tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post2308075363344038929..comments2024-03-29T08:06:57.251-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Soviet spymaster in John le Carré trilogy / THU 5-15-14 / Actress Green of 300 Rise of Empire / Role played by Baldwin Ford Affleck Pine / US slalom great Phil / Inscribed pillarRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-92129974933126194332014-06-19T21:32:33.663-04:002014-06-19T21:32:33.663-04:00@Rainy, the line is "...make a PRO blush.&quo...@Rainy, the line is "...make a PRO blush." Doest that clean, er, clear it up for ya?spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46447148196708698152014-06-19T19:57:56.367-04:002014-06-19T19:57:56.367-04:00@DMG, Oral Roberts University. My grandmother turn...@DMG, Oral Roberts University. My grandmother turned religious whacko in her dotehood and gave Oral many thousands of dollars. IMHO, all tv evangelists are con men.<br /><br />Lotsa pop culture here, but was able to suss out with crosses.<br /><br />Nice thupuz, John.<br /><br />Love the Mara sisters, Rooney and Kate. Great to LAYISON. For the three people on earth that don't know, they are the scions of the Mara family (own the NY Giants, and the Rooney family (own the Pittsburgh Steelers).<br /><br />@Rainy, I think you're right, and I hope you're not. Go USA! Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23770525471397323862014-06-19T17:53:38.249-04:002014-06-19T17:53:38.249-04:00I wonder what the reaction would be if someone cre...I wonder what the reaction would be if someone created a theme based on a phrase from a religious text other than the Bible? I'm just sayin'...Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52399210099724196952014-06-19T17:41:43.106-04:002014-06-19T17:41:43.106-04:00A lot of names, got most of them but not the NW. ...A lot of names, got most of them but not the NW. Had "inre" for the memo thing, thought the school must be Okla State (what is ORU?), and know nothing about anyone's Cousin Vinnie. Also an unknown ski hero (I should have learned it from previous puzzles), and a Super Bowl hero. Maybe tomorrow, but that's Friday, so, maybe not??<br /><br />@Z: your last posting works, turns out I needed a /. Thus runtpuz.org/ works, and I'm gonna play with some of what's there. Thanks mightily!<br />DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73665184634315091622014-06-19T17:12:14.913-04:002014-06-19T17:12:14.913-04:00Fun puzzle. Cute theme. Great revealer. Nice fi...Fun puzzle. Cute theme. Great revealer. Nice fill, though I admit it is easier if you just know the various people. Had to stop myself at 59D (some get them in their teens) from entering a "t", but come on Rainy, this IS the NYT, after all.<br /><br />BETTEDAVISEYES(IS) is a neat song, but that line about making a "crow blush", ruins it for me.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6912188417776748222014-06-19T16:20:47.554-04:002014-06-19T16:20:47.554-04:00I'm solving the syndicated puzzle, (late in th...I'm solving the syndicated puzzle, (late in the day, too). I was certain that the answer to HUMMUS was PUREE. Hummus is basically pureed beans. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59038582022019377772014-06-19T15:23:51.955-04:002014-06-19T15:23:51.955-04:00WAY too much pop culture for me! Didn't know o...WAY too much pop culture for me! Didn't know or care about so many answers to even get started. But, last time I checked, the world does not revolve around me, so all is good. Looking forward to Friday's puzzle.dmasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16432868990877614442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47284673378026624352014-06-19T11:02:36.995-04:002014-06-19T11:02:36.995-04:00A slam-dunk for me. The first clue I LAYISON (top ...A slam-dunk for me. The first clue I LAYISON (top of second column) is gimme John Dickson CARR: ORCA AVEENO BRIT; then I see the 1981 #1 Kim Carnes hit. Talk about gimmes--BETTEDAVISIS was #1 for the YEAR. A slight w/o occurred when I thought the ending was II instead of IS. II seems somehow more elegant--also more challenging for the constructor. After that, the revealer clue becomes another dead giveaway.<br /><br />The top was a little harder; it took a while to get HANDSUP, which I don't really associate with "Surrender!" KARLA went in on krosses.