tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post7944781162185089202..comments2024-03-28T10:37:54.893-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Segway inventor Dean / SUN 1-12-14 / Beat poet Cassady / Lama's art that can't last / Warm mask/cap amalgams / Bygone Bombay bigwig / Black cat that packs grass chants Jah / Landmark vassal law act / Flashback halfbacksRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79975425503756851492014-01-23T23:11:08.944-05:002014-01-23T23:11:08.944-05:00the fantastically tortured cluing on the "*&q...the fantastically tortured cluing on the "*" clues (no explanation of the "*" anywhere, which is unusual—usually there's a revealer that mentions "the starred clues")<br /><br /><br />What star clues? None in my magazine. <br /><br />Now to wrestle with the dang Captcha <br />letters. : /Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14183498903716965754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29398546286568674422014-01-20T22:05:07.266-05:002014-01-20T22:05:07.266-05:00Rex, I had heard of Paloma Picasso because of her ...Rex, I had heard of Paloma Picasso because of her famous designer perfume. It's quite an unusual fragrance, very pleasant.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08874935358529089711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19950806975799061352014-01-20T21:57:44.252-05:002014-01-20T21:57:44.252-05:00Way late due to football yesterday and technical d...Way late due to football yesterday and technical difficulties today. But how 'bout them BRONCOS! <br /><br />@Rex is apparently ignorant of not only Beat but psychedelic history. Cassady is referenced in the Grateful Dead's "That's It for the Other One": "It was cowboy Neal at the wheel of the bus to never-ever land." (aka Kesey's prankster bus Furthur) I guess it's because he spends too much time listening to Bananarama and Radiohead.<br /><br />No *s or italics in my paper. I noticed all the A's but, as per usual, didn't catch the full theme.Cary in Bouldernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11011792173241050002014-01-20T00:09:20.516-05:002014-01-20T00:09:20.516-05:00Late to the party, been watching football. Wow. ...Late to the party, been watching football. Wow. <br /><br />Interesting puzzle, not my favorite. The cluing just seemed odd IMO, even with the all 'a' gimmick. Liked the 2 long themers KRISKROSSING in the center. Learned SANDMANDALA, knew the SAND part, but wanted painting or something of that nature. Got KAMAN totally from crosses.<br /><br />I've seen the very funny Margaret CHO. The PANAMA CANAL is an engineering marvel. They are currently building another waterway to accommodate larger vessels. Went through it a couple of years ago, fascinating!<br /><br />The Hawks/Niners game was way too close for comfort. They did finally pull it out. Go HAWKSGingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07156872089175084024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42252837520393896312014-01-19T23:45:32.681-05:002014-01-19T23:45:32.681-05:00Liked this one, except for the sense that whenever...Liked this one, except for the sense that whenever I was stuck, I just put in an 'A'. CATCHASCATCHCAN, and the Napolean thing eased things condiderably. Very little crap in the puzzle. Nice Sunday.<br /><br />OK. The Pats are out, dammit. Go like crazy 'Hawks! Marshawn forever.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15927839472192538432014-01-19T20:00:40.389-05:002014-01-19T20:00:40.389-05:00@Anony 6:11pm - of course you're right, grama...@Anony 6:11pm - of course you're right, gramatically speaking, but I think a little lee way in deference to the theme (All As in the clues and the answers) is in order. And you got the answer despite the bad grammar, no?Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52031726616336791412014-01-19T18:11:51.881-05:002014-01-19T18:11:51.881-05:00hung up for a long time in the west simply because...hung up for a long time in the west simply because of a bad grammar clue, trying to stay in theme.<br /><br />A black cat <b>that</b> ........ makes it a thing; not a person. <br /><br />A black cat <b>who</b> ...... makes it a person.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11248468566530890412014-01-19T16:53:32.188-05:002014-01-19T16:53:32.188-05:00The theme saved me with SANDMANDALA - the term was...The theme saved me with SANDMANDALA - the term was unfamiliar to me so I just put an "A" wherever a vowel seemed indicated. The cross with KAMEN was a total guess.<br /><br />In a weird bit of synchronicity, both CILIA and OSAKA appeared in today's Premier Crossword by Frank A. Longo. The former was clued as "Paramecium propellers" ad the latter as "Honshu hub".<br /><br />@Nomad UK - I believe that's exactly what 'TUDE is, and <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/'tude" rel="nofollow">Merriam-Webster confirms it</a>.<br />Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53576386627455302392014-01-19T16:20:59.702-05:002014-01-19T16:20:59.702-05:001/19/14: Amazing construction and dense with theme...1/19/14: Amazing construction and dense with theme answers! There are four theme answers in a row: 36D, 37D, 38D and 39D. The central across answer is crossed by five down answers. The puzzle has two squares (one NE and and one SW) due to two across answers crossing two down answers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83181648187808962962014-01-19T15:34:06.461-05:002014-01-19T15:34:06.461-05:00Actually a fun solve this morning. Got CATCHASCATC...Actually a fun solve this morning. Got CATCHASCATCHCAN pretty early. And didn't know the middle palindrome, but it came easily. (BTW, if you haven't read David McCullough's "The Path Between the Seas" do yourself a favor. Terrific read.)<br /><br />Off to watch football. Go Pats and Go Hawks! Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88222846783408412802014-01-19T14:49:36.516-05:002014-01-19T14:49:36.516-05:00BAFTA Awards = British Academy of Film and Televis...BAFTA Awards = British Academy of Film and Television awards.