tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post5756240780951774494..comments2024-03-28T13:52:01.537-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Iranian holy city / TUE 10-18-16 / Illusionist Henning / Spiegel co-founder Snapchat / Obsolescent data storage device / Tentacled marine creature / Rhyme scheme in last verse of villanelle / French city named after Greek goddess of victoryRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8614009338990786642016-11-22T19:05:35.603-05:002016-11-22T19:05:35.603-05:00@rain forest-- I like your attitude about the &quo...@rain forest-- I like your attitude about the "love-hate" issue. leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34512707225343344832016-11-22T16:36:00.718-05:002016-11-22T16:36:00.718-05:00Because I learned that a clarinet differs from the...Because I learned that a clarinet differs from the oboe and the bassoon in that it uses ONE REED, I was proud of that answer. Also, oddly, I knew QOM, and as a result, AQABA, which I should have known, wasn't a problem.<br /><br />Other than that, I don't share the hate that many have expressed for this puzzle. I don't think I have the DNA to "hate" a puzzle. Wasted emotion, in my opinion. I found this diverting, and a little more resistant than the usual Tuesday, and that's really all I need. <br /><br />If the theme is old, it nonetheless worked, and I liked the bonus WALDO because it answered the old question about where he is. In the MIDDLE.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69535829615128165932016-11-22T15:50:04.909-05:002016-11-22T15:50:04.909-05:00BAD Q. BAD GIRL! I join the Natique Clique.
OK ...BAD Q. BAD GIRL! I join the Natique Clique.<br /><br />OK - no one has posted the obvious question, so I guess I'll have to be the one. Where the BLEEP is Brian Eno's middle name? You know. Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Withoutt it, this puzzle makes no sense. IMO<br /><br />Diana, Lady-in-Waiting for CrosswordsDiana,LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18005903426763240522016-11-22T13:52:33.016-05:002016-11-22T13:52:33.016-05:00Some crunchy stuff here, but didn't spit it ou...Some crunchy stuff here, but didn't spit it out like Rex did. <br /><br />MIDDLE NAMEs of theme weren't exactly in the middle of theme answers, but close enough.<br /><br />BADGIRL (in plural, wasn't that a movie?) held things up a bit in the NE. Wanted "be still" first, though dog might not understand. AOL was bit of a surprise in the SE. Didn't know they were big on IM scene.<br /><br />So, I liked this one well enough.<br /><br />leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33303026836859443172016-11-22T12:21:12.965-05:002016-11-22T12:21:12.965-05:00I was upset enough that this horror should appear ...I was upset enough that this horror should appear on a Tuesday when it belongs squarely on the weekend--well, no: it truly belongs in the incinerator, but if it MUST reach print, there's NO WAY it should appear today. But to see a rating of "easy-medium" is nothing short of infuriating! There is simply NO BLANKING WAY that ANYONE can call this easy-medium. C'mon, man, the capital of California? So, there's a province in Spain by that name, and TUESDAY solvers are supposed to KNOW that???? Give. Me. A. Break. The "VIETNAMERA?" First time EVER I saw that monicker. Is that really a thing?<br /><br />I could go on, for at least half of the entries--both theme and fill. The only difference would be how many question marks I'd put at the end. And the clues! "Guess things" without even a "?" ? It's a great clue--but NOT ON A TUESDAY!<br /><br />I do agree with OFL on one point: if McDonald's is a"restaurant," then I guess SBARRO is a "restaurant." Liberal indeed.<br /><br />23-down is clued as a partial chant--typical in this grid--but could have been the Trask boys' love interest in "East of Eden," so fetchingly played by Julie Harris in the film. Therefore, since my beloved TROI has already worn the DOD sash, let us bestow it upon the winsome ABRA.<br /><br />The puzzle itself gets a bogey; it would have been less jarring if appearing much later in the week. Mr. Shortz receives a double-bogey: one stroke for printing it at all and another for doing it now.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54427047895436504012016-11-22T12:16:25.101-05:002016-11-22T12:16:25.101-05:00Bradstreet called and wants their DUN back. And a ...Bradstreet called and wants their DUN back. And a VOCAB AQABA and AVAS ABRA ABAA to you. With a ROTI AERO SBARRO and an ARCO IDIO OVO, too. Sing along everyone, in EMAJ. ♯♬♯♫♯♪♯<br />I’ll leave yeah baby REBA and her red dress outta this. Baby IMA want you ♫♭♪♫♮♩ . . .<br /><br />I came of AGE in the VIETNAMERA. My dad came of AGE in the WWII ERA. Both of us during wars. ERA seems fine to me to describe the time frame.<br /><br />ONEREED is probably less preferable than single REED. How about “just Walter” or “just Willis”? Or in my case, just Cheryl, BADGIRL.<br /><br />No w/os, but as I neared the finish line I knew there would be harsh words for this puz. I won’t pile on any more, it wouldn’t be NICE.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53598429226687879272016-11-22T10:19:13.538-05:002016-11-22T10:19:13.538-05:00EERIER IDIO-OVO-EGO
