tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post5091239131907488114..comments2024-03-29T08:29:03.952-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: TUESDAY, Feb. 24, 2008 - S. A. Anderson (1989 Bond Girl Bouvier / Professzor Rubik / Steely Dan's stellar seller / Slacker's bane)Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59677802474273815562009-03-31T20:55:00.000-04:002009-03-31T20:55:00.000-04:00Interesting bit of blogging. Enjoyed the various ...Interesting bit of blogging. Enjoyed the various comments and descriptions of "peg" as a baseball term. I am an 80 year old vet with many, years of amateur, professional and semiprofessional experience with a baseball and I have listened to broadcasts since Bobby Feller was the fireball pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. You know, like I played the sport for over 45 years and have been involved in coaching it since 1953. With that, let me say the last time I ever heard the word peg as a baseball term was when I was a preteenager who snuck into the fair grounds for the purpose of shagging fly balls and collecting broken bats to be repaired and used as my own. Way back then the word peg only had to do with "peg that ball in here" as one player would say to another when playing catch or warming up. I have never heard the term used as being any specific "peg" to any base from any specific location on the field of play thus the example in the clue of being "hard throws to first base, say" means absolutely nothing. I would wager, even you Met fans, have never, ever heard the word peg to describe any throw of a baseball during any radio or TV broadcast be it recent or age-old.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17955953658123719492009-03-31T14:25:00.000-04:002009-03-31T14:25:00.000-04:00@Orange - 5 weeks ago:Yes, the term Eskimo is gene...@Orange - 5 weeks ago:<BR/>Yes, the term Eskimo is generally not used any longer here in Canada and would be considered offensive except - one of the 8 teams in the Canadian Football League (CFL) is still known as the Edmonton Eskimos. (We can be as hypocritical as those Americans who find the term Redskins beyond the pale (so to speak) but have no problem with the Washington Redskins NFL franchise name.)Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1586220585421905512009-03-31T13:07:00.000-04:002009-03-31T13:07:00.000-04:00Five weeks later -- I wonder if the clue for 51A g...Five weeks later -- I wonder if the clue for 51A got changed. The preceding discussion seem to indicate a lot of upset with an infield throw being an "PEG". The clue in my paper doesn't say anything about where the throw to first originated. <BR/><BR/>I got thrown for a bit on both 6A and 28A. I didn't detect a hint that 6A should be a contraction for that 28A wasn't an abbreviation. Also the G.P.S. (Global Positioning System) really doesn't offer a map. It offers a location which is then, often, shown on a map.<BR/><BR/>Ah well, I managed to solve the puzzle and enjoyed it in the process anyway.boardbtrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15793522681881473862009-03-09T08:02:00.000-04:002009-03-09T08:02:00.000-04:00I think that the Stelly Dan album should be Aja? ...I think that the Stelly Dan album should be Aja? I love your blog and educational comments. Thank you for providing reason for my Dad and I to communicate over coffee :-)Rebeccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10317031618782516326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3444185742652853832009-02-25T07:15:00.000-05:002009-02-25T07:15:00.000-05:00For the record, I wasn't thinking that AMIGO might...For the record, I wasn't thinking that AMIGO might be offensive, but the Sombrero-wearing part. I wouldn't want to be called "conical hat"-wearing, myself. I'm not so easily offended in real life, but I feel like the NYT crossword goes out of its way not to be offensive to anyone, and I guess it bothers me when things that have been deemed to be inoffensive to all and perfectly PC have some amount of callousness in them, particularly toward groups that are routinely subjected to prejudice in this country. I guess with this puzzle I felt a bit like I was talking to my grandfather or something :).jubjubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00149213213886604843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4290050189501984072009-02-25T02:56:00.000-05:002009-02-25T02:56:00.000-05:00@Karen, thanks for the info on Mohs scale; I alway...