tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post126530924720131472..comments2024-03-28T12:23:36.637-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Comintern creator / SAT 10-30-10 / Leandro's partner / Empathic counselor / William Herschel discovery 1787 / Treaty Fort McIntosh signer 1785Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10133717521544211192010-12-05T05:36:24.207-05:002010-12-05T05:36:24.207-05:00The toughest part for me was OTOOLE--because I tri...The toughest part for me was OTOOLE--because I tried to research "The Owl and the Pussycat" instead of the listed production. ATEAT and APOS would not come across, but after getting O_ _ OLE I couldn't think of anything else that made sense. What was weird was that "Owl" was in fact originally a stage play, debuting in (drum roll, please) 1965. "Twas a headscratcher, though, because it had a cast of only two, neither named O'Toole. BTW, my posts will be a week late because my paper is behind a week.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14062922668170777814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26218752880886465682010-12-04T21:11:22.232-05:002010-12-04T21:11:22.232-05:00Syndicated paper solver.
At the Uranus end of the...Syndicated paper solver.<br /><br />At the Uranus end of the commentary.<br /><br />Seems like we got a lot of answers this week that relate to Browning's "The Pied Piper of Hamelin":<br /><br />Here's the start of it:<br /><br />"Hamelin town's in Brunswick<br /> By famous Hanover city.<br /> [Hirschel was originally from<br /> Hanover]<br /> The river Weser, deep and wide<br /> Washes its walls on the southern<br /> side;"<br /> [the Weser runs past Bremen<br /> too]<br />And let's not forget TOOTLE.<br /><br />Thought the puzzle was very solid, with only two all-initials answers: TSA and HTML. Wonder if ADAMSALE is an eponymous term?<br /><br />I can see my dear old mother now, from years ago, hemming up my bell bottoms and muttering, ISUPPOSE, ISUPPOSE.NotalwaysrightBillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20764241823748191602010-10-31T23:27:47.326-04:002010-10-31T23:27:47.326-04:00Thanks for the welcome, all!
@Chris: Your point i...Thanks for the welcome, all!<br /><br />@Chris: Your point is well-taken, and I should have pointed out in the first place that "B cell" is definitely a better answer--so much so that, even though I knew somehow that the answer would be T CELL, I initially left the first letter blank as if I could turn it into a B by ignoring it long enough.<br /><br />@PG: Touché. Gripe retracted. I'm standing firm on FL cities, though.<br /><br />@joho: I know I'm being irrationally cranky about Roman numerals, and I'm sure no constructor loves them either. My annoyance stems from 1) my inability to keep D and L straight, and 2) the fact that only once in a blue moon does the year have any significance at all beyond fitting into that space--I mean, does anyone actually know what year the Visigoths invaded Italy? That might just as well have been clued "Roman numeral," for all the good it did me.Dannynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63871033871858740882010-10-31T19:24:45.010-04:002010-10-31T19:24:45.010-04:00Nothing for me on this one. Too busy with Hallowee...Nothing for me on this one. Too busy with Halloween, husband's and daughter's b-days all in same weekend, but even with all the time in the world I likely would not have finished without burning up Google. Seriously, obscure proper names crossing other obscurities... Oy! <br /><br />I had a real issue with 1A being clued as a single signer. Chippewa is a whole nation, not a person who can sign. Better cluing probably would not have helped that much anyway, though Sigh. On to Sunday and those costumed crowds.JaxInL.A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13792405579998093081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33708016659744473792010-10-30T22:20:11.669-04:002010-10-30T22:20:11.669-04:00Agreed as to PuzzleGirl. A great editor/web guru....Agreed as to PuzzleGirl. A great editor/web guru.<br /><br />I sat next to Venus Williams' mom in Rod Laver Arena.<br /><br />Can usually read Barry Silk's mind but not today. This grid was quite tough.<br /><br />Happy Halloween to all.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04754156636762779545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39917872159673395242010-10-30T21:21:36.189-04:002010-10-30T21:21:36.189-04:00The river Weser broad and wide gets a mention in t...The river Weser broad and wide gets a mention in the Pied Piper of Hamlin. It washes its walls on the southern side, if I recall correctly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74432360184089148152010-10-30T20:29:02.697-04:002010-10-30T20:29:02.697-04:00I'm always fascinated by the vast discrepancie...I'm always fascinated by the vast discrepancies in what we respectively consider "easy, "medium," and difficult, Rex. I breezed through this one and couldn't wait to share your disappointment for a dumbed-down Saturday. But many of your betes noires are my gimmes, and vice versa. Compare with October 9th. I almost shuddered when I saw your "easy" after agonizing on that one for a week, nearly surrendering on its entire southern half's worth of intractable 15ers and equally nerve-racking crosses.