tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6095373651914643614..comments2024-03-29T07:32:14.587-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2008 - Natan Last (Hit video game series launched in 2005 / Exuberant cry from Pinocchio / Law with many parts)Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91897385992308408602009-01-24T14:48:00.000-05:002009-01-24T14:48:00.000-05:00'Twas "super dupers" what sunk me...'regulars' fit...'Twas "super dupers" what sunk me...'regulars' fit well for a while (as large/medium...)--I had the bottom 3 crosses.headhunterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08959185481432459273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35618569771664937092009-01-23T16:11:00.000-05:002009-01-23T16:11:00.000-05:00According to my husband, who is from Paris (France...According to my husband, who is from Paris (France), "une vague" is an individual wave, usually referring to the sea. "Les ondes" generally refers to a series of electro-magnetic waves, but sometimes is used to describe a series of ocean waves.<BR/>Hope that helps.<BR/>Penj.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89722962996709445312008-12-21T01:58:00.000-05:002008-12-21T01:58:00.000-05:00what do you get when you cross a hockey player wit...what do you get when you cross a hockey player with a senator from a tiny state?<BR/>ouch...<BR/>and JURE sounds like a law, no?<BR/><BR/>Loved the puzzle anyway, even tho my first attempt to spell 58A was DIGIERIDO. Try digging yourself out of that!<BR/><BR/>Had just learned about "dirty" martinis last weekend! <BR/>I added that to the list of things that sound too unappetizing to eat or drink...dirty anything, arti-choke, etc.<BR/><BR/>I would love to get AZERBAIJANI into a Monday puzzle...<BR/><BR/>Natan, you rock!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32604413506499963142008-12-20T04:55:00.000-05:002008-12-20T04:55:00.000-05:00....and I like how you speakin some lost language....<BR/><BR/><BR/>and I like how you speak<BR/>in some lost languagefergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79148529903819400872008-12-20T00:43:00.000-05:002008-12-20T00:43:00.000-05:00Late to the party, but just have to say that I rea...Late to the party, but just have to say that I really love this puzzle. I like the quantity of tricky clues. I almost think that if there are going to be those kind of clues there have to be either just a couple or a ton. And the ton end of the spectrum doesn't bother me. AZERBAIJANI <I>and</I> GUITAR HERO. Love love love it!PuzzleGirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06835502266781516627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67051507122923606662008-12-19T22:52:00.000-05:002008-12-19T22:52:00.000-05:00Any other Francophones think along the lines of VA...Any other Francophones think along the lines of VAGUE before ONDES?<BR/><BR/>Only wondering, since that was the first answer I entered.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1283476600150177152008-12-19T22:51:00.000-05:002008-12-19T22:51:00.000-05:00I got everything (slowly) except for the crossing ...I got everything (slowly) except for the crossing of di_geridoo and ju-e. I kept thinking it was a g but, "juge" didn't make any sense. I eventually gave up and went to google, but even then it took me a while (too long) to figure out what "jude" was all about.<BR/><BR/> good puzzle, I thought, and unlike some of you I enjoyed the clues.Michael Chibnikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04700426644898924644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18613644589091805372008-12-19T20:54:00.000-05:002008-12-19T20:54:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.edith bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12048817959846956992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30161332138037773682008-12-19T20:16:00.001-05:002008-12-19T20:16:00.001-05:00Killer, great puzzle. Got most of it but much of t...Killer, great puzzle. Got most of it but much of the top bit got f-ed up by my choice of BELL SOUND for Ding-dong, SHOES for the Pavement pounders, and the death knell: SOLVABLE when BEARABLE was meant to be (I had WAS instead of ARE).<BR/><BR/>I really do like the confusion, but I needed to fully on my game to properly nail this one, and unfortunately wasn't. By coming here, I got to finally see an X-RATED MOVIE.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34799006614326576822008-12-19T20:16:00.000-05:002008-12-19T20:16:00.000-05:00A stroke is caused by a lack of blood flow to a pa...A stroke is caused by a lack of blood flow to a part of the brain, either by blockage by an artery or bleeding. If there wasn't any sign of either of those, then his symptoms could be classed as "idiopathic". Without further history, etc. that's the best I can do.Doc Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12540112168511893896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24937776748941034972008-12-19T19:35:00.000-05:002008-12-19T19:35:00.000-05:00@edith b: glad you're back and truly hope you get ...@edith b: glad you're back and truly hope you get it all worked out with the doctor's and your husband's condition. Doc John?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85678728056840895572008-12-19T19:14:00.000-05:002008-12-19T19:14:00.000-05:00Hello all. I'm back.We had a health scare in our ...Hello all. I'm back.<BR/><BR/>We had a health scare in our family and my husband was rushed to the hospital with what was first diagnosed as a stroke and is now being called a - now get this - " "idiopathic neurological event." Any doctors out there? -<BR/>"thought it was a stroke, acted like a stroke, don't know what it was or what caused it." I am a woman past 60 and appear somewhat matronly so the doctors assumed they could blow smoke up my . . . skirt. I disabused them of that notion but I am not making much headway.<BR/><BR/>I've been away from the puzzles for more than a week and I don't wish to be embarrassed by a Friday or Saturday puzzle so I thought I would start where I started<BR/>from at the beginning: Sunday.<BR/><BR/>I DID miss my friends, thoughedith bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12048817959846956992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33213217332576518872008-12-19T18:56:00.000-05:002008-12-19T18:56:00.000-05:00P.S. I went with Delaware's William BYRD, who is f...P.S. I went with Delaware's William BYRD, who is from West Virginia and named Robert.