tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post2848043891860090372..comments2024-03-29T07:32:14.587-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: George W Bush self-descriptively / WED 12-5-12 / Singers Shannon Reeves / Privateer's domain / 2010 mining disaster locale / Limburger cheese qualityRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88403743880161332072013-01-09T18:00:51.655-05:002013-01-09T18:00:51.655-05:00I'm too overwhelmed by the nostalgia brought o...I'm too overwhelmed by the nostalgia brought on by the appearance of GTOS in the grid to say anything about the puzzle other than I liked it.<br /><br />@DMG - I like to think of syndi-time as extending the holiday season by 5 weeks, so Happy Holidays to you, too!Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14949369810485783612013-01-09T14:51:01.649-05:002013-01-09T14:51:01.649-05:00A lot of fun words in this one! Because I work pu...A lot of fun words in this one! Because I work puzzles haphazardly, I got the three "i's" in the SE corner before Imgot any of the treats, and briefly panicked thinking I had something wrong that I couldn't see. Left it, moved on, and things worked out. Think I've never see PUNGENCY before, though I know pungent, and fortunately never saw "deice", for I would never have parsed it.<br /><br />Odd to read Holiday greetings in January.DMGrandmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1982612476577538732013-01-09T14:11:58.935-05:002013-01-09T14:11:58.935-05:00There may be no "I" in TEAM, but there a...There may be no "I" in TEAM, but there are apparently three of them in STICK.<br /><br />Like @spacecraft, I didn't get to the STICK part of the grid until the end so I had the three treats hanging there, unsupported. I initially thought that "treat on a ____" was referring to something like a field trip or day at the fair, or movie. So, I took way longer than the difficulty of the puzzle warranted. Also in agreement with @spacecraft and others, the fill was fresh, sparkly, fun. Liked this one a lot.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30070909424812085182013-01-09T13:56:16.980-05:002013-01-09T13:56:16.980-05:00I complained about all the tired fill in yesterday...I complained about all the tired fill in yesterday's otherwise creative puzzle so today kudos, compliments, congratulations, salutations, etc. to Jim Hilger for staying away from the usual fare of SST, SSN & STA. Agree fully with @Spacecraft that this was really fresh - in fact a veritable LUAU of SPRINGROLLs and DIP.<br /><br />Weird coincidence: looked up PULCHRITUDE in the dictionary yesterday to verify its exact meaning and noticed the very next entry, PULE. Not being at all familiar with the word, I briefly studied it just in case it should ever show up in the NYT grid. And here it is today! Now if PULK (a small, toboggan-like sleigh) shows up tomorrow, it's the trifecta...Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21965046727115163862013-01-09T12:09:39.110-05:002013-01-09T12:09:39.110-05:00I wonder what, in OFL's opinion, would be a NO...I wonder what, in OFL's opinion, would be a NON-"dull" grid? Almost every answer seems fresh to me. SSE and the cluster at 59-60-66 aside. @JackJ has alerted me that this is not Mr. Hilger's debut, though I haven't seen his name before. All I can say is, Jim, you've been away too long!<br /><br />Casting about for a gimme, I began in the NE with CRUE, and so my first long down was FROZENBANANA-- what? PIE? Come to fill out the SE and I have III. I thought it meant "ice," wincing because the pronunciation doesn't quite match.<br /><br />Not an expert on Chinese cuisine, I didn't know what kind of ROLL (I only know egg) could be at 18a, so I crossed the FEDERAL bridge to the west end. Sometime, someone should clue RIFF as "Jets leader."<br />I love West Side Story; Leonard, your genius was taken from us all too soon. So it was that ALLDAYSUCKER appeared: hmm, three more I's. Point is, the revealer section was the last place I got to, so STICK was much more of an aha! moment for me than for most.<br /><br />Loved the clues for PIANO and RAZES. Don't listen to OFL, Jim. This was NOT dull! Come back sooner next time, willya?Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62317444387444772232012-12-06T20:48:47.039-05:002012-12-06T20:48:47.039-05:00@Rex ET ALIA Hand up for being impressed with the ...