tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post2333662517658591893..comments2024-03-28T22:09:11.213-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Elephantine walker in Empire Strikes Back / SUN 10-21-12 / Fictional Miss Jane / Warner who played Charlie Chan / Bambi villain / University in Center Valley Pa / Cash back from online purchase / Persuasive Dr Seuss character / Port from which Amelia Earhart left on her last flight Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31205132120901866592012-10-30T12:51:32.658-04:002012-10-30T12:51:32.658-04:00Ditto the above, tropical storm aftermath still go...Ditto the above, tropical storm aftermath still going on, and came here with no idea where the lock was.<br />Didn't help matters that I had put APlus in for 53D reward for acing a test, took a bit to shake that loose.<br />As above, frustratingly challenging and published a week late In Baltimore with no info on contest, so I not only needed a "key" I was missing helpful instructions alsoRxdoxxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46614937859231749112012-10-29T17:07:58.165-04:002012-10-29T17:07:58.165-04:00It is now Monday, 5 weeks and a day after the puzz...It is now Monday, 5 weeks and a day after the puzzle appeared in the NYT, there is a hurricane raging outside and I have finally decided to throw in the towel on finding out "where" to use the key. Weekend puzzle partner and I completed the grid with all of its hidden hazzards, discovered a path to avoid them and get to the key, but never figured out where it could be used. Congratulations to all those who saw the "lock" in ANTIC(LOCK)WISE, but it never, ever occurred to me, even though it now seems obvious. I would classify this as "frustratingly challenging", but still a lot of fun!Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20126767794081510992012-10-29T07:30:19.967-04:002012-10-29T07:30:19.967-04:00@ Sparky 11:11 PM Best comment of the day - by far...@ Sparky 11:11 PM Best comment of the day - by far!<br />@ JFC 11:44 PM - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQm-fudneM4Anonyratnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5724549100755761362012-10-29T00:41:27.974-04:002012-10-29T00:41:27.974-04:00I'm with @Matt. In the U.S. we say "count...I'm with @Matt. In the U.S. we say "counterclockwise," and though I spent three years in Merrie Olde, the term "ANTI"--etc. just simply does not occur. Doggone it, if you're going to publish a crossword in an American paper then speak American! Grrr.<br /><br />Well, it's the only part of the solution that I had to peek at to get. OtherWISE it was a HEAP of fun to do. The brain of someone who can put this thing together frightens me. It's like Algernon at the height of his powers. It's like that machine in the "Spock's Brain" episode of STTOS. "Of course! A child could do it. A CHILD could do it!"Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14728523558334211122012-10-28T22:32:37.705-04:002012-10-28T22:32:37.705-04:00@anonymous 10:14
The "path" part refer...@anonymous 10:14<br /> The "path" part refers to getting from the upper lefthand corner to the word "key", while staying on white squares. You can't go the most direct route because then you would hit the "mine" square. So you have to go around.<br /> As for using the "key", you want to find a "lock." Note the dual clue for 71A; second answer is ANTICLOCKWISE. This is comprised of 71A, ANTIC, and 72A, WISE, and an (invisible) "LOCK" in between them. So this (non-existent) LOCK is where the key would go.paulsfohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07721639286466422944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40121015127387979722012-10-28T22:14:22.336-04:002012-10-28T22:14:22.336-04:00Could someone please explain this theme to me?
Li...Could someone please explain this theme to me?<br /><br />Living in the Waste Lands known as "West of the Hudson", we troglodytes in Dallas don't get the NYT puzzle until a week after New York does.<br /><br />When we're not riding around on our horses taking potshots at one another, some of like to do a crossword puzzle. I am especially fond of the NYT Sunday, and count on it to provide 20 to 25 minutes of entertainment.<br /><br />I got the entire fill in just under half-an-hour today, but am baffled by the theme. Is this an Indiana Jones reference, or Pitfall, or what the what?<br /><br />I come to rexword.blogspot frequently to find out the references I missed, but the 1021 ultimate answer has me buffaloed. Even reading the 100s of comments has not helped.<br /><br />Would someone spell this out for me?<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15385605909913974062012-10-28T15:11:07.611-04:002012-10-28T15:11:07.611-04:00Kansas City Star (which publishes puzzle a week la...Kansas City Star (which publishes puzzle a week late anyway) didn't even give the full instructions for the puzzle. What a dud.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30504818014374392572012-10-24T09:45:38.642-04:002012-10-24T09:45:38.642-04:00@Anonymous 8:54 AM -
In (or under) the black squa...@Anonymous 8:54 AM -<br /><br />In (or under) the black square between 71 A and 72 A.<br /><br />"Anticlockwise" is the British version of "counterclockwise."Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77951835817179464562012-10-24T08:54:11.695-04:002012-10-24T08:54:11.695-04:00someone please tell me where the lock is????someone please tell me where the lock is????Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66086728862121808262012-10-23T21:25:46.287-04:002012-10-23T21:25:46.287-04:00Unfortunately, there are no new maleska puzzles. I...Unfortunately, there are no new maleska puzzles. I miss them. I hated last Sundays puzzle with television networks I had never heard of. I miss "river in rural katanga"Robnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78761535576287203582012-10-23T21:07:30.456-04:002012-10-23T21:07:30.456-04:00@Anon - Brolly... typo.
