tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6095639891253927180..comments2024-03-19T09:47:21.454-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Introduction of 1927 — THURSDAY, Nov. 26, 2009 — Rabanne who was costume designer for Barbarella / Time manager's directive / Introduction of 1977Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56397750851967129172009-11-29T14:26:40.462-05:002009-11-29T14:26:40.462-05:00willie e.: You and me both with our hands on the b...willie e.: You and me both with our hands on the bible of American dictionaries.slypetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537129206516720012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77858251878841260522009-11-29T12:19:39.750-05:002009-11-29T12:19:39.750-05:00When I checked at home, I checked. I am happy to ...When I checked at home, I checked. I am happy to report that Nephelococcygia was in Webster's 2nd International. (You know, the <i>real</i> unabridged Webster's.)william e embanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39759759783809299332009-11-27T14:31:08.205-05:002009-11-27T14:31:08.205-05:00Well cut off my legs and call me Shorty! Talk abo...Well cut off my legs and call me Shorty! Talk about coincidence. Seriously, I don't watch TV, and I only find out about the good stuff later, usually way way later.<br /><br />I did use Google to make sure I spelled it correctly, though! And no, people didn't suddenly add the word after seeing the show. Wiktionary has had it since 2007.<br /><br />And thanks for the link!william e embanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85646349104335975772009-11-27T14:21:20.620-05:002009-11-27T14:21:20.620-05:00Actually, I learned Nephelococcygia from Aristopha...Actually, I learned Nephelococcygia from Aristophanes <i>The Birds</i> back in high school. The word is the name of the paradise the birds plan to build. It was popularized by Schopenhauer (in awful German translation) and is commonly known in English as "Cloud Cuckoo-land".<br /><br />It's an unfortunately way-too-obscure word, but it has a history that maybe someday the OED will acknowledge. See <a href="http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=423940" rel="nofollow">here for some famous scientific usage</a>.william e embanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12096964011349063402009-11-27T14:10:15.004-05:002009-11-27T14:10:15.004-05:00Her's a bit more on the Millionaire reference....Her's a bit more on the <a href="http://gameshows.about.com/od/whowantsmillionaire/ss/millionaire_tournament_8.htm" rel="nofollow">Millionaire</a> reference.Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15601101708377648612009-11-27T13:58:28.515-05:002009-11-27T13:58:28.515-05:00@william e emba - Thanks for the correction. See...@william e emba - Thanks for the correction. Seems like I may have had the punch line a bit wrong, as well the spelling of Charles Schulz's name, which Prof. Rex corrected ever so gently.<br /><br />But, really, Nephelococcygia? Is that really in your standard vocabulary, or did you happen to see it, as I did, on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? last week?Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72662010264056451462009-11-27T13:34:46.054-05:002009-11-27T13:34:46.054-05:00Only hiccups were I didn't believe ZAP was a B...Only hiccups were I didn't believe ZAP was a Batman sound, and we just learned earlier this month (11/3) that ELSIE THE COW appeared at the 1939 World's Fair!<br /><br />The only reason this wasn't my fastest Thursday was because the libraries were all closed, so I borrowed my neighbor's NYT and filled out the grid on a separate sheet of paper and then afterwards returned the paper.<br />================================<br />Nephelococcygia and Charlie Brown! What a fantastic combination that was. Schulz claimed that that 1965 Sunday cartoon received more feedback over the years than any other. Lucy, Linus, and CB are lying on a mound. CB makes some pretty impressive faces during Linus' descriptions.<br /><br />Lucy: Aren't the clouds beautiful? They look like big balls of cotton. I could just lie here all day and watch them drift by. If you use your imagination, you can see lots of things in the cloud's formations. What do you think you see, Linus?<br /><br />Linus: Well, those clouds up there look to me look like the map of the British Honduras on the Caribbean. That cloud up there looks a little like the profile of Thomas Eakins, the famous painter and sculptor. And that group of clouds over there gives me the impression of the Stoning of Stephen. I can see the Apostle Paul standing there to one side.<br /><br />Lucy: Uh huh. That's very good. What do you see in the clouds, Charlie Brown?