<br /><br />Do I think there's a weak spot here and there? I DOEST. But pretty solid overall. Plus, I killed it, so, thumbs, if not hands, up.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74069681078851889342014-05-16T10:40:20.016-04:002014-05-16T10:40:20.016-04:00What's up with the 'net? Ours, too, has be...What's up with the 'net? Ours, too, has been down, eight days and counting for us (I'm running off my iphone hotspot.). This is a pretty small population here to have three people down. Conspiracy, anyone?<br /><br />I'm not good with the pop culture, but since there are days that EVERYTHING almost drops in before I even think, I believe it evens out. <br /><br />Just came back from vacation where. I got to try out falconry. Flying a hawk and having him return to my fist (for a piece of one day old chick) was goose-bumpy cool. Totally off-topic, but I can't seem to quit talking about it. Now if only he'd been named Lucille.Malsdemarenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10970041437675602052014-05-15T23:48:39.903-04:002014-05-15T23:48:39.903-04:00I don't get why Bette Davis Eyes is more inter...I don't get why Bette Davis Eyes is more interesting than the other ones?<br /><br />Anyway, this was a medium-challenging for me, for some reason. Of course, when they're done, they all seem easy, but I distinctly recall struggling with this one for over a half hour all together.<br /><br />gpoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18184741759042600482014-05-15T23:13:54.737-04:002014-05-15T23:13:54.737-04:00Easy, although did not get theme until Bette Davis...Easy, although did not get theme until Bette Davis. Probably only hit ever by Kim Carnes.<br />Thought Premium must be a hotel name and Ritz followed logically. Ritz cracker makes much more sense.Liked 9 down. Take to the hills.Liked the whole puzzle in general.<br />Charles Flasterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16588962898277593533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75249029953436821732014-05-15T21:07:16.349-04:002014-05-15T21:07:16.349-04:00Ugh. Horrible. Why use an obscure (to me) product ...Ugh. Horrible. Why use an obscure (to me) product to clue "Ritz"? I got the theme early on, and got got all the theme answers, but then had deal with the proper names that meant nothing to me. Not much fun. <br /><br />The Ritz-Cruz cross was a lucky guess.<br /><br />A big boooo from BrooklynOISKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16808675378318214461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68969577365917949862014-05-15T19:43:01.278-04:002014-05-15T19:43:01.278-04:00@M&A - Okay, now I am completely lost. But th...@M&A - Okay, now I am completely lost. But that's OK.<br /><br />But I can assure you of one thing: Unlike Clark Kent and Superman, Loren Muse Smith and I have been seen in the same place at the same time. We are not the same person, and I, at least, am not Superman. (But maybe LMS is.)<br /><br />(You're not Tom Pepper, are you?)Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7649296578985635552014-05-15T18:55:27.626-04:002014-05-15T18:55:27.626-04:00Yay... She got it.
Pheww. M&A feel better, no...Yay... She got it.<br />Pheww. M&A feel better, now. Hasn't gone totally mental. Yet.<br /><br />@muse: Thanx, lil darlin.<br /><br />M&AM and A Bueno Banditonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87857072563397159612014-05-15T18:52:50.376-04:002014-05-15T18:52:50.376-04:00Fun to be back after three days in the "we lo...Fun to be back after three days in the "we lost our Internet" wilderness. I liked the punny puzzle, as I enjoyed yesterday's PROPHETS groaner. The puzzle was tough for me, even thought I had the reveal early - discouraged by getting nowhere in the northern tier (knew nothing about Vinnie or LAURIE, or how to spell MAher- MAyRE-MAHRE; couldn't get "rovING eye" out of my head), I decamped to the soft underbelly and worked my way up.<br /> <br />I like HANDS UP adjacent to RAZOR SHARP (the whiz kids in class).<br /><br />@John Lieb, thanks for letting us in on the alternate clues!Carolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15971759975067250908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3756896387830285672014-05-15T18:44:27.248-04:002014-05-15T18:44:27.248-04:00@Benko and BobK: Yikes. A stumpy stumper! Sorry.
