tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post1725931731885733028..comments2024-03-28T11:56:29.848-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: 1990s TV cartoon produced by Steven Spielberg / SAT 3-14-15 / Diamond Trucks bygone company / Subject of Hoyle treatise / Text interpreting technology used with PDFs / Online heads-up / Hip-hop's Kendrick / Art of sly witRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42669176970110817242015-06-05T17:12:19.766-04:002015-06-05T17:12:19.766-04:00This was by far the easiest Saturday I've ever...This was by far the easiest Saturday I've ever done. I guessed Lobster Bib right off the bat. Then I was practically writing the answers in as I read them. I was briefly tripped up by the anagrammed songwriter. Was expecting it to be someone really obscure, hence the anagram clue. 17 minutes while watching TV (as opposed to the usual 1 hour+ solving time for me). <br /><br />It bugs me to see Rex fawn over this puzzle. I do agree that yesterday's puzzle was a bit tedious, but this puzzle just didn't provide enough challenge for a Saturday.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69093378296313388502015-04-18T17:29:45.652-04:002015-04-18T17:29:45.652-04:00I could not, and still cannot, connect the "d...I could not, and still cannot, connect the "ding ding ding!" clue with BINGO, so ended with BaNGs and a big DNF in the NW.<br /><br />Shoulda, coulda, woulda sussed out REO....leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87370247487826743222015-04-18T15:11:47.793-04:002015-04-18T15:11:47.793-04:00Why is it no matter how any times I proof read, my...Why is it no matter how any times I proof read, my entries always have some glaring composition mistake! Really came back to tell @Ron Diego that, having experienced both, I think sciatica can be worse. You get TLC and pain deadeners when it's baby time!DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21643826744959228922015-04-18T15:05:19.683-04:002015-04-18T15:05:19.683-04:00Confiidently penned in LOBSTERBIB and ground to a...Confiidently penned in LOBSTERBIB and ground to a halt! This puzzle was way out of my wheelhouse, but then I!m about twice as old as Rex. Clawed my way through guess after guess. Who is ERICBANA? What is SHAMWOW? NSFW? OCR? Husbnd walked through about noon and said "Still at it?" And I was. f<br />Finally accepted the strange spelling on the MOLE thing, and SRI is a title for anyone from India, and decided I was done. Amazed I ended up with only two bad squares, both resulting from BaNGs. Not bad considering I've never heard of the cartoon or the trucks. And still don't understand why BINGO works! Time for a lie-down!<br /><br />401-can't win here either!DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51737448013893171962015-04-18T13:46:25.434-04:002015-04-18T13:46:25.434-04:00Medium Challenging for me today. Never heard of Wh...Medium Challenging for me today. Never heard of Whacamole so left it as "What a Mole" which I've never heard before. OCR is way out of my league. I'm no techie, so there. The E fell fast and the W was a struggle. But, overall, I liked the puzz. I abstain from commercials so the Shamwow was a good guess.<br />When you've gone through Sciatica once, you'll NEVER forget that nerve. I crawled around on all fours for 2 days before being driven to the ER. I remember the Dr. saying the only worse pain is giving birth. Believe me, a monthly visit to the Chiro is well worth it when you're over 70.<br />He keeps me fine-tuned. And I have much more respect and empathy for the birth-givers in this world.<br /><br />Ron Diego, La Mesa, CAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88802799417476782472015-04-18T13:45:39.396-04:002015-04-18T13:45:39.396-04:00Not a bad day. One wrong letter. LOBSTERBIBS fell ...Not a bad day. One wrong letter. LOBSTERBIBS fell in right away as did the SE. Bought a SHAMWOW at the fair years ago.eastsacgirlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55097929800928671832015-04-18T11:58:57.167-04:002015-04-18T11:58:57.167-04:00@Burma? TMI, dude.
