for breakfast with several friends. He had a ball, although too little of his scrambled egg. And then...oh, never mind. You don't need another cute grandkid story.<br /><br />Oh yeah, the puzzle. Nice to see one by ACME. She has a certain touch on the early week puzzles, and this was quite enjoyable. Liked the ONEK clue, and the ARMIES/sleevies. Sure they're silly, but kinda neat, something of which we need more. rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78957883590178641242016-09-13T14:51:05.025-04:002016-09-13T14:51:05.025-04:00From Syndication Land:
I never time myself when I...From Syndication Land:<br /><br />I never time myself when I do the puzzle. The note on the top made me hurry through the puzzle. The clever clues just served to annoy me because they slowed me down! I can now understand why Rex is so cranky about so many puzzles. I for one won't try to speed solve again!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84666875906244462632016-09-13T14:29:55.554-04:002016-09-13T14:29:55.554-04:00
An enjoyable,fair puzzle. Far more fun to work at...<br />An enjoyable,fair puzzle. Far more fun to work at than way too many others in recent weeks...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41591294174843619782016-09-13T13:57:16.507-04:002016-09-13T13:57:16.507-04:00For those, like me, who are annoyed by cross-refer...For those, like me, who are annoyed by cross-references in puzzles, this one came as a pleasant surprise.<br /><br />As bonuses, maybe, we have OTERO (same name, two counties) and BSHARP (C natural equivalent).<br /><br />Once the trick was uncovered (after a little CRANKiness about the cross-reference feature), it was easily finished.<br /><br />A Tuesday treat.leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42310113684024183392016-09-13T13:32:03.942-04:002016-09-13T13:32:03.942-04:00My, my. Wasn't that fast.
After reading the ...My, my. Wasn't that fast.<br /><br />After reading the note, the little devil of time awareness jumped on my shoulder and wouldn't leave. "Hurry, hurry!" he said. Blah, blah, blah.<br /><br />That took most of the fun out of the puz. Almost missed the funniest clues. I even put the puzzle aside, sipped coffee, petted Lambo, looked around - all in an attempt to slow down and enjoy. <br /><br />"Now, now," said puzzle devil. "C'mon, c'mon."<br /><br />Now I'm gonna go back and enjoy what I missed. Bye, bye.<br /><br />Diana, Lady-in-waiting, waiting, waitingDiana,LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31204785566335959172016-09-13T12:07:19.093-04:002016-09-13T12:07:19.093-04:00One thing for sure you're going to have with a...One thing for sure you're going to have with an ACME puzzle: fun. I imagined her sending away to ACME Mfg. Co. for a whole case of immunity--which she squandered away in a single grid! It's kind of like bad science fiction: you just have to suspend disbelief. Or in this case, suspend the no-repeat rule. Others ask why; our gal asks why not?! The theme, of course, was a great time-saver for solving, but there were still some awkward sticking points in the forced fill.<br /><br />ITNO is a primo "exmaple." (I love this TYPO: "I used to be a sap.") Not sure where else you can find this super-awkward partial, but to clue it via an obscure album cut that never even cracked the top 40 is ludicrous. This crossing the name of a county?? ER...NO. And BTW I agree that should have been the cube guy. Also, something that @ACME will NEVER do: ERRON the side of caution!<br /><br />On the way out, I was so sure it was BYEbye that I wrote it in. YOUBETCHA she tried her hardest to work that corner that way; it would have made a perfect theme lagniappe.<br /><br />Never mind what's in the grid: my DOD is the irrepressible Andrea herself. Sorry I never met you in person, sweetie, that's my loss. I'm not going to give a cold critical grade on this one. Teacher takes a day off.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65213483949806012712016-09-13T11:51:09.111-04:002016-09-13T11:51:09.111-04:00PASHAS and KAISERs and TSARs, oh my! With an ABBOT...PASHAS and KAISERs and TSARs, oh my! With an ABBOT thrown in for a religious boot. Also the extra NEWYORKy local stuff, not unlike what happened at the MN tourney. Saw the note, checked the clock, and took off. +/- 9 minutes depending on the digital readout rounding to the next minute; coulda been 8:01 or 9:59. Only later saw that ACME was the constructor, which probably influenced OFL’s grade.<br /><br />I appreciate any puz with BOND, James BOND. I’ve seen all the movies.<br /><br />I’ll pass on OPRAH and go all yeah baby on today’s SINGer ASHANTI. YOUBETCHA.<br /><br />Did not read the sleevies as such (dumb), nor the second clues for the doubles as for once I was going for time. The ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM of going for time did take out some of the usual pleasure. Better than most Tuesdays, methinks, after some rumination. BYENOW.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27646537416693088752016-09-13T10:13:44.989-04:002016-09-13T10:13:44.989-04:00MEAGRE APING
HEARYE, HEARYE, we need INPUT from a...MEAGRE APING<br /><br />HEARYE, HEARYE, we need INPUT from a dork,<br />who DYES to MOCK SNL in NEWYORK, NEWYORK,<br />a BATTY AUTHOR to write TRIPE, and HASH out a SKIT,<br />with no need ONEARTH to BSHARP for that CHIT.<br /><br />--- ASHANTI ELLIS-ASHE<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63882698782774272852016-08-09T19:34:46.638-04:002016-08-09T19:34:46.638-04:00@Anon 6:30 -- Your heart is in the right place, bu...@Anon 6:30 -- Your heart is in the right place, but you don't mean misogynistic. That's aggressiveness specifically directed against women. What you mean is misanthropic. That's a hatred of humanity in general and would cover antipathy to Rex.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74041840797350742702016-08-09T18:41:30.371-04:002016-08-09T18:41:30.371-04:00@Anoa...Does "Performing Flea" ring a be...