tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6790402310278301918..comments2024-03-29T11:24:03.304-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Youth with Skull painter / FRI 2-17-12 / Lady Baltimore novelist 1906 / Graceful fairy / Postapocalyptic best seller of 1978 / Aquila's brightest starRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37953046275724654372012-03-23T20:08:36.083-04:002012-03-23T20:08:36.083-04:00I made all the same mistakes everyone else did plu...I made all the same mistakes everyone else did plus a couple of my own that are just too painful to talk about, so DNF with a couple of blank spaces in the NW and a couple of wrong letters in the NE. Not a pretty grid to look at. But I still had fun and I learned a lot, and as I said in a post a very long time ago that defines a good puzzle for me.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27282344015126719932012-03-23T19:22:32.106-04:002012-03-23T19:22:32.106-04:00This was sort of two-tiered for me in difficulty; ...This was sort of two-tiered for me in difficulty; when I first saw it I stared and despaired. The first scan of the clues gave me one lone gimme: HENRY, with all those roman numerals and "parts." I was in one of those once, in college. I was an extra; my lone line was "An't be not four by the day I'll be 'anged!" To which my friend and co-extra answered "The turkeys in me pannier are quite starved." And there you have, folks, the only two lines from ANY of the HENRY plays that I know.<br /><br />Then as I cast about, flailing, I saw a couple more, one of them being, unfortunately ICECAP. That seriously retarded my development of the NE, as well as delaying the reveal of one of my all-time favorite stories by my all-time favorite author: Stephen King. I just didn't realize that THESTAND was quite so early; I first got hold of it in 1991. That put the crusher on my icecap and brought SEAICE to light (well, I was half right!). That was my only writeover, though, and the rest seemed to just fall in there. I guess I'd have to rate it challenging-easy. Just one quibble: isn't 2d supposed to be spelled ALPHA? What's there is the first name of one of those myriad Italian car companies. Especially since it's right next to 3d, and we could have a kids' cereal.Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88050304375144685352012-03-23T18:59:02.444-04:002012-03-23T18:59:02.444-04:00MUCH better puzzle than yesterday, IMHO.
Found th...MUCH better puzzle than yesterday, IMHO.<br /><br />Found the clues to be challenging, but fair.<br /><br />My trip-ups were 20A, I had Eric Idle before BANA; 21A, ice cap before SEA ICE; and, 38A, one on one before one TO one.<br /><br />@Celestajean, just like getting to Carnegie Hall, practice, practice, practice.<br />Seriously, look up words you don't know (or check the answers -- not as much fun nor as enlightening) and learn from your mistakes. Have fun!Lola505https://www.blogger.com/profile/09249427833942985450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71739673507448153552012-03-23T15:16:55.011-04:002012-03-23T15:16:55.011-04:00@Anonymous 11:31, so if you have two friends named...@Anonymous 11:31, so if you have two friends named CHAD...<br /><br />I liked the 33D clue, otherwise not much to get excited about.Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15232423095271750222012-03-23T13:03:55.069-04:002012-03-23T13:03:55.069-04:00@Celestajean - Practice and learning your crosswor...@Celestajean - Practice and learning your crosswordese and practice.Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76183466136303096652012-03-23T12:30:07.985-04:002012-03-23T12:30:07.985-04:00I am new to the NYTimes puzzle. I found today'...I am new to the NYTimes puzzle. I found today's puzzle very difficult. How does a person become adept at these puzzles?Celestajeannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31616367499412397462012-03-23T10:30:52.580-04:002012-03-23T10:30:52.580-04:00Do I believe it when a person says they finished a...Do I believe it when a person says they finished a "medium" puzzle in 5 or 6 or 10 minutes?? A big NO! Most of the time it takes longer to just print the letters. C'mon folks, it's not about time, it's about the pleasure and fun. I refer back to one of Aesop's fables.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24689851588880343402012-02-20T13:44:21.559-05:002012-02-20T13:44:21.559-05:00Not knowing Owen Wister and She being Brand only s...Not knowing Owen Wister and She being Brand only serves to verify the lack of literary depth in my engineering education. <br /><br />Otherwise, this was very easy. Friday? Really?Davenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4767004293809075462012-02-18T11:31:41.509-05:002012-02-18T11:31:41.509-05:00All:
The plural of CHAD is CHAD
