tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post7854160331711129520..comments2024-03-29T03:22:09.826-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Cicero's servant secretary / FRI 8-5-11 / Move Your Mind sloganeer / What girl lead-in Eddie Cantor / King surnamed TryggvasonRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47979471453632657462011-09-10T11:13:07.656-04:002011-09-10T11:13:07.656-04:00ARF also stands for Animal Rescue Foundation, so I...ARF also stands for Animal Rescue Foundation, so I suppose they could send Rover over. However, this would be pretty obscure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64570075861089763802011-09-10T05:50:00.221-04:002011-09-10T05:50:00.221-04:00Done (whew!) after mnay Googles. Most trouble was ...Done (whew!) after mnay Googles. Most trouble was with the Hershey's alternative. I had BO___ and at length came up with BOYER, makers of Mallo Cup. If that's an alternative to Hershey's, then checkers is an alternative to chess. But even that wasn't right! I finally filled it in with crosses: BOSCO??? Yeah, your grandfather's alternative, maybe. BOSCO! Geez, I haven't even heard that name for more than sixty years. And I don't understand TTOPS. TT is twin turbo, so we have what...twin turbo operations? I left it there because I didn't know what to change. I guess I hoped, vaguely, that there was some sort of roof or convertible piece called "T-Top."<br /> I am a fellow objector to the writing out of letters to make words; we have two here, ELL and EFFS. One, maybe, OK, if you got painted into a corner. But two? Yecch. And OHOHOH is so bad it's funny, plus certainly original, so I forgive that.<br /> Just this one time, understand.<br /> Those, plus SENARY, mean this grid gets no more than a CPLUS. But I did learn some stuff, so it's all good.<br /><br />v-word was myrmed: Ariel's health plan?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35079394855834869762011-09-10T02:49:07.228-04:002011-09-10T02:49:07.228-04:00I'm not really good enough to typically finish...I'm not really good enough to typically finish either Friday or Saturday, and on the infrequent occasions that I do, it takes a loooonnnnnnggggg time. As such, I normally wouldn't carp about the clues or answers on these two days.<br /><br />That said, as someone who listened to the Dodgers beat the Giants in a 2 - 1 pitcher's duel with a late innings rally, I really have to tak exception with the answer to 9D.<br /><br />As one commenter noted, perhaps Mr. Silk was referencing the Chinese civil war of the 1940's. Far more likely though was another commenter's thought that it referred to NL teams Cincinnatti Reds and Washington Nationals. I agree with the latter.<br /><br />But for Mr. Silk, who perhaps isn't much of a baseball fan outside crosswords, perhaps he should examine the world "rivalry."<br /><br />Dodgers-Giants? Rivalry. Red Sox-Yankees? Rivalry. Cubs-Cardinals? Rivalry. Reds-Nats? Not any kind of rivalry in any sense of the word. Just two teams in different divisions who don't play each other any more often than they play other non-divisional foes.<br /><br />Judging by a lot of the pop culture discussions on this blog, it's pretty easy to guess that the crossword-solving demographic trends closer to social security age than that of your typical player of mobile phone video games. <br /><br />My thought here is that just as constructors don't reference esoteric anime, Pokemon or Dark Horse characters, perhaps they could show the same respect toward solvers in regards to baseball. To start with, the Nats have no actual rivals, and won't until some other team takes pride in beating such a pathetic franchise. <br /><br />In a nod to this week's U.S. Open, here's Andy Roddick when asked about his rivalry with Roger Federer post-match after losing to Fed for the second year in a row at Wimbledon: "Until I win one or two, I don't you can call this a rivalry."Branch Rickeynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3469163146756297442011-09-09T21:32:06.517-04:002011-09-09T21:32:06.517-04:00This syndisolver must have had a mind-meld with Ba...This syndisolver must have had a mind-meld with Barry Silk, because the grid practically filled itself in - I threw down IDAHOPOTATO for no reason other than it fit, and used the down crosses to fill in that entire corner. And so it went for the whole grid until I arrived in the NE where DECLAIM was unknown to me and I had to think through the short answers to fill in the last few squares.<br /><br /><br />Strike authority = NATO conjured up some really ugly images for me. Sure, it's a clever play on words but really...Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46895037115074744722011-09-09T19:37:23.979-04:002011-09-09T19:37:23.979-04:00TIRO was the first clue I got. I read a lot of Ro...TIRO was the first clue I got. I read a lot of Roman mystery stories (as well as actual history) and Tiro is a popular character.