tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post5354670989498297678..comments2024-03-28T20:26:11.908-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: THURSDAY, Jul. 10, 2008 - Ari Halpern (CHOICE POULTRY / SINGER OF ROSSINI'S "LARGO AL FACTOTUM")Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-188905005513742402008-08-14T22:07:00.000-04:002008-08-14T22:07:00.000-04:00It's that darned follow-up comments email box. It ...It's that darned follow-up comments email box. It follows me everywhere.<BR/><BR/>I like it in five-weeks-ago land. I find the puzzles easier, kind of a deja-vu feel. The conversations stay on topic and the weather is better.Jeffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01699404861773455504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4479462722265268372008-08-14T21:59:00.000-04:002008-08-14T21:59:00.000-04:00Whoa, Crosscan, what are you doing in five-weeks-a...Whoa, Crosscan, what are you doing in five-weeks-ago land? Slumming? (Just kidding, guys)<BR/><BR/>rpRex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3366726073404455182008-08-14T20:36:00.000-04:002008-08-14T20:36:00.000-04:00John - operator is the personality you get by dial...John - operator is the personality you get by dialing zeroAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87622825861019517982008-08-14T20:31:00.000-04:002008-08-14T20:31:00.000-04:00Feeling a bit dense, because many commentators rem...Feeling a bit dense, because many commentators remark on the cleverness of the "zero personality" clue for "operator". While I finished the puzzle, I don't get how these two connect--Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-61041697590388046112008-08-14T19:38:00.000-04:002008-08-14T19:38:00.000-04:006weekslater:I've usually seen it as LITCHI around ...6weekslater:<BR/>I've usually seen it as LITCHI around here (West Coast), and that makes sense because it is the fruit of the <I>Litchi chinensis</I> tree. I'd say that LICHEE, LYCHEE, etc. spellings would be the variants.<BR/><BR/>A clever and fun (for me) puzzle.embienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01991001167394653649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24864230292682219112008-08-14T17:27:00.000-04:002008-08-14T17:27:00.000-04:00Juliebee-Thanks for the head up on Descartes. I r...Juliebee-Thanks for the head up on Descartes. I really feel dumb for not seeing it, but I was really thinking math-disappearing series or something?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90650639060688350102008-08-14T12:11:00.000-04:002008-08-14T12:11:00.000-04:00Thanks for inspector Morse and rolypoly.Due to not...Thanks for inspector Morse and rolypoly.<BR/>Due to not proofreading the SE, prior to the blog.<BR/>Curious about the player and stud.<BR/>And then then 70 across, hmmmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19323657058547839742008-08-14T11:41:00.000-04:002008-08-14T11:41:00.000-04:00I appreciated the clever wordplay in such a minor ...I appreciated the clever wordplay in such a minor clue as "Hatch or Byrd: Abbr." I guess I shouldn't SQUAWK that no one else mentioned it, FEATHER or not they noticed it...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66441702513775959362008-08-14T09:44:00.000-04:002008-08-14T09:44:00.000-04:00I had many of the same roadblocks already commente...I had many of the same roadblocks already commented on: 18 across was A RAIL for quite a while before, after lots of crossing, it became RAZOR. The middle-north region in general had me stumped for quite a while. Eventually got IZOD, BLACK-EYED PEARY, and SPREE, after which the rest fell.<BR/><BR/>I had far too much trouble with 42-Down. At first I thought, well, it's Claudius ONE, of course. That made (51: Convinced) into HELD (?), but HASTA made that SELD -- what, some strange past tense of SOLD? Ah -- change in to ONO (Yoko?) -- then got GOLDEN ARCHERY to make it ENO. Perhaps Claudius is Spanish or Portuguese or something and it's a foreign word I don't know. But Hollywood's not in SAN Francisco or anything, and I really thought we were talking about the I, Claudius Claudius. Hey -- that's not a Roman numeral at all! (This is the second time I've fallen for this particular trick in this sort of clue.)<BR/><BR/>I thought of GIGANTIC for (38-Down: Enormous) but I already had RAN and couldn't see changing it, so I left it open for later. Nice bit of misdirection in the cluing.<BR/><BR/>I had the --ORY of STORY early on, before I had any of the theme entries, and thought the three-word hint would be - FOR Y, or maybe EM OR Y or IV OR Y. An EMORY might level one's cuticles -- but that's EMERY, isn't it? And 55-Down is plural, so SFORY? Is that some obscure musical term related to SFORZANDO? How is that level? D'oh! Level isn't a verb at all. It's S TO RY, and now GOLDEN ARCHERY makes sense.