Well. Today we have quite a di...@Burma? TMI, dude.<br /><br />Well. Today we have quite a different review from the top. I am mystified as to what makes these entries "fresh" while the past two days' were "dull," except that it's heavy on tech jargon. Stuff like NSFW (OMAN, I thought SURE that was wrong but everything else worked) and OCR seem to be FINETUNED toward USERS of the internet. Is that what it takes to satisfy OFL? Techbabble? Rappers? NOTHING else can be fresh? Bah.<br /><br />I struggled through this, finishing with no errors by a lot of lucky guesswork. I don't even know how I got started in some areas. Most of it I didn't know. Sorry to say, I don't recall THEINSIDER at all, despite its many Oscar nominations. Last letter was the P at 48. What in the world is a "rainbow flag," and how does a flag mean PRIDE??? However, PRU seems short for Prudential; I guess their HQ is in Boston.<br /><br />The twin biology answers, MITOSIS and SCIATIC, were helpful gimmes, but mostly it was just guess and hope. I do agree that anagramming clues sets a questionable precedent; though I am fairly decent at unraveling them, I don't think I'd like crossword cluing to go off in that NNW.<br /><br />I didn't enjoy it as much as recent puzzles, but I have to admire the finished grid. I can still hear that huckster: "But if you act right now--'cause we can't do this all day--". What a HAHA.<br /><br />WHIST is a forerunner of the modern-day game bridge. There was no bidding; the dealer simply gave everyone thirteen cards, putting his own final card face-up; that suit became trump. And there was no exposed "dummy." Tough game.<br /><br />Despite my relative discomfort with some of the content, I have to give props: A-. Thus endeth my HARRUMPHS for today.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23984116711244345712015-04-18T11:06:38.113-04:002015-04-18T11:06:38.113-04:00BARN REVEL
OMAN, TAYLORSWIFT is an ANGEL,
she has...BARN REVEL<br /><br />OMAN, TAYLORSWIFT is an ANGEL,<br />she has such BALANCE, on that we PRIDE her,<br />She’s fit to be EATENALIVE,<br />and she’s as FINETUNED as any a soul.<br /><br />I’d do CARTWHEELS to find the right angle<br />to go one ONONE with her and be THEINSIDER,<br />but MONEYTALKS and that ain’t no jive,<br />so I’ll make HARRUMPHS and just WHACAMOLE.<br /><br />--- LAMAR WOODSMAN<br /><br />today’s TIRED verse SHOVELED out in ABCD ABCD,<br />do not MACHINEWASH<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15740834331382986262015-04-18T10:24:17.880-04:002015-04-18T10:24:17.880-04:00BTW - still waiting for the day that HAHA is clued...BTW - still waiting for the day that HAHA is clued "Packer Clinton-Dix". And didn't we just have DIX the other day?rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47025801181434250032015-04-18T10:11:37.385-04:002015-04-18T10:11:37.385-04:00This puz was soooo much easier than yesterday for ...This puz was soooo much easier than yesterday for me. Maybe that’s why OFL liked it, probably a near-record time for the speed solvers. Two write-overs for me at LASer before LASIK and datED for TIRED, so not much ink wasted today. The top row went in as if on auto-pilot and it was clear sailing on most of the downs from there.<br /><br />Actually knew Kendrick LAMAR; have heard a song or two on our local public radio station 89.3 The Current (stream it, easy to find) They do throw in the occasional rap song, but usually the Beastie Boys and that’s when the channel changes in my world. And LAMAR was on SNL semi-recently. But that’s about as far as my hip-hop knowledge goes. Except BAHAMEN and letting their dogs out.<br /><br />TAYLORSWIFT, need I even say it? Yes, I must – yeah baby. ERICBANA the equivalent for the ladies?<br /><br />Does anyone play whist anymore? My grandmother tried to teach me about 50 years ago, but I remember nothing of the game.<br /><br />Decent puz today, good BALANCE I thought.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78594922663949211472015-03-15T15:19:17.569-04:002015-03-15T15:19:17.569-04:00loved this puzzle - and not just because i finishe...loved this puzzle - and not just because i finished it quickly (or at all) for a saturday. good cluing, great fill. doesn't hurt when you get 1A off the bat. NSFW also helped. A "J" in BA(H)AMEN slowed me down a bit but other than that, pretty smooth solve. Sunday's is another story altogether...oldbizmarknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10622227986643857252015-03-14T23:58:10.094-04:002015-03-14T23:58:10.094-04:00'Change your reckless way of living,
Cross ove...'Change your reckless way of living,<br />Cross over the bridge.<br />Leave your fickle past behind you<br />And true romance will find you.<br />Brother, cross over the bridge.'<br />_____________________<br /><br />"I don't want a ricochet romance,<br />I don't want a ricochet love. <br />If you're careless with your kisses,<br />Find another turtle dove.'<br /><br />Yup, that part of my brain's still intact!<br /><br />The odd thing is, I can remember from childhood the Buche de Noel in all the detail: the fork-scored bark, the meringue 'shrooms, the stumps of branches, the candy-sprinkle moss and little dwarfs... all these details of appearance,but I don't remember anything about the taste!!Elephant's Childnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74903482098608609822015-03-14T23:06:30.262-04:002015-03-14T23:06:30.262-04:00From yesterday - @Hartley- be still my heart - you...From yesterday - @Hartley- be still my heart - you DO know your way around a Buche de Noël!<br />Maybe we can work something out - once I get back from Hawaii!!Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5083349403831563862015-03-14T23:05:33.437-04:002015-03-14T23:05:33.437-04:00@Lewis: Hope you get this tonight:
Cross over th...@Lewis: Hope you get this tonight:<br /><br />Cross over the bridge,<br />Cross over the bridge,<br />Leave your wicked ways behind you,<br />Cross over the bridge,<br />Leave your wicked ways behind you<br />And true romance will find you--<br />Brother<br />Cross over the bridge.<br /><br />I know it isn't easy <br />To resist temptation's call,<br />But think of how your broken heart<br />Can hurt you when you fall...<br />Etc. (It's late. Enough typing.)<br /><br />This is all from memory. My mind's a steel trap when it comes to remembering songs from my youth, every single lyric included. On the other hand, things I hear now can be impossible to memorize. But it once was absolutely effortless. You, too, it seems.Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16737377749030219974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7771072535437706332015-03-14T21:35:22.370-04:002015-03-14T21:35:22.370-04:00@nancy -- I recognized all those oldies, including...@nancy -- I recognized all those oldies, including ricochet romance. Did you ever hear one called "Cross over the Bridge"?Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09709142959535977331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51111860427705654252015-03-14T21:25:36.308-04:002015-03-14T21:25:36.308-04:00@Nancy, I could sing ALL of the songs you cited e...@Nancy, I could sing ALL of the songs you cited except ricochet romance. (and I never owned a recording of any of them. In those days( 1950's), "pop" was an all-encompassing genre) And I am pretty sure that I could not sing a single line of ANY of whatever are considered the top hits this year.<br /><br />Still living in the past - most of my favorite music is pre WW II.....OISKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16808675378318214461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13850559411388026112015-03-14T21:03:29.237-04:002015-03-14T21:03:29.237-04:00@Rex. How can a puzzle that is supposed to be the...@Rex. How can a puzzle that is supposed to be the most difficult of the week but lets you start with 2 10-letter "gimmees" be so enjoyable?<br /><br />Personally in the really disliked it crowd myself. might be a fine puzzle for some venue, but not a NYT slot where "WORDPLAY" I thought was the key. This was so largely about knowing names that it wasn't any fun at all.<br /><br />And thought the anagram clue was great, as it helped subtly by eliminating some wrong crossing guesses. If it had just been another specific proper name clue it would have been just another "know it or don't".<br /><br />David from CAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89454761557598734452015-03-14T19:09:34.273-04:002015-03-14T19:09:34.273-04:00@Lewis. The credit card gag is Henny Youngman'...@Lewis. The credit card gag is Henny Youngman's. At least, I've heard Henny tell it. He predates Nastase.mathguynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60954162907558528402015-03-14T19:03:54.994-04:002015-03-14T19:03:54.994-04:00"Ed Asner" for the Hector portrayer"..."Ed Asner" for the Hector portrayer". With Sonia Henie playing Helen @ LMS<br /><br />"Excellent Saturday. Challenging, but with enough give where things became clear with a little work and thinking" @ Steve J<br /><br />"and with a little patience, everything is doable" @ Gilli<br /><br />^ ^ <br />WISE WORDS<br /><br />Even extricating a Kirby salesman can take three hours but it eventually gets done!<br /><br />@ chefwen, I hope you got all your carpets really clean!<br />Questiniahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06225633428852696530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37770820411914325212015-03-14T19:00:04.913-04:002015-03-14T19:00:04.913-04:00That extremely rare beast - A Saturday that I fini...That extremely rare beast - A Saturday that I finish on Friday!!<br />And a Friday/Saturday no-google bifecta.<br />I AM feeling superior today.<br /><br />My expat parents, rather than sending boring home movies of we kids waving at the camera back to the family in the old country, would produce "real" movies - one was called The Medic, a story they came up with, and another, their remake of Little Red Riding Hood, starring yours truly in the title role, my brother as the HUNTSMAN, and our dog Agapito as the wolf.<br />You get 3 guesses as to who won Best Actor.<br /><br />Loved the puzzle, not only "just because I could ace a Saturday, but for all hte reasons cited above.<br />Thanks Mr. Mulhern!<br /> Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-58631357115169135822015-03-14T18:58:54.749-04:002015-03-14T18:58:54.749-04:00Amazing. I guess each to his or her own. Really ha...Amazing. I guess each to his or her own. Really hated this puzzle. Ding ding meaning bingo? Animaniacs? Lobsterbib? Utterly boring with absolutely no zip or aha moment. Like reading Hoyles treatise on whist! ( does anyone still play whist?) yesterday's puzzle on the other hand was terrific ! Best of the year, with the fire in the hole theme leading into the word fire being attached to sixteen clues. Great on so many levels!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17735442309399087132015-03-14T18:01:54.742-04:002015-03-14T18:01:54.742-04:00Puzzle of the year caliber.Puzzle of the year caliber.Colbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01689267070985508341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29961914044794457142015-03-14T17:52:03.003-04:002015-03-14T17:52:03.003-04:00RE OCR
The Puzzazz app uses OCR to recognizes you...RE OCR<br /><br />The Puzzazz app uses OCR to recognizes your handwritten letters.<br /><br />r.alphbunkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00657275501845781384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60887958800034248992015-03-14T17:22:26.306-04:002015-03-14T17:22:26.306-04:00@Thomas808, @wood - Following up on Anonymous 5:17...@Thomas808, @wood - Following up on Anonymous 5:17 above, I saw this clue as in the same category as "verb + it" clues (verb phrases like "hoof it", where the phrase seems to call for a verb but actually wants a reasonable noun to correspond to the "it." So "beat it" instead of wanting "scram," say, would want something like "carpet" or "egg." Not the greatest example of its kind, but I can't come up with a better one right now.Carolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15971759975067250908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90939671645513857092015-03-14T17:17:16.402-04:002015-03-14T17:17:16.402-04:00@Thomaso808: "Tie one on..." is a cluing...@Thomaso808: "Tie one on..." is a cluing format that used to be much more common than it is now (hence the clue threw me at first). If you come across reprints of 1970s NYT puzzles you will see that type of clue a lot.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com