The MIDDLENAME is trouble. A ...EERIER IDIO-OVO-EGO<br /><br />The MIDDLENAME is trouble. A BADGIRL? ESME plays a NICE one.<br />In JEANS and ALSO ABRA, ESME works the ALETAP for FUN.<br />EVAN (CAPTAINAMERICA) CALLS and thanks her,<br />you see, ESME (MR.MOM) is a DRAGSTER,<br />so removing HIS BARBRA wasn’t the WORST thing he/she’s DUN.<br /><br />--- REBA “WALDO” RWANDA LANKA<br />this stream of unconsciousness composed in the SBARRO <br />near the BARCELONA METRO, with love and ALSO squalor<br /><br />oh QOM on, it’s not the 19 lines of a villanelle<br />if I was a sheep, I’d give you ABAA<br />Burma Shave's WORSTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30172643791129036892016-10-19T14:16:50.165-04:002016-10-19T14:16:50.165-04:00Yuck, yuck, and yuck. How in the world is AQABA cr...Yuck, yuck, and yuck. How in the world is AQABA crossing QOM allowed? And on a Tuesday? Fail.Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18080027831092093115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35643537682430368912016-10-19T13:19:24.545-04:002016-10-19T13:19:24.545-04:00Ditto. I was so pleased to watch the trailer and ...Ditto. I was so pleased to watch the trailer and reminisce. joannamauselinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704088243529623023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59988684865799313022016-10-18T23:30:51.225-04:002016-10-18T23:30:51.225-04:00Another WIN for VIN!!!!Another WIN for VIN!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53788594890447155702016-10-18T20:54:00.254-04:002016-10-18T20:54:00.254-04:00I find that I have grown enormously fond of all th...I find that I have grown enormously fond of all the avatar dogs on this blog.Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16737377749030219974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6677683440910865062016-10-18T20:48:29.902-04:002016-10-18T20:48:29.902-04:00To add to the chorus of complaints, and I've s...To add to the chorus of complaints, and I've said this earlier: isn't it a puzzle no-no to have the solution etymologically related to the clue? I'm thinking of 56A, roasted and roti.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86962591516833792172016-10-18T19:46:49.899-04:002016-10-18T19:46:49.899-04:00Rex’s insertion of the trailer from The Third Man ...Rex’s insertion of the trailer from The Third Man might be the highlight of today’s Blog. I guess Rex likes it, even though it is older than he. It is a timeless classic despite being set in a post-WWII Vienna which remained partitioned into four zones until the Soviets left in the early 50s. It is noted for its zither music throughout the entire film. Nothing but the zither. Haunting. The best scene, which sums up the insanity of the times, can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyuJQ_UO7OE<br />Da Bearshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10584502565199186614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9271799296440869642016-10-18T18:36:41.716-04:002016-10-18T18:36:41.716-04:00Lively discussionoid today
@M&A - I second Le...Lively discussionoid today<br /><br />@M&A - I second Leapy - loved your BARCELONA_METRO! And for those who hate the entry, I was skeptical, too, but just a bit of googling revealed that this is indeed what it is called in English, as in Spanish (I presume) it is 'unofficially' called 'Metro de Barcelona'. Has its own wikipage and everything. Am I missing something?<br /><br />@ Numy - what a remarkable looking creature you have!... some variety of devil-dog, perhaps? She sounds like a real handful, but I agree, smart counts for a lot. <br /><br />I, too, resisted ONE_REED - after all, a clarinet is referred to as a 'single-REED instrument', not a...well, anyway, another instrument that needs but ONE is the chalumeau. Telemann is one of the composers who wrote for it.<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voePKo1wJvo <br /><br /><br />beatricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16162755764092888665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2888934805428567742016-10-18T17:42:07.312-04:002016-10-18T17:42:07.312-04:00If only they clued SBARRO with "Michael Scott...If only they clued SBARRO with "Michael Scott's Favorite New York Slice!" Berseliushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18152264687269202340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79452841841304362392016-10-18T17:11:56.860-04:002016-10-18T17:11:56.860-04:00@mathgent - there is considerable overlap among NY...