@Karen, thanks for the info on Mohs scale; I always think of hurricanes when scales are in the balance. Hm?<BR/>Had "tip" for tax and I refuse to learn bridge, period. What's up with that "one no"? Rex, thanks for Marge Simpson's maiden name. To date, I have never seen an episode of the Simpsons or tasted Snapple. I'm a hold-out, y'all.<BR/>This puzzle was onerous (oneno???)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-61236966682852545852009-02-24T20:51:00.000-05:002009-02-24T20:51:00.000-05:00Oh, why not call KP kvetching pfc's and let it go ...Oh, why not call KP kvetching pfc's and let it go at that? :-)retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31475015419175959612009-02-24T20:34:00.000-05:002009-02-24T20:34:00.000-05:00my husband the marine has assured me...KP= kitchen...my husband the marine has assured me...KP= kitchen policechefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53645811936422782952009-02-24T20:31:00.000-05:002009-02-24T20:31:00.000-05:00@ Kreiz1 - I don't see how to go to Steely Dan for...@ Kreiz1 - I don't see how to go to Steely Dan for a clue since the answer was PEGS, not PEG. Enjoy the reminiscence though......retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82340479444993506162009-02-24T19:49:00.000-05:002009-02-24T19:49:00.000-05:00All I ask is that, prior to taking umbrage with so...All I ask is that, prior to taking umbrage with something I have said, please understand the language. Look at the brouhaha that arose from someone referring to a budget allocation as "niggardly."fikinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06324570637549775751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26405054217741317912009-02-24T19:39:00.000-05:002009-02-24T19:39:00.000-05:00On pain of tediousness, I learned KP as Kitchen Pa...On pain of tediousness, I learned KP as Kitchen Parade. And PEGS is totally natural if you grew up in the mid-west playing baseball.<BR/><BR/>Anything that starts with TOPAZ is cool. I really liked this puzzle, either despite or because of its having a sort of amateurish air about it. I don't mean that as a negative critique of Mr. Anderson's work, just that it didn't seem to have that tight, elegant polish so frequently seen in the NY Times.<BR/><BR/>Evil Doug, I completely agree with your PC statement. Not that we couldn't find a way to argue about the how and why though. Cheers.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-61873330833840273122009-02-24T19:13:00.000-05:002009-02-24T19:13:00.000-05:00Whatever a group of people feels offended about be...Whatever a group of people feels offended about being called should be respected.<BR/><BR/>It doesn't take a lot of effort to be kind and respectful and listen to what people want to be called and follow up with that in mind.<BR/><BR/>Respect is the bottom line, and consideration.<BR/><BR/>The puzzle was okay, not as much fun as Monday's.<BR/><BR/>Kathy D.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28630700789842418872009-02-24T19:01:00.000-05:002009-02-24T19:01:00.000-05:00@Doug- you're right about peg not being an infield...@Doug- you're right about peg not being an infield throw to first. Weak clue. In contrast, Steely Dan's "Peg" always satisfies. Love the song- its jazzy sound always makes me smile. Lots of fond memories- even though for those of us half a continent away from NYC.kreiz1https://www.blogger.com/profile/11255781323496195240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34877351680318432002009-02-24T17:16:00.000-05:002009-02-24T17:16:00.000-05:00KP = kitchen PEGS, of course. hahahaKP = kitchen PEGS, of course. hahahaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87121536695572304132009-02-24T16:20:00.000-05:002009-02-24T16:20:00.000-05:00Rex, another great blog entry. But just to nitpick...Rex, another great blog entry. But just to nitpick your nitpicking, the conjunction between X and O should be and, not or, since the clue is plural ("alternatives").dsfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15749451704265852411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48595687417762607652009-02-24T16:07:00.000-05:002009-02-24T16:07:00.000-05:00I really wanted 65a. Toothless enemy to be saber t...I really wanted 65a. <B>Toothless enemy</B> to be saber tiger. Sabertooth tiger - tooth = saber tiger. Alas it was not. Still a fun clue though.AntiRushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13339721756691055140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43846984727398147752009-02-24T16:02:00.000-05:002009-02-24T16:02:00.000-05:00@anne Ibelieve the term is Kitchen Patrol. I thoug...