tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post5576689502166865699..comments2024-03-28T17:36:31.347-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Yiddish for connoisseur / FRI 12-9-11 / Victorious fleet commander at Actium / Country * 1936 Oscar-winning Disney short / Queen who becomes Senator in Star Wars sagaRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-58891892185925309452012-01-14T00:55:11.176-05:002012-01-14T00:55:11.176-05:00After his death, the NYT published an article on W...After his death, the NYT published an article on William Safire by Ben Zimmer headed simply "The Maven, Nevermore". An excerpt - Though he jokingly anointed himself “Usage Dictator,” he was never comfortable with expectations that he play the part of language absolutist, handing down infallible decrees. “Maven” was a title more to his liking, a Yiddishism that he said contained its own “note of self-mockery.” (An incurable paronomasiac, he also enjoyed punning off the word, as in his 1993 collection of columns, “Quoth the Maven.”)Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3666237242385693202012-01-14T00:41:35.018-05:002012-01-14T00:41:35.018-05:00Kill the cwabbit!Kill the cwabbit!Elmer Fuddnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84844165293400461972012-01-13T22:34:38.823-05:002012-01-13T22:34:38.823-05:00Sorry Deb, never heard of a cabbit article, but it...Sorry Deb, never heard of a cabbit article, but it sounds like you did have a fine specimen, if that helps. I do remember a six letter childrens' literature pig, named Herman. He was heroically brave and hunted rattlesnakes. Great puzzle. Patrick Berry might be better than Prozac. Just when I was settling into the Latin/History/Current Events/Womens' Names mindset, here comes the sports. Cost me about forty-five seconds per square in the northeast. I, like many of the other horndogs out there, was almost disappointed when the high heels showed up. Happy weekend, go Niners.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28155893269867743762012-01-13T20:41:42.645-05:002012-01-13T20:41:42.645-05:00@r.alphbunker said...
"No Googling. I now co...@r.alphbunker said... <br />"No Googling. I now consider it disrespectful to Google a PB puzzle. They are well enough constructed that taking a break will get you unstuck." - Exactly right. Somehow SHRIVER and MITTERRAND crawled out from the deepest recesses of my brain (there's some pretty scary stuff down there)to get me started in their respective corners. Love how all the seemingly obscure clues make perfect sense when the light finally goes on.<br /><br />@Tita (also from a couple of days ago) - yes, I ply the waters of Casco Bay, mostly just day-sailing wherever the breeze takes me. Not so much in January, though.<br /><br />As to the continuing evolution of Rexville, several new commenters appeared in March 2007, many of them from syndication land, but no new "regulars" from recent times arrived.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88631542489712253882012-01-13T19:03:12.627-05:002012-01-13T19:03:12.627-05:00Whenever calico cats are a topic of conversation, ...Whenever calico cats are a topic of conversation, I have to butt in with a tale and a question. <br /><br />The Tale: Sometime between 1981 and 1985 in a syndicated pet column in one of the Denver Post's extra Sunday sections, the author wrote about "cabbits," which according to him/her were a cross between a cat and a rabbit. This was a serious column, and because I had a calico cat that was shaped exactly like a rabbit, who who had a cotton tail and very rabbit-like rear legs (and she thumped them in warning!), and who was extremely skittish like a rabbit, I took it seriously. It wasn't until many years later when I mentioned having had a cabbit that someone pointed out that such a creature was impossible, and that the column must have run on April Fool's Day. <br /><br />The question: Does anyone happen to recall that damned column? <br /><br />As to the puzzle: I finished it easily with NO googling, so I loved it, of course!Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16675331024091722316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24034178263321422492012-01-13T16:22:59.906-05:002012-01-13T16:22:59.906-05:00@Bob Kerfuffle and Spacecraft--wouldn't have u...@Bob Kerfuffle and Spacecraft--wouldn't have understood "bug out" without having seen M*A*S*H all those many years ago. I could picture Radar telling Hawkeye that they were going to have to bug out. All these years, I thought it was a military term.<br /><br />Loved the puzzle, though did not finish because of two errors, which I could have corrected if I'd seen them. Plunked in OLIVer and didn't check the crosses. rats. But it was great fun (and no google).