tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post1241204517544011216..comments2024-03-28T08:07:06.342-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Ramsey 1970s western / TUE 12-14-10 / English king crowned 1100 / Rapper's entourage / Dairy case bar / Swabbie's handfulRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13680545617648011462011-01-18T16:26:45.246-05:002011-01-18T16:26:45.246-05:00I found this easier than most Wednesday puzzles - ...I found this easier than most Wednesday puzzles - after my first run-through I had only a few blank squares in the NE to contend with. MORAL appeared when I reread the clue correctly (I originally saw "table" as did at least one other), OLEO went down fom there and I was left with only the SELE_/LE_TAT cross to resolve. Alas, my knowledge of U.S. Opens and vampires is lacking, and even by running the alphabet I was only able to eliminate "q" with any degree of certainty, so DNF.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27420200569054733892010-12-18T10:22:05.675-05:002010-12-18T10:22:05.675-05:00Would be stupid easy without the ugly parts.
No l...Would be stupid easy without the ugly parts.<br /><br />No love, try harder to make a good puzzle next time Mr. Feldman<br /><br />AURIST, ICEIN, WELLSET, cr*p theme that makes no sense?<br /><br />I just had to add $0.02xyzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08287781952915413013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2674342499774465892010-12-15T14:34:03.158-05:002010-12-15T14:34:03.158-05:00Thanks for the "Fur Elise" clip. It was...Thanks for the "Fur Elise" clip. It was an encore, and the audience reaction is amusing, as the piece is known to almost everyone who has taken piano lessons, and I think they were expecting the usual showpiece. But few could play it as beautifully as Lisitsa. If you want to hear her in full flight, go to YouTube and her performance of the last movement of Beethoven's Appassionata sonata.BobLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903068218359644360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42012261543487615542010-12-15T14:02:13.275-05:002010-12-15T14:02:13.275-05:00Rex @ 9:18 - LOL. I guess I managed a twofer. I ...Rex @ 9:18 - LOL. I guess I managed a twofer. I agree with your first point (because I intended an outrageous comment to make the point) but not sure I agree with your second as it applies to this puzzle. All the theme answers are more or less consistent but it is the statement of the theme that causes the issue. So I am not sure the theme is the failure or the description of the theme that fails, but, whatever, the puzzle certainly provoked a lively debate and there is something to be said for that....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27966330772309446082010-12-15T00:48:55.186-05:002010-12-15T00:48:55.186-05:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 7/30/2009 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 6:04, 6:55, 0.88, 8%, Easy<br />Tue 8:03, 8:55, 0.90, 24%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:19, 3:41, 0.90, 10%, Easy<br />Tue 4:00, 4:35, 0.87, 9%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87418914114605714992010-12-14T23:42:53.422-05:002010-12-14T23:42:53.422-05:00@Acme - USA Today is 15 squared and has a title. T...@Acme - USA Today is 15 squared and has a title. Today the title wasn't very applicable, but the puzzle was easy. But I just glanced at one called "Tabby of Contents" which had a cat theme. <br /><br />It doesn't run on the weekend. They just keep selling the Fri. <br />Rarely, it's surprisingly difficult, but it's frequently clever. I call it all week Wed.<br /><br />It follows the rules of what some foreigners call American Crossword - the symmetricality, crosswordese, occasional foreign word. It rarely has 15-long words.<br /><br />The answers can be found at <br />crosswordheaven.com/crosswords/usa-today/<br />But, I think you have to pay to get the blank puzzle with clues.Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26142370770909127762010-12-14T22:12:27.055-05:002010-12-14T22:12:27.055-05:00I accidentally read 1A as "End of a table&quo...I accidentally read 1A as "End of a table" instead of fable. That made MORAL not stick out at me until I had MORA- and realized something was wrong. Silly me.<br /><br />I very much liked the construction of this puzzle. The fill didn't do much for me but there was something nice about the number of middle-length answers for a Tuesday.<br /><br />I agree that it's possible there is an ulterior motive for this puzzle but I highly doubt it really made the difference in solving for anybody who frequents this blog.<br /><br />Only clue I didn't like was 56D: 9-Across ending, because it made me want something I add to the end of the word chess. Chessmate is not a thing as far as I'm concerned, so I didn't see this one right away. (I'm aware of what the author was getting at with checkmate, just now how I first interpreted it.)Kendallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04176353196193935474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8524062717683465282010-12-14T21:30:50.452-05:002010-12-14T21:30:50.452-05:00I'm going to hate myself, but...
