tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post8192577950808209453..comments2024-03-29T10:20:16.377-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Event of 10/30/10 / TUE 10-26-10 / Sobriquet for Bill O'Reilly / Eric who played Hulk 2003 / 1918 song girl whose name sung stutterRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3905235837489322772010-11-30T19:31:06.472-05:002010-11-30T19:31:06.472-05:00The puzzle, which I enjoyed, and the rally/march, ...The puzzle, which I enjoyed, and the rally/march, which I watched on TV, are weeks in the past but it still seems topical, and strangely sad, to point out that the most rational cable "news" shows can be found on Comedy Central.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40475415625777088782010-11-30T13:42:05.023-05:002010-11-30T13:42:05.023-05:00From the syndicate: on the eve of December, theme ...From the syndicate: on the eve of December, theme seemed just so-o-o-o October.<br /><br />Never having heard of that alleged Canadian Michael CERA, Nattick was avoided by knowing the obscure LAY meaning. How? My alma mater's football rally song including the bizarro stanza "Great our affection, though feeble our lays". Never to be forgotten.<br /><br />And when did the PAPA BEAR sobriquet morph from George Halas to Bill O'Reilly?Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87417681531426111112010-11-30T12:16:13.551-05:002010-11-30T12:16:13.551-05:00Syndicated paper puzzler.
This means that, at fiv...Syndicated paper puzzler.<br /><br />This means that, at five weeks or so later, the theme material is already dated, maybe even a little RETRO. Which bothered me nary a whit in enjoying my solve. Neither do I yet have any cultivated sensibility to be bothered that things weren't parallel. Plus the thing went slick.<br /><br />I actually worked a season at ALTA ski lodge, so that one was a gimmee. Didn't know CHITA, but that's why ya have crosses, right?<br /><br /><br />ANATHEMA is pretty, but I'd honestly like to see some of humankind's most delicious words and names pop up now and again. Like Lilliokalani or Coatzacoalcos.<br /><br />Have to RALLY to the defense of troubadours and LAY (which one commentor took the predictable ATSTUD approach to): I'm a little appalled that so many here didn't recognize the term. <br />I recommend reading some Joseph Campbell on the importance of the troubadours in being some of the first to implant into the Western psyche what may well be the one thing that sets it apart from the rest of the world's traditions.<br /><br />"Campbell explains that the troubadours (i.e., professional storytellers) of the Middle Ages weren’t just telling mindless tales of romance and dalliance, they were spreading a radical, almost subversive concept: That men and women could pursue their own destinies, fall in love and relate to one another as equals under a groundbreaking concept known as “courtly love.”"<br /><br />"You know, the usual marriage in traditional cultures was arranged for and by the families. It wasn’t a person-to-person decision at all. In the Middle Ages, that was the kind of (impersonal) marriage that was sanctified by the Church. And so the troubadour idea of real person-to-person Amor was very dangerous.”<br /><br />In addition to everybody in the West being the modern beneficiaries of the troubadours' labors of love (literal), including modern artists (perhaps a reprise of the McCartney hit, "Silly Love Songs" might be in order ("How do I tell you about my loved one?")), some direct descendants of the troubadour tradition can still be found in the likes of the trovadores of Cuba and Mexico.<br /><br />captcha: unconu: Scottish for very very wildebeast lyNotalwaysrightBillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16957984893726798752010-10-27T13:10:44.221-04:002010-10-27T13:10:44.221-04:00Anon 11:33pm - The print version had a symbol for ...Anon 11:33pm - The print version had a symbol for pi (that's at 38A), but Across Lite can't handle that so it had to be written out. It's capitalized because that's the convention for the first letter of any clue.Ellenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09699703443886498884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25168028850288377732010-10-27T10:58:24.642-04:002010-10-27T10:58:24.642-04:00Hi Brian! I come to Rex after I have completed the...Hi Brian! I come to Rex after I have completed the puzzle (or, occasionally, given up) so, obviously, there's no spoiling involved. <br /><br />BTW, I wasn't saying "Colbert spoiled it" in an embittered way; I meant it in a smiling, amused way.Vincent Limahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04533711113471034741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28586289054622049292010-10-27T10:25:27.060-04:002010-10-27T10:25:27.060-04:00Hey @Vincent Lima, but Rex doesn't spoil it by...Hey @Vincent Lima, but Rex doesn't spoil it by showing the completed grid at the very start of the day?Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06063334745698094480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27576755622928358752010-10-27T02:08:38.504-04:002010-10-27T02:08:38.504-04:00Got around to the puzzle late today -- after Colbe...Got around to the puzzle late today -- after Colbert spoiled it by showing the completed grid at the start of his show. Not that it would have been any harder had he not....Vincent Limahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04533711113471034741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91695574033165565142010-10-27T00:00:28.179-04:002010-10-27T00:00:28.179-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 7/30/2009 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 7:31, 6:57, 1.08, 81%, Challenging<br />Tue 9:17, 8:56, 1.04, 63%, Medium-Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:42, 3:42, 1.00, 51%, Medium<br />Tue 4:41, 4:36, 1.02, 61%, Medium-Challenging<br /><br />@Foodie: The number of solvers today is right at the Tuesday mean of 815.sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82377981716020214312010-10-26T23:33:34.833-04:002010-10-26T23:33:34.833-04:0018A Area. Did anyone notice that they printed an u...18A Area. Did anyone notice that they printed an upper case Pi instead of lower case? Boo.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85309391156305597242010-10-26T22:55:13.575-04:002010-10-26T22:55:13.575-04:00meh to this puzzle and meh to these TV shows.meh to this puzzle and meh to these TV shows.sick of hipster comedynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40397725277325395102010-10-26T22:41:29.562-04:002010-10-26T22:41:29.562-04:00@Chris. Congratulations on the NYT get. Definite...@Chris. Congratulations on the NYT get. Definitely cause for celebration. The puzzle wasn't to my taste but then early week puzzles rarely are. To each his own. Given that my opinion will have exactly zero effect on your life, I'm sure that you have no trouble not taking it personally. (: <br /><br />My final (more than 3rd, I'm sure) post turned into a tl; dr on my philosophy of current event puzzles in general. So rather than clutter up Mr. Parker's blog. I've posted it elsewhere. <a href="http://thexwordhag.livejournal.com/608.html" rel="nofollow">Here</a> specifically. Feel free to ignore the link. <br /><br />@ZZZ. To hell with you. <br /><br />*brains - I'm not kidding, it's really just brains, as in "what zombies eat"*The Hagnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35222981670818856832010-10-26T22:26:54.762-04:002010-10-26T22:26:54.762-04:00Sorry, Rex, as much as I like you (and I do notwit...Sorry, Rex, as much as I like you (and I do notwithstanding your liberal leanings) that is political but no matter because that thing on Saturday won't matter. Edith B has it right. If you want to remain friends, don't talk politics or religion if you don't agree....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54840788914269152562010-10-26T22:23:46.042-04:002010-10-26T22:23:46.042-04:00@ Rex: +1. I suspect that's why Stewart has ...@ Rex: +1. I suspect that's why Stewart has pushed back so hard against allegations that his rally is political. Wanting to revive a sense of proportion and civility to political discourse is not, in the end, a terribly political thing.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11153568578717070665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60007998158681941122010-10-26T22:15:02.034-04:002010-10-26T22:15:02.034-04:00@Rex ... best comment of the day.
3 and out. Goo...@Rex ... best comment of the day. <br /><br />3 and out. Goodnight.johohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12708487230515532492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57440370457909040622010-10-26T21:56:41.290-04:002010-10-26T21:56:41.290-04:00If I have any "manners" at all, I'm ...If I have any "manners" at all, I'm pretty sure I got them from both my mother (democrat) and father (republican). Yes, they're divorced. Still, my point stands. Whole point of my going to the rally/march is to support a political discourse that isn't utterly dehumanizing. So I guess that's political ... but not liberal or conservative, as far as I can tell.Rex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78975913004701549552010-10-26T21:52:15.321-04:002010-10-26T21:52:15.321-04:00@Sfingi-
I agree with you but I also love my husb...@Sfingi-<br /><br />I agree with you but I also love my husband for his non-political tendencies so he and I "agreed to disagree" a long time ago and settled out of court, as it were.edith bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12048817959846956992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2529868120359705722010-10-26T21:51:28.330-04:002010-10-26T21:51:28.330-04:00Watched Jon Stewart and Colbert
tonight...not one ...Watched Jon Stewart and Colbert<br />tonight...not one word about today's crossword tribute.<br />I don't get it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32193086777563593882010-10-26T21:21:49.127-04:002010-10-26T21:21:49.127-04:00@Chris -- Great to hear from you (always love to...@Chris -- Great to hear from you (always love to see a response from the constructor here), and congrats on your debut Tuesday -- I really enjoyed the puzzle even though (or because?) I zipped through it.<br /><br />Interesting to hear about the KATY clue. I was delighted with one we ended up with, since it was a gimme for me, and I have no idea who Katy Perry is. So these things balance out!<br /><br />@Anon @12:21: I am certainly (and proudly) what you would call a "rabid non-thinking liberal, but I don't think that kind of rapid non-thinking <br />invective does a lot to enhance the quality of discussion here.