tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post950478249717497745..comments2024-03-18T22:08:40.448-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Singer with 1990 #1 album To the Extreme / THU 6-28-12 / Pond youngster / Exodus figure / Instrument in Picasso painting / Eye cream additive / 1970s cop show / Cathedral facing New York's Rock CenterRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9942645472649917342012-08-02T23:23:28.802-04:002012-08-02T23:23:28.802-04:00I picked up on TIME right off the bat but had a ha...I picked up on TIME right off the bat but had a hard time coming up with FRAME. I think I had all but two of the perimeter answers in place before TIME FRAME came to me.<br /><br />I got thrown by BARBs, which I thought <i>had </i>to be correct with BARB in place...even though barbs are generally too good natured to be considered a grilling of any kind. Flummoxed by s_A_ITY, I put the paper down, went about my day, picked it up again a few minutes ago and instantly nailed BAR-B-Q. <br /><br />That's my story.<br /><br />Happy IPA day. Have we seen IPA in a NYT grid yet? It's one of the most popular styles of beer, but I don't think it's shown up in a Times puzzle yet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30010402079582697382012-08-02T22:33:57.057-04:002012-08-02T22:33:57.057-04:00When I came to ____ Ark at 6d I was reluctant to p...When I came to ____ Ark at 6d I was reluctant to put in NOAHS, because it's a Gorski puzzle for Pete's sake - it just can't be that obvious. And atSEA convinced me I was right, except of course I was wrong. TOSEA seems perfectly legitimate to me, as in "the ship put out of port and went to sea".<br /><br />Fun overall but seemed a tad easy for Ms. Gorski on a Thursday.<br /><br />@SiS - A LOO FLY, indeed; a tip o' the hat to the Olympics, no doubt.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89459414091518298242012-08-02T18:53:42.594-04:002012-08-02T18:53:42.594-04:00Finger up for assuming BIRD at 1a. When the NW ran...Finger up for assuming BIRD at 1a. When the NW ran out of steam I slid to the north, where of course I filled in ATSEA. Okay, that petered out, so over to NE. I was perfectly content to put in HALF by itself, no time needed. Trying to get going there, I saw ____Kong and thought: well, it's either gotta be KING or HONG--so I put in the NG. This led to FEEDING, but it seemed unfinished. It's feeding TIME, actually, I thought. And come to think--DING! The aha! bell rang. But "Birdtime" made no sense, so I corrected that, and it was off to the races.<br /><br />I corrected 15a from AT to TO, with a YECCH. TO sea? Out of port? Nah, that's AT sea. I YECCHed also at UNARM, which seems to be a perennial favorite of constructors.<br /><br />I guess I can let BARBQ pass, tho if you're gonna shorten barbecue at all, why not BBQ? This is like my pet peeve of spelling out "AND" between two initials.<br /><br />These unpleasantnesses aside, I liked the puzzle overall. The highlight? Well, it SURE isn't VANILLAICE. Talk about YECCH! How about MANDOLIN, or even BARETTA? I loved that old cockatiel.Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66556308253722554372012-08-02T14:50:53.899-04:002012-08-02T14:50:53.899-04:00What's an ALOO FLY, a pest in a London lav?
