tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post7240590414140754250..comments2024-03-28T14:57:33.856-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Officemate of Don Peggy on Mad Men / THU 11-14-13 / Ersatz cocoa / Eponymic Dutch city / Pat Nixon's given name / Island that's home to world's largest lizardRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25963607368838703632013-12-20T13:33:43.479-05:002013-12-20T13:33:43.479-05:00Did the puz on Thursday but no tome to post... so,...Did the puz on Thursday but no tome to post... so, hope the theme didn't make @Spacy feel bad. And you were just the excuse @Diri needed.<br /><br />I did it, but didn't really get it. I think each of the four long dudes were exclusively self-referential. If there was more than that, and they were part of a common second dimensional theme that only Mensa types understood, then leave me out of that bus. Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77998255577337993072013-12-19T19:43:19.508-05:002013-12-19T19:43:19.508-05:00Eyjafjallajökull. Erupted in 2010.
That's al ...Eyjafjallajökull. Erupted in 2010.<br /><br />That's al I have to say (if I could say it).Cary in Bouldernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22057788729376405002013-12-19T18:11:50.544-05:002013-12-19T18:11:50.544-05:00Listen up! What a bunch of grumps. Someone writes ...Listen up! What a bunch of grumps. Someone writes a nice puzzle and offers it for your enjoyment, and how do you respond? Not very nicely, I'm afraid. How many of you could create a puzzle of this quality? I know I couldn't. <br /><br />As for the puzzle, I liked it, and thought the theme answers said just exactly what the clues stated, tho I did have trouble with PENTASYLLABIC, wanted one "l" until it just had to be two. <br /><br />@spacecraft: hope you feel better soon.<br /><br />Captcha is all numbers, some of which look bigger than the rest. Capital numbers? Here goes.....DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70684828019586988412013-12-19T16:19:49.047-05:002013-12-19T16:19:49.047-05:00Once again, spelling (or lack there-of) messed me ...Once again, spelling (or lack there-of) messed me up. KiMOri, KOniMI, ah, alas. In the end, all is well. <br /><br />@Spacey, hope you feel better.<br /><br />On to the weekend, where I usually get my come-up-ence.Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07156872089175084024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69402553421659326692013-12-19T15:48:58.092-05:002013-12-19T15:48:58.092-05:00I'm too lazy to be bothered with counting lett...I'm too lazy to be bothered with counting letters or syllables so it wasn't until I arrived here that I learned the theme clues applied to the answers in the grid, not the clues themselves - although I was a little troubled by UNHYPHENATED, I was willing to blame that on an error in printing the clue. How did THELMA Nixon become "Pat", I wonder?<br /><br />@spacecraft - I'll add my get-well wishes for a speedy recovery. I'll have a hot toddy on your behalf.<br /><br /> Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67985974591528215662013-12-19T13:39:51.146-05:002013-12-19T13:39:51.146-05:00The easy week continues with a different sort of &...The easy week continues with a different sort of "theme" which, ultimately, I like. When I realized the answers were autological, self-referential, or self-descriptive, I admired the effort. No smile or snicker, but I don't need that. <br /><br />I thought the fill was pretty good, and I really didn't notice much crosswordese. I'm not sure I would consider 007 to be an ALIAS, though.<br /><br />Btw, 'ophthalmologist' may be PRONOUNCEABLE, but few people can prove it.<br /><br />@Spacey Get better, and no flagging. You don't want to be under the weather for Christmas.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31208133415284095022013-12-19T10:58:48.370-05:002013-12-19T10:58:48.370-05:00Not feeling well this AM, so it'll be short. I...Not feeling well this AM, so it'll be short. I thought the whole idea was silly. Fill was OK, I guess; there just seemed no point.<br /><br />Not sure if both ALIAS and AKA appearing in the same grid deserves a flag, but I won't bother. See you guys tomorrow.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26492162437003110922013-12-19T10:29:23.513-05:002013-12-19T10:29:23.513-05:00Man, this is a tough crowd. I thought the puzz was...Man, this is a tough crowd. I thought the puzz was neato, interesting and fresh. Easy? Yes, but why not. Are there certain laws which demand an almost unsolvable creation on Thursdays? Were there any mistakes in today's puzzle? Yes, but so what. Is anyone or anything perfect??