tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post9079419223700331102..comments2024-03-19T07:43:47.332-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: WEDNESDAY, Oct. 15, 2008 - Kevin Der (Hoops announcer's "Slam dunk!" / Villainous "Star Trek" collective / Sourdough's strike / Tout's offering)Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48622673977117755792009-11-22T19:25:45.524-05:002009-11-22T19:25:45.524-05:00Hello
http://www.loveinactioninc.com/ - buy levit...Hello <br />http://www.loveinactioninc.com/ - buy levitra online<br /> Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to alleviate impotence.<br />[url=http://www.loveinactioninc.com/]cheap levitra online[/url]<br /> Levitra is sublingually taken and must be strictly taken with a prescription from your doctor.<br /><a href="http://www.loveinactioninc.com/" rel="nofollow">levitra vardenafil</a><br /><br />For men, the inability to have an erection is indeed a big disappointment not just for them but to both partners.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34742619810795400112008-11-19T12:29:00.000-05:002008-11-19T12:29:00.000-05:00Must be something about doing the syndicated puzzl...Must be something about doing the syndicated puzzle. The "phrase?" BOOMSHAKALAKA means absolutely nothing to me and was simply a guess based on crosses. If I had depended on the Beattie part of the Beattie or Blyth clue I certainly would have had to either depend on crosses or go to Google. The Blyth put it in the gimme category.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51523987674376454042008-10-18T22:53:00.000-04:002008-10-18T22:53:00.000-04:00Few days late but let me just add to the NBA Jam l...Few days late but let me just add to the NBA Jam lovefest. I always got a BoomShakaLaka when I broke the backboard. That game was SIIIIIICK.<BR/><BR/>It was really more of a BOOMShakalakalakalakalakalaka, with the lakas getting progressively softer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57754272340632624922008-10-17T16:17:00.000-04:002008-10-17T16:17:00.000-04:00I ran across your blog when trying to figure out t...I ran across your blog when trying to figure out the "RATTIEST/TATTIEST" and "RESTATE/TESTATE" issue in Friday's puzzle. I too thought of Oldenborg as I did this one and am very excited to run across a fellow Sagehen doing the crossword.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88721278318420804892008-10-16T20:09:00.000-04:002008-10-16T20:09:00.000-04:00@Anonymous 7:58A bathroom on a sailing vessel is c...@Anonymous 7:58<BR/><BR/>A bathroom on a sailing vessel is called the head.Shanti11https://www.blogger.com/profile/03397942491057116387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13662462723710394912008-10-16T20:06:00.000-04:002008-10-16T20:06:00.000-04:00I guess this crossword is a good example of how wh...I guess this crossword is a good example of how what is a gimme to some is a WTF to others. I had a very hard time with this puzzle. Had no idea what a tout was or is, or a sourdough. I was visualizing a sourdough's strike to be some kind of kneading style. And I had to get Boom Shakalaka almost completely from crosses.<BR/><BR/>But I slept on it (not literally - the monitor hurts my neck), and completed it today (well, tomorrow - Friday)<BR/><BR/>I liked that OPRAH is in the grid, along with the clue "great O". She could fit there too! (Also, count me in with everyone else who read "great" as "big" in that clue.<BR/><BR/>I'm not clear on how "soldier in M*A*S*H" = the Republic of Korea (ROK). How does a soldier = a country?<BR/><BR/>The guy singing the song at the beginning of the Dumb and Dumber movie is Apache Indian, and the song is called "Boom Shak-A-Lak". (I knew you were all dying to know that.)<BR/><BR/>@acme: I laughed out loud when I read your story about the raccoon: it sounded like your friend Helen used to climb on top of your heads!<BR/><BR/>I am definitely using "tong" in a sentence today: "Honey, can you tong some more ice for my rye and Coke?" Yes, rye. I'm a Canadian.Shanti11https://www.blogger.com/profile/03397942491057116387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43087166100421353482008-10-16T19:58:00.000-04:002008-10-16T19:58:00.000-04:00Can anyone enlighten me as to how "Head of London"...Can anyone enlighten me as to how "Head of London" becomes LOO? I know toilets are called loos in the UK, but does head = toilet?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72681335230224193532008-10-16T10:45:00.000-04:002008-10-16T10:45:00.000-04:00i guess your too young to remember sly and the fam...i guess your too young to remember sly and the family stone !