tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post7409937590070725095..comments2024-03-28T14:10:39.725-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Astrologer Dixon / FRI 11-2-12 / Korean liquor similar to sake / Barrio kinsman / Topic de Freud / 1962 film starring Elvis Presley as boxerRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33074287832475384102012-12-08T12:55:21.762-05:002012-12-08T12:55:21.762-05:00Am I the only one that interpreted girl group memb...Am I the only one that interpreted girl group member as any member instead of a specific member?<br />I then got hung up on the Scary Sistas. You remember them don't you?Longbeachleenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68573888027749740472012-12-07T19:46:32.352-05:002012-12-07T19:46:32.352-05:00I guess I'm the only one who aaHED when I shou...I guess I'm the only one who aaHED when I should have OOHED at 60A? Beuller? Anyone? I still think my answer was plausible (but wrong).<br /><br />And getoffthecouch fits nicely in 1a, but I didn't write it in because it never helps to say it around my house so I figured it wouldn't help in the grid.<br /><br />No complaints here - it's fun to GETITRIGHT (almost) without resorting to THEWEB for help.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35880171706077324802012-12-07T13:50:25.757-05:002012-12-07T13:50:25.757-05:00Well, exept for the entire North, I PLODded throug...Well, exept for the entire North, I PLODded through this with many write-overs. I'm not up on my obscure Elvis, so first King Creole went in, then Kid Gavilan (I think he was an actual boxer), then, after JEANE and OOHED, KIDGALAHAD made it in. EXERCISERS before EXERCISING, ETERNAL STRUGGLE, thinking that the water behind must have a wake, BY THE DOZEN, etc. Yep, I found it tough, but a nice themeless that touched on many areas with fresh material.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39003828233160973462012-12-07T10:47:27.689-05:002012-12-07T10:47:27.689-05:00@Carola: hand up for the "Heartaches" ea...@Carola: hand up for the "Heartaches" earworm. And @retired_chemist: sIrGALAHAD was the fault of my faulty memory--and my only writeover. <br /><br />Despite a couple of easy ins like the JEANE/COEN cross and ADLAI/RAT/TIO, I feared at first that I'd never GETITRIGHT, but in the end I prevailed.<br /><br />Likes: YAPAT crossing PUPPYLOVE (now there's an earworm, Anka fans!)--plus, the canine reference in the clue for the top line (though curiously, the last part of the answer is feline); the general freshness of entries and cleverness of cluing.<br /><br />Dislikes: EPEES (overused), EGER and SOJU (ultra-obscure), PSST and the ugly INSTS smack in the middle.<br /><br />Can't STANDs: LONGE. I'm on a campaign to ban that crap, period.Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77733787186304026152012-11-03T18:07:10.326-04:002012-11-03T18:07:10.326-04:00late by a day - writing anyway.
Solved it in wor...late by a day - writing anyway. <br /><br />Solved it in workmanlike fashion - PLOD, PLOD, PLOD. (which was WOOD at first, of course). UNDER THE BRIDGE, JEANE, and OOHED gave me *HAD for 27D, which was SIR GALAHAD momentarily until I remembered KID G. The K gave me ELK @ 25A, saving me from the EMU or the EEL. Which sound like signs in an alternative zodiac.....<br /><br />Agree ENDLESS STRUGGLE is a blah phrase. EASY THERE, TIGER is no better. YAP AT is sort of skewed as an answer for "lecture, say" IMO.<br /><br />Somehow got CARIBES out of _AR_BE_, can't say how. <br /><br />Thanks, Mr. Bowman. retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27134303777093272742012-11-03T14:35:11.652-04:002012-11-03T14:35:11.652-04:00CARIBES is a great anagram when ASCRIBE won't ...CARIBES is a great anagram when ASCRIBE won't fit. It also makes a bunch of 8s with another letter.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31079935866686153762012-11-03T01:04:34.879-04:002012-11-03T01:04:34.879-04:00This 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 6:25, 6:47, 0.95, 30%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 10:10, 8:58, 1.13, 85%, Challenging<br />Wed 11:45, 11:50, 0.99, 52%, Medium<br />Thu 15:35, 18:47, 0.83, 21%, Easy-Medium<br />Fri 20:49, 24:24, 0.85, 25%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:41, 3:41, 1.00, 55%, Medium<br />Tue 5:45, 4:41, 1.23, 97%, Challenging (7th highest median solve time of 175 Tuesdays)<br />Wed 6:23, 5:57, 1.07, 73%, Medium-Challenging<br />Thu 9:19, 9:22, 0.99, 57%, Medium<br />Fri 12:07, 12:10, 1.00, 52%, Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33468670942687846312012-11-02T23:17:35.256-04:002012-11-02T23:17:35.256-04:00Tom Tomorrow did the artwork for Pearl Jam's l...Tom Tomorrow did the artwork for Pearl Jam's last studio album (Backspacer) and I could only think of him, too, until I remembered Tom Synder and the great impression Dan Aykroyd did of him on SNL.abnormahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08203985530569154521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11378474768436981232012-11-02T20:59:20.861-04:002012-11-02T20:59:20.861-04:00I found it easy, even though I pronounce eraser wi...I found it easy, even though I pronounce eraser with a short e.michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45607402053695010492012-11-02T16:48:20.205-04:002012-11-02T16:48:20.205-04:00Not Kid Galahad or 10cc.Not <a href="http://youtu.be/JMrcnqKSbw8" rel="nofollow">Kid Galahad</a> or 10cc.Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73543932797806412552012-11-02T15:36:37.722-04:002012-11-02T15:36:37.722-04:00@ ksquare
