tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post5592358716558777956..comments2024-03-29T01:22:33.864-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Dummy of old radio / THU 7-18-13 / Shade tree with deep-red winter buds / Elton John duettist Don't Go Breakin My Heart / Guy seeking love letters / Hit 2012 animated film / Advance notice request Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33464105730827122462024-01-16T12:44:16.989-05:002024-01-16T12:44:16.989-05:00For late breaking nit picking piling on, one Goog...For late breaking nit picking piling on, one Google query said movie was released July 15, not 18; and another said year was 1960. No biggie, but …..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35996286546619319592013-09-17T17:58:21.640-04:002013-09-17T17:58:21.640-04:00With all the talk about the shape of the gray/circ...With all the talk about the shape of the gray/circled squares, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned how the black squares form the iconic image of Marilyn Monroe with the billowing skirt from “The Seven Year Itch"ahechthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04829062560611567654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29004652906225162162013-08-24T21:04:16.020-04:002013-08-24T21:04:16.020-04:00I will add, however that like eastsacgirl, my synd...I will add, however that like eastsacgirl, my syndicated puzzle had no circles nor explanation. I assume that means that others did, and I might have not been so disgusted had I had advance warning.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43204232535854881772013-08-24T21:01:07.928-04:002013-08-24T21:01:07.928-04:00No, no, no no. No.
I wanted to like it because o...No, no, no no. No.<br /><br />I wanted to like it because of the gimmick, but it broke rules. Change the rules, or give a heads-up explanation to the cheat.<br /><br />Agree with every single thing Rex said, and everything that anyone above said calling these cheats and clues into question.<br /><br />And I'll add one more: Penn, e.g. Ivy. No.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86541400978076091522013-08-24T14:53:49.297-04:002013-08-24T14:53:49.297-04:00Grrrr...... Sac Bee had no note, no shaded squares...Grrrr...... Sac Bee had no note, no shaded squares, no circles. DNF but I came close. This is the second time in a couple weeks the Bee has screwed up a puzzle for me because of printing errors.eastsacgirlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39674839239927930212013-08-22T20:10:47.378-04:002013-08-22T20:10:47.378-04:00You might note that there is an International elem...You might note that there is an International elementary school in Viet Nam called ABCIS - and the I makes perfect sense as an apostrophe.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00744788972398329185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73068101877717317182013-08-22T19:51:36.924-04:002013-08-22T19:51:36.924-04:00I liked it, yeah, I really did. My paper (SW Wash...I liked it, yeah, I really did. My paper (SW Washington) had shaded squares (but no note) which helped a bunch in the solve. Write-overs: tan, emir, and amen. While not elegant, it was fun figuring out the ARE A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND. Confess I fell short on the apostrophe, but IMHO, there was much here to like.<br /><br />@ahimsa-NYT - You have arrived in 'real time', but we'd love to have you drop in to the time warp of syndic-land now and then. I'll miss you.Gingernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87778826340427781772013-08-22T18:32:51.140-04:002013-08-22T18:32:51.140-04:00Agree with Dirigonzo about the online speed solver...Agree with Dirigonzo about the online speed solvers whining. My paper puzzle had no circles, shading, nuttin', so no clue what was going on there. Still, I DID get the apostrophe but wondered "so what?"