CHAD, NOT CHADS!...All:<br /><br />The plural of CHAD is CHAD<br /><br />CHAD, NOT CHADS!<br /><br />Like deer, etc.<br /><br />I am taken aback!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86211903232713607422012-02-17T22:20:32.526-05:002012-02-17T22:20:32.526-05:00This 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 5:49, 6:49, 0.85, 4%, Easy (5th lowest median solve time of 138 Mondays)<br />Tue 8:50, 8:52, 1.00, 55%, Medium<br />Wed 10:52, 11:49, 0.92, 36%, Easy-Medium<br />Thu 23:27, 18:59, 1.24, 88%, Challenging<br />Fri 24:16, 25:13, 0.96, 43%, Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:18, 3:40, 0.90, 9%, Easy<br />Tue 4:53, 4:35, 1.07, 72%, Medium-Challenging<br />Wed 5:30, 5:52, 0.94, 37%, Easy-Medium<br />Thu 11:46, 9:17, 1.27, 87%, Challenging<br />Fri 12:57, 12:29, 1.04, 62%, Medium-Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41446199446167744112012-02-17T21:20:02.892-05:002012-02-17T21:20:02.892-05:00PS -- That the top 100 Solvers had more difficulty...PS -- That the top 100 Solvers had more difficulty than the more general poplulation (in SFman's reckoning) is somehow illustrative of 'the long tail' in considering multiple answers.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48022677988078012732012-02-17T21:03:20.399-05:002012-02-17T21:03:20.399-05:00Part of a long neck, with four letters starting wi...Part of a long neck, with four letters starting with F, and I was thinking along Cummings' lines.<br /><br />Whole top of the grid was a disastrously fun solve for me -- more fun than acing the bottom two thirds. Fair being SOSO; COW EWE, SOY etc., EXO. I guess it really wasn't that hard, but for a sharp-witted Friday morning solve I was pretty slow on the uptake.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15698856301413239582012-02-17T20:23:57.931-05:002012-02-17T20:23:57.931-05:00Just watched Godfather III last week and it was de...Just watched Godfather III last week and it was decent, but Funny People is a truly excellent film. You should check it out, Rex.Jessenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56761723238357305562012-02-17T19:39:32.909-05:002012-02-17T19:39:32.909-05:00Too tough for me, too.
Tried MIS (myocardial infa...Too tough for me, too.<br /><br />Tried MIS (myocardial infarctions) before ODS, ODOR before HINT, FOOD before FEED; too many others to mention.<br /><br />Knew DADO from watching This Old House.<br /><br />The CAPTCHAS are annoying, but not as annoying as getting all those spam emails.<br /><br />TGIF.JenCThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18290169184354765840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46845741666334742482012-02-17T18:27:39.364-05:002012-02-17T18:27:39.364-05:00@long suffering mets fan - Well said. Everything I...@long suffering mets fan - Well said. Everything I've heard about Gary Carter today supports your experience with him. A terrific man, gone too soon.<br /><br />I cruised through 3/4's of this one but was utterly beaten by the NE corner. I never got the breakthrough I needed.Chip Hiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944056030047563287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24129565296765022232012-02-17T18:14:30.504-05:002012-02-17T18:14:30.504-05:00Yes, an easy one (except I missed that "Marin...Yes, an easy one (except I missed that "Mariner's" was singular, and have never heard of Eric Bana, so that cross was a guessing game (NASL - maybe there's a North American Soccer League team called the Mariners). <br /><br />But I don't buy "ect" - it's missing an "o" in my mind. There's no "ectplasm" it's "ectoplasm", isn't it? jrjohnrantahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18348548766177225135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69788218523443209812012-02-17T17:36:27.326-05:002012-02-17T17:36:27.326-05:00I know I am a long way from getting good at this w...I know I am a long way from getting good at this when most of you rate this as easy. Except for the SE I had loads of trouble and DNF.<br /><br />Gotta learn more people and postapocalyptic books so I'll have less IHADNOIDEAsMighty Nisdenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00604834076817509735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78805289317640535972012-02-17T17:22:55.037-05:002012-02-17T17:22:55.037-05:00I knew Rex would rate this one as Easy because I w...I knew Rex would rate this one as Easy because I was able to do it in one sitting! Very atypical for a Friday or a Saturday.<br /><br />Least favorite clue: "Is routed by." LOSES TO seems so weak compared to the clue.<br /><br />Another four-letter Eric: Roth. Great actor with a noteworthy filmography.<br /><br />Finally, THE STAND. One of my favorite Stephen King books, made even better when he released the uncut version a few years later. The scene in which they are escaping NYC via the tunnel is probably the scariest thing I've ever read.