<BR/><BR/>Never heard of EAN Night or the drama ELENI, but I can see where they'd be helpful. NOT ON makes me cringe whenever I see it clued as "Off" rather than "___ your life!" or something. I loved ROLY-POLY and the "Zero personality?" clue (which I only understood after enough crosses gave me OPERATOR.)<BR/><BR/>Overall: the theme made me chuckle each time I got an answer. A few too many three-letter words for my taste, though. A decent midweek puzzle.Tom Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12510874213923301296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11681470566382705072008-07-11T05:51:00.000-04:002008-07-11T05:51:00.000-04:00Hello all! It's great to read your comments on th...Hello all! It's great to read your comments on the puzzle! This is my 2nd published puzzle, the first being about a year and a half ago. It's really late after most of you have posted, but I just got home from work in Bogota, Colombia. I'll be here until November, so I wasn't even able to get a copy of the NYT today. :( A coworker of mine says she knows a place here that gets the NYT a day later, so she's going to pick up a copy for me tomorrow.<BR/><BR/>In regards to the "3-word" aspect of the theme hint, my original submission clue did not contain that. It was ultimately changed.<BR/><BR/>But to give Will Shortz major credit, he came up with the Zero personality clue, which I thought was brilliant!<BR/><BR/>In any case, it seemed like most of you enjoyed it, which thrills me! If you didn't enjoy it, that's okay too. I know I've done puzzles which I didn't enjoy.<BR/><BR/>When I sent the puzzle in for submission, my major qualm about it was the amount of 3-letter words. I thought it would be shot down based on that alone. I was shocked that it was accepted. I also tried to get rid of ELENI, but ultimately stuck with it because losing it was creating major issues.<BR/><BR/>Interesting about Litchi...I think that's the only way I've ever seen it spelled.<BR/><BR/>Thanks!arihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17978324252865514881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59588187649186938412008-07-11T02:24:00.000-04:002008-07-11T02:24:00.000-04:00some of my most vivid recollections from 1981 are ...some of my most vivid recollections from 1981 are contoured up Vine Street -- i'm peculiarly at at lossfergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72620274451897447342008-07-11T01:32:00.000-04:002008-07-11T01:32:00.000-04:00@doris -- I read the Colin Dexters. ALways had a ...@doris -- I read the Colin Dexters. ALways had a dictionary handy. Excellent. Whenever I hear the name Lewis, I get John Thaw's wonderful, frustrated pronunciation.<BR/><BR/>@fergus -- Had many a cuppa at the original Peet's myself. Right up Vine from the Artifacterie.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8471323985930391062008-07-11T01:08:00.000-04:002008-07-11T01:08:00.000-04:00p.p.s. "I, Claudius" the original novel by Englis...p.p.s. "I, Claudius" the original novel by English author Robert Graves was first published in 1934. It was adapted for TV in 1976, with Derek Jacobi in the title role. Jacobi also played the title role in the TV version of the Brother Cadfael medieval mystery series, adapted fron the books by Ellis Peters. Another excellent series!ArtLvrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03869528391374878601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68918360584965892552008-07-11T00:51:00.000-04:002008-07-11T00:51:00.000-04:00@ doc john -- as Mac said, EGO is the Latin word ...@ doc john -- as Mac said, EGO is the Latin word for "I", and Claudius (the Roman Emperor) is supposed to clue you in to the fact that classical Latin is being required... Did you see the PBS serialization of the BBC's "I, Claudius" some years ago? Top notch, and should get a re-airing!<BR/><BR/>∑;)<BR/><BR/>p.s. We've been having much trouble with the cable provider in Michigan, but after three frustrating days they showed up again and fixed it.ArtLvrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03869528391374878601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5130084829358224802008-07-11T00:02:00.000-04:002008-07-11T00:02:00.000-04:00Writing in lichee messed me up for quite a while.I...Writing in lichee messed me up for quite a while.<BR/><BR/>I didn't understand the theme until I saw the blog.