<br /><br />@Anonymous 10:27-- red FEVER, eh? :-)<br /><br />@Tita from a couple of days ago. Thanks! She (the dog in my avatar) is trying to stay warm. We were camping in Banff NP (in the Rockies) in late September in our Westfalia.<br /><br />@nanpilla: sorry to hear about your cat. Lots of animal people (so to speak) on this blog.Red Valerianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04638265039015470938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9771628130432179962012-01-13T15:02:58.537-05:002012-01-13T15:02:58.537-05:00Spacecraft here. @Bob Kerfuffle: the "Bug Out...Spacecraft here. @Bob Kerfuffle: the "Bug Out" M*A*S*H episodes were indeed hilarious. My favorite moment is when Frank is echoing all the announcements down the line, and Mulcahy starts his prayer: "Hear me, O Lord..."<br />"Hear me O Lord..." etc. Rollicking stuff.<br /> I must be getting better at these; I managed to finish sans Googlation--but it took a couple hours. I, too, misspelled Amidala-but not with an "a." I had it set in my mind, somehow, that her name was AMYDALA. That made me hold off on the seemingly obvious DETESTS, for want of a -YT ending on the bug-out clue. Only when the rest of the corner (I FINALLY remembered the McGovern-SHRIVER ticket) fleshed out was I forced to change the Y to an I.<br /> Hand up for two awesome voices crossing...I recall with fondness a pair of lyrics from "Creeque Alley":<br /> "And no one's gettin' fat except Mama Cass."<br /> "And everybody's gettin' fat except Mama Cass."<br /> RIP, sweetheart.<br /> Doggone it, I still think it's AMYDALA. And if it's not, it should be!<br /><br />nessight: you know, that critter with the long neck.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30952552300319782582012-01-13T12:31:57.950-05:002012-01-13T12:31:57.950-05:00So many kow-tows to Patrick
Berry seem almost cul...So many kow-tows to Patrick <br />Berry seem almost cult-like. And, yes, usually I enjoy his type puzzle BUT not this one. The only thing missing was his mother's maiden name. When I have to google arcane information, it's just not enjoyable. Better luck next time, Patrick. I aced the puzzle, with 3 googles. Not nice.Anonymous Ronnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90534725651939123852011-12-10T20:31:44.430-05:002011-12-10T20:31:44.430-05:00"I probably lost only 30-45 seconds, but that..."I probably lost only 30-45 seconds, but that's an Eternity in crossword time (for me)." <br />That slays me. The NE corner took me TWO DAYS. So, I guess getting "stuck" is all relative.apparentlyanovicenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77235302170030131092011-12-10T10:19:26.486-05:002011-12-10T10:19:26.486-05:00Was totally with Rex on FALSE TITS and was also a ...Was totally with Rex on FALSE TITS and was also a little sad when it turned into FALSETTOS. Had been so ready to be wildly impressed... <br /><br />And @ Anonymous, I am glad someone else in driven nuts by Berry's clueing. Doesn't stop me from doing his puzzles, but guarantees me a few extra moments of sheer hacked-offedness!Book of Elinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19219118241160012902011-12-09T23:36:40.819-05:002011-12-09T23:36:40.819-05:00Luckily I thought Oliver was the pig in Charlotte&...Luckily I thought Oliver was the pig in Charlotte's Web. Was enough to get me to Olivia, who somehow crept into my conscious despite my not having kids. Thrilled to finish a Friday PB in under half an hour. Wish I could get here more often & earlier but it's a rare week when I have time to solve every day, so I'm always behind.<br /><br />@Aaron--thanks for the calico info -- really interesting. I'll tell our tortie all about it. Like she'll care.Cathelouhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11546948747589294162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51228863305408192592011-12-09T21:46:23.271-05:002011-12-09T21:46:23.271-05:00Anon @ 1:49 pm -- 1. It's a Friday puzzle and ...Anon @ 1:49 pm -- 1. It's a Friday puzzle and clues are supposed to be obscure. 2. We do not know if the clues are PB's or Will's. 3. PB is a god.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59180065837914837042011-12-09T19:59:29.454-05:002011-12-09T19:59:29.454-05:00@r.alphbunker: Pleased to see somebody else rememb...@r.alphbunker: Pleased to see somebody else remembers Oliver Pig. Not that he was helpful in this case, of course...Jennynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86956892017808685832011-12-09T19:59:10.322-05:002011-12-09T19:59:10.322-05:00@dk
Dk, get AGRIPPA!