<br />Gimmee a break.<br /><br />Ron Diego 7:30 AMPST 12/19/13Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56059614796383180062013-11-15T12:55:59.609-05:002013-11-15T12:55:59.609-05:00 They should get rid of Will Shortz for a whole ... They should get rid of Will Shortz for a whole lot of reasons, including this puzzle.Willnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47437750608714018402013-11-15T12:30:03.208-05:002013-11-15T12:30:03.208-05:00you guys are too kind. The theme is like 6-down, ...you guys are too kind. The theme is like 6-down, ALOSERandynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30728098849537099822013-11-15T09:07:43.620-05:002013-11-15T09:07:43.620-05:00So sad ....does no one else remember "The Kom...So sad ....does no one else remember "The Komono Dragon Show" and Bob and Ray? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01261235181599740383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2814350347832406522013-11-15T06:28:40.250-05:002013-11-15T06:28:40.250-05:00Kind of a science guy here. Would you literary ty...Kind of a science guy here. Would you literary types believe I had never, ever heard of Zuleika Dobson? Number 59 on the list of 100 greatest novels!<br /><br />Once more, the wonderful things that can be learned from this blog!<br /><br />Thank you.Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49499692181379174252013-11-15T01:01:08.300-05:002013-11-15T01:01:08.300-05:00@Zuleika Dobson, I didn't recollect that you a...@Zuleika Dobson, I didn't recollect that you actually had any TRYSTS, at least not that resulted in anything worth writing down. Except the denouement, but didn't that all sort of happen at once? <br /><br />Sigh. I'm afraid I'm going to get all overly sentimental and self-infatuated here. My father made me read your story, or, rather, "strongly urged me". Not too many years before that he had even more strongly urged me to get some kind of makeover that would result in my looking "groomed" and sophisticated like Grace Kelly. (I couldn't ever have looked like Grace Kelly if I had the whole MAYO Clinic working on my case.) So all of a sudden, maybe 40 years later, it occurs to me maybe there was a message in his recommending your story, dear Zuleika. If I had only combed my hair better, I could have drowned a whole college rowing team. Darn. Ellen Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00473445503706985149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52931124822667253622013-11-14T22:52:31.435-05:002013-11-14T22:52:31.435-05:00This 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 6:03, 6:06, 0.99, 45%, Medium<br />Tue 7:59, 8:15, 0.97, 39%, Easy-Medium<br />Wed 8:31, 9:44, 0.88, 22%, Easy-Medium<br />Thu 12:31, 16:44, 0.75, 9%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:49, 3:46, 1.01, 54%, Medium<br />Tue 4:46, 5:09, 0.93, 21%, Easy-Medium<br />Wed 5:09, 5:37, 0.92, 27%, Easy-Medium<br />Thu 7:17, 9:43, 0.75, 9%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34228239700619729732013-11-14T22:36:27.660-05:002013-11-14T22:36:27.660-05:00Unsatisfyingly quick for a Thursday and quickly un...Unsatisfyingly quick for a Thursday and quickly unsatisfying. Might have been interesting if the theme answers were words like SELF-REFERENTIAL, AUTOLOGICAL, or even UNHELPFUL CLUE (willing to live with the paradox here). As it was, figuring out the theme did not in any way help me to arrive at the theme answers.name left blanknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25151420076813981142013-11-14T18:33:21.051-05:002013-11-14T18:33:21.051-05:00Thank you, Tom McCoy for a refreshingly different ...Thank you, Tom McCoy for a refreshingly different Thursday, i.e. doable for a novice. Some interesting <br />GEMS, such as Shakespeare as ACTOR.<br /><br />A must-read: Bryson On Shakespeare. Charming. It's so good that when you finish it, you turn back to page one and start all over again. <br /><br />Some solvers want 'their Thursday back.' I say, fine to have a bit of a relaxing solve on a Thursday. <br /><br />@Dubya...WWW- beg to differ, no it ain't. wrote a poem in 2000 on behalf of poor "W" the letter, defending its pronunciation. <br /><br />@ Carola- "I know we're not supposed to be political here..." ?