tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post9063878097784393038..comments2024-03-28T18:52:07.432-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Columnist Hentoff / WED 2-1-12 / Queen Wheat City of Oklahoma / Prefix with mom in 2009 news / Olympic skating champion Lysacek / Ranch in Giant / Soda brand since 1905 / Brand of movable collectibles / Tommie of Miracle MetsRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32995522119670311572012-03-07T21:49:31.770-05:002012-03-07T21:49:31.770-05:00The plural of kea, I believe, is kea, not keas. C...The plural of kea, I believe, is kea, not keas. Could be wrong.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83340985692172108452012-03-07T19:01:03.181-05:002012-03-07T19:01:03.181-05:00@evil doug 8:19 AM
I'll take CAPITAL N any day...@evil doug 8:19 AM<br />I'll take CAPITAL N any day over crap like:<br /><b>31 flavoring an Evil post?</b> (ENS)<br /><br />The Far Side. Now <i>there</i> was a "funny" that that was actually <i>funny</i>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7652975388982955122012-03-07T18:41:52.821-05:002012-03-07T18:41:52.821-05:00"1000+ word..." = WAR AND PEACE right of..."1000+ word..." = WAR AND PEACE right off the bat. And L E O T O L S T O Y in the circles. And pretty much a piece of cake solve after that...but very nicely done with the HAWK>DOVE word ladder.<br /><br />@Aaron B 11:18 AM <br />Cant mention AGEE and Jones without mentioning the other MET outfielder, <a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=13062803" rel="nofollow">Ron Swaboda</a>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78573008636122432452012-03-07T13:30:31.425-05:002012-03-07T13:30:31.425-05:00out here in syndicateville my first entry was WARA...out here in syndicateville my first entry was WARANDPEACE - I mean what other "Classic novel of 1000+ pages" with 11 letters in the title would that be? From there on the puzzle was relatively easy. <br /><br />After solving I wondered what the asterisked clues produced and was delighted with the clever word ladder Ms. Gorski embedded.<br /><br />"Giant" is one of my favorite novels. When Bick Benedict was pressed at a dinner in Virginia about how big his Texas ranch, REATA, was, his reply stunned the others - "Something over two million acres. Two million and a half, to be exact."Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-61937517183263769382012-03-07T13:27:43.192-05:002012-03-07T13:27:43.192-05:00@quilter: a detour through Coeur d'Alene would...@quilter: a detour through Coeur d'Alene would definitely be worth it. The town is situated on a beautiful lake and has lots of great food/shops/activities. There is even a golf course with one of the holes on a man-made island just offshore that you get to on a little ferry (after most of your balls have gone in the lake).connie in seattle, capitol of washingtonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41562122842576401162012-03-07T11:20:52.240-05:002012-03-07T11:20:52.240-05:00Just a splendid puzzle all around, including the &...Just a splendid puzzle all around, including the "ladder" bonus. Thanks Mrs Gorski.Simply, Ronnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52545602254380714112012-03-07T10:35:50.450-05:002012-03-07T10:35:50.450-05:00@jackj: hand up for expecting a bird shape from th...@jackj: hand up for expecting a bird shape from the circles, otherwise why bother? On the CAPITALN controversy, count me in with the "PLEASE don't do that!" side. Individual letters as entries ought to be a no-no. This includes capital-whatever, silent-whatever, etc., as well as all the spelled out letters like ENS, KUE (extra-ugh!!) and on and on.<br /> That said, I think word ladders are cool without even being incorporated into a crossword grid, so this was another one of my "How do they DO that?" moments. The ease of solving might have been lessened with a set of Friday clues...I don't know. We have to give it a fairly high freshness quotient: sure never expected to see THEDONALD in one of these. Well,this is an experienced pro at work, you can tell.<br /><br />foopill: what a certain musical group takes before a "fight?"Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14706485336311249442012-02-02T20:17:48.371-05:002012-02-02T20:17:48.371-05:00computer under relo, late to party
super word lad...computer under relo, late to party<br /><br />super word ladder<br /><br />I still hate effing circles, they're so lame. So merely a great puzzle.xyzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08287781952915413013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15117192024787527502012-02-02T00:07:24.149-05:002012-02-02T00:07:24.149-05:00This 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 6:11, 6:49, 0.91, 14%, Easy<br />Tue 7:46, 8:51, 0.88, 17%, Easy<br />Wed 10:17, 11:50, 0.87, 24%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:26, 3:40, 0.94, 25%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 4:07, 4:34, 0.90, 18%, Easy<br />Wed 4:51, 5:52, 0.83, 10%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37017191688380635242012-02-01T22:31:21.100-05:002012-02-01T22:31:21.100-05:00since everyone is undoubtedly wondering, my favori...since everyone is undoubtedly wondering, my favorite comics these days:<br />Pearls Before Swine<br />Get Fuzzy<br />Lio <br />Gil (new in syndication--see at Chicago Trib)<br />Overboard<br />Retail<br />xkcd<br />Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal <br />Barkeater Lake<br />(last three web only)treedwellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16342530371183121220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22735870881032253412012-02-01T22:10:00.123-05:002012-02-01T22:10:00.123-05:00Just a lovely puzzle. Coherent theme featuring a m...Just a lovely puzzle. Coherent theme featuring a meandering, unforced word-ladder. And I loved TEARDROP (as a shape), RUBY RED (as a grapefruit) and THE DONALD (as a boss).