<br /><br />Charlie Brown: Well... I was going to say I saw a duckie and a horsie, but I changed my mind.william e embanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43182252848165322412009-11-27T08:07:41.398-05:002009-11-27T08:07:41.398-05:00@ohforgoodnesssake, 1:19 AM - You said "Do NO...@ohforgoodnesssake, 1:19 AM - You said "Do NOT connect the circles, just unscramble the letters in them! :)"<br /><br />That's a good idea. But what do we get by unscrambling?<br /><br />Cherish a lamp<br /><br />hi, hemp rascal<br /><br />each lip harms<br /><br />I hamper clash<br /><br />hale Sir Champ<br /><br />Champ, he rails?<br /><br />or, <br /><br />Acme, harsh lip?<br /><br />or my favorite, <br /><br />Pals reach him?Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18056489982825323282009-11-27T01:55:29.411-05:002009-11-27T01:55:29.411-05:00Oh yeah, hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving!Oh yeah, hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving!Doc Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12540112168511893896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80183179260615618722009-11-27T01:55:08.412-05:002009-11-27T01:55:08.412-05:00I'm surprised that nobody mentioned the early ...I'm surprised that nobody mentioned the early comment about Katherine Hepburn's acting: something like she "ran the gamut of emotion from A TO B."Doc Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12540112168511893896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38389757018817605082009-11-27T01:19:52.446-05:002009-11-27T01:19:52.446-05:00Do NOT connect the circles, just unscramble the le...Do NOT connect the circles, just unscramble the letters in them! :)ohforgoodnesssakenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66164021563874573122009-11-26T23:53:51.523-05:002009-11-26T23:53:51.523-05:00My 'aha' moment was realizing that OKRA wo...My 'aha' moment was realizing that OKRA would not work, and that the correct answer had to be FILE.Stanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02681342234536407419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13227970409675836252009-11-26T22:33:09.064-05:002009-11-26T22:33:09.064-05:00One more Happy Birthday Rex, and thanks for sharin...One more Happy Birthday Rex, and thanks for sharing your birthday present with us!Karen from the Capenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17058492144599350922009-11-26T22:07:34.721-05:002009-11-26T22:07:34.721-05:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=35115061&postID=3588389571383499624&isPopup=true" rel="nofollow">7/30/2009 post</a> for an explanation. 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 7:13, 6:55, 1.04, 63%, Medium-Challenging<br />Tue 9:49, 8:40, 1.13, 81%, Challenging<br />Wed 9:44, 11:41, 0.83, 12%, Easy<br />Thu 12:59, 18:19, 0.71, 2%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:49, 3:41, 1.04, 68%, Medium-Challenging<br />Tue 5:07, 4:27, 1.15, 85%, Challenging<br />Wed 5:03, 5:45, 0.88, 16%, Easy<br />Thu 6:38, 8:51, 0.75, 7%, Easy<br /><br />Happy Thanksgiving to all.<br /><br />Relative to the normal solve times for the day of the week, this was the 3rd easiest puzzle for all solvers and 9th easiest for the top 100 solvers in the 26 weeks I've been tracking times.sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53692557038878556292009-11-26T21:24:51.166-05:002009-11-26T21:24:51.166-05:00The food is finally put away and the kitchen clean...The food is finally put away and the kitchen cleaned up - everybody's downstairs watching a movie and I get a little time for the puzzles and the blog!<br /><br />Very nice Thanksgiving Puzzle, Paula. Paco Rabanne I only know from the fragrance, a very distinctive one. I used a little roux for my gravy this evening. <br />I've lived in and around NY for many years but I've never been to the parade. Even so, as soon as I had KER.... I figured out Kermit the frog and guessed the theme. Great fill, I love jack knife (present for Rex with the double k?), figment, rock solid and yeshiva. A good time.<br /><br />I of course LOOOVED the birthday puzzle. Received some funny emails about it too! I can just imagine Andrea and Doug working on it together, they must have had a good time. I had to laugh out loud at "Rex Parker does" and "a must". Also learned a couple of things: Bani and Drum. The young Turks!!<br />Now on to the Applegate puzzle before the hordes come back up.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16614593659649815272009-11-26T20:39:30.536-05:002009-11-26T20:39:30.536-05:00Today would have been Charles Schulz's 87th bi...Today would have been Charles Schulz's 87th birthday.<br /><br />rpRex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59020769407586715762009-11-26T20:37:08.367-05:002009-11-26T20:37:08.367-05:00(Just back from family get-together.)