<br />Did not love this puzzle even though it was on the easy side. Have never heard the expression 'catch as catch can' nor the palindrome across the center even though I managed to get it. Not too much fun wioth no 'aha' moments<br /><br />I've never heard the word TUDE and it is not in any of my dictionaries. Could it possibly be the3 new 'cool' abbreviation of attiTUDE? Nomad UKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04120256102756583160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54081509184705846882014-01-19T12:11:48.692-05:002014-01-19T12:11:48.692-05:00The byline was left out of my copy; it just read &...The byline was left out of my copy; it just read "By/edited by Will Shortz." So all the while I'm doing this, I'm thinking it's the brainchild of the Shortzmeister himself. I gotta admit, the theme density here is awesome. And it wasn't all THAT easy; I'd call it easy-medium.<br /><br />What in the world is BAFTAAWARDS? I mean, geez, we have the Oscars, the Golden Globes, the People's Choice...how many do we need?<br /><br />I did not know eyelashes were CILIA. I thought these were ultra-fine hairs lining human internal tubing. Did I miss a question on the A&P test?<br /><br />METRICAL? Is that real? Shouldn't METRIC take care of that thought?<br /><br />Finally, thanks to Mr. Chaikin for the great earworm: ABRACADABRA, by one of the most underrated bands of the rock era, the Steve Miller Band.<br /><br />Final grade: (wait for it) "A."<br /><br />Scraped together the lowest possible boat, 22233.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20125820643302651252014-01-13T22:43:04.381-05:002014-01-13T22:43:04.381-05:00This felt like an airplane magazine puzzle. Defini...This felt like an airplane magazine puzzle. Definite meh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59227727755556620312014-01-13T12:08:13.909-05:002014-01-13T12:08:13.909-05:00I think it was far too easy for a Sunday puzzle. T...I think it was far too easy for a Sunday puzzle. There was no challenge figuring out the theme. The theme answers were automatic fill ins for me. I want more from a Sumday puzzle!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17688006053278532792014-01-13T10:33:39.114-05:002014-01-13T10:33:39.114-05:00i thought this was very hard... again, interesting...i thought this was very hard... again, interesting how people's brains all work differently...oldbizmarknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79980421809442581172014-01-12T23:51:16.231-05:002014-01-12T23:51:16.231-05:00Finally finished after doing today's Acrostic ...Finally finished after doing today's Acrostic and watching both playoff games. I never did quite get the "theme" and had to read Rex before realizing that the italicized clues called for answers containing only the A vowel. But the clues themselves were often mysterious to me and I plodded on despite them. My biggest problem was RASTAMAN since I hade MARINe instead of MARINA.. And what clue 106a has to do with the MAGNACARTA I just now figured out. A reasonably successful Sunday, particularly with the 49er win. Bring on the Hawks!!LaneBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-58177158843177806812014-01-12T23:48:09.560-05:002014-01-12T23:48:09.560-05:00@paulsfo - the mag has italics instead of the &quo...@paulsfo - the mag has italics instead of the "starred clues" mentioned by Rex.Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87163398568919821302014-01-12T23:28:48.564-05:002014-01-12T23:28:48.564-05:00Monday is yummy!!Monday is yummy!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35335386828412009242014-01-12T23:14:37.201-05:002014-01-12T23:14:37.201-05:00@Anon10:30 & Z: I solve electronically, but s...@Anon10:30 & Z: I solve electronically, but still use Across Lite, and it does have "*"d clues, extra notes (when there are some), etc.paulsfohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07721639286466422944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75180609568467883732014-01-12T23:02:30.697-05:002014-01-12T23:02:30.697-05:00@Anon10:30 - Some solve electronically, some solve...@Anon10:30 - Some solve electronically, some solve in the magazine, hence the difference.Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37781081568421524272014-01-12T22:30:29.123-05:002014-01-12T22:30:29.123-05:00What am I missing? There were no "starred&quo...What am I missing? There were no "starred" clues:<br /><br />"...explain the fantastically tortured cluing on the "*" clues (no explanation of the "*" anywhere, which is unusual—usually there's a revealer that mentions "the starred clues")"<br /><br />There were clues in italics but no stars.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85672318217200558792014-01-12T19:44:12.345-05:002014-01-12T19:44:12.345-05:00So... one might now suppose that ol' Will Shor...So... one might now suppose that ol' Will Shortz is now allowing allusions to substances now legal in Colorado to appease the Aspen solvers?<br /><br />Heh hehAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17901753017128174162014-01-12T19:26:37.916-05:002014-01-12T19:26:37.916-05:00Did it online for a change, and did so in 19 minut...Did it online for a change, and did so in 19 minutes...personal best! Final clues: 80-across, "stone figures?" (CARATS), intersecting with 66-down, "most handy (NEAREST). Well, grab me the nearest diamond because I want to marry this awesome puzzle. Check my blog on crosswords, thoughts, and other things at http://www.thatssojacob.wordpress.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37978844297186992442014-01-12T18:49:18.245-05:002014-01-12T18:49:18.245-05:00@mac-- Yeah, in the UK "balaclava" has ...@mac-- Yeah, in the UK "balaclava" has a lot of criminal/terrorist connotations.Benkonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15463280404854850132014-01-12T18:45:28.105-05:002014-01-12T18:45:28.105-05:00Beautiful word, Balaclava. Still, I'm always s...Beautiful word, Balaclava. Still, I'm always surprised when people in England use it as if it's a normal name for a ski mask.<br />machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.com