tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post5076063647498566082..comments2024-03-29T03:22:09.826-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Shield border — WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12 2009 — Novel of 1851 / Warhol associate Sedgwick / Eponymous French physicist / Onetime Asiatic nomadsRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21360352898256583652009-09-17T05:01:38.887-04:002009-09-17T05:01:38.887-04:00All things considered, I really liked this puzzle....All things considered, I really liked this puzzle. I liked the <i>Moby Dick</i> theme and was <i>very</i> impressed by how Collins and Krozel managed to work in "Call me Ishmael" on the diagonal.<br /><br />You and other readers rightly point to certain clumsy aspects of the puzzle. It's true that swallows are insectivores, but I usually assume that creators of NYT crosswords tend to be humanities types, so I'm not insistent on total scientific accuracy.<br /><br />I also didn't like the fact that SRO was not clued as an abbreviation. If they had wanted to skip the notice of an abbreviation, they could have said something like "Tijuana Brass album". I think that would be an appropriate clue for a Wednesday puzzle. Even though I figured it out from the crosses, I was still left wondering why getting slapped with a statutory restraining order was a "sign of success".<br /><br />Like another poster, I originally guessed EDENIC for IRENIC, but that wasn't too bad to write over.<br /><br />Despite your reservations about the use of "eponymous", it really helped me with 13-D. I had written in ACNE, and I was stumped as to the name of a French physicist starting with "A". Then I considered the word "eponymous" and realized that it was a physicist who had something important named after him, and then it hit me that it must be Ampère.Nullifidianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15207390447020990907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80533546847096021012009-09-16T15:58:46.506-04:002009-09-16T15:58:46.506-04:00Mrs. Captain Ahab: Love the word "derp."...Mrs. Captain Ahab: Love the word "derp."slypetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537129206516720012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45540779990643946712009-09-16T15:45:26.879-04:002009-09-16T15:45:26.879-04:00OMG. I haven't finished the bonus puzzle yet (...OMG. I haven't finished the bonus puzzle yet (thank you!!!) but seriously..."Sonny of Cher"?!? ROTF. Love it. <br /><br />As for the NYT today (buried in the Living, excuse me, How We Live section of the Oregonian today) I was only mildly impressed. Learned lots of new words, like IRENIC (my personal word of the day), ROLEO and and ORLE. And like many others got CAPTAIN AHAB from just the AB at the end. Stupidly, it took me like ten minutes to come up with the book title he was in. Derp.Mrs Captain Ahabnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91579838626429831362009-09-16T14:21:35.933-04:002009-09-16T14:21:35.933-04:00Got an education today when I looked to find Mr. D...Got an education today when I looked to find Mr. Der. Remarkable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69585015201437687662009-09-16T13:36:36.633-04:002009-09-16T13:36:36.633-04:00Okay, the bonus is done. Suspected there would be...Okay, the bonus is done. Suspected there would be insider references that only the dedicatee(s) would get, but that wasn't the case. Some references a little obscure for me, but that's no surprise. Really got stuck at 53A, 36D, and 54D. Had no idea about Chaz and elf minus acht threw me for a long loop. Should have gotten 53A sooner. Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33177779670316816252009-09-16T13:25:23.145-04:002009-09-16T13:25:23.145-04:00Also from the syndic:
Thanks very much for the bon...Also from the syndic:<br />Thanks very much for the bonus coverage, Rex. Fun puzzle to do, (der I say it?) even though I had to Google the 9A, 9D intersection.Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44108779461472212502009-09-16T12:29:45.202-04:002009-09-16T12:29:45.202-04:00Swallows? Birdseed? Shame on the wordsmiths. My...Swallows? Birdseed? Shame on the wordsmiths. My 11 year old son caught this one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9992244454969633052009-09-16T11:58:27.710-04:002009-09-16T11:58:27.710-04:00JJAudubon, those seed eating swallows ired me too....JJAudubon, those seed eating swallows ired me too. I thought of every flying insect I could to no avail. So swallows swallo insects and uh...water! The only thing that even fit was birdspit! Granted folks that like bird's nest soup swallow swallow spiti, I still dunno what a bpat,rilo, or a ats iz. Ruined a good puzzle, kinda makes me wanta...wanta.. makes me wanta spit!