<br />In a blog that has as it subjects everything under the sun, as well as political answers: DEM, president's names,nicknames, IKE, ABE, HST, and today,ROMNEY, a political post is out? Makes no sense. Although I did not follow @ Steve J's apparent dust-up, why not skip over political comments the same way some of us must try awfully hard to bypass the overly sentimental, self-infatuated and constant self-reverential diaries, pogo-stick eulogies and all? Hi Mom, hi Dad. <br /><br />Unless Rex decreed it, and how would such a broad-minded, educated individual put a hold on any open dialogue on his great blog, where he introduces any and all music, food, science, and all other topics of interest. What is so verboten about being political? <br /><br />I say, now more than ever...<br /><br />And, I don't know about you, but I absolutely have to write down all my TRYSTS, to keep track...<br /><br />@ August...I always love a gentleman who knows how to tender a decent apology. You can apologize to me anytime, and I will accept. <br /><br />ZDZuleika Dobsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32240033106459935632013-11-14T16:05:15.365-05:002013-11-14T16:05:15.365-05:00@ Lewis - make that SIR/SPUR/DEMUR@ Lewis - make that SIR/SPUR/DEMURretired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47401339255480426722013-11-14T15:46:55.582-05:002013-11-14T15:46:55.582-05:00Midday 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 />Thu 12:31, 16:44, 0.75, 9%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Thu 7:48, 9:43, 0.80, 15%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26725487661400472942013-11-14T15:44:39.935-05:002013-11-14T15:44:39.935-05:00I like any puzzle with QUAY in it. Such a great wo...I like any puzzle with QUAY in it. Such a great word.<br />DigitalDanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11620300502981292088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5799366578227188532013-11-14T15:11:00.573-05:002013-11-14T15:11:00.573-05:00Well, TWELVELETTER and PENTASYLLABIC can be hyphen...Well, TWELVELETTER and PENTASYLLABIC can be hyphenated but don't have to be, IMO.Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09709142959535977331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21437722168935688092013-11-14T15:09:24.613-05:002013-11-14T15:09:24.613-05:00I liked the last two theme answers, but the first ...I liked the last two theme answers, but the first two are just too inclusive -- they could apply to any answer in the puzzle. I would have scrapped this puzzle (sadly) if I couldn't think of better answers, and started something new.<br /><br />I found many of the clues hard -- the kind of hard that comes from not being on my wavelength rather than not remembering or knowing a piece of information. For instance, it took me seemingly forever to get GEMS from "sparklers". "Some trails" took a long time too, and there were others.<br /><br />@acme -- good catch on the OPEN/AGAPE cross!<br /><br />I like the rhyming crosses PETE/METE, SPUR/DEMUR.<br /><br />Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09709142959535977331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40872491309988982432013-11-14T14:47:14.997-05:002013-11-14T14:47:14.997-05:00@EllenS thanks for the warning. Maybe I should go...@EllenS thanks for the warning. Maybe I should go back to the beet avatar!!chefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22494066124617363312013-11-14T14:42:32.822-05:002013-11-14T14:42:32.822-05:00@Davis -- D'oh! Sorry.@Davis -- D'oh! Sorry.D'ohnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83772314165688816102013-11-14T14:11:57.732-05:002013-11-14T14:11:57.732-05:00Plop, plop, plop, the answers went in easily for m...Plop, plop, plop, the answers went in easily for me. Tuesdayish.<br /><br />Liked the clue for TRYSTS.<br /> <br />Shouldn't there be an 's' at the end of TWELVELETTER?<br /><br />Gimme it suggests LEgGO.<br /><br />Still, thank you McCoy, I'll pick no feud with you.gifcanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12612467417938884430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78450557001706649802013-11-14T13:49:44.186-05:002013-11-14T13:49:44.186-05:00Hello all. My first post - late out here on the w...Hello all. My first post - late out here on the west coast. <br /><br />I agree with Rex. This week has been wretched. Very few smiles or giggles all week. <br /><br />One consolation is that reading the blog and all of your lunatic rants is usually at least as fun as doing the puzzle. <br /><br /><br />For example:<br />Yesterday, you all demonstrated that you clearly have way too much time on your hands but I was so happy to get the cake/pizza cutting quandary solved once and for all.gringahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12917379814760525264noreply@blogger.com