tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post2268179990208105966..comments2024-03-28T15:13:08.509-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Actor Dorsey of TV's Queen Sugar / WED 11-20-19 / Old TV channel that aired Moesha / Tyro in modern parlance / Long fish with row of barbs / Nonfiction film with point of view in briefRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19093512347327930222019-12-25T14:40:31.044-05:002019-12-25T14:40:31.044-05:00Erik Agard gave just about every break he could to...Erik Agard gave just about every break he could to solvers today, which made otherwise tough PPP's quite gettable with crosses and inferences, not to speak of TALK[ing]INCIRCLES. <br /><br />A coincidental X-mas gift to syndies from Santa.<br /><br />leftcoasternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86244024277418177642019-12-25T13:06:42.609-05:002019-12-25T13:06:42.609-05:00The ETHANE and APSE clues are right up Will's ...The ETHANE and APSE clues are right up Will's alley. The 6 letters in the corners give you A-CLASS, as in Mercedes. In the 69a position is yeah baby ANA Ortiz. HEE HEE.<br /><br />Merry Christmas to all Syndicats. GOTEAM!rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87900693821676054292019-12-25T12:47:14.173-05:002019-12-25T12:47:14.173-05:00SNOB SPEAK
WHATCANIDO, but BLATHER and TALK
INCIR...SNOB SPEAK<br /><br />WHATCANIDO, but BLATHER and TALK<br />INCIRCLES to EWW, and ask, "WHAT's OPDOC?"<br /><br />--- SGT. OMAR HEGELBurma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78282324253496589912019-12-25T11:57:32.366-05:002019-12-25T11:57:32.366-05:00I always thought TOETHELINE came from darts; oppon...I always thought TOETHELINE came from darts; opponents can be very picky if you stand just a smidge too close. But I suspect the nautical reference is much older.<br /><br />The marquee name notwithstanding, I did not like this one. The start didn't help, but I put that on the editor: why, especially in a grid CHOCK full of abbrs., did he let (or, OMG, PUT!) in that abbr. clue for a perfectly good word, ACT? WHY?? "Bill after approval," there ya go, a Wednesday level clue. C'mon, Will!<br /><br />Solving felt like a lurching roller coaster; inane gimmes sprinkled between total unknowns. Especially 46 down. Sounds like Bugs: "Nyaa, [chomp chomp] what's OPDOC?" Then there's the clue for ETHANE (groan). Might as well say "Macbeth on the internet?" That would piss off OFC!<br /><br />The NE yielded some bright spots; I vote that the best corner--even though STAGEACTOR seems to have a TINT of green paint. DOD: I don't know ANA Ortiz, so I Googled her. Sold! Honorable mention to Jenny Agutter of LOGAN's Run. (I know, a stretch, but what a pair of stems!)<br /><br />LALA and TATA, ANA. It's over: AAHS. Feeling in a giving spirit today (Merry Christmas, everybody in Syndiland!!), I'll give Erik a par. spacecrafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09125304293611865503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21016694047698811822019-12-25T11:47:02.908-05:002019-12-25T11:47:02.908-05:00and a 2-letter dnf, due to two tiny words I didn&#...and a 2-letter dnf, due to two tiny words I didn't know. Ho, ho, ho!<br /><br />Lady DiDiana, LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36009483470999943742019-12-25T11:36:03.647-05:002019-12-25T11:36:03.647-05:00Merry Christmas to all Syndiecats.
May all your c...Merry Christmas to all Syndiecats.<br /><br />May all your crosswords be wonderful.<br /><br />Diana, LIWDiana, LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-248937454617361242019-11-21T17:17:27.665-05:002019-11-21T17:17:27.665-05:00I guessed right, so I finished, literally luckily....I guessed right, so I finished, literally luckily.57Stratocasterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056517771498308618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69953507247879192212019-11-20T21:50:20.878-05:002019-11-20T21:50:20.878-05:00I detect a hidden MAGA message.
