tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6352246179091282071..comments2024-03-29T08:18:12.971-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Marshal under Napoleon / TUE 12-1-15 / 1987 declaration from Michael Jackson / Beatles song released on 12/3/1965 / Mach3 forerunner / Marc who painted Russian Village under moon / Turkish pooh-bahsRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81267679888105281472016-01-05T15:17:10.010-05:002016-01-05T15:17:10.010-05:00NORWEGIANWOOD is one of my Beatles favorites, but ...NORWEGIANWOOD is one of my Beatles favorites, but it took several crosses to recall the opening lines. (I was a bit chagrined to see Monica's name snuggled in nearby.)<br /><br />ULNA and IMOGEN took a bit of looking at, too.<br /><br />Otherwise, a fun, medium-challenging Tuesday.leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56741273080168664912016-01-05T15:02:31.449-05:002016-01-05T15:02:31.449-05:00Sorry @Spacey. I did not write in ICicles (wanted...Sorry @Spacey. I did not write in ICicles (wanted to, but didn't). I do remember one winter up here when I had an ICE DAM problem, although I didn't know that's what it was called. Luckily, thanks to climate change, it doesn't snow here anymore.<br /><br />It does rain a lot, though (Rain being another Beatles song), and on a rainy day I first played Rubber Soul on my reel-to-reel tape deck and was blown away by NORWEGIAN WOOD, and of course the rest of the album. <br /><br />I think this tune is a fine theme, honouring a landmark song and album by the best band to ever come down the pike. You can have your Adele.<br /><br />The puzzle, while not completely free of weakish fill is also just fine. Liked it a lot.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22933528908573286752016-01-05T13:09:31.574-05:002016-01-05T13:09:31.574-05:00@spacey - nice Kipling paraphrase. But I did not f...@spacey - nice Kipling paraphrase. But I did not fall for icicles since I already had the E from CLE. ICEDAMS are common enough here in MN, especially on older homes with poor insulation/ventilation in the attic.rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10040431263604583022016-01-05T12:24:46.626-05:002016-01-05T12:24:46.626-05:00Thanks to @Carola, I now know there's such a t...Thanks to @Carola, I now know there's such a thing as ICEDAMS. Only one other blogger even mentioned ICicleS. Huh? Show me a solver who DIDN'T write in ICICLES on that clue and I'll show you a liar. This is the single most blatant misdirection I've ever seen--and it comes on a Tuesday??? You CAN'T NOT have written ICICLES.<br /><br />That one glitch moved the puzzle from easy to medium-leaning-toward-medium-challenging. It was my entry point, an ironclad "gimme." Yeah. No wonder it took me a while to uncover a section of the lyric I could identify--which happened at _RS_OUL_ISA_. At that juncture, I saw the line, and hence immediately the whole line and song.<br /><br />I always thought that the title referred to a particularly mellow strain of weed. Well, I WOULD think that, in the '60s. As for the grid loaded with sexual innuendo: UHOH, where are your MINDS, people? Tsk.<br /><br />Other than that ugly central crossing and that most unfortunate bleedover EKE (EEK!), I thought the fill was quite OKAY. You have to admit, if you can work LEWINSKY into your grid you've done something.<br /><br />As to OFL's abject dismissal, I think it's grossly unfair but not totally unexpected. You can't just willy-nilly slap the lyrics to a song down into a grid; first you have to notice that the line breaks--at the natural phrase break!--into segments that fit a letter-count pattern. That alone needs a bit of luck, methinks. But he believes every theme should have some kind of extra punch, outside of itself. Well, sometimes, old BOY, a cigar IS just a cigar.<br /><br />And this one was a fine smoke. B+.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15812675132604692942016-01-05T10:39:34.851-05:002016-01-05T10:39:34.851-05:00Haters gonna hate. Lovers gonna love. Consider me ...Haters gonna hate. Lovers gonna love. Consider me the latter for this puz. It’s not just about the one song, but you need to start somewhere. Rubber Soul is/was a landmark release in the history of pop/rock music. Apparently half of the commentariat doesn’t appreciate music or history or music history. OFL and others are really showing their ageism and lack of awareness – are they really that shallow?? So you don’t like tribute puzzles – tough hop. I don’t like rebus puzzles, but I don’t call them “preposterous”. Get over it. <br /><br />This was really a BOYS puz with SHAG on top of HOSE flanked by (one-time pudgy yeah baby) LEWINSKY and MANLIEST crossing ACTION. Shave that with your ATRA, OKAY?<br /><br />I almost feel sorry for anyone who didn’t like this as a Tues-puz, but I’m OPENTO wringing their necks. On the other hand, this puz left me HAPPY, so I probably wouldn’t.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35969606279064326092016-01-05T09:33:18.051-05:002016-01-05T09:33:18.051-05:00SHAG HOSE
IONCEHADAGIRL who CHOSE the MANLIEST AC...SHAG HOSE<br /><br />IONCEHADAGIRL who CHOSE the MANLIEST ACTION she could,<br />SHEONCEHADME OSSIFY, ORSHOULDISAY this BOY’S NORWEGIANWOOD.<br /><br />--- HAPPY LEWINSKY<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44965506065964344362015-12-02T07:45:38.501-05:002015-12-02T07:45:38.501-05:00Oh Bond, you've made me all Weepy.
