tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post505133028804240205..comments2024-03-28T11:35:36.126-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: LBJ inlaw Charles / TUE 12-8-15 / Talkative half of magic duo / Precursor to reggae / 1990s Indian P.M. / 2000s Japanese P.M. / Qatari bigwigRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23082274396099931242016-01-18T15:17:51.104-05:002016-01-18T15:17:51.104-05:00@anon11:38am - When Abe said "Four score and ...@anon11:38am - When Abe said "Four score and seven years ago..." he was using "score" as in <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/score" rel="nofollow">twenty (see definition 1)</a>, or "87 years ago...."Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88236447368731784922016-01-18T11:38:53.268-05:002016-01-18T11:38:53.268-05:00I'm new to this. Can someone explain the hint ...I'm new to this. Can someone explain the hint on 45 across to me? How do you get "score" out of "20"? Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87830260461284988772016-01-13T13:23:48.270-05:002016-01-13T13:23:48.270-05:00Two errors in today's puzzle:
In 4D, "a ...Two errors in today's puzzle:<br /><br />In 4D, "a group of quail" (no need for the odd plural "quails") form a COVEY – Not a BEVY. Beauties gather in a BEVY – quail gather in a COVEY.<br /><br />Also, in 26A, it is not the CREST that bears three knights' helmets in the Irish Kennedy coat-of-arms, but the escutcheon (or shield). The CREST is the device borne on top of the helmet, which sits atop the escutcheon in a coat-of-arms. In the case of the Irish Kennedy coat-of-arms, the CREST consists of a dexter hand proper, holding a sprig of oak fructed proper, meaning: a right hand natural color, holding a sprig of oak with leaves and acorns, natural color. <br /><br />However, in the Scottish Kennedy coat-of-arms, which is entirely different from the Irish arms, the CREST is a "dolphin nalant argent." <br />David Bowmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14673241422745751614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53488389301333673192016-01-13T07:43:02.491-05:002016-01-13T07:43:02.491-05:00@Burma... This realtimer naming back to say thanks...@Burma... This realtimer naming back to say thanks and please keep up the good work!<br /><br />Gotta get back to the furore now...there is a real chance that if I meet myself I the past, we both might cease yup exist...<br />Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76330511983405503562016-01-13T00:27:33.351-05:002016-01-13T00:27:33.351-05:00@BS I always appreciate the creativity that goes ...@BS I always appreciate the creativity that goes into your puzzle-related, sexy little poems. Way to hang in there.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87666685115474927832016-01-12T18:04:58.467-05:002016-01-12T18:04:58.467-05:00@Burma Shave:
Probably obvious that my previous p...@Burma Shave:<br /><br />Probably obvious that my previous post was directed to you, but I want to make sure. <br /><br />Congrats on your all but one year anniversary. Please do set out for number two.leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4203413594834733052016-01-12T16:56:38.183-05:002016-01-12T16:56:38.183-05:00I haven't commented on your postings for a whi...I haven't commented on your postings for a while, but this one is at least consistent with your usual amusing creativity, from title start to name at finish.leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51957958312861442782016-01-12T16:46:50.076-05:002016-01-12T16:46:50.076-05:00@ all syndilanders and others who check in 5 weeks...@ all syndilanders and others who check in 5 weeks later:<br />11+ months down and about one to go to complete an entire year with at least one new verse every day, including Sundays, even while on vacation. +/- 350 verses so far, highlighting NYT Xword puzzle answers of the day, and most often focused on the theme or at least including theme answers. Some of the verses did not post during the summer moderation phase or on other random occasions, but I still have each and every one saved in Word format. The goal was/is to make it one year, possibly longer. We’ll see how it all works out. I haven’t yet been approached about the rights to the book . . .<br />BS2noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36162677760585359622016-01-12T16:45:22.554-05:002016-01-12T16:45:22.554-05:00Diana,LIW
So, it's all been said. Except...yo...Diana,LIW<br />So, it's all been said. Except...you know how your eyes see what isn't there? I was looking over the completed puz and wondered what kind of NEWT was on a cereal box??? Some salamander friend of SpongeBob Squarepants that I don't know about? I'm no so much up on cartoons or breakfast cereal. Then I came here. Oh. NET WT OH. Nevermind...<br /><br />Diana (Rosanadana), Lady-in-Waiting for CrossWordsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41193120682282943102016-01-12T16:22:01.663-05:002016-01-12T16:22:01.663-05:00STRAY GRAFT
