tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post5031706228615902897..comments2024-03-29T10:51:12.209-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Arthur his family in Hoop Dreams / WED 2-20-13 / Repeated cry in Ramones Blitzkrieg Bop / Kazakh border lake / Classico rival / Burmese P.M.Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88749549643387173822013-03-27T21:28:56.671-04:002013-03-27T21:28:56.671-04:00@strayling - I was pretty proud of myself for putt...@strayling - I was pretty proud of myself for putting in TALESE with no crosses, but I needed a cross to fix OsU and Arthur and his family were a mystery to me until the crosses produced AGEES. I love being able to solve the puzzle without *knowing* all of the answers.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43881889753520076152013-03-27T19:41:39.906-04:002013-03-27T19:41:39.906-04:00Enjoyable. Talese/agees/oru evaded me, but I liked...Enjoyable. Talese/agees/oru evaded me, but I liked the concept enough to forgive the general knowledge quiz nature of those answers.straylinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13536180563789923012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40932425751195835732013-03-27T18:47:40.938-04:002013-03-27T18:47:40.938-04:00After 10 days in Mexico, it took awhile for me to ...After 10 days in Mexico, it took awhile for me to get into puzzle-solving mode, but I have to say that the theme and the BOOK thing was very well done, and helpful. I'm not sure what a BOOKLIST is other than a list of books, but everything else was fine by me. I have a friend who used to be a VANITY BOOK publisher, and by all appearances, an apt description. I believe Salt Lake City is known as SLC to its fans... Enjoyed this one.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12162170712543992632013-03-27T18:01:22.586-04:002013-03-27T18:01:22.586-04:00Capital puzzle.
I am not writing from the Capitol...Capital puzzle.<br /><br />I am not writing from the Capitol.centralscrewtinizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03404913280254786506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71711298710410137672013-03-27T16:00:13.007-04:002013-03-27T16:00:13.007-04:00@jae said in the very fist comment, "Possible...@jae said in the very fist comment, "Possible problem: HEYHO/KOH, but H is the only fit that makes sense." Yup.<br /><br />The puzzle's note and theme helped me greatly because I had the "certain four-letter word" complete except for the first letter, which I was able to infer from the theme answers. That B gave me BOSNIA and my entry into the NW corner which was the last section to fall.<br /><br />I owned a Vega, a wretched little car, in 1972, so it took a while to see AVEO which I understand was not much better. I did not know the ARALSEA is a lake until now.<br /><br />@DMG - Full moon alert! Hope you get to enjoy it. Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37024838063742172332013-03-27T14:14:44.648-04:002013-03-27T14:14:44.648-04:00With no note and starred clues, I came here to see...With no note and starred clues, I came here to see why the corners spelled out BOOK. Other than that, this puzzle pretty much solved itself once I waited for the crosses to give me the name of the Chevy and Arthur's last name. Guess sometimes it pays to be the old timer referred to by some posters!DMGrandmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55846762847252412832013-03-27T13:24:11.544-04:002013-03-27T13:24:11.544-04:00Probably age-related (INKA, UNU, KATS, etc.) but I...Probably age-related (INKA, UNU, KATS, etc.) but I found this one quite easy. Am more familiar with the term "vanity publisher" than VANITYBOOK but they're obviously closely-entangled. Had never heard the term BLUEJACKET for sailor but was readily discernible from its crosses. <br /><br />And based on @Space's comment, kudos to my local paper for including the italics - sometimes, the entire syndicate gets it wrong but thankfully (for me) not today. Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10026936227379169522013-03-27T10:53:30.703-04:002013-03-27T10:53:30.703-04:00This was a mighty struggle for me, but that could ...This was a mighty struggle for me, but that could be partially attributed to the printing in my paper: there were NO Italicized clues! So after reading the rambling note, I plunged in. Guess which compound word I happened to fill in first? You guessed it: POSTCARD. Lessee now, post-what? and what?card??? Nor did Staurday-level cluing help. "On." I'm supposed to get a six-letter word from that. Name two southwest cities that also just happen to be SUV models. I tell ya, this had all the (DOG-)ear (CHECK-)marks of a puzzle that doesn't want to be solved.<br /><br />I have heard of vanity publishers, who will agree (for a hefty fee) to put your beloved brainchild in print, so I suppose that the books so published would also be called that--though I have never heard that expression. Other never-heard-ofs: UNU, OSH, ICK-factor.<br /><br />Was about to add ORU to that list when I thought, waitaminute, Oral Roberts. Still, a tougher-than-Wedensday get. I agree with many about the clue for KOBE--right on, fearless leader--but the one that made me groan the loudest was NYER. I can tell you with 100% certainty, John Farmer is NOT a native New Yorker. The pain of creating that entry would have been too great. No New Yorker could bring himself to do that.<br /><br />I eventually finished correctly, but would never call this medium. It was full-on challenging for me.Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81966633370958239932013-02-21T21:43:24.795-05:002013-02-21T21:43:24.795-05:00@ANON B - Wrong day - and yes, "somebody"...@ANON B - Wrong day - and yes, "somebody" covered that point around 9:00 a.m. on Thursday."somebody"noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12040382242592553782013-02-21T21:29:57.893-05:002013-02-21T21:29:57.893-05:00My error. GNP is used, but rarely. It includes out...My error. GNP is used, but rarely. It includes output of U.S. <br />enterprises not located in the U.S.<br />whereas GDP is for those within the U.S.ANON Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38832905668557091252013-02-21T21:23:23.408-05:002013-02-21T21:23:23.408-05:00I don't read all the comments,