<br /><br />After breezing through M-W this week I thought, "Gee, maybe I'm finally getting pretty good at this stuff." Wrong. This was SO off my wavelength. Cluing was like a Saturday as far as I was concerned. Amazingly, the first answer I dropped in was FLO, as in Rida, which I only knew because there was a hilarious bit about him on Colbert last week. If I'd done this on 7-18 I would have had no idea. <br /><br />Anyway, with all the vitriol here today, I guess I'll just pile on and blame my ineptitude on Will S.Cary in Bouldernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41846764755814668122013-08-22T18:01:30.505-04:002013-08-22T18:01:30.505-04:00"moc" used frequently to describe shoes...."moc" used frequently to describe shoes....as in "driving moc" as found in Land's End catalog: http://www.landsend.com/pp/StylePage-400675_6H.html?amp;CM_MERCH=REC-_-LIPP-_-GGT-_-1-_-400675-_-400673<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69538096476974072412013-08-22T17:42:48.256-04:002013-08-22T17:42:48.256-04:00I guess I found it weirder than the rest of you, b...I guess I found it weirder than the rest of you, because there was no instruction about punctuation, and no circle squares, in the Portland Oregonian's issue of this attrocity! Talk about adding insult to injury!<br /><br />TRWAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41293129532149618552013-08-22T16:26:04.148-04:002013-08-22T16:26:04.148-04:00No circles, no note, no finish, no care! Somewher...No circles, no note, no finish, no care! Somewhere between emir and ABCD I decided I have better things to do today, so,off to do them.DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29706143661432917282013-08-22T15:43:42.411-04:002013-08-22T15:43:42.411-04:00Mine will be the 150th comment on this puzzle (or ...Mine will be the 150th comment on this puzzle (or higher is someone chimes in before me) - I love it when a technical glitch brings out the ire in the speed-solver set. My paper had shaded squares to alert me to a gimmick, which I liked (including the apostrophe, which I also predicted would incur much wrath). I came up one square short at the crossing of the Duchess and the architect. <br /><br />trylds - advice from a dyslexic tripper.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-61490008710910393342013-08-22T15:05:44.187-04:002013-08-22T15:05:44.187-04:00The Seattle Times had no circles and no "apos...The Seattle Times had no circles and no "apostrophe" instruction, so, I was in the dark scratching my head over the Double Ds (or is it "D's"? or "Dzs"? or Das?) and the square where 65A/58D cross. Wasted about 20 minutes trying to suss it out. After coming to Rexville, I wish the paper had published it with the circles because the diamond actually is a clever idea on several levels. <br /><br />Todd and Jeff, I forgive you the double Ds. <br /><br />amen before ETTE. tan before ASH. ONlinE before ONTAPE. <br /><br />@Waxy, thanks for the history lesson.<br /><br />capcha: aphserty. Maybe a new noun about apostophy insertion in a crossword puzzle?<br />Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74580483180457539072013-08-22T15:05:02.353-04:002013-08-22T15:05:02.353-04:00The gray squares in my newspaper were so light tha...The gray squares in my newspaper were so light that I didn't know they were there, so 23A was in a weird place and the song was DDIAMONDS, which was bizarre. Without seeing the shaded squares in the shape of a diamond in a ring, the theme was useless and the apostrophe square was completely uninferable. If the gray shading had been darker or circles had been used, there might have been a chance, but I ended up with a blank square where the apostrophe goes. I also had a personal Natick were KIKIDEE and CAPEK crossed, although I guessed correctly that it was a 'K'.Singernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47670040962035144822013-08-22T14:58:47.559-04:002013-08-22T14:58:47.559-04:00@Anonymous 2:39, actually, the clue is correct. Yo...@Anonymous 2:39, actually, the clue is correct. You appear to be confusing Mary, Queen of Scots (a Stuart) with Queen Mary, (Elizabeth's older sister) a Tudor known to history as "Bloody Mary" for having hundreds of Protestants burned at the stake.Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45561547518214165882013-08-22T14:39:41.898-04:002013-08-22T14:39:41.898-04:00Did anyone else catch the error in the answer to t...Did anyone else catch the error in the answer to the "Bloody Mary" clue? She was a Stuart, not a Tudor.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40031403063220940362013-08-22T14:30:29.011-04:002013-08-22T14:30:29.011-04:00Luckily, my paper shaded the squares in question s...Luckily, my paper shaded the squares in question so it was obvious that something special was being spelled-out and/or pictured. In the minority, I guess, as I really enjoyed today's workout. However, solving ground to a halt on the east coast, so had to resort to WIKIpedia for JETLI (who?), after which all was revealed. QED.