tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post4083684960693586583..comments2024-03-28T12:23:36.637-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Chilean novelist Allende / TUE 1-31-12 / Victime of springtime hoax / MP3 player that weighs less than ounce / Newspaper puzzle with anagramsRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31338229794546397832012-03-06T20:36:36.599-05:002012-03-06T20:36:36.599-05:00P.S. The excerpt includes a recipe for "Reco...P.S. The excerpt includes a recipe for "Reconciliation Soup." I can attest to its effectiveness.Red Valerianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04638265039015470938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12532437079364111972012-03-06T20:24:19.401-05:002012-03-06T20:24:19.401-05:00Isabel Allende wrote the most amazing love-making ...Isabel Allende wrote the most amazing love-making guide/cookbook. <a href="http://isabelallende.com/ia/en/book/aphrodite/excerpt" rel="nofollow">Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses</a> <br /><br />Here's the first sentence: "I repent of my diets, the delicious dishes rejected out of vanity, as much as I lament the opportunities for making love that I let go by."<br /><br />You can read a different short excerpt at the link above. The book would, I think, appeal to practically everybody here--food and sex... what's not to like? <br /><br />(@Deb--unlike<i>Day of Honey</i>, it's not political, at least I don't remember it being)Red Valerianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04638265039015470938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47016693204185997672012-03-06T14:14:00.625-05:002012-03-06T14:14:00.625-05:00forgot to mention a chuckle as ISABEL (Allende, fr...forgot to mention a chuckle as ISABEL (Allende, from Chile) crossing with CHILISSolving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43089617382567589212012-03-06T14:11:02.813-05:002012-03-06T14:11:02.813-05:00Nice puzzle in spite of a couple of goofy fills.
...Nice puzzle in spite of a couple of goofy fills. <br /><br />Isabel Allende is an author I read because of my visits to Chile. I especially like "Ines of my Soul," a fictional account of the settling of Chile, and her take on "Zorro," one of my childhood favorite TV characters. I didn't realized she has published 18 books, a good body of work.Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27256413322241951522012-03-06T13:43:38.682-05:002012-03-06T13:43:38.682-05:00Right from the getgo: APEG was a new one on me. Bo...Right from the getgo: APEG was a new one on me. Both LONI and HEIGL crossing GIRLIE? Fantastic. ADJS was a tad unfortunate, but plainly unavoidable. And sorry, purists, but I like my CHILIS BEANED. You can still make it as hot as you want by adding more chili powder. (Please don't all flog me at once!)<br />Good Tuesday fare, and finished fast because of the &@$#^ presidential press conference. I didn't have The Price is Right to distract me.<br /><br />witraver: Our Fearless Leader.Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81736034419704780592012-03-06T11:31:53.772-05:002012-03-06T11:31:53.772-05:00THE DAILY JUMBLE DOES INDEED APPEAR IN THE LOS ANG...THE DAILY JUMBLE DOES INDEED APPEAR IN THE LOS ANGELES TIMES EACH AND EVERY DAY. LOOK IN THE BUSINESS SECTIONAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70257143999322568382012-02-01T01:18:30.759-05:002012-02-01T01:18:30.759-05:00This 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 6:11, 6:49, 0.91, 14%, Easy<br />Tue 7:46, 8:51, 0.88, 17%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:26, 3:40, 0.94, 25%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 4:07, 4:34, 0.90, 18%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15594154826722749812012-01-31T22:40:00.977-05:002012-01-31T22:40:00.977-05:00@fergus - I don't think that's the same Ma...@fergus - I don't think that's the same Martin. I think our Martin is a Californian, the one who's having a field day with Brooks is an Oregonean. Of course I could be wrong.<br /><br />I fear I may have introduced the whole "tribal" concept into the mix, from way back in a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/30/opinion/going-home-again.html?comments#permid=71" rel="nofollow">December</a> column.Peternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82213308745806133472012-01-31T21:57:13.270-05:002012-01-31T21:57:13.270-05:00btw -- is beloved, persnickety Martin also a fierc...btw -- is beloved, persnickety Martin also a fierce critic in writing to certain NYT editorialists? (Such a writing style seemed evident in response to David Brooks's latest homily.)fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39246690289705243462012-01-31T21:06:38.400-05:002012-01-31T21:06:38.400-05:00When we went to Tinker Tailor, etc. the audience w...When we went to Tinker Tailor, etc. the audience was mostly people over 50. If you remember the original on PBS, you were not disappointed. IF you blinked you missed something important and so many things left unanswered or unresolved, just like life.quilter1https://www.blogger.com/profile/09569747169212018177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47734255156684023042012-01-31T20:40:30.370-05:002012-01-31T20:40:30.370-05:00@Aúlr, thanks for the DAILY JUMBLE link, it does N...@Aúlr, thanks for the DAILY JUMBLE link, it does NOT appear next to the LAT crossword or anywhere else in my local paper. @fergus, a good point, I think I remember ONCE that I found two solutions to a set of letters.<br /><br />I had a different issue with 63A...after getting the MIX first I plopped in gatOrADEMIX at first since I'm a bit more familiar with that. Thanks Doug, a good one!skua76https://www.blogger.com/profile/15450051465313263422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68974248794008036252012-01-31T20:03:22.150-05:002012-01-31T20:03:22.150-05:00Despite the stupid cartoons, the DAILY JUMBLE'...Despite the stupid cartoons, the DAILY JUMBLE's status should be raised a notch. The cleverness I've most noticed is that there is a single, isolated soution to each set of scrambled letters. As an anagram enthusiast (and player of refrigerator alphabet magnet games) that continual production is worthy of some respect.