tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post801667476433776701..comments2024-03-29T10:51:12.209-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Flirty toon Betty / MON 2-13-12 / 1954 Hitchcock thriller / Samuel Beckett play with unseen character / Chicken tikka go-with / Roman poet who wrote To be loved be lovableRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77208534725021413392012-03-20T00:51:43.637-04:002012-03-20T00:51:43.637-04:00Dirigonzo! You call yourself a Mainer and you'...Dirigonzo! You call yourself a Mainer and you've never read King?!? Shame on you. He is, hands-down, my all-time favorite author. Not only does he weave a great yarn, but there isn't another author EVER who creates such completely endearing, fallible, REAL characters.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16675331024091722316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68126385506093353142012-03-19T21:35:05.352-04:002012-03-19T21:35:05.352-04:00Dumping on the OREG answer, especially 5 weeks aft...Dumping on the OREG answer, especially 5 weeks after the fact, seems a bit wrong but I live in Oregon. As such, I can assure you that the only people who use OREG as an abbreviation for the street also pronounce the name of the state O-ree-gone. <br /><br />Monday puzzle, so it wasn't going to be great, but you know what would have made this puzzle classic? Replacing either 17A or 57A with this answer: Mario Cuomo. Here's why. <br /><br />First, fits the theme. Second both Garry Trudeau and Waiting For Godot are in the grid. What ties those two points together?<br /><br />Back in the 80's, Trudeau used Waiting For Godot to riff on whether a certain Democrat was leading on his supporters as to whether he would declare his candidacy for President. The phantom candidate? None other than Mario Cuomo. <br /><br />Man, I wish Leuschner or Fleming would have known about that.DJ Stonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34015187236931491482012-03-19T21:16:30.743-04:002012-03-19T21:16:30.743-04:00@Dirigonzo: Never read King? Man, you are missing ...@Dirigonzo: Never read King? Man, you are missing out. The man can weave a tale, for sure. Check out any of the Dark Tower series, particularly "The Gunslinger" and "Wizard and Glass."<br /><br />M-O-O-N, that spells King!Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59209541145836142852012-03-19T15:40:49.362-04:002012-03-19T15:40:49.362-04:00Only bump (I won't say "speed bump" ...Only bump (I won't say "speed bump" as speed is not my thing) other than the aforementioned OLD(whatever) was ROALD which required all the crosses. I don't believe I have ever read a Stephen King novel so I was surprised when CARRIE leapt to mind off only the C.<br /><br />@Spacecraft - I'm pretty sure O-REG is a universal donor, except for BMW and Mercedes owners. Which gives me a nice opportunity to remind folks to give blood - it's the gift of life.<br /><br />@jeberg wrote: "Factoid of the day: In Japan, RAMEN (64A, "Japanese noodle soup") are called "Chinese noodles."" Pie a la RAMEN - really?Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56250155161943339132012-03-19T13:01:59.390-04:002012-03-19T13:01:59.390-04:00Nice little puzzle. Remarkable for the crossing of...Nice little puzzle. Remarkable for the crossing of two of my most very favorites: King and Hitchcock. Too bad about the unfortunate OREG. Looks like a a mixture of blood type with a gas grade. Gimme a pint of O-REG; the hi-test is too expensive.Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16646884319376346542012-03-19T12:50:41.776-04:002012-03-19T12:50:41.776-04:00Ellen and Victor put in OREG so there would be one...Ellen and Victor put in OREG so there would be one thing everyone of us could bitch about.<br /><br />@Rube and @Chefwen, for OSSO buco on Kauai I recommend Merriman's.<br /><br />Think the theme for this puzzle has been kneaded enuf?Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91689854633864724782012-02-14T00:56:11.166-05:002012-02-14T00:56:11.166-05:00This 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 /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:18, 3:40, 0.90, 9%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89819794459550659772012-02-13T21:30:38.005-05:002012-02-13T21:30:38.005-05:00@chefgwen - lol to your puzzle-induced weight gain...