tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post9152410847699775663..comments2024-03-28T13:00:19.785-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: THURSDAY, Oct. 11, 2007 - E. J. PlattRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24029178073843957892007-11-23T14:29:00.000-05:002007-11-23T14:29:00.000-05:00What a find! The Dallas Morning News published th...What a find! The Dallas Morning News published the October 12 puzzle from NYT on November 23. (Clearly we're a little behind the times here!) Thus, when I was puzzling mightily over the puzzle, I googled "Great taste since 1905" and found this blog. I WILL be back!Susanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18427453038770910676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46090651404861153302007-10-16T01:58:00.000-04:002007-10-16T01:58:00.000-04:00What have you got against ORBED? Would you like it...What have you got against ORBED? Would you like it any better if it was clued "That _____ maiden with white fire laden Whom mortals call the Moon" (Shelley)?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66146972466097938602007-10-12T11:58:00.000-04:002007-10-12T11:58:00.000-04:00I wanted BEAN for BEER -- was thinking "Blast" was...I wanted BEAN for BEER -- was thinking "Blast" was referring to farts. I got all of it but the SW.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03345623954861334689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64817346337579629252007-10-12T07:59:00.000-04:002007-10-12T07:59:00.000-04:00Seth Rogen starred in the summer hit, Knocked Up. ...Seth Rogen starred in the summer hit, <I>Knocked Up</I>. He had a supporting role in <I>40-Year-Old Virgin</I>, another Judd Apatow–directed comedy.Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51102342694469718252007-10-12T06:13:00.000-04:002007-10-12T06:13:00.000-04:00There are no misspellings of actors' names in this...There are no misspellings of actors' names in this puzzle.<BR/><BR/>rpRex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7685070558163354112007-10-12T04:17:00.000-04:002007-10-12T04:17:00.000-04:00Got to this puzzle late. Solved with some difficul...Got to this puzzle late. Solved with some difficulty, not because the theme or fill was particularly difficult but rather because of my attitude. When I realized the theme was based on the names of actors my interest waned. When I realized it was based on the misspellings of the names of actors my interest really waned. It was a fight to stay interested after that. I simply don't care for this type of thing that uses People magazine material for fill. But that's me.Chip Ahoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12597726289890879627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49413651254097035142007-10-12T00:33:00.000-04:002007-10-12T00:33:00.000-04:00I had BEN AFFLECK instead of BEN STILLER for far t...I had BEN AFFLECK instead of BEN STILLER for far too long. Made the North Carolina area a little tough. Obviously never heard of the Frat Pack. I have heard of all the actors included in it though. So that makes me feel better than I feel whenever I pick up a People magazine at the dentist's office. I vote against including Seth Rogan, because I've never heard of him.<BR/><BR/>alex: I too visited Enid, Oklahoma, on a cross-country road-trip. I actually had a friend who lived there though. We went to a rodeo. Yee-haw!PuzzleGirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09017772879976436923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40157473970674018632007-10-11T23:28:00.000-04:002007-10-11T23:28:00.000-04:00I, too, had not heard the phrase Frat Pack before,...I, too, had not heard the phrase Frat Pack before, but seeing the list of actors mentioned above, it sure makes sense! Should we also include Seth Rogan (sp?), or is he too young?<BR/><BR/>As a science fiction/comic book fan, I'm embarrassed at how long it took me to get "tele" as a prefix for "kinetic."<BR/><BR/>As an Amy Winehouse fan, I'm happy at how quickly I got "rehab."<BR/><BR/>I sorta liked the linking of "Pisa" and "Assisi."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12187148014718515252007-10-11T21:11:00.000-04:002007-10-11T21:11:00.000-04:00This is a lame gimmick, not a crossword puzzle.This is a lame gimmick, not a crossword puzzle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43651321106205408422007-10-11T20:39:00.000-04:002007-10-11T20:39:00.000-04:00Jibber. I did all bar the south east corner, and I...Jibber. I did all bar the south east corner, and I still didn't get the theme til I read the blog. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for the explanation on gray tho. I didn't get that one either.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24007272993312735002007-10-11T19:05:00.000-04:002007-10-11T19:05:00.000-04:00Anon 5:21, Alex -- The union army wore blue unifor...Anon 5:21, Alex -- The union army wore blue uniforms and the confederate army wore gray uniforms. It's not metaphorical like "blue states" and "red states".