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65536464794930804122012-01-31T19:42:02.582-05:002012-01-31T19:42:02.582-05:00@fergus - I should come clean, too. I'm like ...@fergus - I should come clean, too. I'm like a deer in the headlights with the Jumble. I completely buy into the fiendishly clever way they organize the letters (talk about misdirects!), and can hardly ever figure out the word. My husband, who has never done a crossword in his life, kills me every time in a Jumble show-down.Loren Muse Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05308030011870397977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2288913009247769352012-01-31T19:23:39.977-05:002012-01-31T19:23:39.977-05:00While I still don't get ADJS, I found this to ...While I still don't get ADJS, I found this to be quite an elegant puzzle. When I'm finished and haven't figured out the theme I'll spend a trice wondering what it was and usually don't care. Then when I read this blog I'll find there's also some extra artistry I hadn't noticed. <br /><br />Recalling another Seinfeld episode where the self-abasing doorman presumes that Elaine would disdain his devotion to the JUMBLE made me feel just a tad odd. If I attempt it (once or twice a week), I am ususally surprised at how much more it vexes me than the Xword. Even a Friday or Saturday puzzle. This probably indicates that capable solving is a matter of habit more than it is of innate ability.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1250040617177009112012-01-31T18:01:38.985-05:002012-01-31T18:01:38.985-05:00We get to see "Jeopardy" early here--Wil...We get to see "Jeopardy" early here--Will Shortz made the big time! He made "Jeopardy" in the form of a question!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18610008033221578272012-01-31T17:50:51.588-05:002012-01-31T17:50:51.588-05:00@boys -- I understand your point completely, and i...@boys -- I understand your point completely, and it is well put. I was actually hoping that it was an old brain teaser with a clever answer (that I didn't get)!Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09709142959535977331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9194224210455508822012-01-31T16:49:20.177-05:002012-01-31T16:49:20.177-05:00@John LeCarre - well put indeed...@John LeCarre - well put indeed...Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81753621833840919332012-01-31T16:43:12.665-05:002012-01-31T16:43:12.665-05:00@Sanfranman me too. But I took Anonymous's ad...@Sanfranman me too. But I took Anonymous's advice and preview first and then type the captcha.chefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7002951686247087712012-01-31T16:42:04.698-05:002012-01-31T16:42:04.698-05:00Two easy puzzles in a row! Good for the ego....Two easy puzzles in a row! Good for the ego....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4854391275295978502012-01-31T16:38:08.556-05:002012-01-31T16:38:08.556-05:00@Mr Benson - That's not a coincidence. We cons...@Mr Benson - That's not a coincidence. We constructors are paid handsomely for sticking promos into our puzzles. Besides a payment from the NY Times for today's puzzle, I'm expecting checks from Apple, the Daily Jumble syndicate, Country Time Lemonade, and Katherine Heigl's publicist. So go out and see her new movie! The reviews are spectacular.Doug Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04235359276440866774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17263135262428356422012-01-31T16:23:44.879-05:002012-01-31T16:23:44.879-05:00Interesting that Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl ar...Interesting that Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl are the Word of the Day on back-to-back days. Knocked Up was hilarious.Mr. Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12507031178939980974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90370408645488217032012-01-31T16:10:14.723-05:002012-01-31T16:10:14.723-05:00@sanfranman59 - same here. They now seem to want a...@sanfranman59 - same here. They now seem to want a new captcha if you preview.<br /><br />As always, I suggest that anyone at least copy his/her msg to the clipboard before doing ANYTHING online.retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37926379821154383722012-01-31T16:07:20.267-05:002012-01-31T16:07:20.267-05:00@sanfranman - Save the Pain answered that question...@sanfranman - Save the Pain answered that question earlier.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37720851567775649522012-01-31T16:00:19.100-05:002012-01-31T16:00:19.100-05:00Midday 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 />Tue 7:45, 8:51, 0.88, 16%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Tue 4:14, 4:34, 0.93, 28%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Is anyone else having an issue the "Word Verification" thing lately? I usually preview my message before posting it. After I do so, it doesn't prompt me to enter a "captcha" word. If I then click "Publish Your Comment", it used to post the message. But now it comes back and prompts me to enter another "captcha" word. On more than one occasion over the past couple of weeks, I haven't noticed that and I've ended up losing my message. Is this only happening to me?sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70364083400457655292012-01-31T15:34:48.213-05:002012-01-31T15:34:48.213-05:00@John Le Carre -- Nicely said.
@Deb -- Unless you...@John Le Carre -- Nicely said.<br /><br />@Deb -- Unless your mother can trace her roots back to the mongols I guess we need to agree to disagree.jaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.com