tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post427796989906194067..comments2024-03-29T08:57:48.742-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Mentalist Geller / TUE 12-10-19 / Last O.G. network / Dippable snack item / Lizard in insurance ads / Savory quality as from MSGRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42575128073937441552020-01-14T19:25:02.867-05:002020-01-14T19:25:02.867-05:00I was going to post something about that south-PAW...I was going to post something about that south-PAW, but LMS did such a good job that I wont even try.<br /><br />ARSEstraylinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13536180563789923012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5134451043264185962020-01-14T19:24:21.020-05:002020-01-14T19:24:21.020-05:00This must be the week for gridspanners. Time will ...This must be the week for gridspanners. Time will tell.<br /><br />For anyone who cares, every post yesterday after @Burma Shave was removed by a blog administrator. What did we say?<br /><br />I was going to go GAGA, but the OLSEN twins win by an extra nose. (NEVE has been and/or will be in town to film a movie, so a yeah baby alert to keep ABREASTOF).<br /><br />I suppose that poking the bear might help to keep quality up, but I didn't see much here to complain about, especially for a Tues-puz. But nobody ASKED me.<br /><br />BTW, if anyone saw my SHERRI and LAURIE post on Sunday, I saw LAURIE last night and she buried her father today.<br /><br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64001447030619731492020-01-14T17:18:55.088-05:002020-01-14T17:18:55.088-05:00Oh, thematically, meant to include the Brit that g...Oh, thematically, meant to include the Brit that got knocked on his ARSE. leftcoasternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56786606657531720852020-01-14T17:14:08.394-05:002020-01-14T17:14:08.394-05:00Clever, consistent theme that also tends to write ...Clever, consistent theme that also tends to write itself in. So pretty easy as well as smooth and good . <br /><br />The fill also includes some related "brawl" words including APOP, MOUTH off, PELT, and the milder SPAT. <br /><br />ACNED seemed an awkward answer to its "Benefiting from" the treatment clue.<br /><br />AMAIN is fine as "full speed" (nautical?), but slowed down the solve a bit with first encounter with KIM on kids' TV .<br /><br /><br /><br />leftcoasternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-780820572069871662020-01-14T15:20:54.294-05:002020-01-14T15:20:54.294-05:00Lots to like in this puzzle, and not much to pick ...Lots to like in this puzzle, and not much to pick nits about. I think ACNED is colourful use of the language. <br /><br />The theme was just fine, with common phrases used within specific contexts. Not really "punny", but pretty funny in all three. As a bonus the fill was varied and thoughtfully clued.<br /><br />In all, the puzzle FEEDS my appreciation of constructor skill.rainforestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59291646517040921072020-01-14T11:25:41.211-05:002020-01-14T11:25:41.211-05:00Still one more female name to further crowd the DO...Still one more female name to further crowd the DOD stage: Lady GAGA! She's BUILT, she gets there first at 1a, she wins!<br /><br />3d was a...well, you know. I had fun with this one, ACNED and ABREASTOF aside. AP's are bad enough; a nine-letter one is not very TASTY. But there's a ton of great stuff here. Oh, isn't Ann-Margaret's last name OLSEN? Honorable mention, at least! One blemish for writing GIVEOut before OFF. I agree with the easy-medium rating, but not the final score. I'd love to say Mr. Berlin EAGLED this hole, but the ARTSY ACNED and 33d force a DOWNGRADE to birdie.spacecrafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09125304293611865503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60119993406771194912020-01-14T10:44:45.509-05:002020-01-14T10:44:45.509-05:00ICEE CITE
SON, ISAW ABREASTOF a well-BUILT CROOK,...ICEE CITE<br /><br />SON, ISAW ABREASTOF a well-BUILT CROOK,<br />WIFE said, “NACHO chest”, and ADDS, “NACHO NOOK.”<br /><br />--- PAW OLSEN<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70679660316355362002019-12-19T00:49:41.159-05:002019-12-19T00:49:41.159-05:00if you want to improve your site rankings you have...