tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post4961822013950454312..comments2024-03-19T06:47:00.387-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: British running great Steve / SAT 7-27-13 / Fictional amnesiac portrayer / Election-related nonprofit since 1990 / Tynan player in Seduction of Joe Tynan / Severn Meadows poet Gurney / Presentation by Bill Clinton in 2007 or Bill Gates in 2010Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76354294928754110552013-08-31T21:10:28.480-04:002013-08-31T21:10:28.480-04:00@Spacecraft, I knew we'd hear from you on the ...@Spacecraft, I knew we'd hear from you on the SOFTC. I concur. <br /><br />@DMG, I filled in 1D with MaRg and couldn't give it up, so also a DNF. Once I came to the blog I damaged my forehead again.<br /><br />Never heard HUGITOUT before, but got it on a few letters. Had asiA before URSA.<br /><br />Good Saturday John and David.<br /><br />capcha: vacycoc. Quick withdrawal? Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59857369099332883922013-08-31T20:43:17.569-04:002013-08-31T20:43:17.569-04:00Had HEMIS (powerful car engines) on my Muscle Beac...Had HEMIS (powerful car engines) on my Muscle Beach instead of HEMEN which led to MIT TALK instead of TED TALK (which like ROCKTHEVOTE & HUGITOUT, I wasn't aware of) and TACK instead of DUCK.<br /><br />Really liked the NUFFSAID, DTWELVE, CORDON section, not so much its neighbour to the left. But all-INALL, an enjoyable PIECEOFWORK.Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5514098993049712592013-08-31T15:02:55.954-04:002013-08-31T15:02:55.954-04:00I seem to be the only one who couldn't do the ...I seem to be the only one who couldn't do the NW. Got stuck at the first clue and spent too long trying to remember which literary character had pretended to be an amnesiac. Gave up, did the rest of the puzzle and came back. To no avail. Got DDT, ADENO, and NEOS, but, sadly, they were not enough. And so it goes!DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23941807485058563182013-08-31T12:07:44.151-04:002013-08-31T12:07:44.151-04:00I had a big problem with it. But we are in the min...I had a big problem with it. But we are in the minority obviously.Texas Syndy Solvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12421451658155001262013-08-31T12:02:14.109-04:002013-08-31T12:02:14.109-04:00@Steve K. HUGITOUT was my first entry. "Brom...@Steve K. HUGITOUT was my first entry. "Bromance" in the clue should have lead you to a modern slang phrase. And for SHAG think Farrah Fawcett hair cut from the '70s. It was called a SHAG cut and it had many layers.<br />Texas Syndy Solvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65406612706387822872013-08-31T11:19:32.257-04:002013-08-31T11:19:32.257-04:00DNF for the usual two squares, but I object to tha...DNF for the usual two squares, but I object to that whole SOFTC/BTWELVE crossing. "Hard" or "soft" or "silent" letters--we've had this two days running now--ought to be BANNED, along with "IN [insert musical key letter]." Likewise, here's a term that is absolutely NEVER! NEVER! written out except in bad crosswords: B12. I can't even force myself to type it out. BANISH them! Cast them out!<br /><br />Captcha=AManadm, a mad man scrambled. That would be me.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56752332053059749752013-08-31T10:58:08.357-04:002013-08-31T10:58:08.357-04:00Can't believe no one else had a problem with b...Can't believe no one else had a problem with blank slate. It's blank CANVAS or CLEAN slate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48353700418587204742013-07-31T07:09:58.151-04:002013-07-31T07:09:58.151-04:00Glad to see at least one other person questioning ...Glad to see at least one other person questioning "hug it out" -a phrase I have never encountered. Seems to me "duke it out" would far better fit the clue. Also, "shag" has several meanings, but is that really one of them? Steve Kowarskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07348430928543723346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30811701332713634542013-07-28T07:59:47.098-04:002013-07-28T07:59:47.098-04:00@M&A – I always try to take these periphery di...@M&A – I always try to take these periphery discussions off this site because, well, who cares, really?<br /><br />(Speaking of which - @Steve J –I tried to email you with this: after a full day of making low, suspicious palatal, and, yes, alveopalatal sounds to myself, I hereby admit that my SH’s, CH’s, etc are indeed alveopalatal. When I made myself produce a truly palatal sound, I realized you were correct.)