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26179170389489434002009-09-16T10:01:50.717-04:002009-09-16T10:01:50.717-04:00From the land of syndication. Thanks for the bonus...From the land of syndication. Thanks for the bonus puzzle. I'll try it later on a break. I'm always happy when I solve a puzzle. I had many of the same problems and had to guess a lot in the NE corner. Never read the book, but knew enough to get the theme answers pretty quickly and the slant helped me this time. Had to laugh at last comment post. Way back when, I took analytic geometry in high school but I couldn't remember the name. I wanted to cram the word, algebraic, in there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43987931283025431602009-08-13T13:52:23.064-04:002009-08-13T13:52:23.064-04:00I originally had "OR THE WHITE WHALE" do...I originally had "OR THE WHITE WHALE" down the middle. Well, foolish me, the full title is actually "MOBY DICK, or the Whale".<br /><br />Noam: The NYT 5 letter limit is for multiword partials only. You did notice the fill-ins for HATRED and NAPOLI? Over the years, there have been some badly contorted clues to get past the 5 letter limit. I'd prefer if WILLz simply allowed the rare exception (say, one a month). In some sense, I don't believe the metaclue (this fill-in is one word) belongs in the puzzle.<br /><br />There was a time ANALYTIC geometry was taught as part of a regular calculus class, but I think that has mostly disappeared. It's not even pre-calculus anymore. A few years ago I made the mistake of assuming second year Ivy League Calculus IV students would <i>of course</i> recognize the equation of an ellipse and hyperbola. That didn't go well.william e embanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15378058844844323442009-08-13T00:22:30.240-04:002009-08-13T00:22:30.240-04:00Tired. Very happy about the dog. Not that happy ab...Tired. Very happy about the dog. Not that happy about the puzzle, which seemed way too much work for a Wed. (but that might just be me).<br /><br />Have read -- and admire -- the book in question. Strangely enough, also like the film adaptation. Since Gregory Peck is also in "To Kill a Mockingbird," maybe we can draw the conclusion: All good Hollywood adaptations of novels star Gregory Peck.Stanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02681342234536407419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59044126181419744752009-08-13T00:06:59.848-04:002009-08-13T00:06:59.848-04:00@NDE: Hurrah for cheder!@NDE: Hurrah for cheder!slypetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537129206516720012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16419474703206221052009-08-13T00:03:26.118-04:002009-08-13T00:03:26.118-04:00@Anon @ 4:54 PM
...
Making the word play using s...@Anon @ 4:54 PM<br /><br />...<br /><br />Making the word play using swallow as a verb was fun. Other bird verbs that come to mind...<br />Crow<br />Duck<br />Crane<br /><br />Squeek the Anonymouse<br /><br />...<br /><br />Gosh, Squeek, you left out the best one: Goose. (Blush...)<br /><br />***<br /><br />Perhaps Exacerbating an Expired Equine again (sorry I can't do better at augmenting the alliteration), in this case what seems to be my pet hobby-horse:<br /><br />How much is it expected that an abbreviation be hinted at within the clue? Is this documented anywhere? If it is to be taken seriously, how can "54D Sign of success = SRO" (Standing Room Only, not Single Room Occupancy as of last week) not be indicated as an an abbreviation? It can't even be pronounced as a word; how can it be clued as one?<br /><br />Not Just Askin' -- hopin' someone will answer.<br /><br />Larry the less-and-less LurkerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44285454007993099092009-08-12T22:18:39.327-04:002009-08-12T22:18:39.327-04:00Yes, nice to find that central I in all three phra...Yes, nice to find that central I in all three phrases — and with convenient letters nearby for a triple-cross.<br /><br />Nice to span two of those words with 2D:ANALYTIC, and to give the "____ geometry" connection, but is that really a college course these days? Used to be pre-calculus... BTW, does the clue violate the obscure taboo against >5 letter partials or does that only forbid multi-word entries? There are certainly other ways to clue "analytic".<br /><br />Speaking about obscure partials, not sure how I feel about 52D:ABRA. It certainly <i>looks</i> terrible, but I can imagine a magician saying "ABRA... Cadabra!"; "ABRAC" and "ABRACADAB" wouldn't be as credible (though "ABRAC" can be obtained as another partial, "bric-_____"). In some alternate universe "MASSA... Chusetts!" works the same way. MASSACHU, no way (Gesundheit!).<br /><br />Yes, Barak and Olmert (30A) are plural, but the plural should be EHUDIM ! :-)<br /><br />NDENoam D. Elkiesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47514364579980485122009-08-12T22:01:44.937-04:002009-08-12T22:01:44.937-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=35115061&postID=3588389571383499624&isPopup=true" rel="nofollow">7/30/2009 post</a> for an explanation. 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, 6:59, 0.93, 32%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 9:34, 8:35, 1.11, 82%, Challenging<br />Wed 14:01, 12:41, 1.10, 79%, Medium-Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:32, 3:43, 0.95, 42%, Medium<br />Tue 4:49, 4:25, 1.09, 77%, Medium-Challenging<br />Wed 6:54, 6:11, 1.12, 84%, Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9117588951964058532009-08-12T21:52:16.076-04:002009-08-12T21:52:16.076-04:0074-40 was the Expos record on Aug 12, 1994. Best i...74-40 was the Expos record on Aug 12, 1994. Best in baseball. Then the strike. 