tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6069485883834006208..comments2024-03-29T05:08:37.783-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Anise-flavored liquid / MON 1-13-14 / Britain's last King Henry / Rio carnival dance / Wine-producing area of SE FranceRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31973331025002441252014-02-17T15:14:57.848-05:002014-02-17T15:14:57.848-05:00Didn't we have that whole "word count&quo...Didn't we have that whole "word count" discussion here once before?<br /><br />@SiS - Sometimes reading through all the comments makes my eyepits hurt. But I do enjoy M&A's remarks and your philosophical question seems like one he might ask.<br /><br />@DMG - A large bounty has been placed on the head of a certain grounhog. But I'm doing just fine, thanks for asking.<br /><br />9s over 3s, so another losing hand.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65529884640890377582014-02-17T14:21:34.963-05:002014-02-17T14:21:34.963-05:00Easy enough puzzle once "went" became GO...Easy enough puzzle once "went" became GONE,and I accepted SERIES for what looked to me strangely like Fibonacci's Sequence. But it's been a long, long time since I studied either grammar or math, so who knows? I have a hard enough time trying to catch on to the present jargon to keep up with changes to what was "right" in the past! At any rate, I think this was fun for ONE and ALL.<br /><br />@Diri: How are doing with the "endless winter"? <br /><br />Three 9's and a pair of 4's. On to Tuesday.DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88724074319668483162014-02-17T13:20:49.519-05:002014-02-17T13:20:49.519-05:00GOOSES AID YDS. A running back truism.
Sometimes ...GOOSES AID YDS. A running back truism.<br /><br />Sometimes one reads this blog and wonders how many pewits can dance on the head of a pin.<br /><br />Have a great week Syndylanders, ONEANDALL.<br /><br />Capcha: PrePete. The Seahawks before Coach Carroll?Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45146609057347208972014-02-17T11:56:26.000-05:002014-02-17T11:56:26.000-05:00Top line: OFFER PLUS COP = bribe? I knew I was in ...Top line: OFFER PLUS COP = bribe? I knew I was in for a TREAT. Another "NEATO" (gad! did she really make me print that word?) pairing was the second down line: FORASONG/ATONAL.<br /><br />All this fuss about tenses--they've GONEBALLISTIC! Not that hard to work into a conversation.<br /><br />Very interesting, but astoundingly simple, way to count the words, O Fearless One. Each word, perforce, needs a numbered clue, but you need to count the NW-cornered ones twice. Easy as cake, as the cosmonaut in "2010" would say.<br /><br />Yes, I saw the famous sequence, and with Fibonacci being a 9-letter name my only (momentary) question was, did he go in 18a or 58a? Hold on there, big fella, no such luck. But the actual theme and answers? "Piece of pie."<br /><br />Ms. Lempel, if you must give an LL shoutout, does it have to be LOHAN? You couldn't fit, say, Lawrence Luckinbill or Lily Langtree in there somewhere? Nah, guess not. There's a challenge for your next OFFERing, which I eagerly await.<br /><br />A dinghy, 44499.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74643785152532638412014-01-14T16:07:31.076-05:002014-01-14T16:07:31.076-05:00PS to @NoMathAnon. There are only a finite number...PS to @NoMathAnon. There are only a finite number of subway stops in Newark NJ (or anywhere else for that matter). The three dots at the end of the sequence clearly indicates that this is an infinite sequence. Therefore, it could not be a reference to a finite series of subway stops.Robert Vanderbeihttp://www.princeton.edu/~rvdb/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51563706512991298232014-01-14T07:43:21.916-05:002014-01-14T07:43:21.916-05:00Thank you so much for sharing this informative pos...Thank you so much for sharing this informative post.. Stay blessed!!<br /><a href="http://www.blowhookah.com/Tanks_c_32.html" rel="nofollow">pro tank</a>Vape blowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16791983888941370995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7547157733739859892014-01-13T22:43:57.143-05:002014-01-13T22:43:57.143-05:00Yes, sequence and SERIES are definitely two differ...Yes, sequence and SERIES are definitely two different things (a SERIES is the sum of a sequence). I'm not sure if they have the same meaning in the UK and other countries, but here, they are different. Despite that little nitpick with the puzzle, it was a lot of fun!Kathrynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2464417437859625622014-01-13T22:02:13.578-05:002014-01-13T22:02:13.578-05:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation and my 10/15/2012 post for an explanation of a tweak I've made to my method. In a nutshell, the higher the ratio, the higher this week's median solve time is relative to the average for the corresponding day of the week.<br /><br />All solvers (this week's median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Mon 5:48, 6:22, 0.91, 12%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:35, 3:58, 0.90, 5%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16205575050284754042014-01-13T19:22:42.411-05:002014-01-13T19:22:42.411-05:00A whole page dedicated to the Fibonacci SERIES. O...<a href="http://www.goldenmeangauge.co.uk/fibonacci.htm" rel="nofollow">A whole page dedicated to the Fibonacci SERIES</a>. Of course, it is a UK site and everyone knows they barely speak English over there. I bet they don't even know what the conditional perfect progressive tense is. Remember, crosswords often use misdirection in cluing. In this particular case the misdirection catches people who know more, whereas those of us who forgot or never learned the technical difference between SERIES and sequence barely hesitated. Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13143130427561156192014-01-13T17:09:05.693-05:002014-01-13T17:09:05.693-05:00I love Lynn Lempel puzzles - accessible, fresh, an...I love Lynn Lempel puzzles - accessible, fresh, and interesting. thank you!! John in Phillynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89537478446048481612014-01-13T16:09:33.190-05:002014-01-13T16:09:33.190-05:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation and my 10/15/2012 post for an explanation of a tweak I've made to my method. In a nutshell, the higher the ratio, the higher this week's median solve time is relative to the average for the corresponding day of the week.<br /><br />All solvers (this week's median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Mon 5:48, 6:22, 0.91, 12%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:41, 3:58, 0.93, 16%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43622705832202729462014-01-13T15:33:09.748-05:002014-01-13T15:33:09.748-05:00@efrex - Great catch, do we know the significance ...@efrex - Great catch, do we know the significance of the letters (C, V, B, W) separating ONE and ALL?Curiousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69628719666758196402014-01-13T15:31:24.508-05:002014-01-13T15:31:24.508-05:00@Rex
As I mathematician, I really like the square-...@Rex<br />As I mathematician, I really like the square-counting algorithm. Once you point it out, it's easy to see why it works, but I never thought about doing anything but counting half the words and doubling (using symmetry) before. Thanks!<br /><br />Also, yay, Fibonaccis!<br /><br />And this was very smooth and easy, the first time I've ever broken 4 minutes on paper!<br />Badirnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63943607899405324372014-01-13T15:12:23.526-05:002014-01-13T15:12:23.526-05:00@lms
Paste a copy of your paste paragraph for your...@lms<br />Paste a copy of your paste paragraph for your novel!<br />Hilarious!<br />Seriously, go back over this last year or two of blogs and cut and paste one of your stories into a separate file and I guarantee you willhave something publishable by the end of this year!<br /><br />@efrex 10:19<br />One letter separation! Thanks forointing that out, makes me appreciate this even more!<br /><br />Fwiw, LL says her original series clue was about sitcoms, for example.Acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13173615682827502142014-01-13T14:47:43.599-05:002014-01-13T14:47:43.599-05:00Curios if anyone else has heard it used in this se...Curios if anyone else has heard it used in this sense: when a missile runs out of fuel don't they say that it has "gone ballistic"?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8941533754100065852014-01-13T14:29:53.351-05:002014-01-13T14:29:53.351-05:00Much talk of grammar and math today. Caused an ep...Much talk of grammar and math today. Caused an epiphany for me. Math isn't the thing that hurts my head the most to hear about. It's grammar - definitely.<br /><br />Brings to mind a tv ad for a bank from a few years ago. The bank is claiming that they can make discussing investment stategies much easier than their competitors. To illustrate what their competitors do, they cut to a scene where the investment counsellor at another bank welcomes a customer into their office. The customer timidly states "I'd like some investment advice." The counsellor points to their desk and says sweetly. That's wonderful. If you'll kindly insert your head into the vise, we'll begin."<br /><br />Always saw this as a wonderful illustration of what it can be like. jburgsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30376324081164559122014-01-13T14:08:36.735-05:002014-01-13T14:08:36.735-05:001)Puzzle contained the easiest clue that is possib...1)Puzzle contained the easiest clue that is possible: +=plus.<br /><br />2) I can't understand the fuss about the number of words in<br />a puzzle. An exercise in<br />pointlessness.<br /><br />3) And the argument about the<br />tense of "gone". Give me a break. ANON Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70816399051593111652014-01-13T14:06:04.323-05:002014-01-13T14:06:04.323-05:00@NoMathAnon -- regarding the Math is Fun website t...@NoMathAnon -- regarding the Math is Fun website that you mentioned, the Fibonacci numbers are called a sequence 14 times and a series just once. I'm sure if you asked the authors of that site they would concede that the term series was a mistake. Mathematics is a precise language. And, regarding "just a bunch of numbers", that is exactly what the term "sequence" means in mathematics: a bunch of numbers (listed in a prescribed order). The series is the sum of the numbers. So, the e.g. at the end of the clue asked what is the Fibonacci sequence and example of. It is an example of a sequence. PS. I don't rides trains much but I somehow doubt that the stops in Newark are numbered 0, 1, 1, 2, etc.Robert Vanderbeihttp://www.princeton.edu/~rvdb/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3867035355312839232014-01-13T13:48:40.067-05:002014-01-13T13:48:40.067-05:00Oh, @Pete, now I understand. The number assigned ...Oh, @Pete, now I understand. The number assigned to the last across clue is not the same as the number of clues. It also gives the number of downs, not counting the ones that come off the initial letter of the across answer. <br /><br />Definitely goed to bed too late... three and outa here. Ellen Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00473445503706985149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68080495864844576122014-01-13T13:43:12.558-05:002014-01-13T13:43:12.558-05:00Re: pluperfects, past participles, etc.