so this may hav...I don't read all the comments,<br />so this may have been covered,<br />but GNP has not been used, in the<br />U.S.at least, for years.<br />It's GDP, Gross Domestic Product.ANON Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19345950245255455492013-02-21T04:52:26.957-05:002013-02-21T04:52:26.957-05:00@Jeremy: I'm afraid I don't get the weeken...@Jeremy: I'm afraid I don't get the weekend edition so I only solve Mondays to Fridays. I work in a university and am picking up a complimentary copy of the IHT, which is only delivered on weekdays.Jack Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00505570161478589463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86923280296679483062013-02-20T23:48:37.906-05:002013-02-20T23:48:37.906-05:00This 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 5:46, 6:07, 0.94, 22%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 7:45, 8:23, 0.92, 24%, Easy-Medium<br />Wed 12:23, 11:52, 1.04, 62%, Medium-Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:35, 3:39, 0.98, 33%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 4:37, 4:52, 0.95, 29%, Easy-Medium<br />Wed 7:28, 6:34, 1.14, 84%, Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91824509569772686992013-02-20T21:47:10.240-05:002013-02-20T21:47:10.240-05:00You mean that, in the world of publishing, there I...You mean that, in the world of publishing, there IS a vanity clause?retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46536882172983357412013-02-20T20:02:33.225-05:002013-02-20T20:02:33.225-05:00Not that Rex reads all of our comments, and I did ...Not that Rex reads all of our comments, and I did not read all of them myself, but surely someone pointed out to the Master that a vanity book is a book that is published by its author. I would think that in the era of epublishing, there would be a plethora of vanity books.mskeels64https://www.blogger.com/profile/03772804556863922317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-638590507742860372013-02-20T18:51:49.960-05:002013-02-20T18:51:49.960-05:00DNF. What@rex said plus I thought the whole west/s...DNF. What@rex said plus I thought the whole west/southwest was a mess, Natick City. Bah. JohnVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16394819895332734412013-02-20T18:08:52.404-05:002013-02-20T18:08:52.404-05:00@Acme, fascintating REVelation about REV being the...@Acme, fascintating REVelation about REV being the constructors' choice ... bravo for Barry and Sara and not so much for whoever changed it to BEV. Very good point well made!johohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12708487230515532492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70020219584982634232013-02-20T17:55:47.733-05:002013-02-20T17:55:47.733-05:00@tita
Writing when you were...now that's synch...@tita<br />Writing when you were...now that's synchronicity, too! jung wwould be proud. And normally I'm fine with what folks know and don't know, but surely you've heard of FARGO and the nice Jewish boys from Minneapolis who made it?!?!<br />If not, get thee to a nunnery...oops, to a netflix!<br /><br />@jberg<br />I guarantee you, non-fans of KOBE have much more apt nicknames for that creep than "Mr. Bryant"...Acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85006323338725345552013-02-20T17:51:50.147-05:002013-02-20T17:51:50.147-05:00Glad Ringo and Barbara are still married!Glad Ringo and Barbara are still married!Elle 54noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34632858883403512262013-02-20T17:48:57.287-05:002013-02-20T17:48:57.287-05:00@nyer
This was a mini-malapop because it was more ...@nyer<br />This was a mini-malapop because it was more or less the same definition, so could have been either...<br />A real one, more exciting, is when you put in an answer that has nothing to do with the intended one and then it "pops up" later, esp when it's some crazy word!<br />I live for those synchronistic moments...<br /><br />And by the way, the constructors yesterday originally HAD REV not BEV in their puzzle!!!!<br />Always frustrating that a change was made and it adversely effects the discussion (chances are there were 20 other changes that wildly improved and avoided getting brick-batted, but yesterday's derailment discussionwise of an otherwise wonderful puzzle was a perfect example of the former...)<br /><br />Just again, folks point out from time to time that constructors take the blame ( or accolades) when it was an editing decision...<br />Happened in my last puzzle for TWOL for TWO LL LLAMA...I'd neverut that in my puzzle, but some thought it was their favorite thing, others felt it was hideous!<br /><br />So keep that in mind with uber-focusing on one word that "ruins" the puzzle to the point where you overlook a magnificent theme!Acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70557921850332778682013-02-20T17:41:39.343-05:002013-02-20T17:41:39.343-05:00@fearless - I thin kAndrea HAS come up with a name...@fearless - I thin kAndrea HAS come up with a name - it's "synchronicity"!Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22434344780703841362013-02-20T17:40:43.112-05:002013-02-20T17:40:43.112-05:00Had to put this down, then come back to it...