Rex: Would it...I'm going to hate myself, but...<br />Rex: Would it be possible to get<br />Mark Feldman to explain what he<br />meant by the theme?NATEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90285003102580874932010-12-14T21:18:09.485-05:002010-12-14T21:18:09.485-05:00To compare this puzzle to the Mona Lisa is to misu...To compare this puzzle to the Mona Lisa is to misunderstand puzzles and insult the Mona Lisa simultaneously. If there is not clear and immediate consensus about what the theme of a puzzle even is, then the puzzle is a failure thematically. There may be a great germ of an idea in this puzzle's theme, but its potential is not realized in this incarnation.<br /><br />rpRex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72038543543100699852010-12-14T20:58:17.367-05:002010-12-14T20:58:17.367-05:00Acme,
Nobody knows what the smile on the Mona Lis...Acme,<br /><br />Nobody knows what the smile on the Mona Lisa means but that doesn't mean it doesn't work....<br /><br />The HillieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59925769836163141332010-12-14T20:09:57.741-05:002010-12-14T20:09:57.741-05:00@sfingi
Really? Every day?
Are they 15 x 15 or ...@sfingi<br />Really? Every day? <br />Are they 15 x 15 or Sunday-sized?<br /><br />La Liz had a very charming guest stint on the other blog, she should chime in here! She could do it every day! Plus she had a better<br />4th answer as well: RAISETHEROOF<br /><br />The thing is, if half the people didn't get it and the other half think it's a "stretch" at best, then it didn't quite work... but wildly applaud the attempt.<br />(Or at least smatteringly! knowing how hard it all is...sigh)acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87508680504893867422010-12-14T20:06:43.432-05:002010-12-14T20:06:43.432-05:00Anon at 7:43 -- HOLD THE FLOOR might not be "...Anon at 7:43 -- HOLD THE FLOOR might not be "riled up" in the same sense as the other two but if a speaker is riled up on subject he will hold the floor. I stand by my interpretation and the thought that the grid repsents some sort of slanted room is an even greater stretch than my interpretation. I don't buy that HOLD, HIT and CLIMB are forms of exercise and I haven't seen a better explanation. <br /><br />I will miss Nate as I share his impatience with nitpicking....<br /><br />John who does not get enough exerciseAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10246718312972056712010-12-14T19:44:59.651-05:002010-12-14T19:44:59.651-05:00@DK - I'm landlocked. The sea might as well be...@DK - I'm landlocked. The sea might as well be a foreign country. By the way, did I ever tell you my theory about the Marianas Trench....<br /><br />@Andrea - USA Today has titles.Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2408089242284634182010-12-14T19:37:12.792-05:002010-12-14T19:37:12.792-05:00I had MADHOUSEROOM for the theme which, hilariousl...I had MADHOUSEROOM for the theme which, hilariously, made me CRAZY and ultimately caused me to abandon this puzzle for a few hours of my own EXERCISE (swimming) before returning to solve.Cupcake.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11226086563625235471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10810715302041552532010-12-14T18:44:42.377-05:002010-12-14T18:44:42.377-05:00"If only we could title our daily puzzles,. ...."If only we could title our daily puzzles,. . ."<br /><br />I get dizzy from shaking my head about this. I've never heard a good reason for no titles.<br /><br />Having a title wouldn't mean that there wouldn't be a place for a neat revealer, or that they couldn't work together. My objection to revealers is the propensity for the NYT to go a bridge too far, as with today. It just makes the whole thing look stupid. I feel bad for the constructor on this. As with Ben Pall's crossword last week, I feel like my objections all point to the editor today. I like this puzzle. Rewriting one clue would have fixed it right up. (Though there were numerous superior entries there, IMO.)<br />..........................<br /><br />". . .we've been sort of pushed to have an extra 4th (or 5th or 6th!). . ."<br /><br />Some of the crosswords that are chockablock with theme squares are pretty neat, but 'a bridge too far' often applies here also; the theme more important than any other consideration.<br />..........................<br /><br />". . .but then you have the problem of it having an S on WORK,. . ."<br /><br />Not a problem for me. The demanding of absolute 'consistency' with the theme, at the expense of a nice crossword, loses me in the logic.<br /><br />Symmetry of blocks and theme entries both seem to be Commandments of some sort and I wouldn't mind seeing them broken. Sometimes it seems that more is being lost than gained while following tradition without question.D_Blackwellhttp://www.dbwebdesign.com/crossword-puzzles/index.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3391411415850477312010-12-14T17:21:25.644-05:002010-12-14T17:21:25.644-05:00@sfingi -- I intentionally refused to comment on L...@sfingi -- I intentionally refused to comment on LXI today, lest I continue to be disdained as a one-trick pony.Van55https://www.blogger.com/profile/15904942044695917615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50863944028899946882010-12-14T17:01:43.854-05:002010-12-14T17:01:43.854-05:00@r_c
