tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post3249170538179216956..comments2024-03-29T06:32:07.322-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Co-starring actress on HBO's insecure / TUE 7-3-18 / Decent human being informally / Daughter on Fox's Bob's BurgersRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12798845186422741932018-08-07T15:10:12.926-04:002018-08-07T15:10:12.926-04:00Someone up there mused about Canada becoming the 5...Someone up there mused about Canada becoming the 51st state. Fuhgeddabout it! We Canadians have our pride.<br /><br />A sentimental mention of the EXPOS there, the best team in baseball in 1994. Robbed of proving it that year. Conspiracy?<br /><br />Easy puzzle which yet ticked all the boxes of good puzzledom. Raised many emotions about displays of "patriotism", but at least left out the question of kneeling for the national anthem, a gesture for good that is totally misunderstood and manipulated by DJT.<br /><br />I love baseball, its rhythms, its lack of a finite time for the playing of a game, the sense that it ain't over till its over. I'm continually losing interest in the NFL while soccer continues to fascinate. rainforestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21507357022580640032018-08-07T14:53:52.233-04:002018-08-07T14:53:52.233-04:00rly quisports Neanderthal, knew the baseball teams...rly quisports Neanderthal, knew the baseball teams. And if you're going to be in the American League...nuff said<br /><br />OK - up there is what my computer typed, not what I said. What a pain in the rear. All said, easy, even for a sports Neander.....<br /><br />Puzzle clues managed to mention two entire SHOWS I never even HEARD of: "Insecure" and "Bob's Burgers." Could be Bob's Burglers for all I know, bringing home either their "loot" (my first guess) or HAUL.<br /><br />My eyesight makes carne look like came at first. Sigh.<br /><br />Hooray for Monday and Tuesday.<br /><br />Diana, Lady-in-Waiting for CrosswordsDiana,LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48076837489500857702018-08-07T13:34:56.245-04:002018-08-07T13:34:56.245-04:00It's obvious by now that this baseball puzzle...It's obvious by now that this baseball puzzle is kind of an OLIO, a mishmash of nationalistic and patriotic themes, and apparently provocative of some U.S. and Canadian sensitivities.<br /><br />Not really too tough to get over, IMO. The game is not just a NATIONAL PASTIME, it has some international scope as well.<br /><br />An entertaining NYT debut puzzle by Christopher Adams.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36103955882614990262018-08-07T12:37:48.957-04:002018-08-07T12:37:48.957-04:00Yes, well, it's all "America," eh? C...Yes, well, it's all "America," eh? Coulda also used the Columbus BLUE Jackets, if you wanted to go the hockey route. We may indeed have this year's world champs in today's grid. All "Betts" are off.<br /><br />A fun one to work on, if you like baseball. And there's the delightful extra: EJECTED. This happens in baseball more than all other sports combined, I think. When will they learn the rule: Thou Canst Not Argue Balls And Strikes!?<br /><br />I passed over TINA Fey last time for DOD; can't do that again. This may be a NYT debut, but this GOODEGG is definitely no beginner. Birdie.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5486496254404198792018-08-07T11:33:42.653-04:002018-08-07T11:33:42.653-04:00Lacking ECLAT. LETSSEE... No OLES, mostly meh. It ...Lacking ECLAT. LETSSEE... No OLES, mostly meh. It fails to PLEASE even just a TAD. SORRY. I've just got to LEI it on the line.thefogmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870509029973778266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19949693312901090182018-08-07T10:33:57.820-04:002018-08-07T10:33:57.820-04:00RED, WHITE, and BLUE and baseball for Independence...RED, WHITE, and BLUE and baseball for Independence Day Eve. That’s fine. Probably something more “patriotic” tomorrow. SaintLouisBlues woulda fit, but that’s hockey and more like the NATIONALPASTIME in TORONTO. The H.S. teams I played on were the BLUEJAYS, but the H.S. no longer exists and wouldn’t have fit, and nobody knows it.<br /><br />A coupla days before tis puz originally ran I was in CHICAGO and made my first trip to Wrigley to see the Cubs v. Twins. Fun place to watch the NATIONALPASTIME. Gotta make Fenway to see the BOSTON REDSOX.<br /><br />OLE says to give the yeah baby to a fully spelled out ISSARAE. It’s all HERS.<br /><br />Did not GROAN at the Canadian team. Play with what you’re DELT.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39739644867441056652018-08-07T09:18:44.568-04:002018-08-07T09:18:44.568-04:00EXPOS APART
SORRY I was CAUSTIC about your SLEEPI...EXPOS APART<br /><br />SORRY I was CAUSTIC about your SLEEPIN’ paradigm,<br />PLEASE, LET’SSEE the GREEK NATIONALPASTIME.<br /><br />--- PEDRO “BUNNY” PERES<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87619560721061972942018-07-04T11:54:24.219-04:002018-07-04T11:54:24.219-04:00@JohnX