<br /><br />Anyway, Mr. M&A – I can’t take our discussions off this site, *can I*?? <br /><br />I like your quartet, too. I think we should collaborate because<br /><br />A. I’ve come to understand after numerous “thanks but no thanks” letters that I don’t have the constructing chops to please Will or Rich on my own.<br /><br />B. I will hence happily, shamelessly, pepper/pester more seasoned constructors with theme ideas, and I’m convinced you’re such a constructor.Loren Muse Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05308030011870397977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4403898828773193592013-07-28T07:50:42.524-04:002013-07-28T07:50:42.524-04:00So, is HUG IT OUT an actual phrase? Is there a pop...So, is HUG IT OUT an actual phrase? Is there a pop culture reference I'm missing? As far as I know, this isn't a known action (like, say, HIGH FIVING or a FIST BUMPING or CHEST THUMPING) so I thought it was a bit of a reach. It filled itself in and it wasn't an impediment to solving, but still...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63167512422202984532013-07-27T22:01:15.240-04:002013-07-27T22:01:15.240-04:00@lms... Yep. I think U got a real winner with that...@lms... Yep. I think U got a real winner with that last set of four 11's. Could even expand it, with: JOINTHECLUB.<br /><br />Of course, there's also the somewhat more M&A-like...<br />BUCKTHEODDS<br />PLAYTHELINE<br />ROLLTHEDICE<br />LOSETHEFARM.<br /><br />Man, do we digress.M and A's Elevennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83053457812176099832013-07-27T20:33:39.099-04:002013-07-27T20:33:39.099-04:00Myeh!Myeh!bayonnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11726561958645450856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39136176544414347342013-07-27T18:45:37.922-04:002013-07-27T18:45:37.922-04:00One hour, one bourbon, one beer (BUd).One hour, one bourbon, one beer (BUd).Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88919829577127343512013-07-27T17:58:22.915-04:002013-07-27T17:58:22.915-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation and my 10/15/2012 post for an explanation of a tweak I've made to my method. 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 5:21, 6:09, 0.87, 3%, Easy (6th lowest ratio of 188 Mondays)<br />Tue 9:05, 8:13, 1.10, 76%, Medium-Challenging<br />Wed 9:56, 9:43, 1.02, 60%, Medium<br />Thu 22:51, 16:29, 1.39, 94%, Challenging<br />Fri 17:41, 20:21, 0.87, 29%, Easy-Medium<br />Sun 19:58, 25:29, 0.78, 8%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:18, 3:46, 0.88, 3%, Easy (5th lowest ratio of 188 Mondays)<br />Tue 5:25, 4:57, 1.09, 72%, Medium-Challenging<br />Wed 5:24, 5:36, 0.96, 41%, Medium<br />Thu 14:20, 9:30, 1.51, 94%, Challenging<br />Fri 9:44, 11:52, 0.82, 23%, Easy-Medium<br />Sun 12:00, 15:22, 0.78, 10%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-92226612155837910192013-07-27T17:52:43.412-04:002013-07-27T17:52:43.412-04:00hi all! I was out of town for a week and am final...hi all! I was out of town for a week and am finally almost caught up with the puzzles. I am proud that I got TEAK off of nothing (I remember that's a major export from "Indochina" ... no reason "Indonesia" would have the same resources, but amazingly it was right.) And less proud that I got OTTOMAN off I think the initial O. Other than that, I made all the mistakes everybdy listed, including winding up surprised to discover a "d" that should have been a "B" -- oh, there is no d-TWELVE. Damn. I need a wife.Ellen Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00473445503706985149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23669442204216749292013-07-27T16:45:39.305-04:002013-07-27T16:45:39.305-04:00@M&A - I had to rewrite those 11's because...@M&A - I had to rewrite those 11's because the page was too far back. I wrote yours, too. She nixed yours in favor of LOOK THE PART and then she adds either PLAY THE GAME or SEAL THE DEAL.<br /><br />I kind of like<br /><br />TALK THE TALK<br />WALK THE WALK<br />LOOK THE PART<br />PLAY THE GAMEloren smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07592004612067857460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43388511600334838612013-07-27T14:37:45.500-04:002013-07-27T14:37:45.500-04:00@Anonymous 8:02 AM --