"Dictionary" words ARE allowed in ...@r_c<br /><br />"Dictionary" words ARE allowed in captchas, the one you "received" is proof.<br /><br />As was mentioned in a long exchange on captchas in Rex's 08/10/2010 blog:<br /><br />"Like the proverbial infinite number of monkeys at typewriters, a "dictionary" word is bound to be created from time to time."<br /><br />It doesn't diminish the effectiveness.<br /><br />.../glitchGlitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14940000404613329056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52569357286787511532010-12-14T16:34:29.070-05:002010-12-14T16:34:29.070-05:00Just back from a spectacularly unsuccessful attemp...Just back from a spectacularly unsuccessful attempt to do some Xmas shopping and find several comments addressing me one way or other. So, briefly:<br /><br />@ret._chem. et all: Yes, that's what I meant. The fact that some people do not see what I see does not surprise me--it essentially defines the tragedy of my life. [sigh]<br /><br />As to "cheater squares"--I did not invent the name. But since I knew the def., I used it b/c it's a hell of a lot shorter than saying "the squares along the edges that form corners with the squares extending from the edges toward the inside".Ulrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02086202853174403008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65715215666952737292010-12-14T16:16:03.709-05:002010-12-14T16:16:03.709-05:00@matthewG
Very interesting comment!
I'd love t...@matthewG<br />Very interesting comment!<br />I'd love to respond as a full time solver/part-time constructor...<br />If only we could title our daily puzzles, then they would have a nice extra dimension and a punchline of sorts and wouldn't need a revealer.<br />Sunday puzzles of course have titles and the NY Sun has them, but in the Times you have to either sneak them in or hope that more doesn't dilute or make it less, somehow, or completely collapse it, like a house of cards.<br /><br />Now that four is the new three, we've been sort of pushed to have an extra 4th (or 5th or 6th!) word or phrase to "reveal" the theme when a nice title would have sufficed (or made it cleaner or whatever), so in some ways I'm totally with you.<br /><br />The thing is, if it were just the three answers <br />HOLDTHEFLOOR 12<br />HITTHECEILING 13<br />CLIMBTHEWALLS 13 <br />it wouldn't work bec HOLDTHEFLOOR is 12 letters, even number, so it needs a match, which is why I also assume it was less elegantly placed at the top, "above" the ceiling.<br />Usually it seems that Will would insist on CEILING, WALL, FLOOR order (or viceversa) to make it more elegant...<br />and the attempt to get a "matching" 12 (+ be a reveal when not right on) threw the whole thing off-kilter a bit, as @Rex perfectly explained...<br /><br />That is why I thought maybe WORKSTHEROOM (12) might be a better fourth answer...but then you have the problem of it having an S on WORK, whereas HOLD, HIT, CLIMB do not, so it becomes imbalanced that way.<br />(Plus, of course, the whole bottom half fill would be totally different and maybe even impossible.<br /><br />Sometimes, selfishly, I think it's good when something is slightly off and everyone expresses concern bec it means <br />a) they even noticed and took the puzzle seriously rather than the "Oh! Was there a theme?" and <br />b) can appreciate a little bit more just how hard it is to construct.<br /><br />When it all comes together, then it feels like a minor miracle... and then if people love it on top of that, yay yay yay.<br /><br />Now to read what La Liz said!andrea lotech michaelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44038816105028408632010-12-14T15:23:35.443-05:002010-12-14T15:23:35.443-05:00Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 7/30/...Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 7/30/2009 post for an explanation of my method):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Tue 7:59, 8:55, 0.90, 22%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Tue 4:08, 4:35, 0.90, 19%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33074781190603368412010-12-14T14:59:07.747-05:002010-12-14T14:59:07.747-05:00sfingi, Nope I am not that cool.
