tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6354893804783055929..comments2024-03-29T08:06:21.039-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Agent Swifty / WED 7-14-10 / Turned right like Dobbin / Bested at Nathan's on July 4 / Roger that sayer / Classic Sinatra topperRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65001276575212825102010-07-15T09:22:01.704-04:002010-07-15T09:22:01.704-04:00Irony involves a third person (or more) acting as ...Irony involves a third person (or more) acting as an audience -- either an actual person or an implied person -- who can recognize that words (or actions) being said (or done) also have a meaning that is different from the straight-forward or literal meaning. It can be simple -- as when one rolls one's eyes and says "Yeah, right." or it can be complex -- as when Oedipus, who once killed a man, limps around while looking for a killer with a limp.Jamesonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22314761032607563332010-07-14T23:58:12.255-04:002010-07-14T23:58:12.255-04:00@Sfingi: yes, I remember that candy -- Circus Pean...@Sfingi: yes, I remember that candy -- Circus Peanuts. I didn't like them but my sister did. They are still available.<br /><br />From the Straight Dope website --<br /><br />Sample comments about Circus Peanuts: <br /><br />"Ewwwww! I tried one once. It was like eating a dead finger." <br /><br />"They taste like they're stale even when they're fresh." <br /><br />"Like orange-flavored Styrofoam." <br /><br />"I think they are the horror that is the circus, that flat tin taste of fear and clowns and little lost children amid the cotton candy stink and the piles of elephant doo-doo and the clamor of the midway and the tinny sound of the circus band endlessly wheezing its way through yet another soulless circus fanfare." <br /><br />"My assistant Jane found that the few stray Circus Peanut molecules escaping from an unopened package made her gag."<br /><br />"Yeah, I like them. When they get hard enough you can use them for building material."shrub5https://www.blogger.com/profile/09466867716773759568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60581236844657795352010-07-14T23:34:05.847-04:002010-07-14T23:34:05.847-04:00An enjoyable puzzle with a non-tired theme. The NY...An enjoyable puzzle with a non-tired theme. The NYT site gave it a Freshness Factor in the 97th percentile for Wednesday puzzles. Not that the statistic means anything, but there was something lively and unexpected about this one. Thanks Michael!<br /><br />Also, the irony / leady comments were great!Stanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02681342234536407419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27508321370351436822010-07-14T23:01:24.885-04:002010-07-14T23:01:24.885-04:00Perhaps the irony is that this is a Tuesday puzzle...Perhaps the irony is that this is a Tuesday puzzle on Wednesday?Eeeknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11522216898669711222010-07-14T22:27:51.561-04:002010-07-14T22:27:51.561-04:00The only trouble I had was the theme.
I had fUNONM...The only trouble I had was the theme.<br />I had fUNONMONDAT, WEDONTHURSDAY, SExONFRIDAY. That's cause I didn't know TATER (sports - I even asked Hubster, so I guessed TAxER) or SHR. I thought maybe it was one of those Edward Lear things. <br /><br />Solomon Grundy<br />Born on Monday<br />Christened on Tuesday<br />Married on Wednesday<br />Took ill on Thursday<br />Worse on Friday<br />Died on Saturday<br />Buried on Sunday <br />And that was the end on Solomon Grundy.<br /><br />@Tues - no you are not. Maybe if you were there, I coulda, woulda got it. <br /><br />In the mini-theme - 3 ways to think about skinny - SVELTE, AREED, GAUNT, I had ARail first. <br /><br />Any book you read on Sinatra features Swifty LAZAR. <br /><br />PINER, NFLER, ANTED and REDID are cheesy, like CHEETOS. "Use ER and RE sparingly." Is that a NYT CW rule? Should be.<br /><br />By the way, CHEETOS are cheesy and orange. Does anyone remember a candy that was shaped like a large peanut, orange-colored, and tasted like a banana? <br /><br />Always showed Cry Freedom to my class.<br /><br />@Rube - Now if you eat the Cheetos and breath out, can you use your mouth as a flashlight?<br /><br />@Anon623 - Does it do any good if I tell you, "Don't be mean." ? <br /><br />@Anon431 - Thanx I'll have to try that.Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10535740223612771062010-07-14T20:08:14.806-04:002010-07-14T20:08:14.806-04:00@Anon 11:54, 11:22 got there first.@Anon 11:54, 11:22 got there first.Anon 8:08noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22244506303560734242010-07-14T20:00:30.308-04:002010-07-14T20:00:30.308-04:00@JenCT ... I was thinking the same thing. Cheetos ...@JenCT ... I was thinking the same thing. Cheetos must be be related to Twinkies. <br /><br />Here goes Anon. 4:31 ... <i>Cheetos</i><br /><br />Hey, that <i>was</i> fun!johohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12708487230515532492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65487057373162829252010-07-14T19:08:41.728-04:002010-07-14T19:08:41.728-04:00@ Steve J, The leady/irony joke