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11223725858854344314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12402791113658127072010-10-30T19:14:34.958-04:002010-10-30T19:14:34.958-04:00Aleman...Just ordered wonderful illustrated Aesop ...Aleman...Just ordered wonderful illustrated Aesop book from Amazon. Thank you for giving it a spiel!!Hobbyistnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5887070807591048002010-10-30T18:46:59.760-04:002010-10-30T18:46:59.760-04:00This 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 7:31, 6:57, 1.08, 81%, Challenging<br />Tue 9:17, 8:56, 1.04, 63%, Medium-Challenging<br />Wed 12:45, 11:44, 1.09, 77%, Medium-Challenging<br />Thu 13:42, 18:57, 0.72, 7%, Easy<br />Fri 23:07, 26:17, 0.88, 30%, Easy-Medium<br />Sat 29:57, 30:33, 0.98, 45%, Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:42, 3:42, 1.00, 51%, Medium<br />Tue 4:41, 4:36, 1.02, 61%, Medium-Challenging<br />Wed 6:00, 5:46, 1.04, 68%, Medium-Challenging<br />Thu 6:29, 9:06, 0.71, 6%, Easy<br />Fri 10:36, 12:49, 0.83, 24%, Easy-Medium<br />Sat 16:17, 17:28, 0.93, 40%, Easy-Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23859629980408362412010-10-30T18:06:58.067-04:002010-10-30T18:06:58.067-04:00I forgot to paste:
allied - united in a confedera...I forgot to paste:<br /><br />allied - united in a confederacy or league<br />confederative, confederate<br />united - characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity; "presented a united front"<br /><br />[www.thefreedictionary.com/allied]<br /><br />P>G>Works for menoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52212174364598606572010-10-30T17:56:07.256-04:002010-10-30T17:56:07.256-04:00@Danny (Welcome)
An Allied victory by the Allied ...@Danny (Welcome)<br /><br />An Allied victory by the Allied troops.<br /><br />A Confederate victory by the Confederate troops.<br /><br />P>G>Works for menoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88029390629870346802010-10-30T17:45:37.488-04:002010-10-30T17:45:37.488-04:00@Danny: I don't think so. My beef with the clu...@Danny: I don't think so. My beef with the clue is that it's akin to cluing Grunt as "Nazi uniform attacker" when we all know that grunts attack the guys inside the uniform and use the uniform only to give the "attack that guy" signal, so saying that they attack the uniform is nonsense. IIRC NKT cells have similar functions as CD8+ T cells but they recognize different lipid (instead of protein) antigens complexed with CD1d, so it's really the same issue. An answer I wouldn't complain if the answer were B cell, since they make antibodies that usually have direct anti-antigen effects (B cell is the answer I had for a long time when I saw that clue 20 months ago. It really slowed me down, which is a small part of the reason why I harbor such ill feelings against antigen attacker=T cell). That, I think, is an infinitely better answer than T cell.chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63134828011518479272010-10-30T17:38:28.883-04:002010-10-30T17:38:28.883-04:00I worked on this on and off all day. Too busy to j...I worked on this on and off all day. Too busy to just sit and focus. But I did finally finish with no mistakes, so I am happy.<br /><br />Congratulations, @EDE!<br /><br />@Danny, welcome. I don't know if using Roman numerals is really lazy, I think sometimes it's just necessity. I know no constructor wants to do it, but ... have you tried to construct a puzzle?<br /><br />@Mel Ott -- ADAMSALE gets me every single time, too!<br /><br />@Rex, I read the clue as "Eponoym of an Australian Opera arena" ... talk about a slow down! <br /><br />This puzzle left me wondering if Peter OTOOLE has ever used a TOOLER.johohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12708487230515532492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43292321697493489012010-10-30T17:10:05.282-04:002010-10-30T17:10:05.282-04:00When ever I see the name "Rod Laver," I ...When ever I see the name "Rod Laver," I can't help but think of the old Monty Pythom bit on wines from down under;<br /><br />"Monty Python's Flying Circus -<br />"Australian Table Wines"<br /><br />… whilst the Australian Wino Society thoroughly recommends a 1970 Coq du Rod Laver, which, believe me, has a kick on it like a mule: eight bottles of this and you're really finished. At the opening of the Sydney Bridge Club, they were fishing them out of the main sewers every half an hour…"BigSteve46noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75965335604561093202010-10-30T16:44:56.139-04:002010-10-30T16:44:56.139-04:00Hi all! Long-time lurker, first-time commenter.
