tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post4666616879701617765..comments2024-03-28T11:06:22.915-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Govt. book balancer / TUE 3-23-10 / Dweller above Arctic Circle / Spoon-bending Geller / 1960s sitcom with talking palominoRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70074290061063901392010-04-30T14:28:00.222-04:002010-04-30T14:28:00.222-04:00Very clever! Am I being too literal in thinking th...Very clever! Am I being too literal in thinking the theme should work throughout the answer?<br /><br />Would LOVE to have seen "GOB" clued as "Arrested Development's illusionist". Any fans out there?RexMDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13317159086152685711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2477798299064303842010-04-27T17:15:18.253-04:002010-04-27T17:15:18.253-04:00I too was going with the Boston / Rhode Island ac...I too was going with the Boston / Rhode Island accent theme, and when I got down to the "Artoo" clue, I couldn't figure out what the hell it had to do with New England, even with the "when read in three parts" hint. Now, finally, I got it. Grr.sificlighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11868514448817399728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65152374018706923802010-03-24T02:37:25.570-04:002010-03-24T02:37:25.570-04:00Congrats, Kurt!!!!
(I think this is the part where...Congrats, Kurt!!!!<br />(I think this is the part where I'm supposed to say I have a crush on you, regardless of how I felt about the puzzle!) ;)<br /><br />MINN brought back sweet memories of growing up in MINN, before the PO insisted on the 2 letter MN. (Which I'm still slightly, tho appropriately, PO'ed about.) <br /><br />It's odd, if I see WISC in a puzzle it feels wrong, but if I see MINN, I get all happy.<br /><br />@SteveJ<br />I spent at least ten minutes trying to break ARTOODEETWO into three syllables even tho I got the theme, I couldn't parse what the clue was saying about it.<br />I also didn't get DISCOVERCOD until way after I finished.<br /><br />JFK is sort of a bleedover from yesterday, tho reverse...at least it wasn't defined as DDE follower!<br /><br />@anon 9:48<br />Love "Lapp dance"! <br />(Come out, come out... whoever you are!)<br /><br />M in OMB was also my last letter, as I don't know OMB, tho I remembered the woman, I debated whether her name was Veronica Havel. (Maybe in the Czech version of Hill St. Blues?)andrea minn michaelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32793339743789750332010-03-23T23:40:29.032-04:002010-03-23T23:40:29.032-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 7/30/2009 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 6:06, 6:53, 0.89, 23%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 8:19, 8:53, 0.94, 37%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:16, 3:40, 0.89, 21%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 4:29, 4:31, 0.99, 53%, Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29446493363051329642010-03-23T21:58:53.132-04:002010-03-23T21:58:53.132-04:00Scotch is definitely coupled with soda in culture....Scotch is definitely coupled with soda in culture.<br /><br />There's an Italian song - (You act like an American) - where they say "but you drink Whisky and soda" "but I'm born in Italy." <br /><br />"Tu vuo' fa L'americana, mericano, mericano...ma si bive 'Whiskey and soda' ..."ma si nato in Italy"Sfinginoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16994212575112920302010-03-23T21:29:44.299-04:002010-03-23T21:29:44.299-04:00@Stan - yup, the Accent quiz pegged me as a New Yo...@Stan - yup, the Accent quiz pegged me as a New Yorker.