tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6021105527035083381..comments2024-03-28T14:03:44.822-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Musician who was trailblazing Rastafarian / FRI 1-22-10 / Nickname pioneering jazz piano / Class record label for Bee Gees CreamRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89205877726201387442010-02-27T09:27:58.601-05:002010-02-27T09:27:58.601-05:00Rick: Thanks for the information, and welcome! we ...Rick: Thanks for the information, and welcome! we need an astronomer around here--som many stars, so few planets.slypetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537129206516720012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78817402364273911042010-02-27T07:05:41.863-05:002010-02-27T07:05:41.863-05:00All explanations aside:
1) even in the most obscur...All explanations aside:<br />1) even in the most obscure of games, no one ever says "5-each"..."5-apiece" (as was earlier mentioned) or "5-all", yes. "5-each": never.<br />2) a "variety" of a "fruit" is, in no way, a "pod"<br />3) as RP explained, there is no intimation in the clue that "saxophones" should be cut to its abbreviated form...and if Ravel were alive and doing this puzzle, HE would have forgotten that he wrote pieces for two "saxes" in "Bolero"...honestly.nwgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2735063248482078292010-02-27T01:07:55.897-05:002010-02-27T01:07:55.897-05:00Way off in syndication land, so few if any will ev...Way off in syndication land, so few if any will ever see this. But I've been a professional astronomer for 30+ years and can say that no one uses "eon" as a unit of time. A billion years is a gigayear (Gyr). I'd be way happier to see that in the puzzle!<br /><br />But I did like the puzzle.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17113800651803981825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79475296418131271512010-02-26T15:10:17.654-05:002010-02-26T15:10:17.654-05:00Thanks, makes sense to me now but threw me off thi...Thanks, makes sense to me now but threw me off this am! Small town, small newspaper - didn't remove the comment from an earlier puzzle!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26226174912108493872010-02-26T14:48:31.361-05:002010-02-26T14:48:31.361-05:00@Anonymous, 2:20 --
Man, you are lost. There was...@Anonymous, 2:20 --<br /><br />Man, you are lost. There was a puzzle recently with blank corners that stood as a rebus for "nothing", but this ain't it!Where's That GPS?noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51080751662390790602010-02-26T14:20:57.147-05:002010-02-26T14:20:57.147-05:00someone help me out...the note at the top of our p...someone help me out...the note at the top of our puzzle said 'each corner represents "nothing." Where does that come into play?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87453549613210470932010-01-24T17:46:11.903-05:002010-01-24T17:46:11.903-05:00I believe Rex's solution to Sunday NY Times 1/...I believe Rex's solution to Sunday NY Times 1/24 has an error. The lower right makes more sense if the answers are 124 down "nana", 124 across "nap" and 126 down "power". The problem is it requires 135 across to be "aloe" and you already have that answer at 67 acrossAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1908221700665971262010-01-23T13:15:51.300-05:002010-01-23T13:15:51.300-05:00Rex, I'm surprised you didn't comment on t...Rex, I'm surprised you didn't comment on the three Spanish words in this puzzle as well, all coming in downs in the SW quadrant of the grid. That was what struck me first, then the FRUITs, then all the Italian stuff. But I had a very different solving order than you did, going (in general) all the middle, then SW, SE, NE, SW.<br /><br />"En OTRO tiempo" definitely means formerly, like when we say "from another era."fvigelandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01432477374403343832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77008570936363677392010-01-23T12:51:46.642-05:002010-01-23T12:51:46.642-05:00Coming in very late with nothing to add, but I'...Coming in very late with nothing to add, but I'm happy I stuck with it and finished. Enjoyed the signature non-Boomer SE corner.<br /><br />Fun comments today--esp. Hazel et al. on Jagger and Tosh.<br /><br />Happy birthday (yesterday) @mac!Stanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02681342234536407419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90679738989026132382010-01-23T10:58:08.997-05:002010-01-23T10:58:08.997-05:00Thanks for the "each" = "up" e...Thanks for the "each" = "up" explanation. Never played that game, though.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03197776128865243855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51372922960156508592010-01-23T01:27:10.223-05:002010-01-23T01:27:10.223-05:00This 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. 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 6:47, 6:54, 0.98, 51%, Medium<br />Tue 8:56, 8:47, 1.02, 60%, Medium<br />Wed 10:54, 12:01, 0.91, 27%, Easy-Medium<br />Thu 22:53, 19:26, 1.18, 89%, Challenging<br />Fri 22:38, 25:51, 0.88, 21%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:39, 3:40, 1.00, 54%, Medium<br />Tue 4:28, 4:29, 0.99, 54%, Medium<br />Wed 5:45, 5:55, 0.97, 48%, Medium<br />Thu 10:45, 9:22, 1.15, 85%, Challenging<br />Fri 10:30, 12:24, 0.85, 14%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7622132736270737052010-01-23T00:34:25.790-05:002010-01-23T00:34:25.790-05:00ArtLvr and Elaine: That tears it! Now I have to re...ArtLvr and Elaine: That tears it! Now I have to read some TH!slypetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537129206516720012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67100159125941990432010-01-23T00:14:42.813-05:002010-01-23T00:14:42.813-05:00@ elaine, I conjured up Tony Hillerman mysteries t...@ elaine, I conjured up Tony Hillerman mysteries too for HOGAN -- enchanting on so many levels! In The Sacred Clowns, the introspective Leaphorn reminisces on how he learned patience from his Navajo childhood: "... he'd waited for the roads to dry so he could get to the trading post, and waited for the spring to refill the dipping pool with the water he would carry to their hogan, and waited for the nuts to ripen on the piñon where his parents had buried his umbilical cord, thereby tying him forever to the family home..." <br /><br />∑;)ArtLvrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53212346661638845012010-01-22T23:07:07.669-05:002010-01-22T23:07:07.669-05:00Even though I didn't do the puzzle until the a...Even though I didn't do the puzzle until the afternoon, I had to look it up again to be able to comment. So much celebrating: husband and BIL's twin-birthday yesterday, mine today, and lunches and dinner for days to come.... <br /><br />I found this puzzle medium-challenging, but that was because I didn't remember Ned! @Fiking: I'll have to go back and watch a little more of the DVDs.....