“Why do people complain about American na...@JohnX <br /><br />“Why do people complain about American nationalist sentiment or patriotism? Have you been watching the World Cup? Those crowd celebrations look like mini Nuremburg Rallies.”<br /><br />Because patriotism and nationalism are two different things, with important distinctions. The inability to separate the two leads to conflict, war, and the slippery slope of fascism (which is a word that gets overused and conflated with naziism but is, in fact, a specific political philosophy employed in many places in the world to the detriment of a significant portion of the population of those countries... even to some of those who wildly support it).Kimberlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02269065328203543183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68433965803187230282018-07-04T11:22:53.467-04:002018-07-04T11:22:53.467-04:00Um. Why would Beach Bunny be ok if Ski Bunny is of...Um. Why would Beach Bunny be ok if Ski Bunny is offensive? Bugs or Fox Food both work.BarbieBarbienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47549701033184326142018-07-04T09:29:31.824-04:002018-07-04T09:29:31.824-04:00@Larry G (8:43)-- You're being facetious, righ...@Larry G (8:43)-- You're being facetious, right? There are much worse things than being called a SKI BUNNY. There's falling down the nanosecond you let go of whatever you were holding onto, not being able to get up on your own, freezing your ass off down there, and needing 3 people (at least they were all guys) to get you up. That was my first and last skiing experience (ca 1965, I think). It lasted no more than four minutes -- every minute of which was spent sprawled helplessly at the bottom of the Beginner's Slope at Van Cortland Park -- a public course in the Bronx. (At least I didn't waste any money in going to a fancy ski resort.) You can call me a SKI BUNNY as much as you like. I am a proud SKI BUNNY. Just say lots of nice things about my tennis game. And don't ask me to ever get back on skis again.<br /><br />Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16737377749030219974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19176530229767608802018-07-03T20:43:18.139-04:002018-07-03T20:43:18.139-04:00I am very familiar with what is called a BUNNY Hil...I am very familiar with what is called a BUNNY Hill. I chose to criticize the editor for its questionable appropriateness based on my experience at ski resorts. Calling someone a Ski BUNNY is not a compliment, even if that is the look you're going for. I even Googled it to corroborate my suspicion. NSFW. But, as clued, BUNNY Hill is pretty innocuous, in retrospect. What about Beach Bunny? Or, to be safe, clue Bugs BUNNY.Larry Gilstraphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15493069947477383208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39212877275898029332018-07-03T20:00:46.928-04:002018-07-03T20:00:46.928-04:00I dont have the figures at hand, but id be very su...I dont have the figures at hand, but id be very supriaed if Californias gdp IS ONLY TWICE Canadas. Were it an independent country Calis economy would be thw 5th biggest in the world. (Behind US, China, Germany and Japan)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53563834587923957952018-07-03T19:50:01.772-04:002018-07-03T19:50:01.772-04:00I'm surprised that none of the baseball fans h...I'm surprised that none of the baseball fans here have commented on the fact that the NY Mets are playing in Toronto on July 4th.JC66https://www.blogger.com/profile/05324615675333287919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91672538066174169112018-07-03T19:46:15.219-04:002018-07-03T19:46:15.219-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.JC66https://www.blogger.com/profile/05324615675333287919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89148414557605340332018-07-03T19:35:03.539-04:002018-07-03T19:35:03.539-04:00when I had civics or history or some other grade s...when I had civics or history or some other grade school class, some decades ago, we were told that 80% of Canadians lived within 200 miles of the US border. probably a bit less now, given the petro industry deeper north. but still, they might as well be the 51st state. for those interested, CA has twice the GDP, so Canada need only be a state.Banana Diaquirinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88038597234123628642018-07-03T18:49:10.176-04:002018-07-03T18:49:10.176-04:00Good commentary as usual!Good commentary as usual!Outside The Boxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07701774235535205077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17834356789701013502018-07-03T18:48:48.577-04:002018-07-03T18:48:48.577-04:00Agree with @Rex about the theme. One do-over: ame...Agree with @Rex about the theme. One do-over: america's PASTIME>Carolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15971759975067250908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60630508788524312132018-07-03T18:14:08.214-04:002018-07-03T18:14:08.214-04:00The operative word here is "patriotic", ...The operative word here is "patriotic", not "American League". This whole controversy could have been avoided with better editing. Cluing the theme answers as "A.L. team with a color found on the U.S. flag", or something like that, would have done the trick.