@chefgwen - lol to your puzzle-induced weight gain!<br /><br />@acme - your observation on the many spellings of that sound is one of the main reasons why English is such a hard language to learn for non-natives! (as @lms alludes to too...<br /><br />@Z - rotflmao to Downton Abbey Conventioneers!!<br /><br />AlsO nOticed sO many mO' Os in the fill. Anyone count 'em?<br /><br />@santefefran - great story.<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by, Ms, Leuschner- I always appreciate hearing from the constructors. <br />Loved seeing Betty BOOP!<br />Didn't like MISADD...sounds like what a politician would say his SuperPac accountant did when lieing about the contributions...<br />Lite and ez Monday, which is good, since I had a busy one.Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19627922633049546962012-02-13T18:11:55.740-05:002012-02-13T18:11:55.740-05:00@sparky thanks for the name for my tissue box cov...@sparky thanks for the name for my tissue box covers. Did you ask @Andrea to help you with the name?chefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48587289776918738892012-02-13T17:35:48.023-05:002012-02-13T17:35:48.023-05:00Actually to be fair, i guess Playdoh and d'oh ...Actually to be fair, i guess Playdoh and d'oh wouldn't have worked because they were all two word phrases ending in -doe sound, so wha twas there was great.<br />I don't want to turn into Gene Siskel where he always reviewed the movie about what he wish had been included or nagging about what had been left out, instead of what was there, right in front of him.<br /><br />So what was here was nice...tho imglad even@Ellen copped to the OREG, but maybe that is something Vic or Will could have asked her to get rod of, along with RVER as they are in the same area, then it would be nit-free!<br /><br />@sparky<br />Any time would be too soon, as you will inevitably spoil for someone who is here for the puzzle...so...why not start a blog about Downton Abbey?! I bet you would get 10,000 hits a day and folks could discuss to their hearts content!!!<br />Maybe even @Joey and @Spolier alert could be your first two commenters/wags.<br />But I want a cut when you start advertising on it!Anew Carrie Melonsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10159620364094591972012-02-13T17:18:43.350-05:002012-02-13T17:18:43.350-05:00if you enjoy it, why try to get it over with as qu...if you enjoy it, why try to get it over with as quickly as possible?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51955065706044823532012-02-13T17:11:32.093-05:002012-02-13T17:11:32.093-05:00@Spoiler - Ah, OK. Now whatever happened to Dr. De...@Spoiler - Ah, OK. Now whatever happened to Dr. Demento?Joeynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31794356340724227352012-02-13T17:11:05.883-05:002012-02-13T17:11:05.883-05:00P.S. I think hag, bag and bat all sound a lot nast...P.S. I think hag, bag and bat all sound a lot nastier than biddy.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9593472812521265322012-02-13T17:08:02.673-05:002012-02-13T17:08:02.673-05:00Easy but very nice Monday. Another hand up for a &...Easy but very nice Monday. Another hand up for a "words for money" or something as a theme.<br /><br />Are there more o's in the puzzle than normally? <br /><br />Happy birthday, @archeoprof! Nice cake!<br /><br />Palm Beach looks as if it has been vacuumed. I saw one weed!<br /><br /><br /><br />captcha: prate. OK, I'll shut up.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22407650084532756962012-02-13T17:02:29.660-05:002012-02-13T17:02:29.660-05:00@Joey - No, you're thinking of the doctor from...@Joey - No, you're thinking of the doctor from <b>Duke</b>, not Dr. Drake. The Doctor from Duke who cured cancer is on the lam from authorities because, well, he was a fraud and a liar.Spoiler Alert!noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44512409568658191732012-02-13T16:59:30.507-05:002012-02-13T16:59:30.507-05:00@Spoiler - What?! Dr. Ramore is still practicing m...