The word 'homo' liv...@Anonymous 8:02 AM --<br /><br />The word 'homo' lives in my vocabulary with this meaning (among others): "a term that has been reclaimed by some gay/queer communities that is used affectionately between community members to mean someone wonderfully, sublimely gay" (urban dictionary). The idea of finding 'homo' in the puzzle amused me because it would suggest that we're all gay now. My gay card does not license me to reclaim terms that belong to other communities.Clarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17459992224851404501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19762726293615000302013-07-27T14:32:15.629-04:002013-07-27T14:32:15.629-04:00I like SAINT crossing SEXTED, and SHAG crossing HU...I like SAINT crossing SEXTED, and SHAG crossing HUGITOUT. Would have liked it if PLEASESIR crossed GSPOT.<br /><br />HEMEN just looks weird to me.<br /><br />I'm surprised so many people aren't so familiar with B12, which is found generally only in animal foods, with vegans being warned to take B12 pills to supplement their diets.<br /><br />Grid gruel: eniac, msrp, ettu, nsc, adeno, sere, eniac. I agree with Evan that there was too much. I liked the clue for NCOS and loved PIECEOFWORK and HUGITOUT as answers. <br /><br />Felt easier than a typical Saturday, but not easy by any stretch for me. I had copy for APER, and gash before SHAG (which is a much better answer!).Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09709142959535977331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35221933733981416372013-07-27T14:05:31.249-04:002013-07-27T14:05:31.249-04:00Yup. Fun and fresh. Could have been tougher, consi...Yup. Fun and fresh. Could have been tougher, considering it's Saturday, but a fun quick solve.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04551716499829677518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40432423870894511692013-07-27T13:51:47.960-04:002013-07-27T13:51:47.960-04:00DNF due to dTWELVE, but really got hung up for way...DNF due to dTWELVE, but really got hung up for way too long with YUp and wondering what synonym for surfboards was spelled --pes.Mettenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5468246651767239122013-07-27T13:44:36.020-04:002013-07-27T13:44:36.020-04:00Will anyone else admit to OcTOMom before OTTOMAN?Will anyone else admit to OcTOMom before OTTOMAN?North Beachnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34170502868601572962013-07-27T12:47:01.387-04:002013-07-27T12:47:01.387-04:00Last letter in was the incorrect 'S' at TE...Last letter in was the incorrect 'S' at TEAS / PRE-K. Just couldn't see it and wanted TEAS.<br /><br />........................<br /><br />Put down HUNKS for "Muscle Beach sights". After getting YUM, HOMOS was the first thing that came to mind. Had to sort it out to HE-MENAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65083633091455407602013-07-27T12:40:52.789-04:002013-07-27T12:40:52.789-04:00I fall into the BUD/D-TWELVE camp as well. So tick...I fall into the BUD/D-TWELVE camp as well. So ticked I didn't catch it. I blame that on the fact that I wrote in BUD first, had DTW---- and said "Oh yeah! It's definitely D-TWELVE!" Ugh.<br /><br />I'm actually more ambivalent about this puzzle than many others here. Yes, there were many fun answers that I liked, and overall I thought this was easy for a Saturday. But I also thought there were a little too many prefix/suffix/abbreviation/crosswordese entries for my liking: MSRP, APER, TELE, PRE-K, DDT, ADENO (all in the northwest corner), NEOS, NCOS, ENIAC, CENTI, GESSO, SERE, NSC, EERS. I'm not really familiar with John Lieb's work, but David Quarfoot is one of my favorite themeless constructors, so I thought this wasn't his best puzzle.<br /><br />But I'm still in a good mood because my wife just bought me some early anniversary gifts, and one of them is the Xbox game Bioshock 2. So. Awesome. Right. Now.Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15440942981870183719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15529516230023690132013-07-27T12:33:43.650-04:002013-07-27T12:33:43.650-04:00All of your comments are helpful. I was tripped u...All of your comments are helpful. I was tripped up in many of the same places.<br /><br />My wife helped me with PREK and ETTU and I had to google GISH to open up that area.<br /><br />MATT somebody came to mind and DDT provided his last name.<br /><br />I like learning new things. GESSO is my word of the day.<br /><br />Killer - SOFTC.<br /><br />Enjoyable time with the help of wife, google and morning coffee.gifcanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12612467417938884430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53611736982536252152013-07-27T12:18:51.298-04:002013-07-27T12:18:51.298-04:00The guy up the road who carves animals (out of tre...The guy up the road who carves animals (out of tree trunks) with a chain SAW now does GNOMES.<br /><br />My inner BTWELVE wanted HyMEN along with GSPOT, ITCH, TABOO, SEXED etc. I suppose the PREK rating prevented that.<br /><br />🌟🌟🌟 (3 Stars) Joyful solvedkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17317008233459295376noreply@blogger.com