@anne Ibelieve the term is Kitchen Patrol. I thought this better than avg Tues. Always like xke;theme anwers also all contained "ones". As noted above,PEG good baseball term. Liked wiggleroom and papertiger and all the xs.George NYChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11844466463123158982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25910885199932191972009-02-24T15:35:00.000-05:002009-02-24T15:35:00.000-05:00In military parlance, "police" has a meaning beyon...In military parlance, "police" has a meaning beyond law enforcement. It also means to clean up and secure as in "police the area".<BR/><BR/>So KP may mean both Kitchen Patrol and Kitchen Police but I have only heard it refered to as Kitchen Police.Bill from NJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10103923612595508277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40819321254790427282009-02-24T15:26:00.000-05:002009-02-24T15:26:00.000-05:00Eskimo is fun to say. So is hobo. Eskimo-hobo is...Eskimo is fun to say. So is hobo. Eskimo-hobo is damn near divine. Eskimo Pies are tasty. When Quinn the Eskimo gets here everybody's gonna jump for joy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53102156478684766632009-02-24T15:15:00.000-05:002009-02-24T15:15:00.000-05:00@ anon -Yes, amazing as that sounds! It turns out ...@ anon -<BR/><BR/>Yes, amazing as that sounds! It turns out that felony auto theft in TX starts at $1000 valuation, or did then. I'm betting the teenage punks knew this and stole it for joyriding with no risk of jail time. It was found, trashed, with cheap lawn chairs and empty beer cans inside, in a field about 20 miles away a few weeks later.<BR/><BR/>But I got justice - I cleared $600 on the insurance after my $50 deductible. My friends jokingly said that *I* was the real thief. I deny now, as I did to them then, that I paid the kids to steal it.. :-)retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90170895292401824512009-02-24T15:11:00.000-05:002009-02-24T15:11:00.000-05:00Further to Orange's comment, with the Canadian dol...Further to Orange's comment, with the Canadian dollar only worth 80 cents US, papers here have had to cut back. For example, 41A is ALLOW ONES PRIDE, 43D is EE and 50D is SKIM. Except in Montreal, where the puzzle is translated into French and the clue for 7D is simply AMIE.Jeffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01699404861773455504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68660392514597101632009-02-24T15:06:00.001-05:002009-02-24T15:06:00.001-05:00@Retired_chemist - Someone actually stole a 16 yea...@Retired_chemist - Someone actually stole a 16 year old Valiant?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86747674383692049902009-02-24T15:06:00.000-05:002009-02-24T15:06:00.000-05:00@Retired_chemist - Someone actually stole a 16 yea...@Retired_chemist - Someone actually stole a 16 year old Valiant?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49118059728629070622009-02-24T15:02:00.000-05:002009-02-24T15:02:00.000-05:00@JAE - DART was a 60s - 70s vehicle I think, but I...@JAE - DART was a 60s - 70s vehicle I think, but I started with that at 16A too. I owned its Plymouth analogue (a 1977 Valiant) until it was stolen in 1992. As I remember, by 1977 Darts were no longer being made.retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4219328428019130362009-02-24T14:55:00.001-05:002009-02-24T14:55:00.001-05:00@acme: LOLBut I fear my general point got lost: Th...@acme: LOL<BR/><BR/>But I fear my general point got lost: There is no "polite, thoughtful, ethical" way of calling people by a name they explicitly reject. <B>And this maxim does not lose its validity if somebody attaches the "politically correct" label to it</B>. The older I get, the more I realize the truth in the maxim that adjectives (i.e. labels) are ill-suited for carrying an argument.<BR/><BR/>@orange: Thx to the information, was news to me.Ulrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02086202853174403008noreply@blogger.com