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31838102141739970192018-07-03T17:36:16.113-04:002018-07-03T17:36:16.113-04:00As per usual, I skipped right past Rex and his ind...As per usual, I skipped right past Rex and his indignant army of tweeters who seemed to be both shocked and insulted today 1) on behalf of Canada? 2) on behalf of the good 'ol US of A? But it all had a happy ending, as it led to marvelous comments today from (in no particular order): @GILL (9:44); @pmdm (12:32); JOHN X (12:31); @RK Beatrice (10:36); @Z (9:06); @Anon (9:70); and @errhode (1:16). By stirring the pot (yet, again, always), Rex and tweeters provoked some colorful blog asides on both baseball and Canada that we probably wouldn't have had otherwise. And I also learned that we have some Canadians on this site, though by tomorrow morning I will have already forgotten which commenters they are. Good comments today, I thought.Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16737377749030219974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90663216052505872452018-07-03T17:34:00.642-04:002018-07-03T17:34:00.642-04:00Sure Toronto can be American. Back in 1979 or so, ...Sure Toronto can be American. Back in 1979 or so, when Lee Iaccoca moved Chrysler production over the river into Ontario and started sourcing his parts from Germany and Japan, he got wicked famous for his "Be American, Buy American" campaign and hailed all around the country as a hero of true Americans.<br /><br />I wonder if there'll be a 20% tariff on Chrysler vehicles soon? Not the Jeep, that's the one actually made in Detroit...Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67155875569580249072018-07-03T17:31:00.376-04:002018-07-03T17:31:00.376-04:00Liked the puzzle because I love baseball, the best...Liked the puzzle because I love baseball, the best sport ever invented. Anyone who says otherwise is itching for a fight. <br /><br />It's fine to include Toronto, proud members of the AL East. The only people who can't accept this probably think Canada burned down the White House. Playing their anthem is good too, it's a much better tune than our own.<br /><br />And while wer'e at it, I'm in favor of changing our national anthem to "America the Beautiful" and playing the Ray Charles version before sporting and other events. Singing along is optional but you have to sound a least a little like Ray.<br /><br />And that's enough opinions for today. Happy Fourth to everyone, and let's all of us suffering through the heat be careful out there.pabloinnhnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38361121119411650202018-07-03T16:59:21.537-04:002018-07-03T16:59:21.537-04:00So far. We'll see.So far. We'll see.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50336649105686443972018-07-03T16:21:22.251-04:002018-07-03T16:21:22.251-04:00I liked this puzzle a lot. I learned a couple thi...I liked this puzzle a lot. I learned a couple things: ECLAT, ISSA RAE. A lot of girl’s names now-a-days are new to me; when I was a boy, most were Susan, Linda, Elizabeth, etc. An unusual girl’s name was Paula. (Aside: I recently turned 74, so I’m allowed to say “when I was a boy…”. "Now-a-days" etc.)<br /><br />I see a math sub-theme, some with a little [help]:<br />CALC[ulus]<br />DOMAIN<br />AREA<br />BUNNY [slope]<br />DELT[a]<br />MINOR [axis]<br />LIN[e]<br />PRE[calc]<br />GREEK[∏,∑,∆]<br />SLIDE[rule] for the old timers<br /><br />No problem with a Canadian help for BLUE. They are allies, right?Monty Boyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03924320449868956299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81538308358946883792018-07-03T14:41:27.587-04:002018-07-03T14:41:27.587-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 1/2/2018 post for an explanation of my method. In a nutshell, the higher the ratio & percentage, the higher my solve time was relative to my norm for that day of the week. Your results may vary.<br /><br />(Day, Solve time, 26-wk Median, Ratio, %, Rating)<br /><br />Mon 4:35 4:30 1.02 54.6% Medium<br />Tue 4:07 5:21 0.77 4.9% Very Easy<br /><br />Baseball! Right up my alley. At first, I thought the theme might be teams with red, white and blue as their official colors and that my beloved Cleveland Indians might be in there somewhere. But no. It would have needed to be a 16 wide grid to fit that in.<br /><br />My only complaint is that it was over too fast (this was my 14th fastest solve of 469 NYT Tuesdays). Oh, and whatever the heck ISSARAE (50A) and "Insecure" are. With the exception of that answer, this was basically read clue, enter answer. My only erasure was entering 'trig' at 1A since it was the first math class that sprung to mind that abbreviates to four letters, although I know very well that it has nothing to do with calculating the slope of a line. I never even saw TINA (28D) or that would have been another answer I didn't know from the clue.sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74575604899976156682018-07-03T14:40:00.566-04:002018-07-03T14:40:00.566-04:00Don't get it. If you look at Canada with blue ...Don't get it. If you look at Canada with blue tinted glasses they seem pretty much American to me with the exception of the magnificent Quebecois. Come on USA let's include our friends and help them be freed of the Windsor shackles Saline Dionnoreply@blogger.com