was what I was try...@ Steve J, The leady/irony joke<br />was what I was trying to say.Anon 11:54noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87778524765140078542010-07-14T17:47:14.606-04:002010-07-14T17:47:14.606-04:00@aw, come on: I nearly did a spit take on "ir...@aw, come on: I nearly did a spit take on "irony" meaning "having the characteristics of iron." <br /><br />The allusion to Monday's LEADY reminds me of one other reaction I had last night while solving the Wednesday puzzle: things like LEADY and PINER (one bit of painful fill today) demonstrate the truth of the adage "Just because you can doesn't mean you should."<br /><br />I'm somewhat surprised that TATER is apparently rather obscure baseball slang. I remember running across it quite a bit as a kid, when I watched baseball religiously and read accounts of the games every day in the newspaper. (And, if wiki is to be believed, TATER started appearing in the '70s, so that could explain why I picked this one up quickly, since my childhood baseball infatuation and the term's heyday coincided.) I think it's largely faded away by now, which is why I'm only somewhat surprised.Steve Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185067739452052656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22235346326683093512010-07-14T16:54:13.052-04:002010-07-14T16:54:13.052-04:00@anonymous 4:31 - point taken! I even said that ea...@anonymous 4:31 - point taken! I even said that earlier when I was <i>really</i> shouting! Not sure if I have ever been able to get the proper syntax down for doing HTML, but I tried again! let's see if it works!<br />gregThe Big Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00383322329027962325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45019104984924016182010-07-14T16:53:43.746-04:002010-07-14T16:53:43.746-04:00@Rube - makes you wonder just what the hell is in ...@Rube - makes you wonder just what the hell is in those Cheetos...JenCThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18290169184354765840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36075560999181250342010-07-14T16:37:24.197-04:002010-07-14T16:37:24.197-04:00Dramatic Irony
...
Definition: Dramatic irony is...<a href="http://contemporarylit.about.com/cs/literaryterms/g/dramaticIrony.htm" rel="nofollow">Dramatic Irony</a><br /><br />...<br /><br />Definition: Dramatic irony is when the words and actions of the characters of a work of literature have a different meaning for the reader than they do for the characters. This is the result of the reader having a greater knowledge than the characters themselves.<br /><br />Examples:<br /><br />In Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter," when Hester is in the governor's garden to see to it that Pearl is not taken away from her, she asks the Reverend Dimmesdale to support her position. This is an example of dramatic irony as the reader knows that Dimmesdale and Hester are partners in sin, but the characters do not.Nathanielnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15698846906032305982010-07-14T16:35:11.839-04:002010-07-14T16:35:11.839-04:00@Parshutr said...
Yes, very easy, most enjoyable ...@Parshutr said...<br /><br />Yes, very easy, most enjoyable for its plethora of noncrosswordese (feral, oxide, axon, xrayed, ktl) in the fill.<br /><br /><br />"ktl"???Mystifiednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22504516274114969642010-07-14T16:31:57.152-04:002010-07-14T16:31:57.152-04:00@The Big E: Try reserving caps for puzzle entries...@The Big E: Try reserving caps for puzzle entries (as most everyone here does) and <I><i>italics</i></I> for emphasis. It sound less like SHOUTING that way. :-)<br /><br />BTW, just typing <I><i>italics</i></I> and getting it right the first time is fun!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31172178424563059262010-07-14T15:26:48.534-04:002010-07-14T15:26:48.534-04:00@submariner - Izod has in the past been considered...@submariner - Izod has in the past been considered to be preppy, and even today has a Luxury Sports line which is VERY preppy. <br />Clue works, imo.The Big Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00383322329027962325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73995293660346277402010-07-14T15:17:38.551-04:002010-07-14T15:17:38.551-04:00Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 7/30/...Midday report of relative difficulty (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 of my method):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Wed 9:32, 11:46, 0.81, 9%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Wed 4:54, 5:47, 0.85, 11%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36076827129066730332010-07-14T15:16:52.540-04:002010-07-14T15:16:52.540-04:00Even at 90 degrees in the room couldn't work u...Even at 90 degrees in the room couldn't work up a sweat.<br /><br />52D Izod not preppy. They used to make Lacoste "alligator" shirts under license, but haven't for years. Lacoste label is the one you are looking for.submarinernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27341541379149620232010-07-14T15:12:08.246-04:002010-07-14T15:12:08.246-04:00@ Tobias -- I'm just catching up, but did anyo...@ Tobias -- I'm just catching up, but did anyone mention here that TOBIT means Tobias? Neat.<br /><br />@ Rex, I was sorry to hear of your friends' flood -- I'm dealing with a flood too in part of my basement. Ugh.