<br /><br />Terst. (Couldn't resist noting my captcha!)mmorganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18375430572178263265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23295184271454718762010-10-26T21:07:52.457-04:002010-10-26T21:07:52.457-04:00Didn't know the 2 young men, BANA or CERA. Old...Didn't know the 2 young men, BANA or CERA. Old people know CHITA and KATY. So, it's "Fair and Balanced."<br />Didn't know AVOIR.<br /><br />The puzzle was pretty clever, including both activities in a parallel way. Didn't notice asymmetry, so I guess it's unimportant to me. And it was timely, definitely. <br /><br />Had itup before (shake) ALEG; mist before HAZE. <br /><br />At the start, was wondering who called Bill O'Reilly doPe hEAd.<br /><br />Always wondered how people could consider Europe and Asia 2 continents with only a mountain range separating them. <br /><br />NBA crossing NCAA 2 sports abbrevs) was a Natick for me. I took a guess on the last letter and got it right.<br /><br />Get BENT used to mean drunk a few decades ago. Everything has meant drunk at some point, I believe.<br /><br />@Andrea - why should? Because the papers have the vehicle. Until lately, it's been Freedom of the Press for those who own one. This is changing. Sometime you too will be able to distribute your puzzle across English speaking nations.<br /><br />@Edith - let me help. Just remember, it's the conservatives who commit the murders in the name of religion and conservatism. The Democrats are the ones with manners.<br /><br />Anybody notice EMMY and EMMA? (I tried to read everything here.)<br /><br />@Purple Guy - easy enough to get on YouTube. No need to embed that one.<br /><br />@Jesser - that's just what they always called the courtly love song in Northern France. Other troubadour songs were about jousting, say, or hunting and were not called lays. It might have got them laid, but that's just luck.Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76373184393667512332010-10-26T20:30:25.829-04:002010-10-26T20:30:25.829-04:00Between @ Chris and everyone else this has been on...Between @ Chris and everyone else this has been one of the more intelligent and entertaining days on the blog. I think that is a sign of a good puzzle.<br /> Thanks so much for your input Chris. I feel like a puzzle groupie but it really thrills me to have a constructor stop by.Two Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3552726994010365852010-10-26T19:58:37.545-04:002010-10-26T19:58:37.545-04:00Over 800 people completed this puzzle on line. It ...Over 800 people completed this puzzle on line. It seems like an unusually high number. Sanfranman, is that correct or am I making up stuff?foodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052189131129098616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75129065481299219142010-10-26T19:01:27.287-04:002010-10-26T19:01:27.287-04:00@ your average blank, of all the compliments I'...@ your average blank, of all the compliments I've received today, yours stands out as the most wonderfully peculiar. Thanks for the nice words. I hope you aced the exam.<br /><br />@r.alphbunker, yes, I did consider that formulation; even had a draft grid with that layout. The problem was that the fill that resulted was awful. But what concerned me as well--perhaps more so--was that beginning 65-A with MARCH would have upset a different aesthetic concern: ensuring that the two long 15-letter entries begin with the infinitive phrase. To my eye, there is something pleasing about having 17-A and 65-A both begin with TO RESTORE/TO KEEP. So again, I opted to take a risk and dispense with strict symmetry in this one case. Worth it? I hope so, but I recognize it's unorthodox and the payoff may not be worth it for some.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11153568578717070665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55783829448937654532010-10-26T18:46:24.794-04:002010-10-26T18:46:24.794-04:00Oh, It does surprise me that there are so few cons...Oh, It does surprise me that there are so few conservatives that comment here as I was cringing in anticipation of a lot of name-calling today. Pleasantly surprised, I might add.edith bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12048817959846956992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50199242274073743752010-10-26T18:41:57.301-04:002010-10-26T18:41:57.301-04:00I was in a quandry with this puzzle as I am a Demo...I was in a quandry with this puzzle as I am a Democrat and my husband is a rampaging right-winger. We keep peace in our family by not watching "Partisan TV" which I define as Limbaugh, O-Reilly and their ilk and he defines as Maddow, Olbermann and the like.<br /><br />I had to approach this one from a wordplay angle - which I did - and ended up finishing in just under 15minutes. The things we do to perserve peace!edith bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12048817959846956992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15308839230629564942010-10-26T18:23:53.766-04:002010-10-26T18:23:53.766-04:00chris thanks for a timely great tuesday puzzle. I ...chris thanks for a timely great tuesday puzzle. I solved this on in the drs office awaiting a prostate exam so it was nice to have a challenging puzzle to keep my mind off the exam. I truly mean this as a complimentyour average blankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06362703669092144957noreply@blogger.com