What a pae...Oh Bond, you've made me all Weepy.<br /><br />What a paeanful way to start a Wednesday mourning.Eve's Droppernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79463707269059020782015-12-02T05:50:24.080-05:002015-12-02T05:50:24.080-05:00@Anon3:41/Zippy - It's hard to tell, but I sus...@Anon3:41/Zippy - It's hard to tell, but I suspect "Bubba" was trying to be satirical. I did enjoy HIGH:low #4. <br /><br />@AnoaBob - Har.<br /><br />@Teedmn - What a rabbit hole. I love the cited interviews and how even the primary sources don't provide much clarity of meaning. As if authors know what their work even means. <br /><br />Again, two lamest puzzle types: Quote Puzzles and Tribute Puzzles. At least the write-up and comments were fun. <br /><br /><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Bird_Has_Flown_%E2%80%93_A_40th_Anniversary_Tribute_to_the_Beatles%27_Rubber_Soul" rel="nofollow">Hard to believe I bought this ten years ago.</a>Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70981488861450039212015-12-01T23:00:19.305-05:002015-12-01T23:00:19.305-05:00@ Rex: Suggestion, That you do more of this succin...@ Rex: Suggestion, That you do more of this succinct style of review when you're this disgusted. Saves time, yours and ours. Also, you will be less susceptible to haters hating on you, though I always find your reasons consistent and logical, overall. Your Duchamp-like review is amusing but I don't agree. Rubber Soul is a great album. So it's a couple of days off from the release date. Out of 365 days, a fifty-year commemorative can be a few days off, apropos the day's level of difficulty as the puzzle is written,no? <br /><br />@ WHS- Since when do you have to be old to know or love the Beatles? They sound as if they recorded their stuff yesterday! It's that good. I know of people of all ages who love and appreciate the Beatles.They're basically a musical litmus test, the way Ed is a thinking one.<br /> <br /><br />________________________________________________________________________ <br /><br />Tuesday morning, an easy solve, a harder solving experience.<br />Homage to the antithesis of a CAD: <br />Beloved Brother, great human: It’s NORWEGIAN WOOD! <br />How many hours did we play, I ONCE HAD A GIRL, OR SHOULD I SAY SHE ONCE HAD ME? ...the Beatles’ B Minor, always so easy to sing. <br />After you had to go, our good friend J. found by chance Rubber Soul and on it WAS written, “Property of ” you! You stole it from me, I just know you did! He started out SSE, to bring it, but totaled the car and everything in it except himself and the album. (What are a few ribs, right?)<br /> <br />And, what about that card you managed to send not only thru cyberspace but thru afterspace? However did you do it? <br />We’d just returned from brunch on Central Park West in the building with the big brass letters. (Who knew to boycott? Two year’s ago he was just the city’s reigning goofball with the orange comb over.) <br />I opened my IMAC; typed in the password, and there filling the screen was a big red HAPPY MOTHer’s day card from your in-box! Mom and I - all of us - stood around the desk looking at the card, your in-box over to the side of the screen; SHIVERs abounding.<br />Your young BOYS are OKAY, but their ACHE will never dissipate. It’s all over their faces. The more days that pass, the deeper grief gets, because it’s that much longer since we saw your loving smile. Emily of Amherst says it best, writing from her workshop on the second floor. Having committed this to memory for Dad’s eulogy so many years ago, it may not be exactly right, four shelves of the Emily library across the room, but…<br /> They say that time assuages. <br /> Time never did assuage. <br /> As actual suffering strengthens <br /> As sinews do, with age. <br /> Time is a test of trouble <br /> Not a remedy <br /> If such it prove, It prove too <br /> There was no malady. <br /><br />MOO, whom you met when you last visited, when travel was hard for you, the colonies being the first and the only sights that you wanted to see - wonders really, you said- in this big city, has been in since January after a decade on the mean streets of New York. He’s enjoying retirement from his hard life; one of the relatively few success stories of the thousands of homeless animals in the five boroughs. I leave the sound machine on ‘meadow’ for him when I go to the others, and his eyes, once so irritated by the ubiquitous construction, are wide-open now and healing, w drops and wash. <br />BTW Feith was on Fareed. Lying like you wouldn’t believe, with a straight face. You knew it was he who cooked the books on WMD, as you knew pretty much everything else.