tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post9199677548481532326..comments2024-03-28T11:35:36.126-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: SUN 7-22-12 Indulged in some capers? / Their empire was the Land of the Four Quarters / 1% group / Pork-on-a-stick? / Copter's forerunnerRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31789860412011910562012-10-06T01:32:45.250-04:002012-10-06T01:32:45.250-04:00Since I found this blog, I am digging out my old p...Since I found this blog, I am digging out my old puzzles to see what people had to say.<br /><br />This was a great one, and although I struggles to get larrup, I was familiar with the word. It was used most famously, I think, for the boxer Max Baer, who was known as the Livermore Larruper. And Livermore happens to be my home town.Shottsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16482891837924397892012-08-03T15:46:22.243-04:002012-08-03T15:46:22.243-04:00Many of you had trouble with 61a, "fire bowl....Many of you had trouble with 61a, "fire bowl." But if you really wanted to get hung up, you should have tried "potaufeu" as I did.BAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36237119117342328942012-07-29T22:48:04.188-04:002012-07-29T22:48:04.188-04:00Yeah, TEC is a slanger from the '40s. It repla...Yeah, TEC is a slanger from the '40s. It replaces the 30's' [The Bank] dick, I guess because of the double-entendre.<br /><br />I found this puzzle to be a bit of a slog. Lots I didn't know (VYE, LARRUP, etc.) had to be filled with crosses. There's a lot of late-week cluing, too. "Ford part" worked out to be HAN SOLO, e.g.<br /><br />Loved SPINDOC and the all-too-familiar whine "BATHTUBAGAIN?"<br /><br />And right smack dab in the middle, we have a shout-out to my all-time favorite Hitchcock heroine, EVA Marie Saint, who was recruited at the last minute to replace the then-fresh Princess. Coincidentally (?), the clue for 112a is North By Northwest. Brendan, did you do that on purpose? Wouldn't put it past ya.Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53817179516082270592012-07-29T19:58:50.602-04:002012-07-29T19:58:50.602-04:00@Lennie - TEC appears with some regularity, so you...@Lennie - TEC appears with some regularity, so you might as well chalk it up as part of the "crosswordese" that we all complain about and learn to love it. It's nice that you came all the way from "down under" to join in the conversation here.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80789552668002296492012-07-29T18:48:15.646-04:002012-07-29T18:48:15.646-04:00TEC short for deTECtive? Really? Tell me you'...TEC short for deTECtive? Really? Tell me you're joking.<br /><br />That's just horrible.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17631093655277281682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2384089902829771882012-07-29T14:07:31.051-04:002012-07-29T14:07:31.051-04:00From the land of Time Warped Insights, I found thi...From the land of Time Warped Insights, I found this puzzle to be a solidly satisfying solving experience - loved all of the theme answers (but I just now had to Google SATAY to understand that answer, which I got entirely from the crosses).<br /><br />Strategically placed wrong answers (mcrib/SALAD, ayeS/YEAS, SPored/SPONGY) that persisted too long kept me looking at those areas for a long time. For a while I toyed with the idea of the Pro accompanier at 79a being a john but happily I decided to wait for the crosses, which produced ther ever-so-staid RATA - I like my answer better. Alas, I was certain (always a bad sign) that the Hyundai was an AcERA.<br /><br />For the star-gazers among us, here's the August astronomical update: The Perseid (why is that word not in the puzzle more often?) meteor shower peaks on the morning of August 12, but early and late meteors should be visible for most of the month. My source (Bernie Reim, writing in the Maine Sunday Telegram) reports that during the peak time we can expect nearly 60 meteors per hour easily visible in a dark sky, because the moon will be three days past last quarter and won't rise until 1 a.m. on the morning of the 12th. Also, there will be TWO full moons in August, on the 1st and the 31st - the second occurence of a full moon in a month is called a Blue Moon, whence the phrase "once in a Blue Moon". Happy star watching, all!Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91545847892695492282012-07-23T17:40:18.684-04:002012-07-23T17:40:18.684-04:00Eugene:
TORI is plural of "torus", whic...Eugene:<br /><br />TORI is plural of "torus", which is the mathematical (topological) term for a cylinder curved around so that the ends meet, in other words a "doughnut" (though technically the torus is just the surface, or crust, as it were, not the whole doughy solid).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34770434348990577062012-07-23T14:58:42.089-04:002012-07-23T14:58:42.089-04:00I'm really at sea about 59 down. "Doughnu...I'm really at sea about 59 down. "Doughnuts, mathematically." The answer is "TORI." I still don't get it. Please enlighten me...thanx, BcAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85193700431313725302012-07-23T13:53:00.709-04:002012-07-23T13:53:00.709-04:00Z:
"And then there have been @Evil's occ...Z:<br /><br />"And then there have been @Evil's occasional anonymous posts (I haven't noted one in awhile - although there were some in June that sounded a bit like our pal)."<br /><br />Bullshit. <br /><br />Evilevil doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17593231055589228837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56758618946348712812012-07-23T13:17:49.450-04:002012-07-23T13:17:49.450-04:00@Anonymous 12:34. Wrongy dongy. His first name i...@Anonymous 12:34. Wrongy dongy. His first name is Alonso.GILL I.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05605766053820226324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2882291444343021732012-07-23T12:34:55.306-04:002012-07-23T12:34:55.306-04:0043- "Don Quixote's pal" was misleadi...43- "Don Quixote's pal" was misleading, as Quixote is the first name (last name is De la Mancha), and therefore the answer should have been Sancho - not PanzaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29006110455539244782012-07-23T12:31:53.267-04:002012-07-23T12:31:53.267-04:00Thanks, @Z. I feel like I was being called a BEQ ...Thanks, @Z. I feel like I was being called a BEQ groupie. <br /><br />For the most part, I don't pay attention to the mean anonymice, but I felt yesterday's couple was aimed at a small group of us, me being in that group.<br /><br /> Yesterday's puzzle was enjoyable, regardless of who constructed it. But he has such a noticable style in his cluing and entries that one feels compelled to comment. <br /><br />If you haven't, you should check out his Mondays and Thursdays, where he has a lot more freedom with cluing and entries - I think WEDGIE was in one - but don't look at them with liquid in your mouth. I've almost spewed my laptop twice! Today, there's a clue: "Man, I Feel Like a Woman singer (hate me later for giving you the earworm)"Loren Muse Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05308030011870397977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-776299449083838052012-07-23T12:18:57.945-04:002012-07-23T12:18:57.945-04:00@LMS - Wow.
I remember seeing a very early post (...@LMS - Wow.<br /><br />I remember seeing a very early post (remember the commenter who was reposting five year old summaries) where RP suggested that it was fun to think of all the anonymice as a single poster. And then there have been @Evil's occasional anonymous posts (I haven't noted one in awhile - although there were some in June that sounded a bit like our pal). Then there is @anonymous/jfc who is in this weird spot between anon and not anon. <br /><br />My response to the anonymice can be broken down into three types - legitimate questions get an answer; cogent critique is treated like any other signed comment; rants or ad hominem attacks are ignored. I am still working on that third response; I've deleted a comment or two and rewritten a comment or two in trying to follow it. And, while you labelled your post a "rant," I thought it laid out some very strong positions on why Sunday is considered a quality puzzle.Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14221217612205674972012-07-23T11:00:01.730-04:002012-07-23T11:00:01.730-04:00Loved the puzzle! Sick and tiaraed indeed! Larru...Loved the puzzle! Sick and tiaraed indeed! Larrup was an interesting word. My Mother would often describe a toothsome dish as larruping. Is this a southern thing?Keithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06630920127467919874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86837624580170292672012-07-23T10:36:48.655-04:002012-07-23T10:36:48.655-04:00I just saw these posts from last night –