@Meg, 12:41...(Just back from family get-together.)<br /><br />@Meg, 12:41 PM - No, I hadn't found anything. I was hoping someone else might have. Too woozy with turkey now; will have to give it some thought tomorrow.<br /><br />@retired_chemist, 11:25 AM - The following is a true story in spirit. I just forget most of the details except the punchline:<br /><br />CHARLIE BROWN<br /><br />Do you see yonder clouds?<br /><br />LUCY<br /><br />By the mass, and 'tis like the death of Saint Sebastian, indeed.<br /><br />LINUS<br /><br />Methinks it is like Washington Crossing the Delaware.<br /><br />PEPPERMINT PATTY<br /><br />It is to me much like American Gothic.<br /><br />CHARLIE BROWN<br /><br />All I see is a duckie and a horsie.<br /><br />Charles Shultz, c. 1962Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54761780297724481462009-11-26T20:05:14.007-05:002009-11-26T20:05:14.007-05:00Thank you Paula Gamache for a lovely Thanksgiving ...Thank you Paula Gamache for a lovely Thanksgiving puzzle ... just what I was hoping for. Uplifting just like the balloons in it. <br /><br />Happy Birthday, Rex! 40 is really just the beginning of the best part of your life. You'll see.<br /><br />I have been at it all day since early this morning and will just now sit down to do the "Birthday" puzzle. I can't wait. <br /><br />It's been a lovely day and I am very thankful. For a lot things. Crossword puzzles and this blog are near the top of my list. <br /><br />Enjoy everybody, see you tomorrow.johohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12708487230515532492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52126394858592937622009-11-26T19:29:11.546-05:002009-11-26T19:29:11.546-05:00The Big Four-Oh, eh? No wonder you were grumpy ea...The Big Four-Oh, eh? No wonder you were grumpy earlier in the week! Many happy returns! I'll testify that, from the vantage point of 73, 40's really pretty good. Many thanks for creating this blog; it gives a lot of pleasure to a lot of people.<br /><br />I enjoyed Paula's puzzle. Topical, easy but not condescending, and no stale fill. I'll do the other two over the long weekend.<br /><br />Happy Thanksgiving to all.OldCarFuddnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16225206803535184012009-11-26T18:41:09.461-05:002009-11-26T18:41:09.461-05:00Had a hard time trying to figure out the relations...Had a hard time trying to figure out the relationship between ELSIETHECOW and KERMITTHEFROG. Add FELIXTHECAT to the mix and I was really confused. Walked into all the traps others noted but managed to fix them all.<br /><br />At last, I was able to see what united the three theme entries at MACYS and solved quickly (?!) from that point forward.<br /><br />@Parshutr Sure sign you are doing too many puzzles when you make the observation about 2 different Clavell novels being 6 letters long and both ending in N. (I noticed the same thing.)edith bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12048817959846956992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74110464622986486142009-11-26T18:32:52.524-05:002009-11-26T18:32:52.524-05:00Thanks Rex and Happy Birthday to you and Christina...Thanks Rex and Happy Birthday to you and Christina Applegate!<br />Enjoyed the puzzle and donated to her worthy cause on the site!bv1955https://www.blogger.com/profile/15563180580926495814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86629084253080503002009-11-26T18:32:51.934-05:002009-11-26T18:32:51.934-05:00Thanks Rex and Happy Birthday to you and Christina...Thanks Rex and Happy Birthday to you and Christina Applegate!<br />Enjoyed the puzzle and donated to her worthy cause on the site!bv1955https://www.blogger.com/profile/15563180580926495814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71398937326642138162009-11-26T18:26:06.420-05:002009-11-26T18:26:06.420-05:00Now, after reading the AFORE posts ... If you actu...Now, after reading the AFORE posts ... If you actually know what ROUX is (instead of not going to say it)it's easy. hahahaxyzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08287781952915413013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78724866619292031132009-11-26T18:13:56.789-05:002009-11-26T18:13:56.789-05:00Easy, indeed ... !?!?!?
Once I figured out how hi...Easy, indeed ... !?!?!?<br /><br />Once I figured out how hideous the clueing and answers were. Yes, easy. When ...<br /><br /><br />'Tis funny, PACO (first fill), ACES, GIS, ROUX, MACYS, PARADEBALLOON, the three character answers were my segeways. Then that made how obviously horrid the clue/ans. are/were FER (yuck) me.<br /><br />I hated stuff like FORA, FER! (Ycccch), nobody=ZERO, "Z". Next time I see Paula's name, I'll know what I'm in for. <br /><br />That's what I learnt toodae.xyzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08287781952915413013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83217055282502064782009-11-26T17:00:42.851-05:002009-11-26T17:00:42.851-05:00Late to the party here, but just want to say
1) ...Late to the party here, but just want to say <br /><br />1) Happy birthday Rex<br />2) Thanks to (a) the constructors, (b) Will and (c) Rex (again) for keeping us entertained day after day, and<br />3) Happy Turkey Day to all who care about itThe Corgi of Mysteryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12094737503793280830noreply@blogger.com