A tender is th...sfingi, Nope I am not that cool. <br /><br />A tender is the small boat that takes you out to your moored boat. Usually operates in a marina although one may carry a tender on ones boat. Often they are inflatable.<br /><br />A nutshell pram is a very small sailboat that looks like a walnut shell. <br /><br />pip, pip old duck... anchors awaydkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17317008233459295376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9405869126020486992010-12-14T14:45:06.528-05:002010-12-14T14:45:06.528-05:00By which I assume you mean "thank you for tak...By which I assume you mean "thank you for taking the time to answer my incessant questions in detail." And you're welcome.<br /><br />rpRex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67875704916472411732010-12-14T14:43:44.779-05:002010-12-14T14:43:44.779-05:00Easy. Much easier than LA Times'
Though I did...Easy. Much easier than LA Times'<br /><br />Though I didn't know the 3 guys: <br />HEC, KAL or WES, got them on crosses.<br />Had Peeps before POSSE.<br />Never heard of ICES IN despite living in Upstate NY. I'd say that actually happened to me twice in my life, but I didn't stay in. As my father-in-law said, when the radio claimed that the roads were impassible, "We'll take the Chevy."<br />That's our expression now, when we get feets of snow.<br /><br />But - AURIST - whatever that is, and WELLSET, whatever that is were a Natick. I finally put the S in, thinking WTH. <br /><br />@SethG - WTH RU talking? Do I have an Ice Headache? <br /><br />@DBlackwell - I like corn. Heck, the Americas used to live on it. And, I really love Candy Corn made of corn syrup.<br />Looks like you're late to Vans I hate Roman Numerals party, too. <br />My club is the I hate SSN, other stupid abbrevs, and additions of RE and ER. <br /><br />No problem with the theme. Thought the guy was going to pray in bEd, though, as he lay him down to sleep after all that exercise.<br /><br />@Anon102 - who would know if you're 3 and out?<br /><br />@Andrea - I almost put "after," but that's for fairy tales. <br />This overexercised fellow might find the trap door. Now I'm getting visions of Inglorious Basterds. Don't go down there!<br /><br />@Pauer - Haha. you gotta do the puzzle regular to get that one. <br /><br />@DK - are "tender" and "nutshell pram" Brit expressions?<br /><br />@Ulrich - I didn't see those corners. Wow!<br /><br />Single digits here. Has to be warmer for an icestorm in which the ice freezes when it hits the trees.Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12444019465755370262010-12-14T14:39:51.026-05:002010-12-14T14:39:51.026-05:00I started reading Rex's blog a few weeeks ago ...I started reading Rex's blog a few weeeks ago just to get the answers to puzzles I couldn't finish and soI wouldn't have to wait for thenext day's Times.<br /> I became curious, so I looked at<br />the COMMENTS. I got hooked. But<br />after awhile the nitpicking got to<br />me. A good example is today's <br />battle over what Cheating Squares are and whether an exercise room<br />is visible.<br /> At any rate, I am going to try<br />to detox. Try not to miss me.<br />P.S. I am looking forward to the demeaning remarks that will follow,<br />and then that's it(I hope)NATEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79816328353969114552010-12-14T14:37:31.897-05:002010-12-14T14:37:31.897-05:00@ Ulrich, I saw a rectangular ROOM right away too,...@ Ulrich, I saw a rectangular ROOM right away too, even if slightly atilt. Also, at the end, the three central horizontal black areas looked like a very abstract representation of a person nearly prone or supine depending on the exercise, push-up or leg-lift, so the oddity of the whole appealed to me.<br /><br />As to the theme phrases, I took EXERCISE to mean any physical exertion in general, POWERED by STEROIDs or not, and the parts of a ROOM I saw as examples of "metonymy" (thanks for the recent reminder, Jim H.) Good fun, anyway...<br /><br />@mmorgan, I hardly noticed ROLL and ENROLL in different areas of the puzzle, but I did smile at the combo of 26A and 26D both starting with HIT, and HITched together. <br /><br />I'd say this was WELL SET! Thanks, Mark F.<br /><br />∑;)<br /><br />p.s. R.I.P. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, who SHONE in diplomacy and will be sorely missed.ArtLvrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03869528391374878601noreply@blogger.com