@Rex ET ALIA Hand up for being impressed with the pH sale and the scientifically correct locations of BASES, WATER, ACIDS, 7 PH squares and the overall strength of the grid. I'm embarrassed how long it took me to get the PH rebus as a former biology major and practicing MD for years. This especially is true since I wanted PHASER ( mild Trekker), grew up in SE PA, went to med school there and had a hospital rotation 2 blocks from VET's Stadeum, the former home of the PHILS. I finally got ACIDS &_SCALE and it quickly fell into place<br /><br />@Jill &Jack PHine ePHort. Thanks fo an outstanding puzzle.<br /><br />@ Jack ROFL re: conversations<br /><br />@ACME late kudos for Monday's (and many previously enjoyable puzzles). I've been trying to get into this blog for months to thank you for them<br /><br />@ Rex ditto for the great blog!Darlenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07575849966409851602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31317447587574575682012-12-06T01:19:40.929-05:002012-12-06T01:19:40.929-05:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 8/1/2009 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 6:27, 6:46, 0.95, 32%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 7:25, 8:57, 0.83, 7%, Easy<br />Wed 10:10, 11:48, 0.86, 20%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:52, 3:41, 1.05, 79%, Medium-Challenging<br />Tue 4:21, 4:41, 0.93, 33%, Easy-Medium<br />Wed 6:05, 5:57, 1.02, 59%, Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6209519107091478102012-12-05T22:12:39.242-05:002012-12-05T22:12:39.242-05:00That's the spirit, evil.
RPThat's the spirit, evil.<br /><br />RPRex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70045710370851691002012-12-05T21:43:47.611-05:002012-12-05T21:43:47.611-05:00@mac That is truly scary, fitting for a last plac...@mac That is truly scary, fitting for a last place, consolation prize at Westport, no?John Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557037910799243636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63422228185953068742012-12-05T20:47:25.824-05:002012-12-05T20:47:25.824-05:00Cute puzzle, easy.
Trader Joe's has come out ...Cute puzzle, easy.<br /><br />Trader Joe's has come out with a new hors d'oeuvre: chicken Parm on a stick.<br /><br />machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90241034526727081892012-12-05T17:16:41.759-05:002012-12-05T17:16:41.759-05:00Checking in late, having spent the day on TWIN-ENG...Checking in late, having spent the day on TWIN-ENGINE regional jets. Liked the puzzle a lot - fun to find out why my early ideas of ALL DAY SUCKER and CARAMEL APPLE "didn't fit." And I liked the many don't-usually-see-them-in-a-crossword entries. Cute to pair PASS-FAIL with RECESS - somebody's not too serious about school.<br /><br />Carolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15971759975067250908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41156773606506928182012-12-05T17:11:33.220-05:002012-12-05T17:11:33.220-05:00Monday= 7 U's
Tuesday= 7 U's
Wednesday = 9...Monday= 7 U's<br />Tuesday= 7 U's<br />Wednesday = 9 U's<br />Thursday = 11 U's (est.)<br />Friday = 13 U's (est.)<br />Saturday = 15 U's (dreamin')<br /><br />Wanted LIMEPOPSICLEIII. However, I suspect no limes were harmed, in the making of said treat.<br />M&AM and Anoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56931178277619706292012-12-05T17:00:06.648-05:002012-12-05T17:00:06.648-05:00With all the political commentary, I am surprised ...With all the political commentary, I am surprised nobody mentioned that 29D is incorrect. The correct answer is HIMSELF.Spironoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22191356382711626862012-12-05T16:24:51.947-05:002012-12-05T16:24:51.947-05:00Enjoyable. Medium. Spent a minute or two chasing a...Enjoyable. Medium. Spent a minute or two chasing a typo (the Y of ON YAP/YIER), else I would have had an easy time. Same feelings about the cute fill as most everybody.<br /><br />The sticks, not so much. I kinda like real words better. But CHILE sort of resembles a STICK, so the S is cool.<br /><br />Agree with Rex on PASS/FAIL. Those who chose that option in my experience mostly didn't keep up with the work. <br /><br />Thanks, Mr. Hilger.<br /><br />retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31921335322236393422012-12-05T16:05:39.015-05:002012-12-05T16:05:39.015-05:00@JFC - No, Rex recognized the fact that, absent hi...@JFC - No, Rex recognized the fact that, absent his comments yesterday, W has been in hiding for the past 4 years. UNITER should go into hiding like W.<br /><br />But, to quote a man far wiser than I, "Everyone is still free to be offended, though; god bless America."Guy who reads with an intent to understand what the writer said, not to get pissed offnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68468031623621587172012-12-05T16:02:19.570-05:002012-12-05T16:02:19.570-05:00I take your failure to capitalize 'God' as...I take your failure to capitalize 'God' as negative commentary, and am thus offended as you have freed me to do.<br /><br />Free at last....<br /><br />Evilevil doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17593231055589228837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19239283767919606372012-12-05T15:51:06.269-05:002012-12-05T15:51:06.269-05:00Rex,