@mathgent - there is considerable overlap among NYT and LAT constructors. In general I'd say the LAT puzzles tend to be slightly easier except for the Sat. puzzle which is comparable to the NYT Sat. As for quality (which is somewhat subjective) I'd say they are equal, i.e., sometimes pretty good others times not. I do the LAT because I've arranged to have the paper show up at my door every morning. jaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66015381580468732602016-10-18T16:40:20.198-04:002016-10-18T16:40:20.198-04:00As usual, this puzzle was not quite as dire as one...<br />As usual, this puzzle was not quite as dire as one would gather from reading Rex's write-up. At least for me it wasn't.<br /><br />But BARCELONA METRO? Really? Why not the VIENNA METRO, DINA MERRILL, TUNA MELT, UNA MERKEL, VENA METACARPUS, MELINA MERCOURI, etc.?<br /><br />-- ONE REED gets one finger. A better clue would have been: "Marsh unit."<br />-- When does ANEMONE become an enemy? When you don't know how to pronounce it.<br /><br />Listen to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPCQajtiqqI" rel="nofollow">SonatiNA MEridional</a> by Manuel María Ponce Cuéllar (1882-1948), better known by his second MIDDLE NAME, Ponce.<br />AliasZhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477396362209386037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56819167855792500272016-10-18T16:21:11.671-04:002016-10-18T16:21:11.671-04:00Although I wrote in WAR first as well, the US neve...Although I wrote in WAR first as well, the US never officially declared war in Vietnam. The military still officially refers to it as a conflict, although I have to say it seemed a lot like a war to me during my year there. <br /><br />Theme was okay although I thought it was going to be "missing man" as well since I noticed the word man backward in each themer. Did not notice NAME going forward. Duh. <br /><br />Too many DNFs and naticks on the AQABA/QOM crossing to be good for a Tuesday. RAD2626https://www.blogger.com/profile/18196568765752439378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60157539609106214772016-10-18T14:41:34.600-04:002016-10-18T14:41:34.600-04:00Thank you @Greater Fall River. I couldn't see ...Thank you @Greater Fall River. I couldn't see that for the life of me.Hartley70https://www.blogger.com/profile/00557118655188472450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23039042586488169122016-10-18T14:19:04.925-04:002016-10-18T14:19:04.925-04:00Well hello, Mary Lou, good-bye QOM!!
@M&A, go...Well hello, Mary Lou, good-bye QOM!!<br /><br />@M&A, got a laugh out of your Barcelona CIEU CIEU, tieu. Saw yieu tippytoe past that boy, swoop!<br /><br />@Teedmn, I think you have it: BAR BRA, burn same.<br /><br />Off to support my local dentist. TARTAR for now.Leapfingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14243620614139990887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79608032145857182552016-10-18T14:14:59.943-04:002016-10-18T14:14:59.943-04:00"ClarinetIST'S need" perhaps better...."ClarinetIST'S need" perhaps better. AQABA/QOM. Surely you jest. I haven't done nearly as many puzzles as you folks. Hated it.Crane Poolenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28952656070155440372016-10-18T14:05:53.241-04:002016-10-18T14:05:53.241-04:00I have many Qualms about this Quite Questionable f...I have many Qualms about this Quite Questionable fill. It's time to Quaff a colossal bowl of yaQona to Quiet my senses.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07122976831327451139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7910311164269834442016-10-18T14:01:51.611-04:002016-10-18T14:01:51.611-04:00Holy wow. I never, ever knew that (obviously). Two...Holy wow. I never, ever knew that (obviously). Two years of Latin didn't get me through to oleum, I suppose. <br /><br />I stand humbly corrected. <br />Alysiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05852273461889866415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52365837794401798422016-10-18T13:21:27.229-04:002016-10-18T13:21:27.229-04:00I'm glad I knew QOM was a Iranian holy city or...I'm glad I knew QOM was a Iranian holy city or, holy batman, I probably would have DNF'd. Easy Tuesday, otherwise. Congrats to Mary Lou on finally reaching the septfecta of puzzling.<br /><br />I think the woen has goen to M&A's hoed (or perhaps it is the paucity of U's.) Made me laugh, anyway. <br />For me, the theme worked and the revealer duo of 50A and 57A were nice. BAR BRA seems like an entry to a different theme, if I could figure out what it should be.<br /><br />My brother still has his resume on a ZIP DRIVE so he can come to my place of work and revise it - he hasn't figured out how to do any editing on his laptop. So not completely obsolescent yet.Teedmnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12832353448839187816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54296020733084170562016-10-18T13:15:14.869-04:002016-10-18T13:15:14.869-04:00@ED 7:42 - Man, you "choose to be offended&qu...@ED 7:42 - Man, you "choose to be offended" by the most innocuous things.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com