<br /><br />I wound up with YOUTHOFFICE instead of SOUTHAFRICA, which makes me feel a bit silly ... especially since I should know what BOSCO is (not BOYCO). <br /><br />Well, you can't win 'em all. This was a nice puzzle, a good workout.Marcnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68018699651097411062011-09-09T18:54:19.557-04:002011-09-09T18:54:19.557-04:00Yeesh, what a pain. I sure hope someone else gets...Yeesh, what a pain. I sure hope someone else gets as much of a kick out of strolling memory lane with this as I did. <br /><br /><a href="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$(KGrHqEOKjcE31vVndmnBN+TF3JvB!~~0_3.JPG%20title=" rel="nofollow">Vintage Bosco jar</a>Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16675331024091722316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41188103924026394392011-09-09T18:49:26.099-04:002011-09-09T18:49:26.099-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16675331024091722316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32630419511102078742011-09-09T18:39:11.317-04:002011-09-09T18:39:11.317-04:00I hated the clue for HOME EC; really hated it. Bu...I hated the clue for HOME EC; really hated it. But being reminded of BOSCO made up for it in spades. I hadn't thought of the stuff in years, and had just a vague memory that it came in a super-cool (to a kid) anthropomorphic jar. Google-imaged "Bosco Chocolate bottle" and got only the newfangled, boring ones. Tried "vintage Bosco bottle" and hit pay dirt. FUN memory! I loved that damned bottle so much that my mother would buy Hershey's syrup and transfer it to the Bosco bottle. Hope this link works.... http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$(KGrHqEOKjcE31vVndmnBN+TF3JvB!~~0_3.JPGDebhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16675331024091722316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47954637452685644872011-09-09T13:11:55.918-04:002011-09-09T13:11:55.918-04:00(MURRAY enters Lou's office.)
MURRAY: Tea and...<i>(MURRAY enters Lou's office.)</i><br /><br />MURRAY: Tea and milk! Who is the tea for?<br /><br />MRS. TUTTLE: Guilty!<br /><br />MURRAY: And who is the milk for?<br /><br /><i>(TED raises his hand)</i><br /><br />MURRAY: If I'd known it was for you, Ted, I would have put some Bosco in it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8037095177681052672011-09-09T12:40:02.588-04:002011-09-09T12:40:02.588-04:001972 is right in my musical wheelhouse, yet for so...1972 is right in my musical wheelhouse, yet for some reason it always takes forever for me to get that title, and it shows up often. Today it was my very last entry. "I Am No Man"? "I Am Conan"? "I Am a G-MAN"? My first thought, actually, with just the O and the second A in place was (coming off yesterday's puzzle)...<i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmn-BYyjBeI&feature=related" rel="nofollow">Billy Joel</a> is Australian?</i><br /><br />Eddie Cantor, on the other hand, is NOT in my musical wheelhouse but I "knew Susie" from an old episode of <i>The Odd Couple</i> or something. Who knows. One of the more persistent earworms of the 20th century, though, so it came easily.<br /><br />I'm an old tape SPLICER, so that was easy too.<br /><br />Ort for ARF briefly. Or maybe it was just ort for ort's sake.<br /><br />My only complaint is not one but<i> two</i> spelled letters. One is too many. Must be a shout out to Larry Fine. Or Lou Ferrigno. Or the London Film Festival.<br /><br />@jberg NATS, or Nationals, compete with the REDS in the National League. <br /><br /><br />captcha=prefor: "Spahn and Sain and prefor rain."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68116139543996196762011-08-06T13:25:35.398-04:002011-08-06T13:25:35.398-04:00Late post but loved this puzzle! Easy for a Friday...Late post but loved this puzzle! Easy for a Friday but perhaps becasue it was refreshingly free [or almost free] of that joy-killing, soul-sucking, deal-breaking type of fill that has increasingly made The Puzzle less and less interesting to me. The bad stuff it avoided?<br /> Proper names [ugh!]<br /> "trivia"<br /> Inane plurals & "crosswordese"<br /> Roman numerals<br /> cross-referenced clues<br /> Biblical referencesTincup2noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46204300351222696392011-08-06T08:13:07.902-04:002011-08-06T08:13:07.902-04:00Is PCLAB going to be one of those words or phrases...Is PCLAB going to be one of those words or phrases that only show up in crosswords? I could do without it, frankly. I only got it here because it was such a recent repeat. <br /><br />Overall, though, a good and chllenging puzzle.Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00277636954260900156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76259420829523555322011-08-05T23:15:24.204-04:002011-08-05T23:15:24.204-04:00@ RAUL and very good books they are ,too!(even if ...@ RAUL and very good books they are ,too!(even if Cicero was a fathead!syndyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16814698406887041710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30424255412149117292011-08-05T20:02:02.333-04:002011-08-05T20:02:02.333-04:00@ Wm E emba - Apparently they still make and sell ...@ Wm E emba - Apparently they still <a href="http://www.boscoworld.com/" rel="nofollow">make and sell Bosco</a>. Something from my youth, which I suppose is a lot longer ago than yours....retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82729958931818351892011-08-05T19:07:31.302-04:002011-08-05T19:07:31.302-04:00Tiro is the narrator of two novels about Cicero by...Tiro is the narrator of two novels about Cicero by Robert Harris : <i> Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome </i> and <i>Conspirata: A Novel of Ancient Rome. </i>Raulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6370229236792229152011-08-05T18:45:35.890-04:002011-08-05T18:45:35.890-04:00Hah! I found this one of the easiest Friday puzzl...Hah! I found this one of the easiest Friday puzzles in a long time. Just a bit of a slow down in the NE, but every trick seemed to melt into obviousness rather quickly.<br /><br />With one amusing exception, I have never seen BOSCO outside of crossword puzzles. The exception was in regards to the Internet Worm of the 80s. The UCB math department machines did not have the backdoor bug in the mailing software, but one and one account only was hacked by the password guessing part of the Worm. BOSCO was our system manager's password. The reason no other user's account was hacked was simple: a mathematician's idea of what consists of simple and memorable is nothing like what anybody else thinks is simple and memorable.william e embanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88699473120575836022011-08-05T18:19:36.395-04:002011-08-05T18:19:36.395-04:00@Andrea, I just saw your note from earlier today a...@Andrea, I just saw your note from earlier today and went back and read your comment. I agree with @Doug's (in his non-evil mode) sentiments. I hope you are bearing up well today. I believe your dad would have been proud of your passion and integrity. <br /><br />What I have learned in the last couple of days has made me wonder whether traditions in journalism are somewhat unusual. I googled "byline", and even Wiki says that attribution is often confused and the Economist has no bylines! So, it may well be that Will is fighting an uphill battle. <br /><br />Still, cultures can be changed if enough people care and speak up. If the contracts can enforce an agreement that the editor's name should appear, they can enforce one that includes the constructor's name. Without laying any blame, I still feel that it would reflect better on all concerned if credit was given where it was due.foodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052189131129098616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66190909899489588962011-08-05T17:07:06.900-04:002011-08-05T17:07:06.900-04:00Many, many deft touches in this puzzle, as noted i...Many, many deft touches in this puzzle, as noted in the write-up and comments. I liked the audiotapes crossing SPLICER, the Greek duo LESBOS and PORTICO, FINALS/C PLUS/HOME EC, and seeing STAN clued as something new: Central Asian Republics.<br /><br />The bottom had a John LeCarre feel: a CASE OFFICER recording an ORAL HISTORY debriefing from an agent just back from Jo'burg, SOUTH AFRICA.<br /><br />JaxinLA: Moviola is a great wrong answer. I wanted Steenbeck (too long), so it didn't throw me off.<br /><br />NOHO, however defined, is at least six blocks from Union Square Park. 'Near'? I guess so. Depends on how fast you walk.Stanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02681342234536407419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43316955961026615182011-08-05T16:55:57.104-04:002011-08-05T16:55:57.104-04:00Started with Fort Sumpter but soon changed it.