<br /><br />P.S. I hate captcha.Doc Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12540112168511893896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31598967997919992122012-02-17T17:18:12.527-05:002012-02-17T17:18:12.527-05:00I compounded icecap with conf for my league divisi...I compounded icecap with conf for my league division. Did I doubt these answers? No - I doubted EXPO and CHAW instead. Put the puzzle down, went to work, and picked it up afterwards. STAPLER looked possible, guessed at THE STAND, and the NE finally fell. tHE BEING BRAND seemed plausible to me, though, so finished with an error.<br /><br />So I'd rate this easy medium for 3/4ths and medium hard in the NW.<br /><br />The new Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart are similar to the CAPTCHAs used by Ticketmaster. Given the rash of automated posts that hit my inbox last week, I assume Blogger had to upgrade its protocols because someone figured out a way to defeat the previous protocol.Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20284296666555478202012-02-17T17:16:58.991-05:002012-02-17T17:16:58.991-05:00I feel the same way as my fellow long suffering Me...I feel the same way as my fellow long suffering Met fan. Gary Carter was a favorite. I renewed my season tickets despite the apparent hopelessness...<br /><br />An average Friday for me, but very enjoyable. Like many here, I began with "burnt" and "icecap", and never heard of Wister or Bana. Got a kick out of the clue for "Spacecadet" and for "Marbles." Didn't like the clue for Adar - "It begins Thursday at sunset" would have been better, I think. Somehow, mixing zodiac references with Jewish months doesn't work for me. I got "Peri" from Gilbert and Sullivan (the peer and the peri) and Betel nuts from "South Pacific.." Thanks, Mr. Livengood.OISKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16808675378318214461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40770301555693885372012-02-17T17:03:10.505-05:002012-02-17T17:03:10.505-05:00@Rex - I believe that's the first reference to...@Rex - I believe that's the first reference to Al Kooper I've seen in over thirty years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39131758778859097472012-02-17T16:52:51.369-05:002012-02-17T16:52:51.369-05:00BANDITO is questionable as the clueing calls for a...BANDITO is questionable as the clueing calls for a Spanish word, which would be BANDIDO. Given that another answer (MAS) is also Spanish and refers to what a BANDIDO would say, this held me up for ages.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67777564781566181042012-02-17T16:14:25.114-05:002012-02-17T16:14:25.114-05:00Rex, please allow me to go off topic
Gray Carter ...Rex, please allow me to go off topic<br /><br />Gray Carter passed away yesterday at the way too young age of 57 from brain cancer. He was co-captain of the 86 World Champion Mets and made it in to Cooperstown<br /><br />Back in the 80s, I was fortunate enough to procure some special seats for a Mets game through work.<br />The special part included a pre-game kids clinic with Gary Carter and Mookie Wilson, another popular Met. I brought my then 10 year old son and my 9 year old nephew -- there we were actually on the field, about 100 kids and parents with Gary Carter and Mookie Wilson instructing the boys on baseball for about an hour. The two of them couldn't have been nicer -- taking the time with each kid, answering all of their questions, and a genuine concern expressed by both of them. To this day my son and my nephew still talk about that special day at Shea.<br /><br />A far cry from the pompous, self-serving prima-donnas that we hear too much about on Sportscenter or ET<br /><br />RIP Gary Carter<br /><br />thanks, Rexlong suffering mets fannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51605693049732467122012-02-17T15:56:34.395-05:002012-02-17T15:56:34.395-05:00@Loren MS - I found this puzzle somewhat hard but ...@Loren MS - I found this puzzle somewhat hard but I'm only good Monday and Tuesday. That's why I come here, to learn how to be a good solver. Sadly, however, more often than not, I come here only to learn how easy the puzzle was for Rex. That throws me into a depression and then I drink 101 proof bourbon, which is not a good thing. But by the time I sober up I forgot Rex what Rex said....<br /><br />JFCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28643624976864677482012-02-17T15:54:37.913-05:002012-02-17T15:54:37.913-05:00Midday 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):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Fri 23:40, 25:13, 0.94, 40%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Fri 13:32, 12:29, 1.08, 67%, Medium-Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.com