You teach English. I hardly understand it. ...Rex,<br /><br />You teach English. I hardly understand it. But the way you framed the sentence about W clearly implied W SHOULD go into hiding. If you meant it the way you said, all you needed to do was add "has" or "apparently has" after Bush. Aside from that W is polarizing and any reference to him will bring out the boo birds without any help from you....<br /><br />JFCJFCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57767199533834618012012-12-05T15:47:30.129-05:002012-12-05T15:47:30.129-05:00Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 8/1/2...Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation of my method):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Wed 10:20, 11:48, 0.88, 24%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Wed 6:12, 5:57, 1.04, 64%, Medium-Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75764212219515676132012-12-05T15:35:04.360-05:002012-12-05T15:35:04.360-05:00To be clear about George W.—what I meant to convey...To be clear about George W.—what I meant to convey about UNITER was that the word should go into hiding. I should've said "like Salinger," bec. no one would've then thought that I was offering some kind of negative commentary on Salinger. But Bush was in the clue and is very rarely seen any more, so that's the direction I went with the reference. No commentary intended. <br /><br />Everyone is still free to be offended, though; god bless America.<br /><br />RPRex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56120945732309030702012-12-05T14:10:48.940-05:002012-12-05T14:10:48.940-05:00Wow. Lots of write-overs and one mistake made this...Wow. Lots of write-overs and one mistake made this challenging. Even though I like the idea of the theme and the long downs, I didn’t care for this one too much and once I got the theme at 11D it was easy to put in the other I’s at the bottoms of 3D and 7D.<br /><br />My only mistake was putting NIB at 41D instead of 47D. That cost me some time and ink.<br /><br />Write-overs include KOED at 1A, NOEL at 14A, REHAB at 4D, SULK at 12D and HEM at 45D.<br /><br />Lowpoints, for me, are the RGL, RCD (and I’ve never seen a vane with more than 8 points) and NEE.<br /><br />UNITER again? Ugh.<br /><br />I liked METIME, SPRING ROLL and, ironically, PUNGENCY.<br /><br />Happy Humpday!Birdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2899609994705286532012-12-05T14:08:57.707-05:002012-12-05T14:08:57.707-05:00Considering the theme, I thought the Chinese Appet...Considering the theme, I thought the Chinese Appetizer would be potSTICKer -- it fits.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2176779707907776752012-12-05T14:04:32.480-05:002012-12-05T14:04:32.480-05:00Dubya was a bunglER, goofER and foot-in-mouthER.Dubya was a bunglER, goofER and foot-in-mouthER.Gorenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40540001780154328052012-12-05T14:00:48.001-05:002012-12-05T14:00:48.001-05:00@sfingi -- INCITER?
Felt easy for a Wednesday, th...@sfingi -- INCITER?<br /><br />Felt easy for a Wednesday, though I did re-learn PULE. My mom used to make us frozen bananas, trying to convince us that rock hard brown bananas that slid through our hands (no, we had no STICKS) was a real treat. I think she got the idea for re-purposing overripe bananas from Hints From Heloise. We hated them.Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09709142959535977331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74166863703559567872012-12-05T13:40:50.054-05:002012-12-05T13:40:50.054-05:00@sfingi
LOSER to Hillary, I hope.@sfingi<br /><br />LOSER to Hillary, I hope.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29315621624978656862012-12-05T13:14:47.855-05:002012-12-05T13:14:47.855-05:00It was either fULE or PULE and I guessed correctly...It was either fULE or PULE and I guessed correctly, having never heard the word before. Liked the RAZES clue, otherwise, workmanlike. <br /><br />Craving a corndog for some reason.Chip Hiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944056030047563287noreply@blogger.com