In ...Started with Fort Sumpter but soon changed it.<br />In NY City, Houston (pronounced HOUSE-TON) St. runs across the East side too, so it is only 14 blocks from Union Sq.<br />Because his father (Greek dialect comedian on Eddie Cantor show, Parkyakarkus) was named Harry Einstein, Albert Brooks changed his name to avoid being confused with the other Albert Einstein.<br /> hope this clears it up.ksquarehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06181873595483296089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13381837088304474132011-08-05T16:54:14.852-04:002011-08-05T16:54:14.852-04:00Had Ellis Island for too long. RTES seemd too str...Had Ellis Island for too long. RTES seemd too straightforward for a Friday. And mark before YARD as in Mark Twain being two marks. <br /><br />Started last night and finished this morning and am just delighted. Maybe, like @efrex, I am finally catching on. @DaveL, agree how would ARF bring Rover over unless you are barking commands at him? Lame clue.<br /><br />Thanks Barry Silk had a goodtime working on this. See many of you tomorrow. Can't wait.Sparkynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70046408159967904892011-08-05T16:50:37.988-04:002011-08-05T16:50:37.988-04:00This puzzle was tough for me especially the NE qua...This puzzle was tough for me especially the NE quadrant. Although now that I peruse the completed grid, it's a mess pretty much everywhere with write-overs. Hand raised for sOHO/STAs error. Had exCLAIM and SPeed as others have mentioned. And I thought fallS fit nicely where NEAPS ended up. Lots of tricky clues and aha moments made for a fun solve (with one google.) I had a hard time with C PLUS (79), even with CPL in place.<br /><br />Do schools even offer HOME EC anymore? Seems that class would be lost in these difficult times. I always thought that class was/could be practical for both boys and girls.<br /><br />I bought my dad an EEL SKIN wallet once. He didn't use it for awhile because "it was too nice." But he finally did when his old one fell apart. <br /><br />I had a thought for an answer to 38A (Hospital gown go-with) relating to a bare behind. It didn't fit in the alloted space nor with NYT sensibilities.shrub5https://www.blogger.com/profile/09466867716773759568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11312747691379446942011-08-05T16:20:54.140-04:002011-08-05T16:20:54.140-04:00Had ARM for ARF, initially. As is "Red Rover,...Had ARM for ARF, initially. As is "Red Rover, Red Rover, send [someone} right over" (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Rover" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Rover</a>), and your ARM would knock someone over. I'm with @David L, didn't get ARF. Had SPEED for SPATE, but other than that, a quick Friday time for me!DavidShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07217181889296139778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7722438710487447982011-08-05T15:46:51.389-04:002011-08-05T15:46:51.389-04:00Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 7/30/...Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 7/30/2009 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 25:09, 25:52, 0.97, 44%, Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Fri 12:48, 12:48, 1.00, 56%, Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86798566371935000782011-08-05T14:57:36.348-04:002011-08-05T14:57:36.348-04:00Great, challenging puzzle for me! Oddly enough I s...Great, challenging puzzle for me! Oddly enough I seemed to have more trouble with the shorter words than the long ones. Idaho potato (lived in Boise for two years), South African (been to KwaZule Natal), I am Woman came without crosses. Fort McHenry sounded familiar. Love the No Tell Motel, but was thinking Lovers Lanes first. Rhodos instead of Lesbos and Lake for Pier made the SW the hardest. Also wanted ort for arf, doesn't Rover get the crosswordy table scraps?<br /><br />@ret-chem: nice how your real initials are the same as your blog ones.<br /><br />@David and everyone else coming to Lolla: see you tomorrow!machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21552585783242556922011-08-05T14:30:44.130-04:002011-08-05T14:30:44.130-04:00I never had a prayer with this one. Mr. Silk's...I never had a prayer with this one. Mr. Silk's brain bends differently than mine. The "typical Silk clues, i.e. deliberately tricky stuff that really requires you to think through multiple possibilities" rarely seem to yield the right answer for me no matter how many options I come up with.<br /><br />For example, a Moviola is an old-fashioned editing machine, invented in 1924 and later modified to handle sound separately so an editor could see the effect of her (many prominent editors were/are women) work as she went. And it fits nicely. That kept the SE completely opaque for me. I actually took out PORTICO and Mr. Gardner to make room for Moviola. No slicer for me. Has Moviola ever appeared in a puzzle?<br /><br />Like @acme, I started with many different answers than I ended up with. In the end, perhaps I had 1/2 of it filled in. Sigh.<br /><br />On a happy note, @quilter1 and met for lunch yesterday and had a vey nice time. I saw pix of her love granddaughter and we had fun chatting about puzzles and this blog. She's offline while she and her hubby finish this road trip, but we'll out up a photo when one of us remembers how. JaxInL.A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13792405579998093081noreply@blogger.com