<br />Miss you more than words can say, as they say. <br />Bondnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1870924958657379262015-12-01T22:44:16.563-05:002015-12-01T22:44:16.563-05:00One day, quite some time ago, the Beatles' cat...One day, quite some time ago, the Beatles' catalogue (all their copyrights) went up for sale. Michael Jackson said, "I'M BAD," and bought it up! I imagine, even now, his estate is still raking in the performance rights.Numinoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01263999193499725814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70334481887839255052015-12-01T21:14:54.683-05:002015-12-01T21:14:54.683-05:00I have not read the comments and just finished the...I have not read the comments and just finished the puzzle at this later hour. Got the theme and filled those answers in very early on. Easy solve but do have one gripe.<br /><br />56d Something perfect acoustics eliminate.<br /><br />Oh my! Where do I begin about the complete wrongness of this clue?<br /><br />First of all, acoustics do not eliminate echo. In fact they don't "eliminate" anything. They might be designed to not <i>have</i> echo (i.e. a series of reflected sounds). On the other hand, an audio myth is that very loud low frequency sounds can cause one to "eliminate" an echo of one's meal, so to speak...<br /><br />However... <br /><br />Wish I had a nickel for every time I have heard someone say "perfect acoustics." Perfect acoustics for what?<br /><br />Sometimes a back wall or balcony face in a concert venue is intentionally designed to reflect "echo" back to performers on stage. This gives them a sense that their sound is "getting out" to the audience. It's comforting to them. So echoes are the prefect acoustics to accomplish this.<br /><br />Reverberation actually consists of a whole series of echoes. Eliminate the "echo" (i.e. a series of reflected sounds) and you don't have perfect acoustics, you have NO acoustics!! Generally the idea is to eliminate or mitigate <i>discreet</i> echoes (plural) that interfere with speech or musical intelligibility. And there is rarely the potential for just one. The architect's acoustical consultant eliminates these by design, not the "perfect acoustics" as clued. <br /><br />A much desired, relatively discrete echo is the reflection of low frequencies from the ceiling of a concert hall. So designing perfect concert hall acoustics <i>includes</i> intentional echo. The perfect acoustics for a lecture hall would not.<br /><br />Some years ago we were setting up for a gig (cocktail music) in an old converted carriage house (read horse barn). All hard surfaces in this relatively small space meant (OH OH) the acoustics were exactly what we did not want. At the moment I was contemplating on how badly the acoustics might HOSE us and what to do about it, I overheard a guest say, "The acoustics in here are wonderful!" Perfect! <br /><br />Cheers<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14124431793780560248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66779558149362943482015-12-01T19:39:24.651-05:002015-12-01T19:39:24.651-05:00@Numinous, I'm very glad my reminiscence struc...@Numinous, I'm very glad my reminiscence struck a bell with you. I was at Stanford, and Fall Quarter I lived off-campus with some friends -- one of whom moved to Berkeley after graduation and ended up living on Parker St, while he got his Master's. I lived in Kensington three years later (summer of 69). Lived in the City summer of 67. I don't know why we went to Berkeley that day. Wasn't Big Game, because that would have been the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Probably because Berkeley was a cool place to go. Probably we went to Cody's or Moe's or the other good bookstore on Telegraph. Possibly one of us had a friend we wanted to get together with. Wouldn't have spent our money on coffee, but might possibly have had a burger, either near Telegraph (LaVal's?) or at Oscar's, best burger and fries ever -- and pie too, I think.old timernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77256898073243801592015-12-01T18:47:38.906-05:002015-12-01T18:47:38.906-05:00Blah...I agree with Rex, @jberg, @ncapres,, and ot...Blah...I agree with Rex, @jberg, @ncapres,, and others. Sure, I know the song, but...this is not a crossword puzzle.<br />Unless it IS a selfie, in which case that would make me like it a little more.<br /><br />@Nancy...did that really happen? My well wishes are on their way.