tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post300491443649672455..comments2024-03-28T10:59:47.227-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Remote-sensing orbiter / THU 9-20-12 / Crasher of 1979 / Laughable Lyrics writer / New Jersey setting Coneheads / Ottoman Empire founder / Whence phrase Put not your trust in princes / Radial choices / Seasoning from laurel tree / 1963 Johnny Cash hitRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45122320632782227072012-10-26T22:15:20.701-04:002012-10-26T22:15:20.701-04:00Didn't get the Thursday paper until this after...Didn't get the Thursday paper until this afternoon, so weekend puzzle partner and I tackled this one before we moved on to the Friday puz. WPP spotted the __WORKS in the NE early on and said, "That should be FIREWORKS, but it doesn't fit". I explained what a rebus is and we romped through the grid with not much resistance anywhere. Given the weather forecast for next week it would have been appropriate if there had been a (fire)STORM somewhere on the Atlantic seaboard.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13197184638920256352012-10-26T13:34:47.154-04:002012-10-26T13:34:47.154-04:00Mostly easy except for the SE corner. Had ORO for ...Mostly easy except for the SE corner. Had ORO for ORE, and with OSMAN and ROTI crossing ET ALIAE, it just wasn't worth working that hard. The World Series was much more interesting so DNF.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5607315022096210662012-10-26T05:55:50.599-04:002012-10-26T05:55:50.599-04:00@ Bob K - Ring of Fire in the puzzle twice in a we...@ Bob K - Ring of Fire in the puzzle twice in a week, and still no links to the WOV version? <br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS_CQkPavyc<br />And, no one has yet posted a link to Amoeba?!<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0S4VHIITYw<br />Anonyratnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42469448324032362992012-10-25T21:24:03.464-04:002012-10-25T21:24:03.464-04:00Isn't the Osman empire Utah? :)Isn't the Osman empire Utah? :)Mr. Fitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814450485683486060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11758841464017592642012-10-25T18:51:34.183-04:002012-10-25T18:51:34.183-04:00I had my sights set on a Thursday rebus and wasn&#...I had my sights set on a Thursday rebus and wasn't disappointed, although it was kind of easy. The FIRE answers were fun and TSO symmetrical. Once you caught on you knew where to look for them, especially at the corners. @Diri's neck of the woods took me the loongest. Had to Roget willowy to get LISSOME.<br /><br />Good job John ConradSolving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32440590216932482952012-10-25T15:37:45.323-04:002012-10-25T15:37:45.323-04:00I liked it. Got the rebus at LINEOFFIRE, and sail...I liked it. Got the rebus at LINEOFFIRE, and sailed on. rot before PAP slowed up the SW, but not for long. RINGOFFIRE could have been clued as the Pacific coastal regions with volcanos and earthquakes. (I live very near Mt StHelens)<br /><br />ETALIAE was a bit much, but on the whole there was plenty of crunch. Thanks Mr. ConradGingernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2374786548994486892012-10-25T15:08:03.422-04:002012-10-25T15:08:03.422-04:00Thought the 40D clue (Union members) deserved to e...Thought the 40D clue (Union members) deserved to end with a ? given the answer. Also not fond of AMUSERS for Comedians, etc. at 54A - I suppose it's technically correct but not a term in general use.<br /><br />But those are just quibbles. On the whole, really enjoyed this puzzle, especially the rebi. Interesting too that LISSOME is derived from - and is identical in meaning to - LITHESOME. Do we need to FIRE some words from the English language?Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17778130593913420242012-10-25T14:03:02.027-04:002012-10-25T14:03:02.027-04:00This one had me going for a while. Even with TINYT...This one had me going for a while. Even with TINYTIM and AMY in place, I couldn't get untracked in the NW for the longest time. Eventually figured out that Mike's year had to start with M, and so 1d suggested ALARM--but the extra square brought a frown. Then it hit! The ISEENOW of the rebus turned the puzzle from challenging to easy. AVERAGE? Medium, I guess.<br /><br />Some horrible fill here: witness the twin 1-point Scrabble entries of ALIENEE and ETALIAE. Man, now I know what to do when I get a rack full of vowels! Add RETAR, the arbitrary Roman number and the awkward abbr. INSTR, and you have a headshaker.<br /><br />Even so, there are bright spots: FOMENTS and SNIPPET for two. I liked it overall because it made me think, yet the solution was gettable. Wanna do another one John? FIRE away!Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20241580286794981892012-09-21T02:29:40.408-04:002012-09-21T02:29:40.408-04:00@loungelizard
Wouldn't it be 1 in 12 times? O...@loungelizard<br />Wouldn't it be 1 in 12 times? Or are you allowing for cusp babies and non-believers?<br /><br />@Jeep<br />Don't be so put out, it's classic of Sagittarians to dismiss astrology!acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81153967849455681202012-09-20T22:16:51.661-04:002012-09-20T22:16:51.661-04:00This 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 6:30, 6:48, 0.96, 32%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 8:26, 8:56, 0.94, 40%, Easy-Medium<br />Wed 14:52, 11:49, 1.26, 95%, Challenging (10th highest median solve time of 166 Wednesdays)<br />Thu 15:33, 18:48, 0.83, 20%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:49, 3:41, 1.04, 71%, Medium-Challenging<br />Tue 4:47, 4:39, 1.03, 61%, Medium-Challenging<br />Wed 7:34, 5:56, 1.27, 94%, Challenging<br />Thu 8:25, 9:20, 0.90, 34%, Easy-Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60840849663647422022012-09-20T22:03:48.852-04:002012-09-20T22:03:48.852-04:00I think the grid looks like a camel.