When DAD leaked SEXTAPES bearing the ...STRAY GRAFT<br /><br />When DAD leaked SEXTAPES bearing the FAMILYCREST,<br />his IDEEFIXE led to a FABLEd FALSEARREST,<br />so ICONCUR with NOONE that FATHERKNOWSBEST.<br /><br />--- RABBI EDAM HESS<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19048207365943607322016-01-12T15:55:59.674-05:002016-01-12T15:55:59.674-05:00Very nice, fun, theme-tight puzzle. No real hangu...Very nice, fun, theme-tight puzzle. No real hangups for me, but a few areas which caused a couple of nanoseconds pause. The best example of this was, I had bachelor DAD (never heard of PENN), but when I got 67 D I had to go back and change it. Wasn't there a TV series called "Bachelor Dad"?<br /><br />I never use a straw in a drink. I think straws suck.<br /><br />Dec. 1, 2009? Let's see--I recall I was teetering on a ladder hanging Christmas/holiday lights on the eaves where the ice dams form, freezing my carpals off, and anticipating the eggnog I was going to have as a reward for my derring-do. Crossword puzzle? Not so much.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38010049935956550652016-01-12T15:26:17.679-05:002016-01-12T15:26:17.679-05:00Took medium-challenging Tuesday time to do this on...Took medium-challenging Tuesday time to do this one.<br /><br />Had ARIeL before ARIAL, and swak before XOXO; and slowed down at IDEEFIXE (didn't expect French) and NETWT.<br /><br />Then I had to look to see the break in FA...ST.<br /><br />I like a Tuesday challenge.leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52598869920233530592016-01-12T14:11:24.033-05:002016-01-12T14:11:24.033-05:00Those are some long BREAKs in the FAST. Not the gr...Those are some long BREAKs in the FAST. Not the greatest puz in the world but certainly serviceable for Tuesday. Cold maybe have a basketball revealer with FASTBREAK?<br /><br />SOSAD there’s no BEVY of yeah babies today. I can make a connection to NOONE. Not even Herman’s Hermits.<br /><br />@spacey – I did get your Walter reference the other day. When will he turn the Paige?<br /><br />43d, hmmm. @Cathy and @Diana LIW, I can be made available. XOXO<br /><br />A colorful mix with BLUESTATE and REDSHIRTS.<br /><br />ICONCUR that this puz was rather easy.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88694181541333391652016-01-12T11:43:28.921-05:002016-01-12T11:43:28.921-05:00I will NOT seal this posting with XOXO (oh, please...I will NOT seal this posting with XOXO (oh, please!). That and DARER are two serious markdowns in this one. For once I didn't skip ahead to the revealer clue, but saw early on that they all began with FA and ended with ST. Was expecting the revealer to be FASTBREAK. Close! Well, my mind was on basketball because UNLV coach Dave Rice just resigned/got fired after a dismal 0-3 conference start. SOSAD. Fast break was, unfortunately, the ONLY thing his teams did well (official name: Runnin' Rebels).<br /><br />I remember learning about lagniappe during, I believe, a Super Bowl pre-game feature. I think the practice should spread. Just picked up a baker's dozen bagels from Einstein's yesterday. Synchronicity?<br /><br />I'm not bothered by the repeat; it's new to me. I thought it was a cute idea. Easy-medium, some iffy fill: B-.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-472086907368587242016-01-12T10:27:35.533-05:002016-01-12T10:27:35.533-05:00STRAY GRAFT
When DAD leaked SEXTAPES bearing the ...STRAY GRAFT<br /><br />When DAD leaked SEXTAPES bearing the FAMILYCREST,<br />his IDEEFIXE led to a FABLEd FALSEARREST,<br />so ICONCUR with NOONE that FATHERKNOWSBEST.<br /><br />--- RABBI EDAM HESS<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25544746402136352482016-01-12T09:20:31.402-05:002016-01-12T09:20:31.402-05:00I believe Tiger Woods has won the Espy 21 times in...I believe Tiger Woods has won the Espy 21 times instead of 23Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31420451715285790762015-12-08T21:49:28.067-05:002015-12-08T21:49:28.067-05:00RAj/RjBB
I would have should have recognized ROBB ...RAj/RjBB<br />I would have should have recognized ROBB without running the alphabet, but...<br />I figured it should be an abbreviation by L.B.J. clueing.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07988007506745985696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17245478964222026832015-12-08T21:16:49.758-05:002015-12-08T21:16:49.758-05:00@Nancy, am delighted that you apparently took my r...@Nancy, am delighted that you apparently took my remark in good humor. As your sharp editorial eye noted, I spelled my name differently because every evening I have to check my pH. As you'll note, I'm cited by name (correctly) in this wax cylinder recording that Alfred, Lord Tennyson himself made in 1890, when he starts "The Charge of the Light Brigade" with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkqUq26z1CE" rel="nofollow">'Arfah Lig, Arfah Lig, Arfah Ligon-Ward</a>, All in the valley of Death rode the six hundred'.<br /><br />Alma Mahler,eat your heart out.Arphah Ligon-Wardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63727532005406833352015-12-08T20:50:09.551-05:002015-12-08T20:50:09.551-05:00Odd, everyone seems to think this was easy and fun...Odd, everyone seems to think this was easy and fun,but i thought hard (for Tuesday) and dull. I like IDEEFIXE ... and that's it. And for that had to tolerate XOXO, ICONCUR, AAA, ATM, NETWT, and worst of all DARER.