Knew EGER was a Hungarian city, but hav...@ ksquare<br /><br />Knew EGER was a Hungarian city, but haven't heard Hungarian spoken since my childhood. Indeed- it means mouse!<br /><br />Thanks for reminding me! It's such a delicious language. I've kept a few of my grandmother's poems, that she used to recite...wonderful memories!Sandy Knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74397594705633117282012-11-02T15:34:55.145-04:002012-11-02T15:34:55.145-04:00Midday 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 />Fri 20:12, 24:23, 0.83, 22%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Fri 12:28, 12:10, 1.02, 58%, Medium<br /><br />The ratings are Medium (44%) and Medium-Challenging (66%) when using solve times for just the previous 13 weeks as the basis for comparison (for details about why this may be important see my posts--and those of others--from last Friday and Saturday).sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4177628001237885652012-11-02T15:21:40.641-04:002012-11-02T15:21:40.641-04:00 i say ehraser ...you SAY e-raser..
i declare this... i say ehraser ...you SAY e-raser..<br />i declare this puzzle do-able for a friday which is not so frequent so i feel proud. usually when i finish rex says easy. i enjoyed this puzzle and think my age helped.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31815365062055756912012-11-02T15:14:17.526-04:002012-11-02T15:14:17.526-04:00@JohnV and @mac - hope you're doing as well as...@JohnV and @mac - hope you're doing as well as can be expected. My Darien sister has no power.<br /><br />Don't like the water UNDERTHEBRIDGE, as there is too much of it everywhere after Sandy - but that's no reflecion on the puzzle.<br /><br />I liked it alot - I finished it in 2 sittings - rare for a Friday. No googling!<br /><br />I learned to drink SOJU with some Korean business associates. Ther is quite the charming ritual that goes along with the drink itself, having to do with showing great respect to one's co-drinkers.<br />We all respected each other nearly under the table that first night!<br /><br />Thanks Mr. Bowman.<br />& thanks again, SanfFranMan - I don't understand your explanations, but love that you do them!Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69686484583532567482012-11-02T15:06:40.538-04:002012-11-02T15:06:40.538-04:00p.s. Despite my snortings, really have to admire t...p.s. Despite my snortings, really have to admire the work. And thanx, ADLAI, for gettin' me in the sidedoor, so I could participate.<br />Seed entries? Got me. Not a clue. Kinda hopin' SOJU wasn't one, tho. ENDLESSSTRUGGLE? Lordy.<br /><br />Anyhoo... themelessthUmbsUp. Puz had farkle. M&AM and drunk on Soju-amousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2344630919800884202012-11-02T14:51:24.770-04:002012-11-02T14:51:24.770-04:00Really off me game with putting the world back tog...Really off me game with putting the world back together after Sandy. Still waiting for power.<br /><br />Challenging her. Got everything slow but okay, save for SCARYSPICE/SOJU/LINE/SNYDER spot. Not a pretty crossing, IMHO. Otherwise, fun, what @Rex commented on splitting the 14s; clever construction and it worked. Heck, I'm even thinking SQUAREPEGOPERA is a real thing.<br /><br />Power, lights, please?John Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557037910799243636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30864531534572854712012-11-02T14:35:06.687-04:002012-11-02T14:35:06.687-04:00@ Charles-Me too,though i've heard it as ihras...@ Charles-Me too,though i've heard it as ihraser or uhraser.<br />For others, EGER happens to be the Hungarian word for mouse.<br /> Again the number in the captcha below is illegible but I'll take a guess.ksquarehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06181873595483296089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70701371308748921212012-11-02T14:27:13.952-04:002012-11-02T14:27:13.952-04:00Naticked at Square 63Naticked at Square 63fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69003875860059428732012-11-02T14:24:19.195-04:002012-11-02T14:24:19.195-04:00@Lois, @chef wen, et al -