<br /><br />I graduated from 9-Across...Stanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02681342234536407419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80919157716371184112012-02-01T22:05:45.654-05:002012-02-01T22:05:45.654-05:00@Ulrich. I have the same problem from time to tim...@Ulrich. I have the same problem from time to time. @chefwen. I don't know what you mean by scroll over. There is also the won't accept the catchpa problem. Generous Rexites suggest solutions. It would be better if Google were designed better.<br /><br />Finished puzzle early in day. Saw title and used that to finish the circles not yet filled in. I always like an Elizabeth Gorski. <br /><br />A third season on Downton? Getting near to jumping the shark.Sparkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11149915526159432838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89984390051115505482012-02-01T20:08:14.342-05:002012-02-01T20:08:14.342-05:00@loren You're correct - I had forgotten Ray St...@loren You're correct - I had forgotten Ray Stevens' Harry the Hairy Ape. That answers my question about the tapes. My favorite RS is Ahab the Arab, the sheik of the burning sands, with emeralds and rubies dripping off of him and a ring for every finger of his hand.acmeofepitomenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28155121458863412772012-02-01T19:19:03.064-05:002012-02-01T19:19:03.064-05:00@Evil Doug at 4:33 -- I think the answer to your f...@Evil Doug at 4:33 -- I think the answer to your first question is KAY.<br /><br />@Rex at 11:22 - Not sure if you're looking for sympathy or making an excuse or both, but it is not consistent with your avatar.<br /><br />All's fair in love and war....<br /><br />JFCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63008972321061698522012-02-01T19:12:35.253-05:002012-02-01T19:12:35.253-05:00@Ulrich - Blogger pulls that trick if you haven...@Ulrich - Blogger pulls that trick if you haven't posted for a while. I fell for it three times before I thought to scroll over.<br /><br />Very cute puzzle, I also did not catch onto the ladder until I was finished and went back to figure out what all the asterisks were about. Second time this week where I let out an audible AWW!<br /><br />Thank you Ms. Gorski for an easy but enjoyable puzzle.chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32419829901225762202012-02-01T19:10:44.072-05:002012-02-01T19:10:44.072-05:00Shorter:
HAWK / DOVEShorter:<br /><br />HAWK / DOVEAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10920550213038275722012-02-01T17:49:40.499-05:002012-02-01T17:49:40.499-05:00A short word ladder from Hawk to Dove:
HAWK / DAR...A short word ladder from Hawk to Dove:<br /><br />HAWK / DARK / DIRE / DOVEBrett Snoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6420271744958810402012-02-01T17:03:25.229-05:002012-02-01T17:03:25.229-05:00Nice puzzle, thanks Liz Gorski
FYI -- The WSJ pu...Nice puzzle, thanks Liz Gorski<br /><br />FYI -- The WSJ puzzle from 1/12 by Joe DiPietro is superb -- challenging, well-clued, and nicely executed<br /><br />GO G-MEN !!!!long suffering mets fannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-604540485276961662012-02-01T16:58:16.530-05:002012-02-01T16:58:16.530-05:00@theoda3rd...that's funny!!!@theoda3rd...that's funny!!!chefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88164029627227514692012-02-01T16:47:05.493-05:002012-02-01T16:47:05.493-05:00Why did the dumb blonde stare at the can of frozen...Why did the dumb blonde stare at the can of frozen orange juice? <br /><br />Because it said "concentrate"Theoda3rdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68486776396727587142012-02-01T16:39:08.724-05:002012-02-01T16:39:08.724-05:00@loren - OHSNAP!
@evil - that's one I haven&#...@loren - OHSNAP!<br /><br />@evil - that's one I haven't heard - very funny!<br /><br />(OK - going back to work now - honest...)Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34005620289651788962012-02-01T16:37:04.065-05:002012-02-01T16:37:04.065-05:00Thoroughly enjoyed the puzzle and am so glad Ms. G...Thoroughly enjoyed the puzzle and am so glad Ms. Gorski didn't let Maleska dissuade her from constructing. <br /><br />A bit of synchronicity for me as I watched the latest episode of Inside the Actor's Studio with George Clooney right before sitting down to solve it and he mentioned that War and Peace is his favorite novel. (Actually, that mention may have been in his IMDB profile which I pulled up to look at during commercials.) <br /><br />I also watched the latest episode of "Ringer" last night and immediately thought of my crossword-loving brethren when the camera zoomed in on a piece of sculpture at an auction labeled "Arte sculpture." Ack! It's ERTE, you dipshits! (A nod to George Clooney's favorite curse word.)Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16675331024091722316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35840791559046734912012-02-01T16:33:08.384-05:002012-02-01T16:33:08.384-05:00"How do you pronounce the capital of Kentucky..."How do you pronounce the capital of Kentucky---Louie-ville, or Lewis-ville?"<br /><br />"Frankfort."<br />*********************<br /><br />Remember dumb blond jokes? Ah, the good ol' days....<br /><br />Dumb blond: "I know all the state capitals."<br /><br />Husband: "Okay---how about 'Kentucky'?<br /><br />Dumb blond: "Capital K!"<br /><br />Evilevil doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17593231055589228837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2353705890477811932012-02-01T16:28:43.196-05:002012-02-01T16:28:43.196-05:00@Tita - you missed St. Louis, Missouri.@Tita - you missed St. Louis, Missouri.Loren Muse Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05308030011870397977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67420074242048726582012-02-01T16:27:39.799-05:002012-02-01T16:27:39.799-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Loren Muse Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05308030011870397977noreply@blogger.com