15 years later, Youppi remembers.Jeffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01699404861773455504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75569007021163080942009-08-12T21:38:16.523-04:002009-08-12T21:38:16.523-04:00I had to laugh at edith b's comment about Wide...I had to laugh at edith b's comment about <b>Wide World of Sports</b> and how the <b>X Games</b> seems to be a conflation of all those trash sports the WWS used to broadcast.<br /><br />Brava, edith!Bill from NJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10103923612595508277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20963133885616666882009-08-12T21:19:01.544-04:002009-08-12T21:19:01.544-04:00@Greene - thanks so much for the Jerry Orbach clip...@Greene - thanks so much for the Jerry Orbach clip. I actually got to see him in that production - what a wonderful performer. Sorely missed!JannieBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18282015159638078416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79280641979875482792009-08-12T20:44:46.152-04:002009-08-12T20:44:46.152-04:00@edith b
Your comment on "Wide World of Spor...@edith b<br /><br />Your comment on "Wide World of Sports" brought back memories of my days (early '70's) at a TV station in upstate NY.<br /><br />My assignment was to find "new sporting events" for local coverage. <br /><br />Turned out that WWS had taken out an option for virtually every event I contacted, right down to the "Schenectady Curling Club".<br /><br />Wound up covering the "Jack Shea Memorial Bowling Tournament" that year.<br /><br />.../GlitchGlitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14940000404613329056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83960883488892500782009-08-12T20:41:05.990-04:002009-08-12T20:41:05.990-04:00Am I the only one out there who hated this puzzle....Am I the only one out there who hated this puzzle. Got the theeme relatively quickly, but didn't know ORBACH, disliked YESSED, grumbled at IRENIC (for a Wednesday) and never saw what that damn SLANT was all about before coming here. <br /><br />A painful experience in my book.Ceanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31670354009817961102009-08-12T20:11:06.758-04:002009-08-12T20:11:06.758-04:00Great, lovely puzzle. Fun and interesting to solve...Great, lovely puzzle. Fun and interesting to solve.<br />Great also to be back in the US and checking out the ever-interesting comments in the fabulous world of Rex Parker.<br /><br />Love you always Rex!mexgirlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23159490066152661642009-08-12T19:22:15.154-04:002009-08-12T19:22:15.154-04:00@fikink-
I seem to remember BIRL referring to log...@fikink-<br /><br />I seem to remember BIRL referring to log-rolling in a puzzle a couple of years ago. I'm not sure it was a NYT puzzle or not.<br /><br />My husband was addicted to "Wide World of Sports" on Sunday afternoons twenty-five years ago and they used to highlight so-called "trash sports" like log-rolling and demolition derby.<br /><br />All those "trash sports" have been rolled into one and called XGames now.edith bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12048817959846956992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-859454341884734102009-08-12T18:28:21.717-04:002009-08-12T18:28:21.717-04:00@Ulrich: I, too, love Barbara Pym and W.E.Sebald. ...@Ulrich: I, too, love Barbara Pym and W.E.Sebald. Years ago a fellow English teacher and I swapped and read all her books. My favorite Sebalds are Vertigo Austerlitz. Hated he died so early.<br /><br />My most difficult section was the NW. I could not come up with FIGHT for a long time. Also did not see the significance of the slant: CALL ME ISHMAEL. If I had done it on paper, I might have seen it. I'm at the beach and had to use my Mac, which is not my favorite solving mode.bookmarknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48228153086203626482009-08-12T17:34:54.367-04:002009-08-12T17:34:54.367-04:00@ Rex, I am so sorry to hear about your dog. I cou...@ Rex, I am so sorry to hear about your dog. I couldn't imagine that I would miss it in your write-ups being the animal lover I am. I finally hit your Twitter link and read the news. I truly hope for a quick recovery. What a frightening experience. I have had a few close calls with those nasty beasts. Now I carry bear spray when we walk or go to the dog park.<br />Again, sorry for you all.Two Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53328227238644203182009-08-12T17:05:29.718-04:002009-08-12T17:05:29.718-04:00@JJ %^&*$ Audobon: My bad--since I hate it whe...@JJ %^&*$ Audobon: My bad--since I hate it when people don't read what has been written before, I have been hating myself (and everybody who made the same point after me) all day already, and there are still hrs to go...<br /><br />@Glitch: My bad again--didn't realize that nobody here except for me had read the damned thing from beginning to end--well, we now have a second brave soul, namely...<br /><br />...@Charles: You really put into words why I find the book so addictive<br /><br />and @PIX: Given the above, I'm having second thoughts--maybe the short version would be too short?:-)Ulrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02086202853174403008noreply@blogger.com