A...Hi all! Long-time lurker, first-time commenter.<br /><br />Always interesting to see other folks' takes. This one wrecked me, mostly in the SE although I had a bit of trouble in the NE, too, due mostly to not knowing HESTON played El Cid (I know, I know). I blame this on youth, which is the same reason I had no idea who BJ THOMAS is/was.<br /><br />I had nothing at all when it came to SHROVE, had SALESMEN for SPIELERS for the longest, and I'm not into tennis so ROD LAVER was a major factor in my needing google to finish. Further gripes: why is any Florida city, however obscure, fair crossword game (even if I guessed this one early on, then erased it due to bad crosses)? And can we ban random Roman-numeraled years forever? They just feel so lazy...<br /><br />Grammatically, not sure I love cluing ALLIED as "Confederate," since to my ear the latter is very clearly a noun and the former an adjective. Am I alone in that?<br /><br />And Chris: would you accept NKT cells as an explanation?Dannynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39794220047009602662010-10-30T16:44:23.473-04:002010-10-30T16:44:23.473-04:00This puzzle was out of my league. As I have mentio...This puzzle was out of my league. As I have mentioned before, I am a newish solver and have completed only a handful of Saturdays sans google.I don't mind googling if I am stumped , but hitting the check button or the reveal feels just terrible.Today the temptation to resort to MR Pencil's help was too great.Damn you Mr Pencil Damn you to hell.Tobias Duncanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14828873893205954337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32517850369186889922010-10-30T14:06:22.109-04:002010-10-30T14:06:22.109-04:00@EDE: Congrats on finishing your first Saturday pu...@EDE: Congrats on finishing your first Saturday puzzle. Good for you! I remember my first Saturday puzzle and being more surprised at finishing than anything else.<br /><br />Back on my game today and finding this one to be an easy-medium. RODLAVER was a gimme since we discovered our daughter DVR's a bunch of game shows and RODLAVER arena was a recent(?) Final Jeopardy answer. While watching about 4 hours of Jeopardy and some Mob game show...she and her cousin wondered why I knew so much stuff.<br /><br />1) Age...live long enough and you accumulate unnecessary knowledge.<br />2) Crossword puzzles.<br /><br />I even called her in to read her the clue. She didn't remember the answer from last night. She has a master's degree in communications. We're so proud. <br /><br />One of the best parts of today's write-up: Terry Bradshaw singing.Shamikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11635283729322415150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15463961138515828022010-10-30T12:22:01.626-04:002010-10-30T12:22:01.626-04:00Medium for a Saturday, I thought. Last to fall was...Medium for a Saturday, I thought. Last to fall was SW. ADAMS ALE slowed me down again. I should know it by now, but it gets me every time.<br /><br />@Andrea - I think I would have eventually got ROD LAVER, but this week's Jeopardy answer made him a throwdown.<br /><br />Thought of SaLVERS for awhile at 41D. The plural of SILVER, without the word "medal", is usually, well, SILVER. As in, "Three Americans won Silver today." I don't think I've ever heard today's usage.Mel Ottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68547464192167148982010-10-30T12:13:33.256-04:002010-10-30T12:13:33.256-04:00Tough puzzle. DNF.