While the LOCK part was a...@Anon - Brolly... typo.<br /><br />While the LOCK part was annoying, I thought the puzzle overall was pretty cool. I enjoyed figuring out the rebuses (rebi?). If you don't like contests, don't enter. <br /><br />People who say they miss Maleska, have you done one of those puzzles lately? Granted, I started doing puzzles during the Shortz era, but accidentally bought a book of Maleska puzzles in the airport once. Holy crap, those things were full of archaic words, variants, and ridiculous abbrevs.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76927852705876860352012-10-23T19:28:08.796-04:002012-10-23T19:28:08.796-04:00It's a good thing that they only wanted the wo...It's a good thing that they only wanted the words, I guessed lock -- but did not know where it Fit into the puzzle. I agree, I miss Maleska!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06734449376667575769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80195598448681430042012-10-23T19:20:18.748-04:002012-10-23T19:20:18.748-04:00Rob, you are a 6- letter synonym for a rinse-based...Rob, you are a 6- letter synonym for a rinse-based feminine hygiene product.Gusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57737305088478606252012-10-23T18:54:11.376-04:002012-10-23T18:54:11.376-04:00I finished this puzzle in 18 minutes, thought it k...I finished this puzzle in 18 minutes, thought it kind if stupid. Fired off my contest entry. I hate contests. Now I've been swearing for two days thinking this puzzle was harder or more clever than it was. Apparently not. God I miss gene maleska. The Sunday puzzle has become a trite and debased game show under will's misleadership.Robnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24705637705401907582012-10-23T18:46:37.560-04:002012-10-23T18:46:37.560-04:00A bolly or a brolly?A bolly or a brolly?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45478248593361482302012-10-23T18:41:06.512-04:002012-10-23T18:41:06.512-04:00Add "Lock" to ANTIC_WISE at 71 across. ...Add "Lock" to ANTIC_WISE at 71 across. Anticlockwise apparently is the British term for what we call "counterclockwise". I have never heard this word before... a pretty esoteric revealer, if you ask me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to take the lift downstairs and drive my lorry home. I hope I have a bolly in the boot!Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43649280311682808972012-10-23T18:34:51.952-04:002012-10-23T18:34:51.952-04:00like the trite prize, so was this puzzle.like the trite prize, so was this puzzle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24432483354034468812012-10-23T18:20:35.613-04:002012-10-23T18:20:35.613-04:00Now after 6 pm on Tuesday. Please where is answerNow after 6 pm on Tuesday. Please where is answerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90148288162819480022012-10-23T16:10:09.652-04:002012-10-23T16:10:09.652-04:00CarolKan,
If you look that word up in an American...CarolKan,<br /><br />If you look that word up in an <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/" rel="nofollow">American dictionary</a> you'll see it's a "chiefly British" synonym of the word we normally use.Martinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6868021451217584092012-10-23T15:14:50.664-04:002012-10-23T15:14:50.664-04:00Perhaps because I am a Brit, I found out how to ge...Perhaps because I am a Brit, I found out how to get into the vault early on. It's all in the clue(s). Don't Americans use that (14 letter) word? I too am baffled by the 'route'. I suppose if you follow the path vaguely, avoiding the hazards, the last thing you come to is the means of entering the vault. Otherwise, a bit of a red herring? Or should they be in specific order?<br /><br />I enjoyed this puzzle. Last few weeks have been v dull.CaroKannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33809330917032871492012-10-23T14:45:40.731-04:002012-10-23T14:45:40.731-04:00Totally baffled by the hatred for contests. I woul...Totally baffled by the hatred for contests. I would prefer more of these, not fewer. Especially on Sunday, the one day when I generally feel little inclination to do the NYT puzzle when I can find a high-quality 15x15 in the Washington Post. Of course, I loved last year's dice/Julius Caesar Monday-Saturday contest, too. <br /><br />If you dislike contests, why not just do the puzzle and ignore the contest? Truly: the anti-contest rants on this post are the most bewildering complaints I've ever seen in Rexville, bar none. <br /><br />All that said, I don't think I got this one right. So it goes. Found 9 of 10 answers, but like many people, couldn't figure out where to use the "important item." Now, after submitting a pure guess on that word, I see Rex's hint that it's hidden in the clues. Oh well. I'll try to figure that out later before I look at the answer.Matthew G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07957320012395569238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20409522856882306272012-10-23T12:16:08.740-04:002012-10-23T12:16:08.740-04:00Perhaps "find a safe path" is meant to b...Perhaps "find a safe path" is meant to be read as "find a path to a safe."Aaronnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74789851024934730592012-10-23T10:27:38.240-04:002012-10-23T10:27:38.240-04:00I ADORED this puzzle! THANK YOU CALEB and WILL! Bo...I ADORED this puzzle! THANK YOU CALEB and WILL! Boring, uninspired xwords are ubiquitous…<br />But those of us who crave creative, well-thought, imaginative crosswords have been waiting for a puzzle as delightful as Caleb’s. As Times readers with a ninth grade reading level, we are lucky to have Will and the handful of constructors who are capable of providing us with a fix.<br />Once I gave up lollygagging and thought outside of the box I was able to find it. I entertained the sly gag for much too long…<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2000714464926718742012-10-23T08:41:21.774-04:002012-10-23T08:41:21.774-04:00I'd just like to say that I thought this puzzl...I'd just like to say that I thought this puzzle was a lot of fun, and the "contest" aspect just added to the pizazz. (I did not enter the contest). I was among the ones would could not for the life of me figure out where to use the important item until one very astute poster (Thanks again, PD Seymour) gave a big hint. Loved It!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17658045383895984481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8772125733647166522012-10-22T22:28:42.979-04:002012-10-22T22:28:42.979-04:00Printed out the puzzle, read the instructions, and...Printed out the puzzle, read the instructions, and put it aside. Never got back to it.<br /><br />@Sparky: everything okay??? I share your dislike of competitions...<br /><br />JenCThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18290169184354765840noreply@blogger.com