<br /><br /><a href="https://digital-marketing-services.com/" rel="nofollow">if you want to improve your site rankings you have to create quality backlinks</a>digitalmarketingserviceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778156430048553061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46227400235511425422019-12-16T21:51:29.087-05:002019-12-16T21:51:29.087-05:00Great contributions from M&A today. Liked the ...Great contributions from M&A today. Liked the puzzle for the same reasons as LMS. Not sure why the real housewives of Atlanta are to be admired while Trump is to be reviled for similar behavior.kitshefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10014225555838850414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72153875537606159152019-12-10T23:34:28.770-05:002019-12-10T23:34:28.770-05:00The couplet I always heard was “Leaflets three, le...The couplet I always heard was “Leaflets three, leave them be”. And I look for shininess. And the “thumb” of the mitten on the leaves. And I still fall foul of the stuff. As @Gill I says, it can be a vine. Or a bush. Or just a low-lying plant. I think I've run into them all, but never consciously.Teedmnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12832353448839187816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13311958630293208122019-12-10T21:41:36.582-05:002019-12-10T21:41:36.582-05:00There's been a lot of Chandler quoted on the b...There's been a lot of Chandler quoted on the blog today, and I read all of the passages with much interest. But my vote for the very best line cited here comes from @MJB at 1:05 p.m.:<br /><br />"Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husband's necks."<br /><br />What a marvelous line! Why it's enough to make me abandon my lifelong passion for Dame Agatha and read me some Chandler. I must have read some of him back in the day -- I ran the Literary Guild's Mystery Guild for five years, for heaven's sake -- but I don't really remember the Chandler books at all. I only remember Bogie in the films: Bogie who was sometimes Sam Spade and sometimes Philip Marlowe and I never remember which one in which film. They sort of seemed like the same person, to tell the truth.<br /><br />Always, I've preferred well-plotted closed-room whodunits to hard-boiled detective stories. From what's been quoted here I see that Chandler could write rings around Christie. But Christie gives you fabulous puzzles with ingenious twists. She creates her characters with a few broad strokes and they all have their full two dimensions. That's all I want or require in a mystery. Beautifully wrought prose just slows the reader down in getting to the denouement. <br /><br />Still, if someone I respect as much as @Quasi thinks that "The Long Goodbye" is The Great American Novel, I'm going to order it from the library, by gum!Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16737377749030219974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62162321997869009492019-12-10T17:48:05.990-05:002019-12-10T17:48:05.990-05:00@Teedmn....When my parents shipped me off to "...@Teedmn....When my parents shipped me off to "Circle F Due Ranch Camp For Boys and Girls" in Lake Wales, Fl. our sweet counselor made us recite the following: <br />"Leaves of three, let it be"<br />"Berries white, run in fright"<br />"Hairy vine, no friend of mine"<br />( I had to look it up because I forgot it). No mind. I never knew the difference between the Ivy or the Poison Oak. It grows everywhere. I now know that IVY is hairy and Oak has hairs on both sides. Is there anyone on this earth that hasn't been infected with this virus? I'm actually OK with spiders and snakes, but the ivy/oak poisons makes me itch even now, thinking about it. GILL I.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05605766053820226324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84834719727273936652019-12-10T17:25:13.202-05:002019-12-10T17:25:13.202-05:00Raymond Chandler evokes smokey, scotch ... See. E...Raymond Chandler evokes smokey, scotch ... See. Even I can't write one sentence as well as he.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72514472985906320242019-12-10T16:47:34.273-05:002019-12-10T16:47:34.273-05:00FWIW, I think of a 'tortilla CHIP' as some...FWIW, I think of a 'tortilla CHIP' as something to dip, but a NACHO CHIP (34D: Dippable snack item) as something that's already slathered with dip, cheese and other toppings and, therefore, doesn't require any dipping.sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48929975012853589022019-12-10T14:37:23.807-05:002019-12-10T14:37:23.807-05:00What, no woman count today? Dido, Neve, Maude, Re...What, no woman count today? Dido, Neve, Maude, Reba, Kim, wife must have met the quota today, or we might have seen 1A as a woman and 20A as 2 women instead of a [gasp] fake man.<br />I only come here for the unbiased statistics.