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56178032755902647832007-10-11T18:59:00.000-04:002007-10-11T18:59:00.000-04:00My forehead is a bit flatter than it was before I ...My forehead is a bit flatter than it was before I started this one. <BR/><BR/>Even after grokking the theme, I still wasn't expecting it in the small NE and SW chunks of the grid. So I <I>knew</I> 16a had to be RYAN, and that 12d had to be AGLET, and stared at that section for an aeon or so before the light came on. That's when the forehead flattener turned on.<BR/><BR/>jae - AVEO/REVE - I have the <I>exact</I> same "rule" and had to apply it here as well.<BR/><BR/>And yup, had SEGO; thought we had an "ONY" rebus; and wanted 26a to be related to basketball.<BR/><BR/>Loved this puzzle, Rikki's bit about SAPID, Voice's list, and, as always, this blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62441390681603461342007-10-11T18:47:00.000-04:002007-10-11T18:47:00.000-04:00OrangeWhat is that all about -- why post that here...Orange<BR/><BR/>What is that all about -- why post that here?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21801089766591093412007-10-11T18:32:00.000-04:002007-10-11T18:32:00.000-04:00Nice to see your link to the past. A reader sugge...Nice to see your link to the past. A reader suggested that I do that months ago...nice that they don't have to scroll through six weeks of posts and get a peek at answers or pictures that might tip them off in the ensuing weeks.<BR/><BR/>And Ben Stiller is not old.Linda Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15816794362786044423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37770353043221433312007-10-11T17:28:00.000-04:002007-10-11T17:28:00.000-04:00The U.S. Civil War. The North was Blue, the South ...The U.S. Civil War. The North was Blue, the South was Gray.Alex S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07543077687426776863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88382018774414648902007-10-11T17:21:00.000-04:002007-10-11T17:21:00.000-04:00Can anyone explain 28D "South Side?" as GRAY? I do...Can anyone explain 28D "South Side?" as GRAY? I don't get it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29364918220649211432007-10-11T15:47:00.000-04:002007-10-11T15:47:00.000-04:00There's a bar in Rhode Island called "The Mews". I...There's a bar in Rhode Island called "The Mews". It's sort of built over a swamp, so I have always assumed the name meant "marshy place or bog", not "Cage for hawks".<BR/><BR/>Who knew?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36065274610564893852007-10-11T15:44:00.001-04:002007-10-11T15:44:00.001-04:00Thanks for the link to the syndicated puzzle. I d...Thanks for the link to the syndicated puzzle. I do both and sometimes the six-week ago one is hard again as if it were new.<BR/>I very much enjoy reading your blog. Still think you should read some Dickens. NollieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21726269547587325522007-10-11T15:44:00.000-04:002007-10-11T15:44:00.000-04:00Thought I was up against an "ONY" rebus--and tried...Thought I was up against an "ONY" rebus--and tried really hard to jam in PHONYBALONY (9D Insincere). No such luck. <BR/><BR/>BTW, does anyone actually call anything a BEER Blast anymore? Or ever did? Guess I hung out with the wrong crowd. <BR/><BR/>All in all a fun (if gimmicky) puzzle today.<BR/><BR/>PS Sorry for the late post, but I'm an Afternoon Solver (paper and pen)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82377792344248950682007-10-11T15:43:00.000-04:002007-10-11T15:43:00.000-04:00I am well aware that that is a picture of The Brat...I am well aware that that is a picture of The Brat Pack.<BR/><BR/>rpRex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63988008537035480132007-10-11T15:20:00.000-04:002007-10-11T15:20:00.000-04:00This seemed like a fairly clumsy puzzle, but maybe...This seemed like a fairly clumsy puzzle, but maybe that's because I had several other interpretations of the theme before the literal tail end falling off. George and Rex? The former seems to be climbing ever higher while the latter fell into his grave a while ago. Don't know where BRANDY stands but MEG RYAN isn't in the limelight like she used to be. OK, not that type of Falling star. That would be Fading star (as someone above noted). Well, maybe all these characters have a signature tumble somewhere in their performance repertoire? No, that was from some Simpsons episode, I think, where someone made a name for himself simply by falling over a lot. Not that either -- what about the resemblance to a knight's move in chess, with a play on night, when the stars might rise and fall. Nah, too far-fetched. Stick with the right turn at the end of the space, and leave it at that. Neither very engaging nor impressive.