<BR/><BR/>frankDAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8816854564661552032008-10-15T23:33:00.000-04:002008-10-15T23:33:00.000-04:00i.e. maybe you and other city types can find a way...i.e. maybe you and other city types can find a way to commune with the country folk among us.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12321019676790688342008-10-15T23:27:00.000-04:002008-10-15T23:27:00.000-04:00Joon, you are right, and I'm probably breaking the...Joon, you are right, and I'm probably breaking the rules, but I'm watching MSNBC and saying BOOMSHAKALAKA!machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62276254107250998372008-10-15T23:23:00.000-04:002008-10-15T23:23:00.000-04:00I'll give the last word on this one:BOOMSHAKALAKAI'll give the last word on this one:<BR/><BR/>BOOMSHAKALAKAJeffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01699404861773455504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64971573813904038432008-10-15T23:22:00.000-04:002008-10-15T23:22:00.000-04:00You name it, but whatever it is is not lost.Acme, ...You name it, but whatever it is is not lost.<BR/><BR/>Acme, I've got a group set to hang out at a prime nature location, sort of in celebration of my birthday on the 17th, or Irina's, or yours on Saturday.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-58474253057206971912008-10-15T23:06:00.000-04:002008-10-15T23:06:00.000-04:00@glitch--We have had this discussion before. If s...@glitch--We have had this discussion before. If something is "in the language," it's fair game because it is something that sounds normal to most solvers. "Tong" as a verb, at least to me, is a stretch, sort of a made-up use of a noun as a verb. Now you certainly can use it in a puzzle, but in my opinion, it lowers the quality of the puzzle. The fact that it's in the puzzle doesn't throw me off; I didn't have any trouble coming up with it. But it sounds like the constructor tried to find a way to make a word that is invariably plural work without the final s--in this case, by making a verb out of it. It is analogous, at least to me, to the ridiculous "recarve" (Cut again, as a turkey) that was in the puzzle a few months ago. Everyone understands it, since it consists of "re-," a common prefix meaning "again," and "carve," a verb that no one is unfamiliar with. Only problem: you can't recarve anything. Once it's carved, you can't carve it again. No reference in reality, not "in the language." And yet there are almost 700 hits for "recarve" on Google, and they don't have anything to do with a turkey.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70521894414017359442008-10-15T23:04:00.000-04:002008-10-15T23:04:00.000-04:00mac, if you can't find occasions to use BOOMSHAKAL...mac, if you can't find occasions to use BOOMSHAKALAKA, you're not trying hard enough.Joonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07825085755390339668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49179491677135974002008-10-15T21:56:00.000-04:002008-10-15T21:56:00.000-04:00It reminds me of this friend Helen with her pet ra...It reminds me of this friend Helen with her pet raccoon Madeline who used to climb on top of our heads<BR/>(which is how coonskin caps must have originated) and reach into our drinks with her little hands with opposable thumbs and steal our ice cubes!<BR/>Maybe that was tong=ing and until now it was mostly used as a verb by semi-feral raccoons!<BR/><BR/>THere's more to this story involving Bunnies having spontaneous heart attacks, but i'll wait till there is a clearer puzzle connection!<BR/><BR/>I'm sad and open to naming work for cheap!<BR/>;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23563370202293051032008-10-15T20:34:00.000-04:002008-10-15T20:34:00.000-04:00@fergusI tongyou tongWe all tong for Ice........cr...@fergus<BR/><BR/>I tong<BR/>you tong<BR/>We all tong for Ice........creamchefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48551367055262266632008-10-15T20:31:00.000-04:002008-10-15T20:31:00.000-04:00I tongYou tongShe tongsSuch an alluring conjugatio...I tong<BR/>You tong<BR/>She tongs<BR/><BR/>Such an alluring conjugation.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89201659861405492462008-10-15T20:15:00.001-04:002008-10-15T20:15:00.001-04:00@fergus: I am with you, I'm always happy to learn ...@fergus: I am with you, I'm always happy to learn a new word, or verb, like: to grok, to sparse and to tong! Don't think I'll have a lot of use for boomshakalaka.<BR/>Lucky you, having a stroll along the beach!machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86386949367218462252008-10-15T20:15:00.000-04:002008-10-15T20:15:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88167705687898093792008-10-15T19:26:00.000-04:002008-10-15T19:26:00.000-04:00@joon et al., i got boomshakalaka immediately, mos...