W...@Benko and BobK: Yikes. A stumpy stumper! Sorry.<br />We'll see if @muse got it...<br />If not, alas, M&A may have gone over an edge too far. <br /><br />M&A<br />"A Few Giblets Short of a Turkey?"Bad Masked and Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83093462041148328722014-05-15T18:44:18.188-04:002014-05-15T18:44:18.188-04:00@M&A - Thanks!! Sheesh – I thought that sinc...@M&A - Thanks!! Sheesh – I thought that since it was for me, you had the training wheels on. I had to reveal some letters but I finally saw the trick. How do you do these things so fast? And who has the keys to XWord Info? I would try to return the favor, but, ahem, I don't know how to get to that part of the site to make a puzzle. As it stands, suffice it to show theme entries. My masterpiece was to be a 66x66.<br /><br />No spring chicken, (you're M _ _ _ _ _ A _ _ _ ), you nonetheless applied to several M _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ only to be laughed at by the brass. So instead, you took up M _ _ _ _ _ _ A _ _ _ but wisely retired after learning to count to 10 in Japanese because your M _ _ _ _ _ _ A _ _ _ _ bracelet just didn't match your gi. Then there was that embarrassing flap when you mysteriously landed at M _ _ _ _ A _ _ _ _ _ _after lurching from a cousin's wedding reception in M _ _ _ _ _ A _ _ _ _ _ _. Next you tried your hand at commercials on M _ _ _ _ _ _ A _ _ _ _ _ but were shown the door when you pitched your idea for the name of a laxative, <i>Nudge.</i> So now, you occupy yourself eating cinnamon buns and M _ _ _ _ _ _ A _ _ _ _ _ building M _ _ _ _ A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. Hey. Balsa's cheap.<br /><br />Thanks again! You brought a smile to a rainy day!Loren Muse Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05308030011870397977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89346339505504928462014-05-15T18:26:25.116-04:002014-05-15T18:26:25.116-04:00@BobK: The 7:18am comment by @muse would definitel...@BobK: The 7:18am comment by @muse would definitely be a crucial piece of information for that, if U ain't her.<br />Have a great vacation!<br />M&AM and A Help Desknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57631434479877545232014-05-15T18:23:10.421-04:002014-05-15T18:23:10.421-04:00@M&A: I agree with Bob. that was even more d...@M&A: I agree with Bob. that was even more difficult, unsolvable for me too, and there were a couple of things even after revealed I didn't understand either! I think LMS will like the theme, but I don't think she'll find it solvable, unless there's some weird inside jokes between the two of you that explain some of the answers!Benkonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38180013519847775142014-05-15T18:14:06.069-04:002014-05-15T18:14:06.069-04:00@M&A - I'm so glad that #125 was just for ...@M&A - I'm so glad that #125 was just for Loren. I tried it and couldn't finish. And sorry to say, even with the full grid revealed, I just didn't fully "get it."<br /><br />I'll be going on vacation, and off the grid, soon, so maybe I can recuperate!Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66792621551200187772014-05-15T17:29:29.306-04:002014-05-15T17:29:29.306-04:00Ludyjynn, I do the exact same thing of reading the...Ludyjynn, I do the exact same thing of reading the rest of the paper and returning to the puzzle and, magically it seems, finish it. It is very interesting what a fresh set of eyes can see.MikeMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59758813749157924522014-05-15T16:50:01.007-04:002014-05-15T16:50:01.007-04:00Rex, it's Chris Pine, the actor who (besides p...Rex, it's Chris Pine, the actor who (besides playing Jack Ryan) plays the "young" William Shatner in the new "Star Trek" movies. And he is one handsome guy...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40101122043601809052014-05-15T16:34:06.533-04:002014-05-15T16:34:06.533-04:00@Ludyjynn - You are welcome, but I only provided t...@Ludyjynn - You are welcome, but I only provided the snark, @Bob Kerfuffle provided the link. <br /><br />@Lewis - Sure, but it can only go one way. Since eye's are being replaced, the intended meaning is clear. Just like this <a href="http://logoblink.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/before-and-after-beer2.jpg" rel="nofollow">beer label</a>, she's ugly or attractive, but not both. <br /><br />@John Lieb - I think I like your clues better, although it is hard to be sure because it is hard to know how they would have played in the solve. Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35895584210620279432014-05-15T16:09:50.508-04:002014-05-15T16:09:50.508-04:00@muse: Sigh. Ok, here is an easier runtpuz, just ...@muse: Sigh. Ok, here is an easier runtpuz, just for U...<br />www.xwordinfo.com/Solve?id=3514&id2=873<br /><br />M&A<br />"Aimin to Please, Since 2014"Masked and Anonymo5Usnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48855429602019262982014-05-15T15:35:58.007-04:002014-05-15T15:35:58.007-04:00@Anonymous 2:23, just realized that I threw some m...@Anonymous 2:23, just realized that I threw some more of the dreaded "pop culture" at you in my response. FYI, in case it shows up in a future Xword, the expression, "sorry about that (Chief)" came from the '60s tv show, "Get Smart", uttered by the actor Don Adams in his portrayal of Agent 86, Maxwell Smart. I know, its just useless trivia to you, but to me it evokes a happy time spent w/ family around the tv set together, laughing and admiring the clever satire of the show. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. (Another tv reference, I can't stop). Oh, just shoot me! (Another tv reference, oh dear!)<br /><br />I'm done, promises, promises...moving on to Broadway. No, I'm really done now!Ludyjynnnoreply@blogger.com