N...What's an ALOO FLY, a pest in a London lav?<br /><br />NW took a while to suss out. Had blotter before ROLLTOP and auto before VOLT. Once I worked out the section the theme presented itself and SNACK confirmed it. A breeze until the SE which took quite a while.<br /><br />UNARM and TOSEA cheapened the puzzle a bit, otherwise time well spent.<br /><br />Mariners now at 7 dubs in a row.Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24099484201467096382012-08-02T12:26:07.160-04:002012-08-02T12:26:07.160-04:00I've been in France for a month, and did this ...I've been in France for a month, and did this puzzle in a jet-lagged state, but really enjoyed it. Nice to have a Gorski puzzle to get back into the swing. I thought that those answers that "didn't need" the word "time" were strengthened by that addition. "Time frame" was excellent". Thanks, Liz.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-510194286792858712012-06-29T00:05:18.778-04:002012-06-29T00:05:18.778-04:00I guess there was no errorI guess there was no error@@@@@@@@@@noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74043317884937376582012-06-29T00:04:22.764-04:002012-06-29T00:04:22.764-04:00@@@Sparky - I think in Twitter and other type blog...@@@Sparky - I think in Twitter and other type blogs, when a poster of the second part responds to a poster of the first part the @ sign creates a link back to the poster of the first part who gets an automatic email or other type note in response without having to refresh the screen and look through the myriad posts. I fear the @ sign has no function in this blog, but it is convention to use it.@@@@@@@@@@noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57956297836310493872012-06-29T00:03:42.806-04:002012-06-29T00:03:42.806-04:00@@@Sparky - I think in Twitter and other type blog...@@@Sparky - I think in Twitter and other type blogs, when a poster of the second part responds to a poster of the first part the @ sign creates a link back to the poster of the first part who gets an automatic email or other type note in response without having to refresh the screen and look through the myriad posts. I fear the @ sign has no function in this blog, but it is convention to use it.@@@@@@@@@@noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2272140328070087302012-06-28T22:49:45.926-04:002012-06-28T22:49:45.926-04:00Oh @ Tita, you can play on my lawn any time. I was...Oh @ Tita, you can play on my lawn any time. I was not criticizing your post. We were typing at the same time. You are correct, a reference to Rockefeller Center and Cathedral is a shoo-in for St. Patrick's. As for cutesie booing...long story.<br /><br />@MikeM. St. Paddy makes it with me too. And the four leaf clover instead of the three leaf shamrock. I heard "The George" from some woman on TV doing the traffic reports. @NYCCommuter's version is much funnier. Naughty, naughty. <br /><br />As long as I am venting, what's with the @ signs anyway?Sparkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11149915526159432838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5259993866134851222012-06-28T21:03:37.859-04:002012-06-28T21:03:37.859-04:00If your wildest dreams involve bears ... actually,...If your wildest dreams involve bears ... actually, for some people, I'm guessing that's pretty standard. <br /><br />Carry on.<br /><br />rpRex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2875492451079964602012-06-28T20:38:06.040-04:002012-06-28T20:38:06.040-04:00@JFC - Me a closet Bear fan? Not in your wildest ...@JFC - Me a closet Bear fan? Not in your wildest dreams.chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51396639085174461272012-06-28T18:55:05.424-04:002012-06-28T18:55:05.424-04:00@jberg: 2nd place to you in the nice department. S...@jberg: 2nd place to you in the nice department. Started out with caRD in 1A, as in "i don't like my mother-in-law, but I still send her a card on her birthday".<br /><br />Any Thursday puzzle that I can complete is a fun puzzle in my book.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57929427800158043982012-06-28T17:52:36.352-04:002012-06-28T17:52:36.352-04:00@placematfan - Amen@placematfan - Amenjaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56501855337949434092012-06-28T16:59:09.319-04:002012-06-28T16:59:09.319-04:00Since I was 20 years old in 1990 and am currently ...Since I was 20 years old in 1990 and am currently the dad of an 11-year-old girl, VANILLA ICE and TISDALE might have been the two easiest answers in the whole grid for me. It's the farthest thing from a NATICK that I can imagine.Mr. Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12507031178939980974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5388378892610848832012-06-28T16:07:24.942-04:002012-06-28T16:07:24.942-04:00@ Rex, Thanks for the LA Times puzzle. That was go...@ Rex, Thanks for the LA Times puzzle. That was good fun.<br /><br />Judge Roberts was a pleasant shocker today.Two Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38615664664578098172012-06-28T16:06:39.367-04:002012-06-28T16:06:39.367-04:00Great puzzle. Thank you, Elizabeth.
