tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6751152461362961371..comments2024-03-29T03:22:09.826-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Mob Wives star Big * / WED 2-26-14 / Compadre of Castro / Harry Belafonte genre / Hobby farm denizen / Mike Tyson facial feature / Sheer curtain fabric / Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52576404892573348732014-04-02T19:07:37.867-04:002014-04-02T19:07:37.867-04:00IST post!
\sorry, couldn't resist
6s in 9sIST post!<br /><br />\sorry, couldn't resist<br /><br />6s in 9s straylinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13536180563789923012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53793800562608813812014-04-02T18:56:15.913-04:002014-04-02T18:56:15.913-04:00Ja, das IST eine gute Kreuzworträtsel!Ja, das IST eine gute Kreuzworträtsel!Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31430403234861756962014-04-02T16:30:40.481-04:002014-04-02T16:30:40.481-04:00Had I known "Mob Wives" (there's rea...Had I known "Mob Wives" (there's really such a show?) Big ANG I surely would have seen Castro's pal GUEVERA to complete the grid without OWS; alas, ANn/nUEVERA stayed in. Oh well, it was still a fun puzzle even if it wasn't the bestIST.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73678457370141293142014-04-02T14:35:40.316-04:002014-04-02T14:35:40.316-04:00Liked ATTILA over SURLY. Who is that ill-humored H...Liked ATTILA over SURLY. Who is that ill-humored Hun, anyway?<br /><br />Liked PIGS AVIATE.<br /><br />The ADDICT in the SKICAP, smokin' WEED on MAINSTREET, is definitely a CREDITRISK. Ruth had a sub-theme running here.<br /><br />No poker today. Go Mariners.<br /><br /><br />Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6434013353393900302014-04-02T13:34:08.687-04:002014-04-02T13:34:08.687-04:00Enjoyed a Wednesday romp through the "ist&quo...Enjoyed a Wednesday romp through the "ist" world. Wasn't sure if the fabric should be tOILE or VOILE, so wrote in what I knew and waited for the first letter to show,up. Actually, I do a lot of that kind of thing. My grasp of language lends itself to knowing what part of a word is and then waiting for the other shoe to drop.<br /><br />Not to be missed is @Z,s Shakespearean tribute to solving! DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59500596572968366592014-04-02T12:01:11.046-04:002014-04-02T12:01:11.046-04:00Me likee. OK, maybe a tad too easy for a Wed., but...Me likee. OK, maybe a tad too easy for a Wed., but a little clue-tweaking could fix that. I'll add my voice to others who disagree with OFL; not every theme needs a revealer. Further, IST is not "a random set of letters." It means one who does, or believes in, something. As such, two of the themers preserve this meaning (CUBIST, CELLIST), which may be looked upon as a defect; I choose not to. The other two are absolutely brilliant, changing completely the word being attached. Plus, the root phrases add plenty of SPICE, to say the least.<br /><br />Now we come to the fill. If this is indeed a debut, it's a remarkable one. Did Ms. M. have any coaching along the way? There is some great stuff here: CREDITRISK, REPLICA, CALYPSO. As OFL (reluctantly??) admitted, that open center section has to be hard to pull off.<br /><br />Suffice to say, after doing this, I'M UP! Especially my thumbs.<br /><br />At last, the syndilink job has, apparently, been filled. Hooray! spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45379124554670246722014-02-26T23:28:51.692-05:002014-02-26T23:28:51.692-05:00I REALLY must proofread more often before I post!
...I REALLY must proofread more often before I post!<br /><br />@JFC<br /><br />I don't understand the vitriol that a few seem to have for my comments. I usually make it clear that I respect Rex's opinions, but I sometimes don't agree with the way he goes about it. I obviously enjoy his blog and the comments or I would not come here everyday AND contribute to his site. I don't think it would be very entertaining if everyone merely sucked up and agreed with his every word.wreckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08797908615185213756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48400563891548873092014-02-26T23:25:17.996-05:002014-02-26T23:25:17.996-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.wreckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08797908615185213756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43373818542523645212014-02-26T22:06:48.570-05:002014-02-26T22:06:48.570-05:00This 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 6:19, 6:18, 1.00, 52%, Medium<br />Tue 6:27, 8:16, 0.78, 1%, Easy (3rd lowest ratio of 220 Tuesdays)<br />Wed 8:10, 10:14, 0.80, 7%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 4:19, 4:00, 1.08, 82%, Challenging<br />Tue 4:06, 5:13, 0.79, 0%, Easy (Lowest ratio of 220 Tuesdays)<br />Wed 5:07, 6:17, 0.81, 6%, Easy (13th lowest ratio of 217 Wednesdays)sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6889246522397388272014-02-26T21:42:53.327-05:002014-02-26T21:42:53.327-05:00@Wreck,
I think I won my bet.