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89042907951488571162019-12-10T14:12:34.256-05:002019-12-10T14:12:34.256-05:00Anyone else go with peroxide blond before acceptin...Anyone else go with peroxide blond before accepting acned?GHarrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79105608767129078962019-12-10T13:57:41.013-05:002019-12-10T13:57:41.013-05:00@jberg. I'm from Chicago, and sure, you can pl...@jberg. I'm from Chicago, and sure, you can pluralize El or L. "the weather was terrible, but the Els were running." @teedmn, poison ivy, of course, has 3 leaves, and the middle stem is usually longer than the others. Of course, there are other plants with 3 leaves, so just go by the adage, "leave them be."chuck whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07092257880437928937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9111865378590577122019-12-10T13:50:30.975-05:002019-12-10T13:50:30.975-05:00Thought for sure the king and queen were gonna som...Thought for sure the king and queen were gonna somehow royally crown someone.bertorayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07968285190093714300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2897854526681909442019-12-10T13:48:27.602-05:002019-12-10T13:48:27.602-05:00Validate yourself.Validate yourself.Geezernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-507963341321783222019-12-10T13:39:02.295-05:002019-12-10T13:39:02.295-05:00I did the online version and got everything right ...I did the online version and got everything right but still got the 'error' message. Anyone else? I've checked and rechecked.Photomattehttp://mattemrichphoto.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28074388721909025002019-12-10T13:36:49.201-05:002019-12-10T13:36:49.201-05:00p.s.
And at the big brawl, the dukes LOOKEDOUTFORT...p.s.<br />And at the big brawl, the dukes LOOKEDOUTFORTHECOUNT.<br />Sorry. Couldn't resist steppin back into the frey, to deliver that blow.<br /><br />M&AlsoMasked and Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16346263641338670679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19549995908476105142019-12-10T13:32:48.953-05:002019-12-10T13:32:48.953-05:00IDLY - I would love to see this clued as an Indian...IDLY - I would love to see this clued as an Indian Bread. It would be a real twofer: A clue for "idly” that does not involve inaction and an answer for Indian bread that is nether Nasn nor Roti. Richardf8https://www.blogger.com/profile/17529101042863259910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47658865753211377872019-12-10T13:32:26.208-05:002019-12-10T13:32:26.208-05:00I hate boxing, but loved the theme. The King and Q...I hate boxing, but loved the theme. The King and Queen putting up their dukes made me chuckle. <br /><br />Agree 100% that ACNED is a terrible word, but I loved getting Rex's story. I read a little Chandler when I briefly thought I should read some of the classic mysteries - but was reminded that with a few exceptions, I don't actually like mysteries as a genre. Haven't read Ross McDonald at all.<br /><br />Did not fall into the vidi trap, though I considered it.<br /><br />I knew the New York Times crossword puzzle believes that ARTSY means pretentious, but not that gorged is the same thing as ATE.<br /><br />Disliked AMAIN, though I think I knew it from nautical literature.tea73https://www.blogger.com/profile/04949792626860120963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57892445752075950282019-12-10T13:29:40.258-05:002019-12-10T13:29:40.258-05:00I LOVED the puzzle. Clever, well crafted, amusing,...I LOVED the puzzle. Clever, well crafted, amusing, and Tuesday Easy. <br /><br />Except for ACNED, which prompted the best digression in any Rex column I have ever read. I went through a Ross MacDonald phase a few decades ago. And by the time I got to the last of them, I was ready to throw the paperback against the wall. Were ever better plots composed by a worse writer? The books are still buried in the mystery section of my library, but so bad is the taste RMD left in my mouth, I have never picked them up again. Unlike Chandler, or Christie, or (now) Winspear. Maisie Dobbs is the best character ever created. The plots? Not so great, but the elegant writing more than makes up for the defective machinery. I feel the same about all of Dickens except for A Tsle of Two Cities. <br /><br />When I read about BRAWLs, I am brought back to when I used to take a class in playing the recorder, and how delighted I was to find a "branle" was a musical version of a free fight. old timernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5164292343387632522019-12-10T13:25:51.459-05:002019-12-10T13:25:51.459-05:00And they are very fattening…laden with evil ingred...And they are very fattening…laden with evil ingredients.<br /><br />You’re welcome.<br /><br />juanito john towlenoreply@blogger.com