tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post5781036258841220269..comments2024-03-18T22:08:40.448-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Automaker Adam / FRI 6-7-13 / Neighbor of Hercules / Hungarian city known for Bull's Blood Wine / 1958-61 polit. alliance / Home of Sinbad sailor / Antes up for peanuts / Jack Benny persona / Humanoid cryptidRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34992520966594629792022-04-17T15:44:03.919-04:002022-04-17T15:44:03.919-04:00"Ball the jack", usually with the gerund..."Ball the jack", usually with the gerund "Ballin'", was common slang when the dance came out. That tune was popular enough for several covers, including a parody from the Smothers Brothers ("Doin' the Shrimp").<br /><br />"Cat's Paw" is another long-standing idiom. Really, if you keep accepting long-dead baseball players, dysfunctional cartoon and TV references, and felonious rap artists, I think you should quit being blinkered on the semi-archaic slang you're willing to accept. You're okay with beatnik phrases, but not more mainstream lingo?<br /><br />I agree that TKO is the icing on this cake -- the last thing I got was the 'K'. A hard puzzle, but -- at long last -- worth the effort.Prunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00224476641730508311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-708880239115565022013-07-13T01:59:25.030-04:002013-07-13T01:59:25.030-04:00DNF, not even close, but I've got to say there...DNF, not even close, but I've got to say there was a lot of clever clueing, and some interesting answers. On my first run through I had both BUMPPO and JIMI, go figure. depiCtS for EVINCES held me up though I eventually sorted that out. BALL THE JACK needs the 'in'. Really wanted bra for 40-A. <br /><br />I'm old, but this played too tough for me. Google helped some, but in the end I needed to come here. If tomorrow is harder then this, I'm in real trouble.Gingernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22176814020869999072013-07-12T20:39:06.056-04:002013-07-12T20:39:06.056-04:00One last comment, in case it was not clear (I tend...One last comment, in case it was not clear (I tend to ramble...). I had fun with this puzzle even though it was so very hard. Not complaining!Syndi Solvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36370282214519927252013-07-12T20:29:17.677-04:002013-07-12T20:29:17.677-04:00I'm a mid-level solver who worked my way slowl...I'm a mid-level solver who worked my way slowly, very slowly, through this great puzzle, but was finally done in by ANAGRAM, which denied me a finish in the NW.TAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26991317419414946972013-07-12T20:28:36.132-04:002013-07-12T20:28:36.132-04:00@Dirigonzo, yes, absolutely, learning new things i...@Dirigonzo, yes, absolutely, learning new things is a good thing from my point of view! <br /><br />I do these Fri-Sat puzzles even though most of them are too hard for me to finish without help. I figure that I will learn something and maybe even remember it for next time! :-) But this one SEEMed even harder than most of the Friday puzzles I've done.<br /><br />I posted today without reading any old comments. Only later did I see the discussion agreeing on the missing B from plumb. So thanks for the heads up.<br /><br />By the way, I posted my thoughts on "Gaily bedight" yesterday (that extract from Poe's poem Eldorado). I memorized that poem way back in high school so my guess could be completely wrong.Syndi Solvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-105445683529499452013-07-12T20:16:18.000-04:002013-07-12T20:16:18.000-04:00Last thing I filled in was ANAGRAM, great clue and...Last thing I filled in was ANAGRAM, great clue and a nice way to end. I have heard of NICEN up before but not sure I've ever said it. BALLTHEJACK?? Really?? Bell or Bull weren't any more familiar but I figured when you play jacks you use a ball. This took about 3-4x longer than last Friday and that was with a pretty quick East end since LIFEISVERYSHORT was a gimme for me.sdcheezhdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05457420125517948430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41060222400925581462013-07-12T20:05:39.531-04:002013-07-12T20:05:39.531-04:00@Syndi Solver - I read your comment as a list of t...@Syndi Solver - I read your comment as a list of things you learned from the puzzle; that's a good thing, don't you think? As to PLUM, it seems you are absolutely right - see @Notsofast 1:44pm comment which sums it up nicely.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44887697103626433962013-07-12T19:45:42.942-04:002013-07-12T19:45:42.942-04:00This one was way too hard for me. No way I could f...This one was way too hard for me. No way I could finish without a lot of help. I wrote ? next to many clues, either because there were words in the clue that I did not recognize (cryptid?) or the answer was a person or thing that I did not know. But I tried to MAKE THE BEST OF IT.<br /><br />My favorite clue was for ANAGRAM. A close second is the clue for TKO. It took me until just now to understand "swinging halter" -- for others who are as confused as I was, a TKO halts the swinging (stops the fight). Clever!