tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6671065006194938578..comments2024-03-28T09:06:07.529-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Alternative to Putinka briefly / THU 4-12-12 / Go farther sloganeer once / Actress Veronica who was model in last cigarette ad show on US TV / Judiciary checker / 1929 #1 hit Now he's gone we're through / He is more antique Roman than Dane / When doubled vitamin deficiencyRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-93476296951566062012-05-17T21:54:42.317-04:002012-05-17T21:54:42.317-04:00@Connie, I get the email updates of postings and I...@Connie, I get the email updates of postings and I was sipping a glass of wine when I opened your post and spewed, thankfully, white wine on the table. Too funny!Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51941651683757961372012-05-17T19:53:33.482-04:002012-05-17T19:53:33.482-04:00Clara Barton went down on the Titanic while eating...Clara Barton went down on the Titanic while eating an Oreo.connie in seattlenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67126932630777270112012-05-17T18:03:34.613-04:002012-05-17T18:03:34.613-04:00Strange that today's offering--NOT a pangram (...Strange that today's offering--NOT a pangram (no J)--seems much more forced than yesterday's. I hate EXEDOUT to begin with, but actually, all the high-count Scrabblies look out-of-place. Viz:<br /><br />In the NE we have BAR written out followed by the last two letters of BBQ, the usual abbreviation. That, crossing the hackneyed QTIP.<br /><br />Then in the SW there's a drive-by Z sighting: the car ISUZU, the gun UZI. Weird.<br /><br />And finally, The aforementioned abomination at 43d, crossed by EXEC clued as "Judiciary checker: abbr." And juXtapositioned with that is another X!<br /><br />BADNESS!Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59513070066901898022012-05-17T17:12:03.979-04:002012-05-17T17:12:03.979-04:00@Cary in Boulder - I meant to add that I just wrot...@Cary in Boulder - I meant to add that I just wrote a post on my blog yesterday wondering about AOL - I kind of miss that "You've got mail!" sound.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40652490439984026752012-05-17T17:08:44.144-04:002012-05-17T17:08:44.144-04:00I just returned to being a regular blood donor aft...I just returned to being a regular blood donor after a medical hiatus so the theme was timely for me.<br /><br />Fenway Park opened on April 20, 1912 - can hardly wait to see if it got a puzzle of its own.<br /><br />I inexplicably had tSA at 1a and so finished with an error - no idea why I didn't see that mistake; perhaps it was because I imagined that Casablance overlooked Italy (iTL), which produced tiACP and that seemed like a plausible group to give Image Awards.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64340636492384269332012-05-17T16:28:14.948-04:002012-05-17T16:28:14.948-04:00@AC Minaret "Did CLARABARTON go down on the T...@AC Minaret "Did CLARABARTON go down on the Titanic??!!" No, she just gave it a hand job. OK, smack me. I just couldn't resist.<br /><br />Kept looking to make sure this was really Thursday. Expected some knee-buckling rebus to throw me off. It all fell pretty easily except for the hairball I coughed up in the NW. Is AOL still a giant? Do you know anybody who still uses them? Govt. alphabet soup stumped me. TSA? MIA? WTF? Had MED as a possibility for ATL. No idea about Putinka (though the suggestion of Putin's daughter is great). But the worst was having _ _NETAR in place and no idea what could precede that. La de dah.Cary in Bouldernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50816690624783062482012-05-17T15:07:26.712-04:002012-05-17T15:07:26.712-04:00@ACMe, I don't think Clara Barton went down at...@ACMe, I don't think Clara Barton went down at all.<br /><br />@Evan 1:04am, OK, I'll rename Washington "BajaBC."<br /><br />All you Real-Timers, 46A may be the abbr. for "EXECutor." My legal take on the clue.<br /><br />My first fills were the theme answers. I don't know why, but they jumped out at me. Got hung up in Maine, just like @ACMe. Wanted 9D to be catNESS. (Just loved "The Hunger Games.") Got XEROSIS on crosses, he said puffing out his chest. Only question to Rabii Google was DESMOND, so I guess I cheated.<br /><br />Capcha: oionica Infinduc. Latin for dude, you got serious halitosis.Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59531653077352061432012-05-17T14:21:28.796-04:002012-05-17T14:21:28.796-04:00Love the Waits video makes doing the puzzle extra ...Love the Waits video makes doing the puzzle extra special.Coach Metresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00474599809564549969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40862753643894353482012-05-17T14:19:37.944-04:002012-05-17T14:19:37.944-04:00Yikes! I agree with Rex on today's puzzle. S...Yikes! I agree with Rex on today's puzzle. Should I be worried? (Just playin' with ya, Rex).<br /><br />I was a volunteer for the American Red Cross for 14 years, so this was a good one for me.<br /><br />Too many middle eastern clues for my comfort zone, but I did manage to work 'em out.<br /><br />Purchased the puzzle pack from the Crosswords LA Tournament, so I'll have some fun for the weekend. Anyone else?Lola505https://www.blogger.com/profile/09249427833942985450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27386285934291914732012-04-13T01:08:12.203-04:002012-04-13T01:08:12.203-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 8/1/2009 post 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 6:16, 6:49, 0.92, 17%, Easy<br />Tue 8:59, 8:52, 1.01, 61%, Medium-Challenging<br />Wed 8:33, 11:49, 0.72, 2%, Easy (3rd lowest median solve time of 145 Wednesdays)<br />Thu 16:26, 18:56, 0.87, 24%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:19, 3:40, 0.91, 12%, Easy<br />Tue 4:36, 4:35, 1.00, 58%, Medium<br />Wed 4:33, 5:52, 0.78, 3%, Easy (5th lowest median solve time of 144 Wednesdays)<br />Thu 8:33, 9:18, 0.92, 40%, Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81942993054201829412012-04-12T22:36:06.843-04:002012-04-12T22:36:06.843-04:00Kristoff has me off eggs. My cholesterol level wi...Kristoff has me off eggs. My cholesterol level will thank him at next check. <br />-NYT junkieDog E Stylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12737881675685881525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69011704667371764882012-04-12T20:49:38.276-04:002012-04-12T20:49:38.276-04:00Glad to see that I am not alone in wondering if Cl...Glad to see that I am not alone in wondering if Clara Barton was on the Titanic....michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20367661351404626382012-04-12T19:38:17.189-04:002012-04-12T19:38:17.189-04:00@Curious: reno-ite like dyn-o-mite :) tho I love g...@Curious: reno-ite like dyn-o-mite :) tho I love good Old Jed!<br /><br />Good call on which "a sounds" go where - oops! I was concentrating on the first a being the short a... but there are NO open ah sounding a's anywhere in Nevada. <br /><br />Out here we pretty much say: <br />- Nuh VAD uh (1st a short like cat and rising, 2nd a like amount) rhymes with "nun had a" <br />- instead of Nev(ahhh)dah which rhymes intifada or empanada<br /> <br />So goes another Thursday...<br />The sun had a<br />rug pad, the<br />nun's sad - huh -<br />Nevada.Renoitenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9014970791097607182012-04-12T19:02:17.432-04:002012-04-12T19:02:17.432-04:00Thanks to acme, mac and foodie! Ir's a hauntin...Thanks to acme, mac and foodie! Ir's a haunting tale...ArtLvrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03869528391374878601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73788701046290865912012-04-12T18:06:17.617-04:002012-04-12T18:06:17.617-04:00@Artlvr-- I love your story!@Artlvr-- I love your story!foodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052189131129098616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31111568193266493092012-04-12T16:23:12.876-04:002012-04-12T16:23:12.876-04:00@Renoite - In pronouncing Nevada, which 'a'...@Renoite - In pronouncing Nevada, which 'a' is short and which 'a' is open?<br /><br />And how do pronounce your name? Like the black gold Old Jed found in the ground or like an Italian sounding wine? (I know it's parsed as Reno-ite, I'm just messin' with ya)Curiousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78664780036589407092012-04-12T16:07:50.002-04:002012-04-12T16:07:50.002-04:00@quilter1: PuzSpouse says nice quilt. She observe...@quilter1: PuzSpouse says nice quilt. She observed that there were lots of "flying geese" in it. Me, I don't speak quilt -- but thought it pleasingly colorful.<br /><br />Over at xwordinfo, they've got a pinkish cross on today's grid. Looks mighty good.