“Can...I just saw these posts from last night – <br /><br />“Can't believe that BEQ continues to get the blind faith and love of a xword following that clearly has drunk all the Kool-Aid.” From Anonymous 8:27 and then<br /><br /> “Anon @ 8:27 - I have to hand it to you. Aside that you are Anon (we all are really but most here deny it) it took some courage (or you were drunk) to denigrate an icon like BEQ” JFC<br /><br /> Ok. It’s official –this most assuredly UNanonymous Pollyanna here has blown a gasket. I’ve been accused of blindly appreciating a puzzle solely because of its constructor (kind of an <i>argumentum ad vericundium</i> swipe). Those j’accuse anonymice are just like the person who writes off my complaints as pms when actually the complaints are valid, and such accusations get my GOAT.<br /><br /> This is a very subjective, um, subject, so I feel confident in ranting. Sunday’s puzzle entertained me. It’s really just that simple. It made me have funny pictures in my head. Lots of them. It made me smile. That BEQ’s name was at the top did not force this “sycophant” to stomach such “offenses” as LARRUP or ERE (are you KIDDING me???) so that I could jump on the BEQ bandwagon and sing his praises. I can’t spout off word counts, black square counts or whatever, but he had TEN symmetrical theme answers – tricky answers- that, for me, were really fun, in addition to a lot of other periphery smiles. As I told someone in an email – any clumsiness of SICK AND TIARAED I completely forgave because the entertainment payoff was just too great. And, having tried for a couple of hours to come up with my own version of the theme only to create ONE example just made me appreciate the constructor’s effort even more.<br /><br /> @Deb - thanks for calling @anon 8:27 out. <br /><br />Sometimes the negativity goes overboard. By and large, all the puzzles entertain me, and I forgive them their ORONO/OTARU crosses because such small blemishes (and that’s too strong a term but I’m not a writer) are nothing compared to the pleasure that solving any puzzle, rife with ERNS and OTTS, brings me. Sure, every now and then a theme or fill falls flat for me, and maybe I should be more vocal, but that’s actually a rare day, and without exception, lots of other people sing those puzzles’ praises. I choose not to “wee” all over someone else’s enjoyment (as Gareth said, that had to be a first for a NYT clue and, yes, I’m that mad).<br /><br />In this economy, in this heat, in this stressful life, I’m extremely grateful for the brief respite the NYT puzzle brings me every day. Since I’m being Miss Kisser Upper, I’ll ice the cake by thanking all the constructors like Lynn Lempel for coming up with elegant, clever puzzles day in and day out, by thanking Rex, Amy, and Deb A., whose very hard work and dedication bring all us like-minded people together, and finally by thanking Will for his thoughtful consideration when choosing/editing puzzles for publication.Loren Muse Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05308030011870397977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45997420645450447102012-07-23T02:07:36.542-04:002012-07-23T02:07:36.542-04:00@anon1:39am here again.
I see on a popular on-lin...@anon1:39am here again.<br /><br />I see on a popular on-line, user-edited encyclopedia that "North by Northwest" (the film title) may not be so mysterious after all: it is a quote from "Hamlet". Interesting! But it's still not a valid HEADING, so my point standsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6335137449147656402012-07-23T01:39:33.727-04:002012-07-23T01:39:33.727-04:00I'm afraid 112A is an error in cluing: there i...I'm afraid 112A is an error in cluing: there is no compass HEADING actually called "North by northwest". The direction between Northwest and North-northwest is properly called "Northwest by north", and between North-northwest and North is "North by west", but that's as close as you come.<br /><br />The meaning of the title of the Hitchcock film "North by Northwest" is one of the enduring mysteries: it doesn't clearly refer to anything in the movie, other than the characters flying on Northwest Airlines at one point (and they were in fact headed west or northwest, not north). But the effect has been to add a non-existent point of the compass to many people's vocabulary.<br /><br />Fun puzzle, though. I actually completed it not realizing that PIG SATAY and DVD AROMA were theme answers (because they are on the short side, I guess). I just thought they were oddball things I had never heard of!<br /><br />And @Brookboy 12:53pm: "Can you SPOT me $20? I'm short on cash today." (That's just an example; I'm not actually asking you for money.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87731315599309594802012-07-23T01:13:16.645-04:002012-07-23T01:13:16.645-04:00@phil mchale: Re a better clue for "ERE"...