<br /><br />I'm a birder but don't know any of the scientific names so Troglodytes troglodytes was no help. I have heard the phrase BALLin THE JACK (from old movies, I thought it was a type of dance?) so at least the short version of this was not completely foreign. I've never read any Cooper at all so BUMPPO was completely unknown. I do know a few songs by The Beatles but I have not memorized lyrics because LIFE IS VERY SHORT. :-) I guess "We Can Work It Out" is a song I've only heard a few times since I only got this from crosses and guesses, not memory.<br /><br />Last of all, I was confused by the spelling of PLUM TUCKERED OUT. Shouldn't there be B at the end of PLUM? That's how it has been spelled when I've seen it in print. That first word does not refer to fruit. Plumb means fully or completely in this expression. Hmm, maybe this is an example of an eggcorn? <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggcorn" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggcorn</a> (thought I'm not sure how plum works in this expression)Syndi Solvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73566910529528363582013-07-12T19:27:25.543-04:002013-07-12T19:27:25.543-04:00@SiS, great idea as long as it includes a TOASTED ...@SiS, great idea as long as it includes a TOASTED bagel...Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81624522016798836032013-07-12T18:08:06.398-04:002013-07-12T18:08:06.398-04:00Pretty much what @Spacecraft said, except it took ...Pretty much what @Spacecraft said, except it took me most of the afternoon to finally see the peanuts anagram and finish the NW. I circled that clue plus "Swinging halter, for short" as being my faves.<br /><br />@CaliTina - I also considered stANK but never actually wrote it in. It would have been interesting if DRANK had been clued as "Acted like a fish" as the phrase "drinks like a fish" is pretty common, at least in my little corner of syndi-land.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37558277101694694452013-07-12T17:23:37.438-04:002013-07-12T17:23:37.438-04:00@Waxy, why not ORDERIN an MRE?
Watch out for NICE...@Waxy, why not ORDERIN an MRE?<br /><br />Watch out for NICEN laced letters!<br /><br />I like the word EVINCES, and will pledge to use it at least once in my lifetime.<br /><br />capcha: ramgin. Either a new Dodge truck power plant, or what one does Friday after work.Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37648054208527573962013-07-12T17:11:04.421-04:002013-07-12T17:11:04.421-04:00All of the above except my 22A sponge stANK before...All of the above except my 22A sponge stANK before it DRANKCaliTinanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86775154816162392452013-07-12T16:16:37.732-04:002013-07-12T16:16:37.732-04:00Certainly not ONATEAR today. Was unaware of MRE as...Certainly not ONATEAR today. Was unaware of MRE as an abbrev. for Meals Ready to Eat. (Only knew it as shorthand for Moral and Religious Education.) Had ACHE before AAHS, BETTY D & DEEM for the BETTY'S/SEEM juncture and never made an ANAGRAM of 2D.<br /><br />On the other hand, LIFEISVERYSHORT was a gimme along with PENROSE and USNA so much of the puzzle evolved steadily although it ultimately was a DNF.<br /><br />Right now, I'm PLUMTUCKEREDOUT so think I'll ORDERIN for my supper tonight. Might even complete the evening with some SCENTEDTEA (Earl Grey, of course.)<br /><br /> Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9318692236206607352013-07-12T14:29:00.455-04:002013-07-12T14:29:00.455-04:00Yikes! Another themeless Friday. Didn't think ...Yikes! Another themeless Friday. Didn't think that I'd even come close but finished it after head scratching over an hour. "Life is very short" clicked & then I was off! I tried to "make the best of it", & was almost "over the edge" & was "plum tuckered out" before the end. Thanks for a great puz!Torbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01813931192681953872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57907979649979237032013-07-12T10:44:28.313-04:002013-07-12T10:44:28.313-04:00Finished successfully--with no help--but it took m...Finished successfully--with no help--but it took me a solid hour. A giant gimme to get in the door: the truism LIFEISVERYSHORT. It sure is, John. Yours was way TOO short.<br /><br />Now Ed, I am a Pennsylvania Dutchman of the first water, hex signs all over the place, and I have NEVER!! EVER! heard of "NICEN." "Neaten up?" Sure. Make the light out? You bet. But not "NICEN." And where outside of PD could one hope to find such a word? Noplace. This is strictly a made-up-for-crossword word, period. If I threw the challenge flag in a Scrabble tournament, you'd lose your turn for sure.<br /><br />But, it was forced in on crosses, because thankfully I knew that Staubach had played at Navy.<br /><br />BETTYS crossing YETI made me smile; there's a popular slot machine called "Betti the Yetti."