<br /><br />Anyone mention that this puz was a 72-worder? Always a challenge to produce, for a themed jobber.<br /><br />Maybe all 3 chicks are working the puz, but 2 are consulting Google. So, better cancel my QED.Masked and Anonymous's Last Silver Bulletnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40540856434682720302012-04-12T16:00:37.892-04:002012-04-12T16:00:37.892-04:00Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 8/1/2...Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation of my method):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Thu 16:06, 18:56, 0.85, 22%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Thu 8:40, 9:19, 0.93, 41%, Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47720718832379592822012-04-12T15:56:46.212-04:002012-04-12T15:56:46.212-04:00@ArtLvr: what a wonderful story.
@quilter: what a ...@ArtLvr: what a wonderful story.<br />@quilter: what a beauty.<br />@JenCT: how's my godchild doing?<br /><br />@David: hand up for Ibn and radness, but not for long. This puzzle seemed easy to me, so much so that I didn't really notice the cross or the theme. How sad is that.... I did enjoy some of the clues especially, though.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39529671703165082762012-04-12T15:53:16.442-04:002012-04-12T15:53:16.442-04:00Thanks Rex for the Tom Waits video - the essence o...Thanks Rex for the Tom Waits video - the essence of American badness (I so wanted badass'd) who undoubtedly knows a bit about Stoli and the last cigarette ads on TV... ah, if he'd only tour again soon!<br /><br />RE: 60A, we teach our students that Battle Born is the official nickname of Nevada, as it joined the union in 1864 during the civil war, on the North's side, but it is AKA the Silver State for obvious economic reasons. <br /><br />Our pet peeve: that people east of Oklahoma refuse to pronounce the state with it's short a sound (like valley, vantage, valedictorian, vary, vacuum), instead choosing the open ah (vaunt, vonage, volley) which sets our teeth on edge. Fine, if you want to pronounce the entire mountain range in Spanish while rolling your R's in Sierra, and making the v sound like b and the d like "the" when saying Nevada, then by all means use the ah sound as in father. Otherwise, short a! Thanks kindly.Renoitenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71604037545316436712012-04-12T15:40:09.744-04:002012-04-12T15:40:09.744-04:00Late to the party, but I just needed to add my two...Late to the party, but I just needed to add my two cents. Yes, the executive branch has multiple and viable 'checks' on the judiciary branch of government.<br /><br />Say there was a contested election and the Supreme Court decided to step in to skirt the protocols for determining the true winner. Hell, the President just steps in an over-rules the Supreme Court!<br /><br />Worked real well for me.Al Gorenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24690801153354974662012-04-12T15:05:46.760-04:002012-04-12T15:05:46.760-04:00@quilter1 - indeed, that is a beautiful quilt. Wha...@quilter1 - indeed, that is a beautiful quilt. What a wonderful talent you have.<br />I should hope your niece was beyond thrilled!!Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46591997517041951332012-04-12T14:51:23.571-04:002012-04-12T14:51:23.571-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15553374805366582532012-04-12T14:50:54.204-04:002012-04-12T14:50:54.204-04:00Had a tough time with this one. For a long time h...Had a tough time with this one. For a long time had SPRAYER instead of AERATOR, learned OREAD, had FLORIDA before ALABAMA, put TOPCOAT for LABCOAT, and it just felt like a slog. Eventually worked it out with a bit of cheating.<br /><br />But don't get me wrong -- I do like a challenge and thus liked this puzzle. It's good to be reminded of CLARA BARTON every once in a while! I did like the clues for 38A and 27A.<br /><br />That is a gorgeous quilt, Quilter!Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09709142959535977331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15710566756629247892012-04-12T14:38:44.094-04:002012-04-12T14:38:44.094-04:00Thanks everyone - "Chick lit," I like it...Thanks everyone - "Chick lit," I like it!<br /><br />@quilter1: nice job!<br /><br />@Tita: fresh eggs, made daily - c'mon up, anytime.JenCThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18290169184354765840noreply@blogger.com