<br /><br />Congrats Kurt, enjoyed the puzzle.JenCThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18290169184354765840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91764806175852425032010-03-23T19:55:27.421-04:002010-03-23T19:55:27.421-04:00hey I got it now! I got the theme...just like we a...hey I got it now! I got the theme...just like we always skip over intro directions, I skipped Rex's initial sentence<br /><br />btw you have to see the wonderful poem about crosswords over at nyt wordplay blog...Charles Boglenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43308021611042027942010-03-23T19:34:16.615-04:002010-03-23T19:34:16.615-04:00I'm right there with the single malt crowd. I ...I'm right there with the single malt crowd. I still wrote soda without hesitation. It's certainly part of our language whether you like them together or not. In a pinch (pun intended) I suppose I'd rather have a scotch and soda than no scotch at all!Two Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28857191715135805842010-03-23T18:51:43.678-04:002010-03-23T18:51:43.678-04:00I like the way @Tinbeni and the single-malt crowd ...I like the way @Tinbeni and the single-malt crowd have stood up for not adulterating good Scotch with soda.<br /><br />On the other hand, @Glitch provides a useful corrective. In popular culture, it's a classic pairing (and a great song).Pete Bognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11694254328848538302010-03-23T18:24:09.076-04:002010-03-23T18:24:09.076-04:00@Glitch
I'm tolerant but as the saying goes .....@Glitch<br />I'm tolerant but as the saying goes ...<br />"A man has to believe in something,<br />I believe I'll have another Scotch!"<br /><br />BTW, The Kingston Trio embed was great.Tinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45417669066040400192010-03-23T17:50:52.022-04:002010-03-23T17:50:52.022-04:00For the more tolerant,
Scotch and Soda
..../Gli...For the more tolerant,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf9Lsd6uh-o" rel="nofollow"> Scotch and Soda</a><br /><br />..../GlitchGlitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14940000404613329056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59027029587371112202010-03-23T17:44:13.357-04:002010-03-23T17:44:13.357-04:00Another URI is "universal resource identifier...Another URI is "universal resource identifier". URLs are a subset of URIs. The trouble is, how do you come up with a clue that won't have everyone immediately writing in URL?Michael G. Benoithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10093254485102140215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73799790695047373682010-03-23T17:40:42.008-04:002010-03-23T17:40:42.008-04:00@Kartofel - also wanted meager, hoping it wasn'...@Kartofel - also wanted meager, hoping it wasn't meagre for MEASLY.<br /> <br />Took me a while to get the theme. By then, I was almost done. <br /><br />What? Alcoholics tow things? Like drunks' cars? Oh, that's AA not AAA. <br /><br />@Tinbeni - Just don't go off the DEPENDs if you knock yourself out with too much Scotch. I guess that's me. I've fainted from novocaine.<br /><br />Take it easy, It;s just a song:<br />"People don't believe me.<br />They think that I'm just braggin.'<br />But I can feel the way I do and still be on the wagon."<br /><br />@Rex - and if you were to see URI Geller's act you'd want knock him off the stage as the Amazing Randi likes to. (Randi's Canadian, too.)Sfinginoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63880345282637158102010-03-23T16:42:51.142-04:002010-03-23T16:42:51.142-04:00Kurt
As a first time constructor I think you did ...Kurt <br />As a first time constructor I think you did a great job. It was fun puzzle to solve.<br /><br />Sorry I went off the DEEPEND earlier but I am a genuine Scotch aficionado.<br />NEAT, in a snifter is the only way to go.<br />The only "partner" my Scotch ever needs is a West Coast of Florida sunset. <br /><br />Those that ruin the Scotch with SODA are wusses.<br /><br />JMHOTinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31335705277748520932010-03-23T15:57:19.055-04:002010-03-23T15:57:19.055-04:00Midday 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 />Tue 8:11, 8:53, 0.92, 33%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Tue 4:29, 4:31, 0.99, 53%, Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34358323254839299962010-03-23T15:34:10.934-04:002010-03-23T15:34:10.934-04:00Nice job, Kurt.