Whether the ...Great puzzle. Thank you, Elizabeth. <br /><br />Whether the theme entries can stand alone or not seems kinda moot; the theme is obviously Entry + “time,” and all the theme material satisfies that formula. To say that the theme doesn’t work on some other level seems a little over demanding.<br /><br />What crossword <i>doesn’t</i> have crosswordese in it? There’s only so many three-letter words out there; there’s only so many three-letter words that don’t have a J, X, Z, Q, K, V, etc.; only so many that rarely appear in crosswords. The same is true for four-letter words. So to enumerate every short word I’ve seen in a lot of puzzles and hold a grid accountable for that list, claiming it a vice of said grid and comparing it to some utopian, crosswordese-free grid that doesn’t exist, is a little overdemanding, too. <br /><br />Fifty-nine squares is a lot of themeage, almost the equivalent of four 15s; to have that in addition to stacked triplets of 7s in four corners, plus two 10s and two 8s, plus only 32 black squares, is top-notch craftmanship. There’s just not many constructors that can pull that off. This puzzle is tight as tight can be. <br /><br />And what the hell’s wrong with ALOOFLY. That is so legitimately a word, it hurts. And it’s a pretty word. And it’s a pretty viable word. If a puzzle presents a word like that, it’s a learning moment--not a nit.<br /><br />I though we were trying to <i>forget</i> Vanilla Ice.placematfanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00991724369300576192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28280393492355379512012-06-28T15:57:01.314-04:002012-06-28T15:57:01.314-04:00MOTT is the eponym of Mott's applesauce. I get...MOTT is the eponym of Mott's applesauce. I get that now. I interpreted the clue (incorrectly) as "Eponym for applesauce," not "Eponym associated with applesauce."retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89559266741705560392012-06-28T15:29:05.546-04:002012-06-28T15:29:05.546-04:00@Two Ponies - yes, pork chops is another trigger f...@Two Ponies - yes, pork chops is another trigger for Peter's attempt to mimic Bogie.<br /><br />Other news in TV Land . . . Mouseketeer and My Three Sons star Don Grady has left us. RIP<br /><br />@ileen - there is also LATE in the puzzle so we can have a LATE NIGHT SNACK while watching BARETTABirdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52524475597136604012012-06-28T15:04:10.560-04:002012-06-28T15:04:10.560-04:00RIEL? Really, RIEL? Not RIAL, like so many other c...RIEL? Really, RIEL? Not RIAL, like so many other countries? I couldn't believe it, so finished with an error - I did think BARETTA would be better than Baratta, but wasn't confident enough to give up the obvious RIAL.<br /><br />On the other hand, I can now prove that I am the nicest person reading this blog, since I am the only one who started by giving a HAND, instead of the BIRD, at 1A.<br /><br />I liked the literary quality, with Anna KARENINA and My ANTONIA hanging down. At first I thought a TIME FRAME meant answers framed by time, so I thought there should have been time OUTs and time SHARES, but Rex axplained it all, so that's fine. Nice puzzle all round, and no problem at all for anyone who happens to have been in Cambodia recently.jberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02169065390875378077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60391792730209298702012-06-28T14:56:13.915-04:002012-06-28T14:56:13.915-04:00Solid puzzle, not special, but still excellent qua...Solid puzzle, not special, but still excellent quality. SE was the toughest quadrant for me.<br /><br />Nothing will bother me today after the happy surprise of the Supreme Court's decision!Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09709142959535977331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48273493208822503352012-06-28T14:54:59.727-04:002012-06-28T14:54:59.727-04:00I had dearm for way too long, but that's why I...I had dearm for way too long, but that's why I solve in pencil. I don't like UNARM, but got there in the end. I didn't even realize the middle answers (SNACK & NIGHT) were part of the theme until reading it here.ileennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83429733781543898212012-06-28T14:39:40.871-04:002012-06-28T14:39:40.871-04:00It might get stuck in the ointment, if you happen ...It might get stuck in the ointment, if you happen to be using Preparation H in the lav...Woodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01366620471331747531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72949138428939593822012-06-28T14:33:06.387-04:002012-06-28T14:33:06.387-04:00@fergus - at least there were no RRN or RCD@fergus - at least there were no RRN or RCDAnon Solvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2909060522710050742012-06-28T14:26:55.505-04:002012-06-28T14:26:55.505-04:00" ... or a hint to completing ..." is wh..." ... or a hint to completing ..." is what I had to read again to make sure that TIME wasn't integral. Just general, casual speech. The FRAME actually offered some help when I got stuck late in the SW corner. I AM before I DO was the problem; skeptical of RST on a Thursday, allowing for RNA possibly?fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74648028004716289352012-06-28T14:18:10.149-04:002012-06-28T14:18:10.149-04:00@ Bird, Funny re: Brady Bunch, Bogart, and applesa...@ Bird, Funny re: Brady Bunch, Bogart, and applesauce. Puzzlemate does the same thing at the mention of either pork chops or applesauce. Must be an 80's thing.Two Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.com