@joon et al., i got boomshakalaka immediately, most likely from from playing nba jam in my youth. boomshakalaka! the nail in the coffin! he's on fire!jubjubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00149213213886604843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6712786065256181922008-10-15T18:45:00.000-04:002008-10-15T18:45:00.000-04:00Earlier today, strolling along the beach, I had a ...Earlier today, strolling along the beach, I had a long and fascinating discussion about the metaphysics of money with a very bright guy, who is a layman when it comes to Economics. Smart enough to know what he doesn't know. We pretty much were able to sort out the last quarter century, though I do say this with some irony.<BR/><BR/>Anyhow, within this rather intellectual context, I am totally in favor of TONG as a verb. So what if it only appears as a noun, in plural, in everyday speech. The meaning is justified since it was readily perceived.<BR/><BR/>Also, wasn't there some awful C-movie called "The Terror of the Tongs," which I think referred to this remarkably simple and useful tool?fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26841071509919664622008-10-15T18:06:00.000-04:002008-10-15T18:06:00.000-04:00@Steve I (10:51)Couple of questions:Quoting you:YO...@Steve I (10:51)<BR/><BR/>Couple of questions:<BR/><BR/>Quoting you:<BR/><BR/>YOU: @orange et al re: TONG. Just because you can find it in a dictionary, it doesn't mean that it's really "in the language."<BR/><BR/>Me: Does that mean it's not fair game? Seems like a lot of the comments here cite one dictionary or another (or even just Google hits) to justify the answer's existance.<BR/><BR/>YOU: There are some dictionaries that include some very far-out uses of words. <BR/><BR/>Me: Yup, e.g. See PFUI <BR/><BR/>You: My question is: Is there anyone out there in this audience who uses TONG as a verb? I know I don't, and it sounds pretty darn strange to me.<BR/><BR/>Me: You must lead a lonely, sheltered life. (or at least a very ego-centric one).<BR/><BR/>../Glitch<BR/><BR/>@acme: Yes I understand, and that scares me!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12638064845970231152008-10-15T17:43:00.000-04:002008-10-15T17:43:00.000-04:00@artlvrThank you! I never knew about Sourdough re...@artlvr<BR/><BR/>Thank you! I never knew about Sourdough ref and I've lived in SF off and on for half my life!<BR/>(It took me about ten years to make the connection that the 49ers are called the 49ers bec of the Gold Rush...)<BR/><BR/>@kristinbear<BR/><BR/>Yes, connection is that during the A-tests on the Bikini Atoll there were end of the world parties and apparently people wore and the term bikini was coined.<BR/>(I just learned that on a trivia show I was co-hosting, which I guess Rex wouldn't have tuned in to!)<BR/>It has nothing to do with bi=two as in two-piece, tho later mono-kini came into being, but that's a retro-nym or whatever those are called.<BR/>(Like when they call something Troopergate, long forgetting that the gate was from Watergate the name of the hotel, not some deal gonebad.)<BR/><BR/>Does anyone know what I'm talking about?<BR/><BR/><BR/>@dk<BR/>you got it backwards, dear...it's MY heart that goes patter pit :)<BR/><BR/>(What's your blog, I want to check out the puzzle from 70 years ago!<BR/>You should frame it...altho I guess blogging it is the equivalent of that these days) <BR/><BR/>@rex<BR/>I'm not sure what to think of Shaggy's "It wasn't me"! <BR/>(Couldn't understand a word of what he was saying, but love his voice)<BR/>men=bad<BR/>;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68294319209097120582008-10-15T16:59:00.000-04:002008-10-15T16:59:00.000-04:00My only acquaintance with Ann Blythe is through te...My only acquaintance with Ann Blythe is through television as the spokesperson for Hostess, around about the time HoHos came out. I wonder whether she was any good in her youth? Reminds me of when I finally saw Vertigo, and was stunned that Miss Ellie was ever young.<BR/><BR/>Yeah, Kevin Der is an Ace but I wasn't too delighted with 14 Down. The rest was really good, with lots of fine Wednesday Cluing. Halftime crew, for example makes you think a little bit before it becomes obvious.<BR/><BR/>I don't think of SMUG as being particularly Self-important. To me, that would be well down the list of definitions. Gloating is probably the closest synonym, I would say. I don't think that when you're pleased with yourself that you necessarily feel important, but I'm just quibbling ....fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81837392471314555722008-10-15T16:20:00.000-04:002008-10-15T16:20:00.000-04:00for 20A: Whizzes i wanted 'PEES'for 20A: Whizzes i wanted 'PEES'Stephanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07699054704896353375noreply@blogger.com