Now you all got me muck...@Lois, @chef wen, et al -<br /><br />Now you all got me mucking about in phonetic alphabets. I thought I was saying a long e sound, but with the accent going quickly to the second syllable. When I looked for confirmation, I found that some dictionaries give short i, and some give the International Phonetic Alphabet sign (capital roman numeral for one), which is somewhat more open than our long e but somewhat more closed than the schwa, and it is placed a bit more to the front than the schwa and not quite as far front as the long e. After some experimenting with sounds (and scaring the animals) I have become convinced that that is in fact how I say it.<br />Clarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17459992224851404501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87724222196854612282012-11-02T14:24:02.231-04:002012-11-02T14:24:02.231-04:00Convinced myself that, because the bottom long ans...Convinced myself that, because the bottom long answer had "under" in it, the top MUST have "over" so I got stuck on "something over eaGER" for a while. MollyculeTheoryhttp://mollyculetheory.tumblr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20979461078066338222012-11-02T14:05:23.977-04:002012-11-02T14:05:23.977-04:00Forgot to thank Greg Charles for saying it first.Forgot to thank Greg Charles for saying it first.Loisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65448416569254536922012-11-02T14:02:31.914-04:002012-11-02T14:02:31.914-04:00Re the pronunciation of "eraser": The al...Re the pronunciation of "eraser": The almost-perfect, though old, Pronouncing Dictionary of American English (Kenyon/Knotts) (although the title of that book really begins with a self-deprecating "A," indicating that variations are always possible) gives only one pronunciation, the first "e" pronounced as a short "i." I think extra care should always be taken with trick clues, but I guess it should be taken with everything. Otherwise, I liked the puzzle a lot, especially because I finished it. Only one hint from hubby: that 1 down had something to do with sports.Loisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37322143103133630232012-11-02T13:51:08.688-04:002012-11-02T13:51:08.688-04:00"Teach Me Tiger" was a 1959 tune; pretty..."Teach Me Tiger" was a 1959 tune; pretty feisty for its day. I remember it more as a sign-off song each night by one of our college radio station deejays, several years later. April Stevens also performed in the hit "Deep Purple", with Nino Temple.<br /><br />I wanted KIDGALLAHAD, with the extra L, which wouldn't go. Really butt-fudged up that area unnecessarily, for a while.<br /><br />Cannot beee-lieve my last letter was the O in LONGE. Just sat there, like a mindless SLUG, mutterin', "What the @#31*! is a longe?" Up high... Down low... Too slow, M&A.<br /><br />Snortiosity readings, this puz:<br />1 snort = CARIBES. What the professor dude with the wotd said.<br />2 snorts = SCARYSPICE. Had the hit tune "Teach Me, Sandworm". Y'all probably don't even know what I'm babblin' on about, unless yer a Dune Dude.<br />3 snorts = SOJU. Since it's booze, I'm willing to swallow this one.<br />4 snorts = REVE. Since it's French, I'm willing to upchuck on this one. <br />5 well-deserved snorts = THEBRIDGE. Also, havin' both EGER and EGGY in the same puz.<br /><br />Tip of the day: Run, don't walk, to see the flick "Seven Psychopaths". Har-larious.Masked and Anonymo6Usnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87589353632005860062012-11-02T13:49:33.938-04:002012-11-02T13:49:33.938-04:00This puzzle was one big “what the you-know-what”. ...This puzzle was one big “what the you-know-what”. I really did not like it. Got a few words then needed to resort to Google, which was not much help either as the cluing made a web search nearly impossible. Then there are many possible answers with no way to cross-check.<br /><br />Hand up for COKE and not looking back. And KRAZEY GLUE at 7D (I know it’s not spelled correctly, but I was desperate).<br /><br />@Greg Charles - Of coure.<br /><br />TGIF!Birdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5221668329800004052012-11-02T13:06:58.211-04:002012-11-02T13:06:58.211-04:00Quality puzzle. Lots of good, straight-up words c...Quality puzzle. Lots of good, straight-up words crossing each other, which is not always the case.<br /><br />I'm probably the only one who cares, but EPOXY RESIN (7D "It forms a strong bond") will not form a strong bond by itself. A second ingredient, called a hardener, must be added.<br /><br />How did I miss April Stevens when I was a kid? So sultry and steamy. I see per wiki that her voice was sometimes mistaken for Marilyn Monroe's. Is it possible to form a retroactive crush? It would have been more than PUPPY LOVE, as in EASY THERE TIGER!<br /><br />As usual, enjoyed reading Rex's write up and the comments. So many erudite, witty people out there.Anoa Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16185183023273883700noreply@blogger.com