@Spoiler - What?! Dr. Ramore is still practicing medicine? I thought he retired after curing cancer.Joeynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23810132151227401782012-02-13T16:50:13.076-05:002012-02-13T16:50:13.076-05:00Man, I didn't see that one coming, Erica Kane ...Man, I didn't see that one coming, Erica Kane moving in next door as a love interest for William, after Dr. Drake Ramore performed emergency spinal/brain surgery on him to restore him to health!<br />Wow, what will they think of next?!Spoiler Alert!noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-58156137510201925232012-02-13T16:19:42.263-05:002012-02-13T16:19:42.263-05:00Midday 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 />Mon 5:47, 6:49, 0.85, 3%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:19, 3:40, 0.91, 12%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2780043871907726852012-02-13T15:01:49.747-05:002012-02-13T15:01:49.747-05:00While I was sitting at my REAR WINDOW, WAITING FOR...While I was sitting at my REAR WINDOW, WAITING FOR GODOT, the BREAD DOUGH was rising so I sipped on some RUM with NAAN, RUING the fact that I hadn't added any MELON to the TART. <br /><br />Much to my surprise, I saw MARLON BRANDO ROAR past at 50 MPH overtaking an RVER with an NRA sticker; no MOUSY man with a LISP was he. EGO MANIA might be a more apt description.<br /><br />Just then a mellow CELLO could be heard as it FLOATED in from my SONY AMFM RADIO so I left the window to go out to the LEA and slurp my RAMEN. What a great IDEA now that the FOG has lifted.<br /><br />with a nod to JOHO!santafefranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10725714399611552299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87885744487942007292012-02-13T14:28:09.201-05:002012-02-13T14:28:09.201-05:00Garry Kasparov.Garry Kasparov.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20199435489938767072012-02-13T13:40:50.495-05:002012-02-13T13:40:50.495-05:00Hi all! Ellen here. Thanks for all the good comm...Hi all! Ellen here. Thanks for all the good comments. I have to agree on OREG. Sometimes words (or abbreviations) seem good when you're creating a puzzle. After several months pass, you look at them again and think ... really? I put that in there? Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with the theme and puzzle overall. It's always a learning experience. And I love to learn! Thanks to Vic on this one, too!Ellen Leuschnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22785300224884184532012-02-13T13:26:13.423-05:002012-02-13T13:26:13.423-05:00Easy peasy.
Only writeover was Ezine for EBOOK.
...Easy peasy.<br /><br />Only writeover was Ezine for EBOOK.<br /><br />Left OLD _ _ _ blank and let the crosses fill in the rest.<br /><br />I also dislike RVERS and OREG.Birdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12030807789864211632012-02-13T12:55:07.461-05:002012-02-13T12:55:07.461-05:00@archaeoprof: great cake!
@chefbea: do you make...@archaeoprof: great cake!<br /><br />@chefbea: do you make those covers?<br /><br />Same mistake with HAG-BAG-BAT, and one R at first for GARRY.<br /><br />Love REAR WINDOW.<br /><br />Didn't even see the theme until I came here.JenCThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18290169184354765840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29604497594735036332012-02-13T12:46:35.474-05:002012-02-13T12:46:35.474-05:00Not yet! Not yet!Not yet! Not yet!quilter1https://www.blogger.com/profile/09569747169212018177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36576773206963353742012-02-13T12:43:38.398-05:002012-02-13T12:43:38.398-05:0029A: SSN, which for individuals is their federal ...29A: SSN, which for individuals is their federal tax ID. The Sixteenth Amendment is the Constitutional provision that allows Congress to tax individual incomes. It was ratified 99 years ago this month. So in honor of its anniversary I composed this little refrain to be sung to the tune of 16 Tons made famous by Tennessee Ernie Ford. <br /><br />Sixteenth Amendment, what do you get<br />Another year older and deeper in debt<br />Uncle Sam don’t you call us ’cause we can’t go<br />We owe our souls to China’s Hu Jintao<br /><br />JFCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com