All you g...Re: pluperfects, past participles, etc.<br /><br />All you grammarians need to relax.Went and gone ballisticnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35904514227020243592014-01-13T13:42:53.201-05:002014-01-13T13:42:53.201-05:00@Two Ponies -- I'm with you.
"Haven't...@Two Ponies -- I'm with you.<br />"Haven't you ever gone ballistic?"<br />"Haven't you ever flown into a rage?"<br />So the structure of the clue matches the structure of the answer. Isn't that what matters?<br /><br />But, I GOed to bed way too late and still not really awake. Strange. I have went to bed later and gotten up awaker.<br /><br />Anyway -- still groggy, so I can't understand about the word count. @Retired Chemist , it sounds good when you say it fast, but aren't ALL the downs "answers" - why don't the downs that come off an intermediate across letter count. I can't even ask that coherently. Please someone help. 'Splain it to me or make me go back to bed or something... Ellen Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00473445503706985149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17457501864986924312014-01-13T13:40:18.282-05:002014-01-13T13:40:18.282-05:00Liked it. Good theme and no bad fill (well, perhap...Liked it. Good theme and no bad fill (well, perhaps the RRN is the only standout). After the first two themers, I was thinking some kind of “HONE” theme, but that idea was nixed at 36A.<br /><br />Only nit is on 36A as I think I’ve only heard “WENT BALLISTIC”, but as @Steve J already mentioned Google says there are about 75K hits on “GONE BALLISTIC” so that’s fine.<br /><br />We have EONS and ERAS, but no AGES.<br /><br />@Evan – I paused for about 2 seconds at 58A wondering about AND (does it belong? is it in the themers?), but moved on. And it’s not as if the word is a critical part of the clue.<br /><br />Happy Monday all.Birdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47160892564786196912014-01-13T13:32:36.862-05:002014-01-13T13:32:36.862-05:00@LMS: I have to admit that I don't like the s...@LMS: I have to admit that I don't like the sound of "have went". <br />To the "pluperfect" doubters: In a sentence like "She had GONE BALLISTIC when she had found out her boyfriend was cheating with her best friend," this would be the pluperfect usage. So it's possible, if not implied.<br />Three and out!Benkonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57291689573943001992014-01-13T13:22:16.840-05:002014-01-13T13:22:16.840-05:00@Jberg, I didn't get enough sleep last night, ...@Jberg, I didn't get enough sleep last night, so brain just limping along as I finished up the puzzle this morning (having fallen asleep over it last night). I actually almost put in "GOed BALLISTIC" before I realized there was a real word that would've went better. <br /><br />And, yeah, I looked at that string of numbers and thought, "I'm going to have to spell Fibonacci? I can't even spell GONE!"Ellen Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00473445503706985149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84645661647692430102014-01-13T13:21:09.967-05:002014-01-13T13:21:09.967-05:00@ Jerry - It is. To do it your way you would have...@ Jerry - It is. To do it your way you would have to count each individual clue, across and down. The way Rex described, get the maximum question number then add all instances where question numbers are duplicated (where there's an upper left in a box resulting in, e.g. 1D/1A) is much easier.Petenoreply@blogger.com