<br /><br />Also I like motel breakfasts. <br /><br />Also also I was hoping yesterday's Berlin link mightbe followed up with some Motels.kitshefnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30466803143690772032015-12-08T18:53:30.316-05:002015-12-08T18:53:30.316-05:00I know I'm late, but I had to add, one man...I know I'm late, but I had to add, one man's fish is another man's poisson. <br /><br />And I'm here to announce I finally got Sunday's super-devilish Split Decisions. I finished it at last this morning and cannot believe one of the words. Really, my favorite novelty puzzle, and they can't be easy for Fred Piscop to create.<br /><br />Deb Amlen's Sunday commentary features the two words/word combinations that give me the most trouble, and since thee may be some of you still struggling with it, I won't give the problem areas away here.old timernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-466962562818208522015-12-08T18:41:14.950-05:002015-12-08T18:41:14.950-05:00@jberg: Chevrolet Camaro IROC. International Rac...@jberg: Chevrolet Camaro IROC. International Race of Champions. As I recall, they took three top drivers from four (maybe more?) different racing formulas (Formula 1, NASCAR, etc.) and put them in [supposedly] identical Camaros on different types of tracks to suss out who the best of the best was. I think the IROC later just became a, yawn, model designation.Normhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10032302346488486116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36716422272072522082015-12-08T18:10:56.545-05:002015-12-08T18:10:56.545-05:00@Lewis - yeah, I see it's accepted. Still fing...@Lewis - yeah, I see it's accepted. Still fingernails on chalkboard to my ears. Sorta like @LMS and mislying something. Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39259915609578094922015-12-08T17:21:35.846-05:002015-12-08T17:21:35.846-05:00@ Wes Davidson. Lagniappe Is very close to Lenape ...@ Wes Davidson. Lagniappe Is very close to Lenape which is the real tribe that lived in parts of Deleware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. My son's fourth grade class had to do a major project on the Lenape complete with parents coming to visit to see the report, tools, outfits and food they had prepared<br /><br />I instafilled with the exception of the typo of ARIeL instead of ARIAL and I EYED that error very quickly. Even though I effortlessly filled in BREAKFAST I didn't get the theme until I came here. Can I blame that lapse on missing BREAKFAST this morning? <br /><br />@ Anonymous 1:58 pm, a time of under 10 minutes shall always ELUDE me even if I instafill because my inability to type on the iPAD limits my solve time, yet allows me to solve in my preferred position for crossword puzzles: horizontal and preferably still in my pajamas. Bravo on your skills, I can't even manage a 2 minute solve time using a pen for the crossword puzzles in the ad-filled free papers handed out at subway stops in the morning. <br /><br />I'm surprised no one has mentioned the frequent demise of those wearing RED SHIRTS in Star Trek. <br /><br />Aketihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07059835429995060000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26572149199592308232015-12-08T15:52:30.988-05:002015-12-08T15:52:30.988-05:00@OISK (11:01)-- Awwwww, say it ain't so. After...@OISK (11:01)-- Awwwww, say it ain't so. After all the wonderful moments we've shared waxing nostalgic about the Giants and Dodgers of the 1950s, I now find put that you never watched "Father Knows Best." What were you doing during that precious half-hour, OISK? What WERE you doing??<br /><br />On the other hand, @Charles Flaster (10:11) -- How can you possibly remember what the "best" episode of "Father Knows Best" was? I don't remember ANY episode, much less "Franz the Gardener." THAT WAS 60 BLEEPING YEARS AGO, @CF! Your memory absolutely intimidates me.<br /><br />And speaking about memory, @Tita (9:18), thank you, thank you (!) for saying that you can barely remember puzzles from last week, much less from six years ago. (I think there were 1 or 2 others who may have said the same thing today.) You all make me feel SO much better about my notoriously fuzzy memory.<br /><br />@Arfah (10:42) -- I'm glad you called my attention to your late post yesterday, which I would have missed. I don't remember seeing your name before and I'm delighted if my comment inspired you to join the conversation. But (idle question) didn't you spell your name DIFFERENTLY yesterday?<br /><br />Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16737377749030219974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28949280315167269022015-12-08T15:30:07.378-05:002015-12-08T15:30:07.378-05:00@Z -- I confess to using both, though if it turned...@Z -- I confess to using both, though if it turned out "speeded up" is wrong, I wouldn't have been surprised, and I would have worked to use only "sped up". <br /><br />Here is what it says at The Grammarist: Sped and speeded are both standard inflections of the verb to speed, and neither is more correct than the other. The old rule, purveyed in many English reference books, holds that speeded works only in the past-tense phrasal verb speeded up, but this recommendation is dated. In real-world, 21st-century usage, writers generally use whichever they think sounds best. Speeded is widely used without up, and sped is likewise used both alone and with up. Sped is about three times as common as speeded, though, which suggests that it remains the safer choice.Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09709142959535977331noreply@blogger.com