TDS
UTAH
MITT
IMA...I detect a hidden MAGA message.<br /><br />TDS<br />UTAH<br />MITT<br />IMA SNOB<br /><br />Plus three Spanish words (or should I say Mexican !) <br /><br />COMO-ESTA<br />Who is eating our EMPANADA ?<br />LUZ<br /><br />Hankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08890638573084306139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9963115264318144022019-11-20T21:26:05.980-05:002019-11-20T21:26:05.980-05:00For @LMS.<a href="https://twitter.com/tylerjoelb/status/1197333555271081984?s=21" rel="nofollow">For @LMS</a>. Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28222413746632780882019-11-20T20:54:35.780-05:002019-11-20T20:54:35.780-05:00always love to see a mountain goats reference! agr...always love to see a mountain goats reference! agree that this could stand as a themeless far betterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80307539261328293612019-11-20T17:47:52.877-05:002019-11-20T17:47:52.877-05:00Rex, if you're going to print your time, dont ...Rex, if you're going to print your time, dont give us 4-ish. That means nothing. Either post your true time or be silent. Thanks. 🤗Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10844225131692863282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-61952504833410462332019-11-20T17:41:12.541-05:002019-11-20T17:41:12.541-05:00@Katthy 1:18
FYI, the New York Times, Sunday, Jul...@Katthy 1:18<br /><br />FYI, the New York Times, Sunday, July 7, 2019 crossword is only the latest of many examples where IBM was not clued as an abbreviation (Watson's creator).<br />JC66https://www.blogger.com/profile/05324615675333287919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76542757680351238942019-11-20T17:38:50.140-05:002019-11-20T17:38:50.140-05:00I always appreciate, as a relatively younger and n...I always appreciate, as a relatively younger and newer crossword solver to see some answers that are quite easy for me (opdoc was one of the first I filed on the initial quick passthrough) are foreign to vets, and I got stumped on seemingly "easy" sections (lUz/Upn, tamP/toPal). Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91643711989579096992019-11-20T17:20:24.674-05:002019-11-20T17:20:24.674-05:00Fairly new non-native speaker solver here, so I al...Fairly new non-native speaker solver here, so I always get excited when I can finish a Wednesday. I really liked the long answers on this one. Thanks Rex for your great blog! Véroniquehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09731394027129520978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5635632276518895092019-11-20T16:19:11.476-05:002019-11-20T16:19:11.476-05:00As I was doing this I thought I might be setting a...As I was doing this I thought I might be setting a Wednesday record, not quite, but close. I really liked it, having the circles referenced in the revealer tickled my funny bone. It would not have bothered me if they had been more scattered through their words. I thought the theme and construction was pretty impressive.<br /><br />I spelled GAEA the other way, but SPINY EEL fixed that. I've never heard of an OPDOC, but it was easy enough to suss out from the acrosses. While I'm not fond of HEE, I'm okay with partials like TGI. I speak French and German, but all the Spanish was familiar. So and easy breezy Wednesday.tea73https://www.blogger.com/profile/04949792626860120963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70925873213265308242019-11-20T15:47:49.382-05:002019-11-20T15:47:49.382-05:00Exceptionally uninspired clueing.Exceptionally uninspired clueing.Uke Xensenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14925310033193507314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57996480826534207232019-11-20T15:46:13.234-05:002019-11-20T15:46:13.234-05:00Only half paying attention to the puzzle today. Di...Only half paying attention to the puzzle today. Didn't get the theme. Didn't care. Sondland testimony!Ethan Taliesinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02351067844997213681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15317241183488412252019-11-20T15:45:01.502-05:002019-11-20T15:45:01.502-05:00I thought it was “What’s UPDOC” 😊I thought it was “What’s UPDOC” 😊Escalatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09198556867970888045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29075527727632402232019-11-20T15:38:50.536-05:002019-11-20T15:38:50.536-05:00Albatross shell- I don't know how tow trucks w...Albatross shell- I don't know how tow trucks work. I'm certain you don't know what the toe the line means.<br /><br />Go Team Rex, said no one ever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35259723949464487002019-11-20T15:17:17.680-05:002019-11-20T15:17:17.680-05:00@amyyanni - He’s a San Diego native so he’s looki...