@phil mchale: Re a better clue for "ERE". <br /> How about "What the Cockney husband said after moving the couch for the fifth time?"paulsfohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07721639286466422944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54710788087323755582012-07-23T01:07:56.466-04:002012-07-23T01:07:56.466-04:00I'd never come close to finishing a Sunday unt...I'd never come close to finishing a Sunday until a prospective date mentioned that she loved the Sunday crossword. We never did date but the thought "well, if *she* can do it..." spurred me on. A few months later I finally finished one. When I emailed and told he she said "Oh, I've never *finished* one...." :)<br /><br />@Gill I. P.: you said that "BATHTUBBARGAIN" was your least favorite. But the actual answer is "BATHTUB AGAIN?" Is that more pleasing? ;)paulsfohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07721639286466422944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46744257032023902862012-07-22T22:59:22.986-04:002012-07-22T22:59:22.986-04:00All well and good - but is no one else going to co...All well and good - but is no one else going to complain about "Before, to a poet". There is no satisfaction in writing "ere" for the umpteenth time. A bit of creativity, please.phil mchalenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30597976824498221272012-07-22T22:16:18.657-04:002012-07-22T22:16:18.657-04:00Anon @ 8:27 - I have to hand it to you. Aside tha...Anon @ 8:27 - I have to hand it to you. Aside that you are Anon (we all are really but most here deny it) it took some courage (or you were drunk) to denigrate an icon like BEQ. I actually liked the puzzle, although I agree that there was a lot of obscurity (not to mention foreign words) in the fill. The theme was fairly discernible in the Title for the puzzle so I'm not sure about your complaint there. But I applaud you for speaking your mind. I get tired of these blogs when everyone follows like cattle falling off a cliff in a silent western before there were animal rights....<br /><br />JFCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69278389031505669572012-07-22T20:56:37.176-04:002012-07-22T20:56:37.176-04:00I popped in here in the wee hours shortly after th...I popped in here in the wee hours shortly after the blog was posted, but I was too traumatized by Bambi's demise to comment. <br /><br />@jackj - You're a little rusty on your old-timey English. "Whence" means "from where," not "during." <br /><br />@ww2buff - Amen! This old-enough-to-be-a-grandma woman doesn't need or want her puzzles sanitized either, thank you.<br /><br />@jae - Re the relative difficulty of NYT puzzles: I've been doing xword puzzles since I was in grade school, but for years and years I passed up the Sunday NYT puzzle that my paper printed every week because the clues and answers just seemed like gobbledygook to me. I don't recall now how or when I finally broke into one, but probably not until I switched to a paper that published the syndicated version daily so I could cut my teeth on the early week puzzles. <br /><br />@Anon 1:17 - You're correct that a sauna is DRY heat and it's not the first time I've seen it clued as "steamy." Really annoying.<br /><br />@Anon 8:27 - You seriously have never heard anyone say "I AM what I AM"?! I missed Eustacia VYE completely (the crosses filled it out for me), but David Groh and Corey Haim are on my radar and TEC is pretty commonly found in crosswords as slang for "detective." I think all of us were thrown my LARRUP. <br /><br />Enjoyed the write-up, Pam (now that I've recovered from the violence ;).Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16675331024091722316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19602827631453138622012-07-22T20:27:22.676-04:002012-07-22T20:27:22.676-04:00Can't believe that BEQ continues to get the bl...Can't believe that BEQ continues to get the blind faith and love of a xword following that clearly has drunk all the Kool-Aid. Another unsatisfying grind of a puzzle ending in far more WTFs rather than AHAs. Obtuse and obscure doesn't begin to describe the theme and so much of the fill in this puzzle - nothing more so than "I am what" and "what I am" And Ecarte? Eustacia Vye? David Groh? Corey Haim? Larrup? And "Tec" is suppose to be an actual word in the language? Please... Maybe I'm off base on one or two of these, but all in all this puzzle confirms once again that Emperor BEQ has no clothes here on planet Natick.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65152706018728723582012-07-22T19:39:20.028-04:002012-07-22T19:39:20.028-04:00Loved this puzzle! I rarely feel that way about th...Loved this puzzle! I rarely feel that way about the big, cumbersome Sunday.<br /><br />Found a mistake after coming here: the Z in Azera/Panza. Oh well.<br /><br />Thank you Tita, I've passed it on.<br /><br />P.S. I hate blogger.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15750949922877238902012-07-22T19:35:29.947-04:002012-07-22T19:35:29.947-04:00Old baseball articles referred to the Yankees'...Old baseball articles referred to the Yankees' Iron Horse as "Larrupin' Lou Gehrig", the only time I've seen the word used.<br /><br />Read 43D as "pigs at a Y" (in the road, stuck at deciding which fork to take?). Thanks for pointing out it's a food.billocohoesnoreply@blogger.com