I hardly ever put escarole in ...Tough puzzle. DNF.<br /><br />I hardly ever put escarole in my salad. Soups - yes!!<br />And of course escarole and beans<br /><br />SKERIE - what tomorrow ischefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18583813024002258332010-10-30T12:05:46.265-04:002010-10-30T12:05:46.265-04:00The Speed Solver's approach to this puzzle in ...The Speed Solver's approach to this puzzle in Wordplay by <br /><a href="http://wordplay.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/29/erdmann/" rel="nofollow">Anne Erdmann </a> and Crossword Fiend by <a href="http://www.crosswordfiend.com/blog/2010/10/29/saturday-103010/" rel="nofollow"> Amy Reynaldo </a> is fascinating.skuanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67539680301137795662010-10-30T11:57:15.452-04:002010-10-30T11:57:15.452-04:00First time commenting but also the first time I fi...First time commenting but also the first time I finished a Saturday puzzle (and first time I really even bothered trying). Shockingly, it went down fairly easily and I am pleased to see Rex rates it a medium-challenging. Can't wait to try again next week.EDEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46022570121863213942010-10-30T11:55:15.059-04:002010-10-30T11:55:15.059-04:00Lovely Silk-y Saturday.
Yeah, lots of partials but...Lovely Silk-y Saturday.<br />Yeah, lots of partials but the rest made up for it. (Except for all the foreign geography.)<br />Misdirections were found where I did not expect them such as the straw clue. I was thinking of flowers or some decoration on a parade float.<br />Then the straightforward clue for bravest where I was expecting something clever. (Love the Manx cat!)<br />I loved discovering Chippewa when I thought it would be a specific person.<br />Fun puzzle, thank you Barry.<br />Comments today are cracking me up.<br />Can't wait to hear about the Rally.Two Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21365620879469670922010-10-30T11:46:08.633-04:002010-10-30T11:46:08.633-04:00I meant to ask why Rex didn't like the X grid ...I meant to ask why Rex didn't like the X grid used yesterday, trite I think he said -- didn't allow for long answers? So I look at the black squares today and see perhaps a constellation cluster framed by crosshairs? With an Orion's belt slanted up from the bottom of PUPPY LOVE to the top of CAPE CORAL? Yes, it allows for 8-stacks in each corner, but I thought both yesterday's and today's quite challenging! My take, let a constructor do as he or she likes -- it's the variety that amuses, the overall freshness and the clever cluing...<br /><br />Some of the shorter words today are very good: ERO as Leandro's partner, PIPS as casino marks, BALE in Oklahoma, TROT for the Breeders Crown, and COTY where I too wanted Orly at first. I also liked the WESER River, LEAFS for Browses, the T-STRAP alternative for Pump, STRASSE and SHROVE! <br /><br />Maybe Rex is right, the edge goes to the design that allows at least a few longer entries like OBSESSIVE, ASEXUAL and EXTRA FINE! They tickle the PALATE.<br /><br />∑;)ArtLvrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03869528391374878601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44426307717022317522010-10-30T11:29:03.077-04:002010-10-30T11:29:03.077-04:00How the hell am I supposed to be careful what I wi...How the hell am I supposed to be careful what I wish for?The Adequate Pumpkinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6581758392326933452010-10-30T11:18:21.897-04:002010-10-30T11:18:21.897-04:00ADAMSALE has been used 11 times since November 19...<a href="http://www.xwordinfo.com/Finder?word=ADAMSALE" rel="nofollow">ADAMSALE </a> has been used 11 times since November 1993 , mostly on Fridays or Saturdays.<br /><br />Love the Aesop clue, the moral of the story being: <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19994/19994-h/19994-h.htm#Page_29" rel="nofollow"> Be careful what you wish for.</a>Alemannoreply@blogger.com