<br /><br />Original sermon follower had been AMEN which messed up things but good! Also had ABIE before ARTE and MORTIMERSNERD at 4D, turning the corner at "I".<br /><br />Enjoyed the Double-D Marilyn reference as well. Too bad the Elton John song in this puzzle wasn't "Candle in the Wind" (Goodbye Norma Jean), written in honour of Marilyn.Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16833610638904599082013-08-22T13:26:28.098-04:002013-08-22T13:26:28.098-04:00Garmado @12:05 Ditto here. I gave up because of...Garmado @12:05 Ditto here. I gave up because of the double "D" and the ABC thing, thinking the entire puz was misprinted. Not a nice thing. Put me down as a non-gruntled solver. Blah!!<br /><br />Ron DiegoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23047837063445314192013-08-22T12:05:51.382-04:002013-08-22T12:05:51.382-04:00As a syndicated user, our edition had no circled s...As a syndicated user, our edition had no circled squares, thus the puzzle with an apparent arbitrary apostrophe made absolutely no sense. Yuk.Gamardohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234466509264255709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4442713098743346932013-08-22T10:39:31.289-04:002013-08-22T10:39:31.289-04:00Really? The Lorax was a "hit"?Really? The Lorax was a "hit"?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50640175001108784002013-08-22T10:34:23.774-04:002013-08-22T10:34:23.774-04:00Sometimes I disagree polarly with OFL; we are VERY...Sometimes I disagree polarly with OFL; we are VERY different people. Then there is today. He has echoed my thoughts to a T. (Or more properly, I his). I have but one additional PLEA: guys, can you PLEAse stop putting rappers in your puzzles?spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44132930492056826542013-07-19T19:49:37.846-04:002013-07-19T19:49:37.846-04:00David Steinberg also had the syndicated puzzle sam...David Steinberg also had the syndicated puzzle same day!<br />It is not cronyism, constructors are NOT only as good as their last puzzle...<br />There is no dispute that David is a little genius boy and even his flawed ones are worth taking a look at. I wildly disagree with folks saying it's the worse or should not have been published etc. And Todd ALWAYS tries to be inventive!<br /><br />It was a swing for the walls (or whatever baseball DIAMOND metaphor you want to put in here) and ended up being a single or double...but definitely on base!<br /><br />My printed out puzzle had no instructions at all and was still doable...so, there's that! (tho admittedly I tried ABCDS)acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91680407790526732932013-07-19T19:21:12.883-04:002013-07-19T19:21:12.883-04:00I can see from here that most are strongly against...I can see from here that most are strongly against using an apostrophe with ABCs. But as Michael Leddy points out and as Carola asks pertinently about usage at the Times, it is possible to use the apostrophe there, though apparently it has become less common than 40 years ago, I think. The idea would be related to pluralizing letters and numbers, such as in "There are two t's in the word 'letters.' " A similar case would be in the pluralization of decades, as in "the 1980's." Apparently, most people use "the 1980s" now, but I don't know what the Times usage is on that one. "1980's" used to be common indeed. My Harcourt Brace Handbook allowed both usages, I think. See http://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/apostrophes_show_plural_of_abbreviations.htm<br />It's true that I wasn't wild about using the apostrophe for ABC's here when it was unusual anyway to use punctuation in a puzzle, but the Times often uses variants to add difficulty - or to avoid it.Loisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81963438352371889142013-07-19T15:55:04.396-04:002013-07-19T15:55:04.396-04:00@Toad. You sound like you need a sedative, or a s...@Toad. You sound like you need a sedative, or a stiff drink. Geez, lighten up. This is meant to be recreation. Yeah, you didn't like it. Got it.Chip Hiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944056030047563287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8356029703184773232013-07-19T15:49:06.793-04:002013-07-19T15:49:06.793-04:00"5. The squares that are gray on paper and ci..."5. The squares that are gray on paper and circled on line do not form a diamond shape. They form the shape of a diamond in a diamond ring."<br /><br />What kind of diamonds did you think Marilyn was singing about????<br /><br />Head-Desknoreply@blogger.com