@amyyanni - He’s a San Diego native so he’s looking at the UC schools and Stanford plus MIT and some of the ivies. He’s a junior and is currently at the top of his class. However, our research has shown that college admissions is a bit of a crap shoot. jaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75073062559924458222019-11-20T14:04:35.337-05:002019-11-20T14:04:35.337-05:00I thought this was much harder than Monday or Tues...I thought this was much harder than Monday or Tuesday, and more fun with nicer long answers than either of those. But I was watching the hearings as I solved, and I have a lot of holes in my crossword game. My high school had a GO T-E-A-M TEAM cheer. Often used as a generic cheer as is ray and hooray which people generally do not say also.<br /><br />Great revealer, disappointed the theme answers were not in circles also. Perhaps it was a nice misdirection though. Having them stacked and beginning and ending letters certainly made it bravura tada performance.<br /> TOE is correct, but TOW has its own suggestive charm because a towtruck or more commonly towboat tows pulling on rope or chain that becomes a taut line, involves work needing strength, and all involved better be on the same page. The phrase does mean lined up in a row, and thus all following the same directions and thus all keeping to the same official story. At least that's my opinion without research.<br /><br />Talking in circles and arguing in circles seem slightly different to me, but both are endless and I like the clue-answer too much to have a nitfit.albatross shellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04076278220407657633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17382220359833942202019-11-20T13:41:32.031-05:002019-11-20T13:41:32.031-05:00I spoiled the puzzle for myself by thinking that t...I spoiled the puzzle for myself by thinking that today was Thursday and being disappointed in how easy it was. So, thanks, commenters for waking me up to the correct day and a proper appreciation of the theme and the construction challenges. I saw the TALK synonyms early and thought we might be headed for something like "interrupted conversations," so the reveal was a nice surprise. I'm still not sure about the split theme words....<br /><br />As so often, comments here make me think about words or expressions I've used so often without wondering about origins. Today it was TOE THE LINE that sent me to the OED, which has as Definition 2. "To touch or reach with the toes; chiefly in <b>to toe a (also the) line (or mark)</b>, to stand with the tips of one's toes exactly touching a line; to stand in a row; hence figuratively to present oneself in readiness; also, to conform." <br />@CDilly52, indeed, one of the citations is from seafaring: 1840 R. H. Dana <i>Two Years before Mast</i>":The chief mate..marked a line on the deck, brought the two boys up to it, making them ‘toe the mark’."<br /><br />@chefwen - I'm ashamed to say I never thought of "Pack"! I may have to give up my GB potholders!<br />@GILL I - I also got a smile out of EWW over AAHS (instead of the usual "ooh"). I missed the EAU.Carolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15971759975067250908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80662608748615688622019-11-20T13:38:21.263-05:002019-11-20T13:38:21.263-05:00@anonymous 11:14. True, but IBM is always clued wi...@anonymous 11:14. True, but IBM is always clued with an abbr. signal. Maybe the difference is that TGIFridays historically never spelled out the TGI in its name where IBM once called itself International Business Machines. Kathynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51035842090128135782019-11-20T13:26:18.806-05:002019-11-20T13:26:18.806-05:00Messy SE for me, not much joyMessy SE for me, not much joyxyzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08287781952915413013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18605760142491081602019-11-20T13:19:40.000-05:002019-11-20T13:19:40.000-05:00@Joaquin, I'm with you on SPIEL as a verb. I w...@Joaquin, I'm with you on SPIEL as a verb. I was sure someone was going to call that one out as inconsistent with the other themers. Online Dictionary says: verb: reel off; recite."he solemnly spieled all he knew" speak glibly or at length. (the example sentence has me thinking of "spilled" rather than "spieled".)<br /><br />The NW was the hard part of this puzzle today. I threw down SAT at 1A but then the CHOO CHOO train pulled into the station, leaving me scratching my head. NOOB or NewB? What kind of Bleu cheese do we have? What more of a Spanish greeting do we need than "hola"?<br /><br />OPDOC - I hesitated slightly at that one - I knew of the NYT's OP DOCs but didn't think the term was widely in use. Sounds like it isn't from what I glean from these comments.<br /><br />EAU next to WATER, with the lac and the lake in the clues. Nice. I circled the clues for 24D APSE and 39D TA TA as my favorites. An interesting Wednesday puzzle, thanks, Erik Agard.Teedmnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12832353448839187816noreply@blogger.com