<br /><br />NW was the last, and hardest. Finally sussed that "Antes up for peanuts" is indeed an ANAGRAM, very clever; and that "Mature" does indeed mean COMEDUE. Not a clue about "Troglodytes troglodytes," which turned out to be a biological designation for WREN, but I was looking at WREt, since my "One catching [the] game" was StARER. I figured, WREt can't be right; even NICEN is closer to a word than that. Then the final AAHS moment hit: it was one catching game, not THE game, and the answer was SNARER! Sticking "the" in that clue was dastardly underhanded, sirrah! I shall stab you with my cold-war weapon, the deadly ICICLE!<br /><br />Re 18d: From somewhere in the deep recesses came a R&R oldie: "BALLin' THE JACK." I don't even remember how it goes, just the title. I assume from the posts here that "JACK" refers to a jackhammer, but I wouldn't know what "BALLin'" would be.<br /><br />In that context.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52858991439709921192013-06-09T22:46:50.210-04:002013-06-09T22:46:50.210-04:00It took me 3 days, but i finally finished (with on...It took me 3 days, but i finally finished (with one mistake). Ouch, this one was really tough! It made the Saturday puzzle feel like a Wednesday.nebraska dougnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8314684399170335502013-06-08T06:25:40.997-04:002013-06-08T06:25:40.997-04:00"I been ballin' that shiny steel black ja..."I been ballin' that shiny steel black jack hammer<br />Been chippin' up rocks for the great highway..."<br /><br />Yup. That kind of solve. August Westnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-58705295649185316902013-06-08T01:45:55.283-04:002013-06-08T01:45:55.283-04:00Got hung up on 40A --- Wanted BRA, finally grokked...Got hung up on 40A --- Wanted BRA, finally grokked TKO. Great puzzle, way enjoyable Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84714298454401063842013-06-07T23:13:19.953-04:002013-06-07T23:13:19.953-04:00Why does a puzzle creator have to play fair? If e...Why does a puzzle creator have to play fair? If everything's familiar then there's no challenge. What fun is that? I live for the tough ones. Do you really have to be over 50 to know who Jack Benny was?dm3000https://www.blogger.com/profile/12053238727094376741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26194826409522472992013-06-07T22:23:47.084-04:002013-06-07T22:23:47.084-04:00I didn't find this as hard as most of you. Old...I didn't find this as hard as most of you. Old enough to know Eve Arden and Jack Benny and Penrose was the first answer I put in. Never heard of "ball the jack" and "wren" was a surprise (still don't get it). <br /><br />Liked the puzzle.michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25807189360029412872013-06-07T22:10:03.594-04:002013-06-07T22:10:03.594-04:00I like the folk saying/folk wisdom vibe from the l...I like the folk saying/folk wisdom vibe from the long answers...<br /><br />Came in ahead of my pace car tushnet for a change...sanfranman59 is far harder on himself than MR if his sixteen consecutive successful Friday solves means he never got the incorrect signal...by MR's robot villain standards it's a successful solve as long as there's no Googling...MetaRexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01697113550216241303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84728478860581761322013-06-07T21:53:20.516-04:002013-06-07T21:53:20.516-04:00Am older. And it did NOT resonate.Am older. And it did NOT resonate.Shamikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11635283729322415150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29256276155302502142013-06-07T19:49:45.178-04:002013-06-07T19:49:45.178-04:00@Bob K -- Thanks for the heads up on BEQ.
Being o...@Bob K -- Thanks for the heads up on BEQ.<br /><br />Being of a certain age did help me on this one. The Beatles lyric was a gimme as were the Benny and EVE ARDEN clue/answers, had heard the term CATS PAW used to describe a dupe, and knew the phrase BALL THE JACK just not in that context.<br /><br />The only real WOEs for me were PENROSE, EGER and BETTYS.jaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73746924938511327722013-06-07T18:27:28.688-04:002013-06-07T18:27:28.688-04:00Tough Friday puzzle, the toughest I can remember f...Tough Friday puzzle, the toughest I can remember for a while. Also couldn't do it in the morning, had a Dutch coffee/luncheon to go to. So much rain in CT..... It's scary.<br /><br />I started out with "Michelle, ma belle" and hunter. Had to sing a couple of songs to figure out 12D, that was fun.<br /><br />Didn't like UAL and UAR on the same side of the puzzle. After getting a couple of letters I had "Sell the farm" at 18D. Looked good to me, never heard of ball the jack, or cat's paw, for that matter. Add Penrose, Betty's and Bumppo (should have remembered that from a couple of books) and I was in real trouble.<br /><br />I also missed the B in 60A. Oddly enough, I enjoyed my time working on this piece.<br />machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5242263564157609042013-06-07T17:39:29.348-04:002013-06-07T17:39:29.348-04:00Jack Benny was not a miser in real life but that w...Jack Benny was not a miser in real life but <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Benny" rel="nofollow">that was his shtick.</a> To me the funniest skit EVER (Radio OR TV) was "your money or yout life" (see link).retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.com