<br />Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56610967178514168212015-12-01T17:50:14.357-05:002015-12-01T17:50:14.357-05:00Norwegian Wood is, if not my favorite Beatles tune...Norwegian Wood is, if not my favorite Beatles tune, among the top three. Completely matched the mood of my college days, hanging out in somebody's apartment somewhere. I always thought it was about hashish or something, but apparently just described the cheap paneling in the place where the events inspiring John's song took place. "So I lit a fire. Wasn't it good Norwegian wood?"DigitalDanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11620300502981292088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80664284012473112552015-12-01T17:41:57.532-05:002015-12-01T17:41:57.532-05:00@Old Timer: Wow. We were both there the same day. ...@Old Timer: Wow. We were both there the same day. Damned if I can remmember what I was doing that day but I bet you dropped into either The Forum or The Mediterranium for coffee. I'd have been in either of those places that day. No brainer for me, I was living south of campus, in fact I grew up there on the corner of Durant and Telegraph. Somewhere around then I moved to an apartment one house north of the corner of Haste and Fulton. Is there any chance Dec 4th was the day of the Big Game? Any chance you were connected with Stanfrod?<br /><br />I got a smile out of the theme and some fond reminiscences. I'm really really sorry @Rex is too young to share that. There are tunes from ten or twenty years before I was born that still have meaning for me. I"m not going to throw up my hands at the lyrics of Chatanooga Cho Cho and say,, "big f___ing deal, Who the F___ cares?" <i>Rubber Soul</i> and, along with it, NORWEGIAN WOOD, did mark the begining of changes in pop music. Rock groups, as I recall had begun to go beyond their blues and folk roots by then. The Fillmore Auditorium was having shows every Friday and Sturday night. Those were interestings times. <br /><br />I had no real problem with this puzzle and much of the short fill didn't bother me or I might not have noticed it. I did have an Oh Wow moment with I figured out I ONCE HAD A GIRL and readily filled in the rest of the themers. Nice way to remember those days right around my birthday fifty years ago.<br />Numinoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01263999193499725814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7936890171546877332015-12-01T16:56:55.141-05:002015-12-01T16:56:55.141-05:00Well, it was a Monday puzzle, but yesterday was st...Well, it was a Monday puzzle, but yesterday was still November. The third is Thursday, but a puzzle like this disqualifies it from being a Thursday puzzle, as well as (sort of) a Wednesday puzzle. So, I thought today was fine.<br />Make sense?jerry khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16281709143821361912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83821457374004095342015-12-01T16:50:08.522-05:002015-12-01T16:50:08.522-05:00I'm with @Mohair Sam: "@Rex - Your review...I'm with @Mohair Sam: "@Rex - Your review proves that brevity is indeed the soul of wit. Well done."<br /><br />I'd just add (1) exclamation point (!) and (2) "....sometimes." This one wouldn't have been nearly as hilarious if OFL hadn't ranted at great length, in obsessive detail, on each of the 891 days.Lobster11https://www.blogger.com/profile/03501188835812434588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76524591304715440332015-12-01T15:41:00.854-05:002015-12-01T15:41:00.854-05:00Hey Bubba. Ironically, [HIGH:low] #4 by K. Austin ...Hey Bubba. Ironically, [HIGH:low] #4 by K. Austin Collins was released today. I'm going to suggest a little crow with your evening martini. <br /><br />You do know who he is, don't you?<br /><br />Cool is the rule.<br /><br />ZippyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68068939059767664852015-12-01T15:40:04.369-05:002015-12-01T15:40:04.369-05:00Right there with ya. This thing was musty like box...Right there with ya. This thing was musty like boxes of Bing Crosby Christmas albums in grandma's attic.Pdxrainshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08226235855539945980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69354587767979707762015-12-01T14:56:45.079-05:002015-12-01T14:56:45.079-05:00I agree with Rex. I love the Beatles but I'm n...I agree with Rex. I love the Beatles but I'm not a fan of all these tributes. I suspect most people will either get the whole thing immediately or be mystified until the very end.NeilDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10401358642381988529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52412194167844076952015-12-01T14:39:34.214-05:002015-12-01T14:39:34.214-05:00p.p.s.s.