<br /><br />I think this another NYT debut today, and would thus congratulate Michael on a clever theme! "Sat for an exam" was no problem, though mainly a British usage. The SATs, on which I worked ages ago in the Test Development Division at ETS, were never referred to as exams...<br /><br />∑;)ArtLvrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03869528391374878601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38738181362004733682010-07-14T14:58:18.864-04:002010-07-14T14:58:18.864-04:00I definitely enjoyed this puzzle. Kept getting in...I definitely enjoyed this puzzle. Kept getting interrupted so couldn't really say how easy it was. Writeovers were SUNONsuNDAY and AddED for ANTED. ANTED is a strange looking word. ANTE is fine, but ANTED?<br /><br />We had TATERS a few months back either here or the LAT. (Almost) no one knew the term then either.<br /><br />I once read about a spelunker who always carried an emergency bag of Cheetos when in caves. Not for eating, but in case his flashlight failed. For apparently Cheetos burn slowly and give off enough light that you can see where you're going. Haven't tried this myself 'cause I haven't had the opportunity. Nor do I crawl around in caves.Rubehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04773241241484881566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62581419440595935482010-07-14T14:54:06.064-04:002010-07-14T14:54:06.064-04:00I'm off to see Foodie who is in for one of her...I'm off to see Foodie who is in for one of her conferences...and to pay her off for the myriad compliments ;)<br /><br />Wasn't Swifty Lazar the one who held THE after-Oscar party every year at Spago's? And that was THE place to be to see and be seen and to show off your Oscars and to broker future deals. I suppose now it's the Vanity Fair one.andrea swifty michaelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12749796986942799892010-07-14T14:21:09.725-04:002010-07-14T14:21:09.725-04:00I'm going with S.A.T.I'm going with S.A.T.chefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91097929972417352002010-07-14T14:06:16.261-04:002010-07-14T14:06:16.261-04:00@Andrea - maybe it is where I grew up (DC) and the...@Andrea - maybe it is where I grew up (DC) and the fact that I never heard anyone say anything but "take an exam," but I think "sit for an exam" is just off. Is it British colloquialism? If so, shouldn't the clue have indicated something to that effect?<br />I still don't like it :-(<br /><br />(Maybe I'm just having a blech day at work and my mood is showing - wouldn't be the first time!) :-)The Big Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00383322329027962325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84737455642739858482010-07-14T14:03:19.535-04:002010-07-14T14:03:19.535-04:00Smooth solve, just one detour where I put thin as ...Smooth solve, just one detour where I put thin as ARail before AREED. Always hesitate at ASSISI trying to remember if the double S is first or second.<br /><br />Never heard of TATERS relative to baseball, except maybe at the concession stands ... but I don't follow the sport too closely.<br /><br />Those decorated POODLEs are something else. I can't help but figure some are thinking "how humiliating, get me out of here."<br /><br />Well, that's it for now -- the day LATENS and I have much to do.shrub5https://www.blogger.com/profile/09466867716773759568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55399385295812793922010-07-14T14:00:27.663-04:002010-07-14T14:00:27.663-04:00@Anonymous - if in fact it was meant as "sat ...@Anonymous - if in fact it was meant as "sat on friday" (past tense of sit), then the answer is particularly bad. It would be SO obscure and arcane as to make the overall puzzle even worse.<br />I will trust that is was supposed to be S.A.T. on Friday and continue my assertion that the big answers were horribly clued.The Big Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00383322329027962325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15605196570377352612010-07-14T13:59:34.177-04:002010-07-14T13:59:34.177-04:00@big E
I don't think the SAT was for S-A-T, th...@big E<br />I don't think the SAT was for S-A-T, the term is you sit for an exam, you take an exam. Does that make it better?<br />AND your CAPS did NOT bother ME at ALL!!! ;)<br /><br />@Shamik<br />Welcome back! But if you think THIS is a MEH puzzle, you may need more vacation! You shoulda been around yesterday and the day before!<br /><br />and speaking of welcome back,<br />@dk no prurient comments about SVELTE THIGHS running thru the middle of the grid???!!! Did your inner 12 yr old turn 13?!!!<br /><br />@Van55<br />I know you are being ironic (?!) and jabbing the p.c. police a bit, but mentioning a martyr and champion of Apartheid is not the same (to me) as folks not being thrilled to see NIGHTRIDER mentioned so casually and not in context.<br /> That said, I have to say I learned a lot yesterday as I knew not about the Klan connection till I came here yesterday. <br />So, I guess the bottom line is that it's learning all around.<br /><br />Wouldn't that have been fun if Michael Black had snuck WELD into the puzzle somehow?<br /><br /><br /><br />@anon 11:48<br />IVS! That is SO much better an answer!<br /><br />@Purpleguy<br />I hear your mom shaved a couple of years off her age in her forties and is really 104!andrea monday michaelsnoreply@blogger.com