(not actually a propos to an...@dk<br />Dk, get AGRIPPA!<br /><br />(not actually a propos to anything hewrote today, I just wanted to write that!)<br /><br />@XWD<br />No offense intended (well, maybe a tiny bit!)<br />But I'm sure had either of my parents actually HAD a basement, I might have very well ended up there myself...<br />;)Acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89352062622558792962011-12-09T19:39:56.439-05:002011-12-09T19:39:56.439-05:00Papa, please! It's 'Capulets' like you...Papa, please! It's 'Capulets' like you who make blood in the marketplace! Ye Gods!<br /><br />The Music Man - 1962 <br /><br />-aka TitaThe Bard according to Zaneetanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34980695762542407812011-12-09T17:15:27.001-05:002011-12-09T17:15:27.001-05:00"Yegods" was the signature line of one o..."Yegods" was the signature line of one of the female characters in The Music Man -- reading the word instantly brings that shrill voice to mind!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5097878037625184462011-12-09T17:14:16.080-05:002011-12-09T17:14:16.080-05:00@Bird - Hi. Sure beats Anonymous (and gives your ...@Bird - Hi. Sure beats Anonymous (and gives your criticism far greater strength).<br /><br />I loved the clues for PASSKEYS, EGOMANIAC, HARLEY, and, of course, FALSETTOS. MISADDS, on the other hand, left me cold. Still, A Berry Berry fun Friday.Chip Hiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944056030047563287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3933020842582185562011-12-09T16:54:44.753-05:002011-12-09T16:54:44.753-05:00@r.alphbuker - I did not know that, thanks.
-Bird...@r.alphbuker - I did not know that, thanks.<br /><br />-BirdBirdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87180781444276163902011-12-09T16:33:57.530-05:002011-12-09T16:33:57.530-05:00Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 8/1/2...Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation of my method):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Fri 20:30, 25:29, 0.80, 16%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Fri 10:23, 12:37, 0.82, 22%, Easy-Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91906694331894375782011-12-09T16:11:59.664-05:002011-12-09T16:11:59.664-05:00@bird
When you post you can select the Name/URL op...@bird<br />When you post you can select the Name/URL option instead of the Anonymous option. You can then type "Bird" as your name and leave the URL blank.r.alphbunkernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13213552837112328622011-12-09T15:50:21.115-05:002011-12-09T15:50:21.115-05:00@Navy Vet - What else do you think I was getting a...@Navy Vet - What else do you think I was getting at? He was certainly notable compared to the Potatoe Guy.H Ross Perotnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79600002529194130842011-12-09T15:41:36.593-05:002011-12-09T15:41:36.593-05:00@H Ross Perot: Let's not forget that James St...@H Ross Perot: Let's not forget that James Stockdale was notable not only as a "loosing" VP candidate, but also as a Medal of Honor winner who spent 7 years as a POW, mostly in leg irons in solitary confinement.Navy vetnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55839980413667434452011-12-09T15:22:23.074-05:002011-12-09T15:22:23.074-05:00Fair enough @BirdFair enough @BirdTwo Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10258227144662909142011-12-09T15:02:45.178-05:002011-12-09T15:02:45.178-05:00YE GODS! I read the blog on my iphone, tried to po...YE GODS! I read the blog on my iphone, tried to post, but it hung up - so I'll try to reproduce it here, typing on actual keys.<br /><br />ALARIC has been a gimme for me since maybe 4th grade; I just thought it was so cool that he basically ended the Roman Empire (I mean, it lasted another half a millennium, but it wasn't the same). He makes CDX one of the few 'memorable' dates in history.<br /><br />With that in place, the NW went right in - but there are only two ways out of that corner, and even though I got HAY FEVER, I was still stuck. I wanted HOME bAsE, and (even worse) F. mitterRAND. Those really held me up, but the crosses finally brought be back, especially the beautiful EGOMANIAC, HARLEY, SPOTWELD, HIT ON, & MAMA CASS. MISADDS was the last to make sense, but it's pretty clever if you allow that it's a word.<br /><br />I solved it all without Google, but had to check afterward to see if there were really two Rs in old Francois's surname, and if anyone considers MISADD a real word (they do).<br /><br />Slow but enjoyable.jberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02169065390875378077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42149064585053724972011-12-09T14:46:57.215-05:002011-12-09T14:46:57.215-05:00@ Two Ponies - I refuse to sign up to another acco...@ Two Ponies - I refuse to sign up to another account just so this blog can "see" me. I've got enough email accounts already. I can however sign my name to the end of the post.<br /><br />Anyway, my comments are not scathing, just a critical opinion. And if you read the through the comments with everyone rushing to thank PB for a great puzzle, you would think he is a god. Especially after reading ACME's post about the constructor if you didn't know his name.<br /><br />On a closing note - I enjoy Rex's blog because it entertains me. The posts are funny, educational and stir further discussion about topics. We may disagree on some things, but that's the beauty of living in the USA.<br /><br />-BirdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com