<BR/><BR/>Still, I got it all right.Michael Chibnikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04700426644898924644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39411685013786740922008-07-10T23:59:00.000-04:002008-07-10T23:59:00.000-04:00@dorisI think Inspector Morse revealed his first n...@doris<BR/>I think Inspector Morse revealed his first name before the last episode - toward the end of the series, to one of the many women he was always falling in love with. Loved John Thaw and the show.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2880486360340832942008-07-10T23:30:00.000-04:002008-07-10T23:30:00.000-04:00Thanks Mac. I'll try to remember that for the nex...Thanks Mac. I'll try to remember that for the next time.Doc Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12540112168511893896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60489807343639118452008-07-10T23:13:00.000-04:002008-07-10T23:13:00.000-04:00@doc john: Claudius spoke Latin, in Latin I is eg...@doc john: Claudius spoke Latin, in Latin I is ego. I know, Claudius I made me fill in "uno".....machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87613271293822259312008-07-10T22:13:00.000-04:002008-07-10T22:13:00.000-04:00For 44 Across the natural answer was coffee beans....For 44 Across the natural answer was coffee beans. That didn't fit, yet it got me to wondering how many other coffee drinkers share my preference for the Indonesian product. Raised on Peet's as an undergraduate at Berkeley, and later living close to Walnut and Vine, I learned how to discern the essential flavor and stimulant effect, whether it came from Sumatra or Java. Confused by the same effect from Celebes and Sulawesi, I discovered more than a simple transliteration.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51809721769239899082008-07-10T20:16:00.000-04:002008-07-10T20:16:00.000-04:00I echo everyone's comments.I had a wrong letter, t...I echo everyone's comments.<BR/>I had a wrong letter, though. Had SAA instead of SAG, thinking that SAA was the name of a big Hollywood talent agency (it's really CAA). So I had EAO for "The 'I' of Claudius I" and figured, hey why not? Still not quite sure why EGO fits.Doc Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12540112168511893896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24564864907513416412008-07-10T19:15:00.000-04:002008-07-10T19:15:00.000-04:00I really enjoyed this one. The theme was clever. ...I really enjoyed this one. The theme was clever. The fill was tough but fair. I had tons of errors (A RAIL > RAZOR, GIGANTIC > GALACTIC, ALPINE > NORDIC, APING > APERY, AGO > OLD, etc.), but was able to fix everything by puzzing real hard-- no Googling required. Those 3 things pretty much define a good, fun puzzle for me.<BR/><BR/>I thought, in the context of the clue, PLAYER was spelled PLAYA or PLAYAH, though.Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00171716627914528357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11444263906366578272008-07-10T19:08:00.000-04:002008-07-10T19:08:00.000-04:00@Cy: IND = Independent; i. e., not affiliated wit...@Cy: IND = Independent; i. e., not affiliated with a political party.miriam bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03506593846362044050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77914569654362278272008-07-10T18:49:00.000-04:002008-07-10T18:49:00.000-04:00I think I've only seen "litchi" spelled out a coup...I think I've only seen "litchi" spelled out a couple of times in my life, and I can't remember how it was spelled, so I guess for me, ignorance was bliss. I still had to get it from crosses, though.<BR/><BR/>The one square I got wrong was the A of ELENA (sic). I had never heard of the movie, and I couldn't figure out 48-down. Can anyone explain how Ind. = "not the party type?: abbr."?CYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00788234848150484233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31762485442330338282008-07-10T17:02:00.000-04:002008-07-10T17:02:00.000-04:00Litchi? Give me a break! I have never seen that be...Litchi? Give me a break! I have never seen that before. That threw me off as well.abnormahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08203985530569154521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34147371256901977082008-07-10T17:01:00.000-04:002008-07-10T17:01:00.000-04:00"Apeary" is a place where Jane Goodall keeps her c..."Apeary" is a place where Jane Goodall keeps her chimps andwhereyou can follow the footsteps of an artic explorer - just hire a Sherpa, SHERPA - aword I learned doing the Times crossword!alanrichardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06395356843823270129noreply@blogger.com