<br /><br />Up for each was totally unknown to me, Aca????? I didn't remember the saxes in Bolero, although I knew the music even before the Torvil and Dean performance.<br /><br />Very good puzzle, just too much going on. Great work, Nathan.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49368455424465900092010-01-22T22:53:01.957-05:002010-01-22T22:53:01.957-05:00@Naama, yeah, I had a major problem with "acá...@Naama, yeah, I had a major problem with "acá". "Aqui" is a preposition, while "acá" is an adverb. IMHO, the clue should have clued the part of speech for what must have been, for most, a pretty obscure Spanish word.lit.dochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06729199575329286046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82847836584562998352010-01-22T22:39:28.536-05:002010-01-22T22:39:28.536-05:00@darkman, I know. I was ref'ing a major groane...@darkman, I know. I was ref'ing a major groaner from the first Star Wars movie when someone says that they'll arrive at their destination in [whatever] parsecs.lit.dochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06729199575329286046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-180851799901101152010-01-22T22:34:41.345-05:002010-01-22T22:34:41.345-05:00@Spencer, TopRamen was OODLES OF NOODLES until 200...@Spencer, TopRamen was OODLES OF NOODLES until 2000. yummm!a kevinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44018578146617578582010-01-22T22:00:51.382-05:002010-01-22T22:00:51.382-05:00Funny, I got OPALESCES straight off with no crosse...Funny, I got OPALESCES straight off with no crosses.<br /><br />I've never seen OODLESOFNOODLES -- we get TopRamen and Maruchan around here.<br /><br />AMERICANPIE was another gimme for me. I was in high school when it came out. I had just acquired a console radio from my creative writing teacher and was listening to it when American Pie came on, with a voice-over interpretation. It made quite an impression on me.Spencerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00884188052527454989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37729918428051964892010-01-22T21:21:31.807-05:002010-01-22T21:21:31.807-05:00I started this one slowly, but finished quickly. J...I started this one slowly, but finished quickly. Just fell easily for some reason.<br /><br />Nathan seems a bit young for "the cat's meow" but then again so am I and I'm lot older than Nathan. I wonder if anyone alive has heard somone use this phrase unironically.michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10927198281497567302010-01-22T20:31:46.370-05:002010-01-22T20:31:46.370-05:00Hi, Meg....
Hmmm. I posted at 5:37 p.m., and I do...Hi, Meg....<br />Hmmm. I posted at 5:37 p.m., and I don't know where you are/were, but I am glad that someplace, somewhere, sometime, there was at least ONE other voice trying to salvage the vision that Torville and Deane (sp?) created with that piece. <br /><br />Oh, and the judges did not disparage in the least--- they took the gold.Elainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13195458656221202202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35501834910581608142010-01-22T20:15:27.030-05:002010-01-22T20:15:27.030-05:00Mac, didn't know it was your birthday until no...Mac, didn't know it was your birthday until now ... I hope it's very, very happy!<br /><br />@andrea ... I know! "Ned Flanders- as-a-werewolf-figurine" ... I was howling!johohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12708487230515532492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74774113291240108492010-01-22T20:11:24.851-05:002010-01-22T20:11:24.851-05:00Late post today, just got home...I liked this puzz...Late post today, just got home...I liked this puzzle a lot for some reason--it had some neat answers like OPALESCES. I had trouble in the NW because I filled in VOLTS for WATTS, LETIN for SAWIN, and PEC for LAT, and it was a mess for a while. When I suddenly hit on ABRACADABRA--despite the crosses that didn't seem to work--everything fell in quickly. One niggle--I tend to think of ABRACADABRA as something you say when you make something appear or transform, rather than disappear, so I looked up its origin: it’s from the Aramaic phrase avra kehdabra, meaning “I will create as I speak,” which seems to support the notion that ABRACADABRA is not typically a disappear word. Oh well...Dave in Californiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10356510213038695488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91024055855470742152010-01-22T19:04:54.625-05:002010-01-22T19:04:54.625-05:00@Elaine: Wherever you are, we were thinking the s...@Elaine: Wherever you are, we were thinking the same thing at about the same time!Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17964374453128401532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1375912741756751812010-01-22T19:02:52.239-05:002010-01-22T19:02:52.239-05:00If you tell a person he's "one-d", t...If you tell a person he's "one-d", then in my mind he doesn't actually exist, philosophically, I mean. <br /><br />Oh...was about to ask about SAW IN and just got it! I was thinking "admitted" as "conceded". D'oh!<br /><br />Spanish speakers.."en otro tiempo" = at another time. Is this necessarily formerly? I suppose it doesn't have to be.<br /><br />Doesn't anybody remember "Bolero" from the Olympic ice-dancing routine that the judges disparaged? Many years ago.<br /><br />Great puzzle and not that easy for me.Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17964374453128401532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37774127591713352842010-01-22T18:48:47.089-05:002010-01-22T18:48:47.089-05:00Also, had "FATSO" for "FATHA" ...Also, had "FATSO" for "FATHA" (yknow, jazz cats), never heard of lams as a verb, and isn't "here" in Spanish acqui? that one through me for a while... ACA?Naamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12714974982064208625noreply@blogger.com