Shame @009 had to snark and run, so quick...p.p.s.s.<br />Shame @009 had to snark and run, so quick.<br />Thought this TuesPuz had a lotta great longish fill. And IMOGEN.<br /><br />Bullettes:<br /><br />* LEWINSKY. Bill Clinton works these NYTPuzs, evidently, so this will be a nice extra walk down memory lane, for him.<br />* SHIVER. Cool, seldom-seen entry.<br />* ICEDAMS & PRANCER. Holiday spirit.<br />* Marc CHAGALL. Classy stuff. Nice.<br />* CARWASH. Reminiscent of the coveted HOGCALLS.<br /><br />M&AMasked and Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16027736429645378004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63969324154734024342015-12-01T14:06:26.946-05:002015-12-01T14:06:26.946-05:00Will went with difficulty level over timeliness. ...Will went with difficulty level over timeliness. That's discipline. As for Norwegian Wood, not a bad showing for a two-minute-long, 50-year-old song!Albynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46978438111016654122015-12-01T13:32:25.279-05:002015-12-01T13:32:25.279-05:00p.s.
"Rubber Soul" album. day-um. yep....p.s.<br />"Rubber Soul" album. day-um. yep. M&A always gets that and "Revolver" album titles confused.<br />Ironclad proof of my old-fartedness.<br />Was actually more of a 45rpm kinda dude. (lil darlins)<br /><br />This has been a neat musical puz week, so far. Yesterday's had a big musical guest, right smack-dab down the middle. And a couple more in the themers, too -- but I ain't gonna spell em all out and be no oldies-puz--spoiler.<br /><br />Peace on Earth, good will toward BeatleMANia.<br /><br />M&AMasked and Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16027736429645378004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9498361649796071642015-12-01T13:16:20.825-05:002015-12-01T13:16:20.825-05:00The song came out when I was 5, before I was aware...The song came out when I was 5, before I was aware of popular music outside of what my parents listened to (no older siblings to introduce me to pop/rock). In fact, the Beatles were over about the time I became musically aware, so I really first got into them during college. I've always found the lyrics to NORWEGIAN WOOD ambiguous so before commenting here, I Googled the meaning of the song and found some pretty funny comments on the subject here:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/norwegian-wood-this-bird-has-flown/" rel="nofollow">Norwegian Wood</a><br /><br />I liked this puzzle even though it is a "quip" puzzle. It had CHAGALL, OSSIFY, YODELS, LEWINSKY. BOYS will be BOYS trying to be MANLIEST. (I'M) BAD and MOODS next to each other. CARWASH crossing HOSE.<br /><br />Thanks, DS.Teedmnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12832353448839187816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-58784227203832851282015-12-01T12:58:31.236-05:002015-12-01T12:58:31.236-05:00Rex, lighten up on us Boomers. Younger generations...Rex, lighten up on us Boomers. Younger generations don't do crosswords or buy premium content online, such as the NYT crossword. So give us a Beatles theme now and then. Plus, the Beatles transcend generations. Otherwise I thought it decent fill, very little junk or arcana. Love your blog, though I'm going to suggest a bar (look it up on the Gen Y Urban Dictionary) with your morning coffee. See we Boomers can be hip.Bubbahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13818821903041940077noreply@blogger.com