<BR/><BR/>HELP DESKS must have caused some raised eyebrows elsewhere, too. How often, if you get through to a customer service help desk do you actually connect with anyone remotely worthy of the title, technician? Once in a while, I guess. <BR/><BR/>Couldn't get MOCHA off my mind for 6D for the longest time, and almost settled for having an M-LIP in need of some cosmetic dental work and a LA LA somehow being acceptable as a division in whatever Game I was playing. But that made ACHA the Starting point ... in possibly a German drama? All too weird; forget the coffee component and have some COCOA by the fireplace, lamenting the arduous trek through the sleet and snow.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78786374237976548282007-10-11T14:50:00.000-04:002007-10-11T14:50:00.000-04:00First comment after lurking for a while, but as an...First comment after lurking for a while, but as an Aveo driver, thought I'd chime in<BR/><BR/>The Aveo is what happened when Chevrolet/GM acquired Daewoo. It's a cute little compact car similar to your Honda Civic or your Geo Metrorhyannelisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06939987587306157900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14872757477855310422007-10-11T14:38:00.000-04:002007-10-11T14:38:00.000-04:00Yep, that's the Brat Pack, not the Frat Pack (I'd ...Yep, that's the Brat Pack, not the Frat Pack (I'd never heard Frat Pack until this puzzle).<BR/><BR/>Interestingly, there really isn't a huge age difference between the groups, they just became really famous at different points in their lives 20 years apart.<BR/><BR/>Brat Pack - Emilio Estevez (45), Anthony Michael Hall (39), Rob Lowe (43), Andrew McCarthy (45), Demi Moore (45), Judd Nelson (47), Molly Ringwald (39), Ally Sheedy (45).<BR/><BR/>Frat Pack - Jack Black (38), Ben Stiller (42), Luke Wilson (36), Owen Wilson (39), Vince Vaughn (37), Will Ferrell (40), Steve Carrell (45).Alex S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07543077687426776863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43895876866073800192007-10-11T14:34:00.000-04:002007-10-11T14:34:00.000-04:00Hi all,Knowing that George Clooney was the sexiest...Hi all,<BR/><BR/>Knowing that George Clooney was the sexiest man alive pointed me in the right direction toward the theme, sending me back to change Ryan to Megr, but I got all the way down to filling in fallingsta and pars before realizing what the theme was. I had a pleasant "aha" moment, liking this clever twist (much more so than yesterday's ez, cd one). <BR/><BR/>Almost failed to finish the puzzle in the SE. Region and Verne stumped me for awhile and then I I had the "duh" moment of realizing that Brandy was part of the theme (should have seen it coming as symmetry to Megr up there in New England, but I'm relatively new to looking at puzzles that way). <BR/><BR/>Loved the Rat Pack (big Sinatra fan) and the Brat Pack (loved Rob Lowe in West Wing and he's still on my list of sexiest men alive), but can someone enlighten me as to who is in the Frat Pack besides Ben Stiller?<BR/><BR/>I've been a foodie for years and never heard the word sapid for tasty. Don't think I'll be adding it to my vocab. Sorry, but it doesn't sound tasty. What a sapid souffle? That paella was muy sapid. Nope. That dog don't hunt. Though I liked the sapid/panfry cross, which is how I got sapid. Also like the mason/layer and rehab/beer crosses.<BR/><BR/>Also, I must confess that in yesterday's puzzle I thought that "hawker's line" had something to do with hawks and keepers of hawks and even didn't get it when the answer was spiel (thought that was some german word for a line hawkers connected to their hawks... yikes.) Just got the picture today in another "big duh" moment when Rex was talking about the bird/basketball confusion. <BR/><BR/>On the same subject, I lived in a mews house in London and wondered what the connection might be between that term and a cage for hawks. Apparently the Royal hawks were kept in the Kings Mews at Charing Cross, beginning in 1377, and the place remained the Royal Mews in 1537 when they were converted to Royal stables. Mews still refers to row houses that were once stables, as was my house in Kensington.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2571247815712110482007-10-11T14:29:00.000-04:002007-10-11T14:29:00.000-04:00I found this puz fairly easy for a Thursday (which...I found this puz fairly easy for a Thursday (which means, given my weak xwording, that I actually finished it). SAPID was a shock, another Scrabble-only word for me (like yesterday's AZO), and I knew it because of a little list I once made:<BR/>STUPID/STUPOR, RIGID/RIGOR, SPLENDID/SPLENDOR, VAPID/VAPOR, RANCID/RANCOR, TORPID/TORPOR, TURGID/TURGOR, FULGID/FULGOR, CANDID/CANDOR, TUMID/TUMOR, ALGID/ALGOR (=cold), FETID/FETOR, FOETID/FOETOR, FLUID/FLUOR (=fluorite), HUMID/HUMOR, (TIMID/timorous), VALID/VALOR, FERVID/FERVOR, HORRID/HORROR, PALLID/PALLOR, LANGUID, LANGUOR, SQUALOR/SQUALID<BR/><BR/>There are prolly a few I've missed. I use them in my tutoring of middle- and high-schoolers who need vocab help.<BR/><BR/>I hope you enjoy the list.voiceofsocietymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11212997934962744466noreply@blogger.com