Hamlet III....I think the grid looks like a camel.<br /><br /><br />Hamlet III.2<br /> <br /> <br />Enter POLONIUS<br /> <br /> <br />God bless you, sir.<br /> <br /><br /> POLONIUS<br />My lord, the queen would speak with you, and presently.<br /><br /><br /> HAMLET<br />Do you see yonder cloud that’s almost in shape of a camel?<br /> <br /><br />340 POLONIUS<br />By th' mass, and ’tis like a camel indeed.<br /><br /> HAMLET<br />Methinks it is like a weasel.<br /><br /> POLONIUS<br />It is backed like a weasel.<br /> <br /> HAMLET<br />Or like a whale.<br /><br /> POLONIUS<br />Very like a whale.<br /> <br /> HAMLET<br />I’ll go see my mother soon. (to himself) They’re trying as hard as they can to mess with me.—I will go soon.retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21208538132378851502012-09-20T20:28:25.995-04:002012-09-20T20:28:25.995-04:00@Bob Snead - I had a similar initial reaction, but...@Bob Snead - I had a similar initial reaction, but the comments pointing out the "crossfire" shape in the center and the ring of fire around the perimeter changed my mind.Carolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15971759975067250908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72754054983737909092012-09-20T20:16:50.631-04:002012-09-20T20:16:50.631-04:00I like rebuses, but sorry, this one was boring. P...I like rebuses, but sorry, this one was boring. Pick an arbitrary word, rebus it, make it symmetrical, and that's supposed to be fun? I need more than that!Bob Sneadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80458498023360988572012-09-20T20:06:52.461-04:002012-09-20T20:06:52.461-04:00@Laura R - Steeper in price, as in one had to &quo...@Laura R - Steeper in price, as in one had to "pay more dearly"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21621478871709604172012-09-20T20:05:44.225-04:002012-09-20T20:05:44.225-04:00Stop don't understand cluing for 41D: "Mo...Stop don't understand cluing for 41D: "More dear" and how that translates to "STEEPER." Plz help!laura Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07801382665829507000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23004158649819045432012-09-20T19:53:03.886-04:002012-09-20T19:53:03.886-04:00@ksquare -- Yes, the wheelhouse is the control roo...@ksquare -- Yes, the wheelhouse is the control room or command center of a ship. If it's in your wheelhouse it's under your command/control. Out of your wheelhouse not so much...jaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16823157566354113462012-09-20T19:51:38.467-04:002012-09-20T19:51:38.467-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.jaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1500884797176627912012-09-20T18:04:01.626-04:002012-09-20T18:04:01.626-04:00The robot catchers have given up, the captchas are...The robot catchers have given up, the captchas are getting easier.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43968851273243900892012-09-20T18:03:10.783-04:002012-09-20T18:03:10.783-04:00@ksquare: I just envisioned them wheeling their ar...@ksquare: I just envisioned them wheeling their arms around. They do a lot of that, it seems.<br />machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8424694496681613582012-09-20T18:00:04.069-04:002012-09-20T18:00:04.069-04:00I liked this one. My 16A moment didn’t come until ...I liked this one. My 16A moment didn’t come until I got to 44D. I kept<br />looking for the Rebus or other trick along the way and was frustrated until<br />that point; with very little fill to show for it. The discovery made the<br />puzzle much easier. The last to fall was the SE corner. Could not remember<br />POMADES so that made 52D and 56D difficult to deduce.<br /><br />AMEBAE and MDIV left a sour taste, but the rest was OK. 47A went from IP-D<br />to IPAD to IMAC.<br /><br />I almost put in OTTO- for 52D thinking it would be OTTO I or OTTO V, but<br />resisted until I got some crosses. Still needed to guess the M though.<br /><br />@lms – Nice observation about the start and ends!<br /><br />@Deb – I agree with your assessment that a free speech society has the<br />responsibility to censor its own words. But – nobody should get injured or<br />die because of what is said. If you protest, march, boycott or write a<br />letter I will have a conversation with you. If you get violent, I will<br />avoid you.<br /><br />Let’s go GIANTS!Birdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55022632104008544702012-09-20T17:15:21.097-04:002012-09-20T17:15:21.097-04:00I've always pictured the wheelhouse as the con...I've always pictured the wheelhouse as the control room of a ship, but can't imagine what the significance of something being in or out of it is. Please explain.ksquarehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06181873595483296089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38490684323185127692012-09-20T17:11:09.379-04:002012-09-20T17:11:09.379-04:00@ jackj, Yes, and my favorite was the sirens in th...@ jackj, Yes, and my favorite was the sirens in the river.Two Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03279414989390373057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34145581156673649262012-09-20T16:18:48.382-04:002012-09-20T16:18:48.382-04:00Midday 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 />Thu 15:24, 18:48, 0.82, 20%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Thu 8:40, 9:20, 0.93, 41%, Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31745462079518623782012-09-20T16:14:03.118-04:002012-09-20T16:14:03.118-04:00Two Ponies@10:50AM-
Your reminder of George Cloon...Two Ponies@10:50AM-<br /><br />Your reminder of George Clooney's POMADE obsession in "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" had me recalling that the equivalent of the Odyssey's Lotus EATERS in the film were the Christians who were baptized.<br /><br />jackjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02699305265544975575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1776773806926602892012-09-20T15:27:31.239-04:002012-09-20T15:27:31.239-04:00At first I couldn't see the "trick."...At first I couldn't see the "trick." After all, it is Thursday. Got it at RINGOFFIRE and off to the races. I like rebuses particularly when you can draw a little picture in the box. <br /><br />ETALIAE took a while. Sort of amused by the contortions. Shout out for Orange. I'm done.Sparkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11149915526159432838noreply@blogger.com