I particularly liked the Mister E...Nice job, Kurt.<br /><br />I particularly liked the Mister Ed, Bert and I and "Arthur" clues. Nice.George NYChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11844466463123158982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-92122500778346221172010-03-23T15:28:12.638-04:002010-03-23T15:28:12.638-04:00Congratulations Kurt, this was a great first puzzl...Congratulations Kurt, this was a great first puzzle. Just right for a Tuesday. Only write over was MINN over mich, that's where the MIL lives.<br />PAPAYAS a gimme, got some growing in the front yard, yummy with a squeeze of lime.chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9635069372515546192010-03-23T15:13:46.944-04:002010-03-23T15:13:46.944-04:00@Kurt: Congrats!! Thanks for not telling anyone an...@Kurt: Congrats!! Thanks for not telling anyone and thus avoiding the vexing 'objectivity' question.<br /><br />@archeoprof: Like D-I-V-O-R-C-E?<br /><br />@Clark: Thanks from Willow, who will soon be emailing Obi and Gracie in that secret midnight cabal they all have, leaving no traces in the morning.Stanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02681342234536407419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67652813974249659402010-03-23T14:57:14.829-04:002010-03-23T14:57:14.829-04:00Work the curse of the puzzle class. A few comment...Work the curse of the puzzle class. A few comments.<br /><br />Spent summers and five years living in Maine (The other LA is Lewiston-Auburn) and I still don't get the theme. <br /><br />I had no idea Ms. HAMEL was so... buxom. <br /><br />Happy to see both the long faced MISTERED, long nosed TAPIRS and long truck SEMI made it to the grid.<br /><br />** (2 Stars) Just an average Tuesday but an excellent first offering. Thank you KK<br /><br />d (oh Willllbbbber) kdkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17317008233459295376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14652828449930024282010-03-23T14:40:24.242-04:002010-03-23T14:40:24.242-04:00I'm a born and bred west coast person, and the...I'm a born and bred west coast person, and therefore do not have east coast language sounds in my ear. But I am a visual speller, and can get approximate sounds, so this puzzle went down nicely. Even the Manning brother was easy, since I learned it here.<br /><br />Got slightly hung up on the Wisc neighbor, since I wanted Michigan, until I realized that Minnesota was much better.bluebellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07112978237190389791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85353930208161782042010-03-23T14:03:16.431-04:002010-03-23T14:03:16.431-04:00@Kurt ... what a nice surprise to find out the con...@Kurt ... what a nice surprise to find out the contructor is you! Great job!!!johohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12708487230515532492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38057261807325187842010-03-23T13:55:19.718-04:002010-03-23T13:55:19.718-04:00@Kurt - congratulations to you!! a Tuesday that do...@Kurt - congratulations to you!! a Tuesday that doesn't cause a firestorm here is an accomplishment indeed!! <br /><br />Look forward to your next one!!hazelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04627015904603641109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-773932660117172092010-03-23T13:48:12.806-04:002010-03-23T13:48:12.806-04:00Even with not getting the theme (I kept trying to ...Even with not getting the theme (I kept trying to split R2D2 into three parts, and never saw AR-to-O until reading Rex's explanation), this was one of those days where I was on the right wavelength. Breezed through this in faster-than-average-Monday time. <br /><br />I also thought of the Boston accent angle. Even without knowing if that was the theme, stuff was easily gettable for me from enough crosses. Ditto two answers I had no idea of: STOMA (although the word does sound familiar, I couldn't have told you what it meant) and HAMEL (never watched "Hill Street Blues"; I typically hate cop shows). <br /><br />I had only known Aunt JEMIMA for her syrup; apparently she makes pancake flour, too. I guess I've learned my new thing for the day.<br /><br />@Tinbeni: There's one acceptable mixer with Scotch. The Scots themselves will add a splash of spring water to single malts. I've taken to doing the same with malts. Soda is, of course, a common mixer, so I didn't have problems with the clue, even though I'd never allow soda anywhere near my Scotch.Steve Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185067739452052656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-58455045084008212562010-03-23T13:37:47.019-04:002010-03-23T13:37:47.019-04:00@Stan -- I just did the American Accent thing. It...@Stan -- I just did the American Accent thing. It identified me perfectly. I had to really listen hard to figure out how I was actually saying things, in order to answer the questions accurately. (By the way, welcome to your handsome new cat. Obi and Gracie would second that I'm sure but they're off sleeping somewhere.)<br /><br />@Kurt -- Congratulations on your first puzzle! I liked it a lot. The visual change of letters was consisitent, and that worked for me.Clarknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5236985954169041062010-03-23T13:32:09.104-04:002010-03-23T13:32:09.104-04:00Congratulations, Kurt!Congratulations, Kurt!archaeoprofhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17956231727789223463noreply@blogger.com