@Anoa...Does "Performing Flea" ring a bell? I believe that is what his introductions were called in England. The version in the U.S. was changed to "Author Author." I only know this because I could never get enough of Woodehouse....Such a card!GILL I.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05605766053820226324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66977194073794573932016-08-09T18:30:34.569-04:002016-08-09T18:30:34.569-04:00Anonymous at @6:00 PM what fuels your misogynistic...Anonymous at @6:00 PM what fuels your misogynistic aggressiveness? Nothing better to do in your room?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51691206618554226192016-08-09T18:22:12.762-04:002016-08-09T18:22:12.762-04:00@Anoa Bob - Apparently it is a collection of his c...@Anoa Bob - Apparently it is a collection of his <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/author-author/oclc/606559954" rel="nofollow">correspondence.</a>Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22856924176239598792016-08-09T18:09:09.775-04:002016-08-09T18:09:09.775-04:00I waitied until late in the commentary day, hoping...I waitied until late in the commentary day, hoping someone would help with the 26A "With 24-Across, 1962 P.G. Wodehouse book<b>s</b>" clue, but to no avail. I tried googlizing, but no luck there either. Did he write a book titled "Author, Author" in 1962? Or two book<b>s</b>, each titled "Author"? The <a href="http://www.pgwodehousebooks.com/simplebiblio.htm" rel="nofollow">www.PGWodehouseBooks.com</a> site doesn't even list anything for 1962. Looks like he wrote a ton of stuff, though, so maybe I'm just missing something.Anoa Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16185183023273883700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52717969422311815272016-08-09T18:00:57.225-04:002016-08-09T18:00:57.225-04:00why are you such a pretentious douchebag rex?why are you such a pretentious douchebag rex?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80021119903186287012016-08-09T17:20:07.799-04:002016-08-09T17:20:07.799-04:00@Mecobren - I'm trying to imagine the nuns sha...@Mecobren - I'm trying to imagine the nuns sharing this mnemonic and failing. Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50812991245150755582016-08-09T17:04:38.298-04:002016-08-09T17:04:38.298-04:00Thanks @AliasZ - always nice to learn about a clas...<br /><br />Thanks @AliasZ - always nice to learn about a classical musician, esp. any 'early' performer of Baroque music - in his case Bach and Scarlatti. Alas, there is MEAGRE info on the Web. Rah Rah two-part inventions!<br /><br />Seeing the clue and answer ON_EARTH got me wondering about Renaissance musical settings. It looks as though it began to be more popular during the Baroque and became increasingly so after that. It seems that the most famed of early examples is a motet of Josquin, a piece which apparently 'occupied a place very close to [his] heart: this was the motet that, in his will, he asked to be performed posthumously before his house during all general church processions.'<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTKYAAJG66U<br /><br />Two generations later his musical heir Willaert wrote one of his own.<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTKYAAJG66U<br /><br />I chose this one (there are but few on YT) because it was performed by the 'group' Magdala (now VoiceChoice), which is a '..unique community-based musical organisation...it provides opportunities for adults and young people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to discover their creative and vocal ability through the power of opera and, in doing so, introduces opera to new audiences and gives pleasure to thousands of concertgoers throughout the East Midlands each year.' I heard of this a while back, and it looks absolutely terrific. Perhaps only in England.<br /><br />http://www.voicechoice.org.uk/<br /><br /><br />beatricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16162755764092888665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26959763117965611762016-08-09T16:11:09.349-04:002016-08-09T16:11:09.349-04:00While I noticed that the theme answers were double...While I noticed that the theme answers were doubled, it escaped me that they were all next to each other in the grid - I am Lollapuzzoola-bound this weekend so I treated this as if I were solving it at the tournament; namely, in panic mode. Who has time to see where the next twin answer is in the grid?<br /><br />I thought it was fun that each doubled answer could be clued in two different ways - it seems the pool of themers to pick from would be limited. So I give ACME credit for a clever puzzle. <br /><br />I was able to finish it well within the 15 minute time, but not as fast as I would have liked. However, I do not expect to finish anywhere near the top. I hope to meet some Rexites there!Teedmnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12832353448839187816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19968669543027595082016-08-09T15:15:58.904-04:002016-08-09T15:15:58.904-04:00Dang, I am NOT anonymous, So much for no TYPOS to...Dang, I am NOT anonymous, So much for no TYPOS today. I must have erased my identity somehow.Aketihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07059835429995060000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78880367155107914542016-08-09T15:11:04.342-04:002016-08-09T15:11:04.342-04:00Well another ZOOM ZOOM solve for me today. compare...Well another ZOOM ZOOM solve for me today. compared to my usual snail's pace. Not even a TYPO. I got a kick out of the clue for CYBORG, since Eddie Neumeier (who wrote the screen play for Robocop with Michael Miner) went to my high school. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36348101638275074072016-08-09T13:29:28.415-04:002016-08-09T13:29:28.415-04:0054 theme letters and some super fill like CHINA TO...54 theme letters and some super fill like CHINA TOWN, ZIPS UP, CYBORG -- YOU BETCHA I liked it! WTG, ACME!Kelly Thatcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05208387893330590397noreply@blogger.com