It appears those w...@Wreck,<br /><br />I think I won my bet.<br /><br />It appears those who responded didn’t fully understand your point. I don’t think the comment was hateful but raised an interesting dichotomy. It’s like eating. Can you enjoy a steak by wolfing it down? There are a lot of good steak houses in Chicago and I assure you for the money a $50 dry-aged bone-in rib-eye should be savored with each bite.<br /><br />I agree that it is not humanly possible to enjoy this puzzle doing it in 3 minutes the same manner that someone does it in 8 or 15 or 30 minutes. Rex sometimes even misses notes posted because he is speed solving. How can he enjoy the puzzle the same way as someone who reads the note?<br /><br />However, Rex speed solves and then goes back to comprehend how he feels a solver would react and then does his write-up. Of course, I don’t know that. But it is so logical than it cannot be denied. That’s his assumed job and passion. But I just don’t know about those other speed solvers who don’t write blogs. I’ve always assumed their enjoyment came from solving, not in admiring the art involved in the construction.<br /><br />JFCJFCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27592006216110793142014-02-26T21:31:14.555-05:002014-02-26T21:31:14.555-05:00@mohair Tip O'Neil's "storied" 8...@mohair Tip O'Neil's "storied" 8th district included Somerville, Cambridge and a wacky meander of wards and precincts through Boston that may be (for comic effect, but certainly not stereotypical behavior) likened to a drunken Irishman's stagger home. Brookline native Conan O'Brien would approve of the image.<br /><br />After redistricting in 2013, Tip's old stomping grounds in north Cambridge were peeled off the 8th to become part of MA5, which ACTUALLY DOES INCLUDE NATICK. Thanks to gerrymandering and redistricting, "all politics are local" and "all Natick's are personal" are indeed geo-politico-linguistically related. Fancy that. <br /><br />And thank you for asking!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07107804787389636647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86574849470845649342014-02-26T19:39:43.079-05:002014-02-26T19:39:43.079-05:00Thank you Norm....it completely eluded me! Now tha...Thank you Norm....it completely eluded me! Now that you say it, duh!AnnieDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10344302828359075478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87255170220583214932014-02-26T19:33:24.905-05:002014-02-26T19:33:24.905-05:00#anonomice. In your domain. Director. guess i ain&...#anonomice. In your domain. Director. guess i ain't brave!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4140529780716833422014-02-26T19:32:00.497-05:002014-02-26T19:32:00.497-05:00Steven King would be my guess -- and let us hope w...Steven King would be my guess -- and let us hope we don't draw the wrath of Rex ...Normhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10032302346488486116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63582689943052162312014-02-26T19:26:41.135-05:002014-02-26T19:26:41.135-05:00Is it declasse to ask a question about another puz...Is it declasse to ask a question about another puzzle? I was working another puzzle and the clue was:<br /><br />A la King<br /><br />The answer was:<br /><br />Gruesomely<br /><br />I don't get it... can someone please explain?<br />AnnieDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10344302828359075478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68148905301041876232014-02-26T18:14:22.895-05:002014-02-26T18:14:22.895-05:00I love the two first across answers in the complet...I love the two first across answers in the completed grid. Rex will abide this type of theme when PIGS AVIATE!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31754092823239493702014-02-26T18:11:32.449-05:002014-02-26T18:11:32.449-05:00@acme: Excellent! I'd forgotten that one, al...@acme: Excellent! I'd forgotten that one, although I must have done it. (The LAT and the Jumble are my companions on the daily BART ride home.) Normhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10032302346488486116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4768350772832208502014-02-26T17:20:38.693-05:002014-02-26T17:20:38.693-05:00my fastest wednesday-and waited til the end to tak...my fastest wednesday-and waited til the end to take out the IST....nice<br /><br />@chefbea---many happy returns of the day!<br /><br />@Z - i am so jay-lous that you live that close to comerica park....<br />i will be there for opening day! it's a traditionschmuzzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15641995525666982653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37554132933187134102014-02-26T16:34:32.148-05:002014-02-26T16:34:32.148-05:00@norm
check out this super fun clever WITH reveal ...@norm<br />check out this super fun clever WITH reveal that Micahel Blake did in the LAT Fri Nov 9, 2009<br />http://www.cruciverb.com/data.php?op=showpuzzle&puzzle_id=14695acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85152887899574773692014-02-26T15:48:08.032-05:002014-02-26T15:48:08.032-05:00Easiest Wednesday I have ever seen.Easiest Wednesday I have ever seen.dmwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08152076798904593245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59524182879926893442014-02-26T15:32:44.442-05:002014-02-26T15:32:44.442-05:00Midday 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 and my 10/15/2012 post for an explanation of a tweak to my method):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Wed 8:10, 10:14, 0.80, 7%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Wed 5:22, 6:17, 0.85, 10%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69174068374216446172014-02-26T15:13:48.148-05:002014-02-26T15:13:48.148-05:00Fairly easy puzzle. I did not care for SLEEPER CE...Fairly easy puzzle. I did not care for SLEEPER CELLIST as it does not sound like sleeper cell (+IST) when spoken aloud.<br />Other than that, moderately entertaining. Karlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28693352915208462642014-02-26T14:50:59.703-05:002014-02-26T14:50:59.703-05:00BTW, I enjoyed this puzzle a lot. I like coming h...BTW, I enjoyed this puzzle a lot. I like coming here to read Rex's critique, and I guess he has a point that the puzzle would have been stronger and more clever with a reveal, but that didn't make me like it any less. Normhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10032302346488486116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15792417500217906252014-02-26T14:50:36.947-05:002014-02-26T14:50:36.947-05:00Tip of the cap to @cascokid san for the Tip O'...Tip of the cap to @cascokid san for the Tip O'neill reference. Did his district actually go out as far as Natick? Spent a lot of time in Eastern Mass over the years, so Natick would never be a natick for me.Mohair Samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16502840715719161565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72850116910318805282014-02-26T14:47:06.625-05:002014-02-26T14:47:06.625-05:00Addend/Adder/Addle/Address might be easier than Ad...Addend/Adder/Addle/Address might be easier than Addict as a theme?Normhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10032302346488486116noreply@blogger.com