I h...Had to put this down, then come back to it...<br /><br />I had thus instead of ERGO, making the circled word BOsK.<br />Got all but the SE without having read the note.<br />The note made it obvious, so I quickly filled in the rest.<br /><br />Still DNF, cause of sloppiness at leaving BoSCH/UNo and OSk/UTAk.<br /><br />Not having reaf the note, discovered that the 2 first entries interchange...<br />CHECK/LIST, BLACK/MARKS...<br />wondered if that could be it. Nope.<br /><br />@Rex - I agree with your crap fill/cross-ref rule.<br />Kind of like not wearing your seatbelt with and expired registration sticker. Only do one bad thing at once.<br />The KOBE clue - that too...<br /><br />Also wondered about a USPS theme, with that forever stamp clue and the POSTCARD (which was a great clue, by the way.)<br /><br />Oops @acme - you just made me realize another natick and error - OsU/FAsGO. The intersection of pop and sports. Hopeless.<br /><br />Oh - I recorded Kimmel too - well, at least now I don't have to watch it.<br />I got left on the CarTalk cutting room floor...I think it was because Ray asked me if menopause was the reason why I wanted the heated seats on when I drive top-down in the winter...<br /><br />All the goodness everyone else pointed out.<br />Thanks, Farmer John - a fair struggle.Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53516148420901200202013-02-20T17:36:55.010-05:002013-02-20T17:36:55.010-05:007 Googles and DNF because of KOBE. No idea when it...7 Googles and DNF because of KOBE. No idea when it comes to sports, and Google misdirected me.<br /><br />Got theme right away. Well made in that department.<br /><br />BOSNIAns now make up 10% of Utica, NY. They have a mosque (once was a church) next to City Hall. They stucco everything in site. Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24437027495545792012013-02-20T17:33:31.735-05:002013-02-20T17:33:31.735-05:00@fearless Kim I'm sure Andrea can come up wit...@fearless Kim I'm sure Andrea can come up with a NAMEchefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36673181909748471952013-02-20T16:53:15.683-05:002013-02-20T16:53:15.683-05:00I must be just the right amount of old, 'cause...I must be just the right amount of old, 'cause this one just flew.<br /><br />Lots of answers with *snap*: CHECKMARKS, BLACKLIST, AZT, BLUEJACKET, VANITYFAIR, FACEVALUE, FINK, TANKARD, HAZED. Yummy letters, indeed, as noted by @acme and @lorenmusesmith :)<br /><br />Shout out to my in-laws with the OK micro-theme at 38A & 60D<br /><br />Fresh clues for 40D ALP and 55A FACEVALUE!<br /><br />@AnoaBob: YES to a simple "Before and After" clue. Furthermore, I came to the blog *certain* that @Rex would include a link or at least a reference to "the Wheel." Since he didn't, here's one I think the gang will like: http://www.collecticon.org/2010/11/transformers-invades-wheel-of-fortune/<br /><br />So, following up on @NYER's question about the term "malapop," ably answered by @lms, I also have a question: does Rexville have a term for this type of synchronicity: the front page of today's Food Section in the Washington Post features the BLUEJACKET craft brewery under construction in the old Navy Yard in DC! I never heard the term before this morning -- so glad I read the paper before tackling the puzz! if there's no term (other than synchronicity, of course), then let's come up with one!FearlessKimnoreply@blogger.com