<BR/><BR/>P.P.S. Based on the fill in this puzzle, I want Natan Last to join the next-generation crossword corps of Quigley, Tausig, Jones, et al. Natan, it may be harder to get paid for crosswords that don't meet a daily newspaper crossword's propriety test, but this grid shows you've got some mad skillz and a knack for non-stodgy fill.Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36905296881134446612008-12-19T18:01:00.000-05:002008-12-19T18:01:00.000-05:00@chip hilton it really is beautiful here in Stamfo...@chip hilton it really is beautiful here in Stamford. Have fun shoveling. where in Ct are you?chefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67196671598301866522008-12-19T17:37:00.000-05:002008-12-19T17:37:00.000-05:00Amazing how one careless (or thoughtless) error ca...Amazing how one careless (or thoughtless) error can plunder a whole section of a puzzle. I had HIFI for MONO and it just stalled me over there.<BR/><BR/>I consider myself a huge sports fan and totally blanked on JAGR. Only four-letter fill I could come up with was GARE, as in Danny, but knew he wasn't that big a scorer. Oh, well...... <BR/><BR/>Heading out soon to start clearing the snow from my CT driveway. Looks lovely right now.Chip Hiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944056030047563287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15962661240672976072008-12-19T17:15:00.000-05:002008-12-19T17:15:00.000-05:00@Doc John: Do you have a drum corps background? (H...@Doc John: Do you have a drum corps background? (Have I asked you this before??) I know "Blast" has a bigger audience than DCI fans, but I thought I'd ask. I go all the way up the "Blast" food chain, as I know Bill Cook well enough to consider him a friend.<BR/><BR/>"Blast" <I>was</I> great, wasn't it!!jeff in chicagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10492964479021891094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38932922148198633492008-12-19T15:45:00.000-05:002008-12-19T15:45:00.000-05:00OK, I guess I was bragging a little. I might not ...OK, I guess I was bragging a little. I might not get a chance like this again for a long time.treedwellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12634227778469664442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62504243901629864532008-12-19T15:19:00.000-05:002008-12-19T15:19:00.000-05:00What? No comment about the obvious shout-out to O...What? No comment about the obvious shout-out to ORANGE at 43D?! Where's the love?<BR/><BR/>Good job on the puzzle and congrats on finishing your first semester, Natan. I thought it was a fun puzzle overall although I didn't think I would finish it at first but after REITERATING my attempts I finally did complete it. The NW was my nemesis today but enjoyed the fill when it finally came to me.<BR/><BR/>I first saw a DIDGERIDOO in the musical show, Blast! so now every time I see one, I think of that great show. Interestingly enough, when I went to visit my Dad, he had one in his house and he was surprised that I could play it. (My low brass lips come in handy every now and then.)Doc Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12540112168511893896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5769874931651133302008-12-19T15:15:00.000-05:002008-12-19T15:15:00.000-05:00This puzzle really knackered me. It exposed lots ...This puzzle really knackered me. It exposed lots of my trivia blind spots, including the Books of Mormon, Nobel prize winning scientists, hockey players, Russian geography, HBO shows, and Hollywood movie characters. After googling three or four items and accidentally erasing the board twice I gave up on this one. I did like seeing the DIDGERIDOO show up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7966793700649497622008-12-19T14:36:00.000-05:002008-12-19T14:36:00.000-05:00This was a crazy good day for me. I had a vibe go...This was a crazy good day for me. I had a vibe going from somewhere--dare I suggest ESP? Blew through it, grabbing long answers from a few letters here and remembering obscure bits that I wouldn't usually get there. As of right now, my time on the NYT applet is very nearly in the top ten percent. I have had a few early week times in the top quarter, but I've never been close to this kind of time before. And this might be the tenth time I've even finished a Friday without cheating somehow.<BR/><BR/>If that sounds like me bragging, believe me, it is not. I am well aware that I was playing out of my league here. I mention it merely to marvel at the fickle nature of these things. Sometimes, it just clicks, while others it definitely does not (well, for most of us, anyway). I hope I get luck like this at the big contest.<BR/><BR/>Like others, I was pleased to see DIDGERIDOO and knew it instantly, but then I had to struggle with spelling. It seems I've heard of them, read about them, listened to them, even tried playing them here and there, but I've never written down the word before. ORANGE (the answer, not the blogger) finally answered the "J or G" question.<BR/><BR/>I just hope I don't get my payback tomorrow.treedwellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12634227778469664442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1901024023493357722008-12-19T14:25:00.000-05:002008-12-19T14:25:00.000-05:00@Vega - A rat is a stool pigeon, one who sings to ...@Vega - A rat is a stool pigeon, one who sings to the cops.<BR/><BR/>But really returned to say I also lost some time bvecause I really wanted 35A to be POISE instead of the correct GRACE!Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-357010788412395722008-12-19T14:21:00.000-05:002008-12-19T14:21:00.000-05:00I couldn't finish this one without help, but even ...I couldn't finish this one without help, but even still, I did love it. Clever! OK, maybe a few too many cutsies.<BR/><BR/>A hockey player crossing a senator from Delaware made JAG_ and _OTH a total guess, and I guessed wrong. JAGR? No chance, even though I thought "ROTH, right? Surely it's ROTH? But JAGR? Couldn't be."<BR/><BR/>IBET next to NOREALLY is a thing of beauty.<BR/><BR/>Question: how is a RAT an unpopular singer? What am I missing?Vegahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01893157908004486201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42019657661693224602008-12-19T14:09:00.000-05:002008-12-19T14:09:00.000-05:00Gee, Rex, only Medium difficulty? This one took m...Gee, Rex, only Medium difficulty? This one took me as long or longer than many Saturday puzzles. Could be the Books of Mormon, although they did have Biblical names, so weren't impossible.<BR/><BR/>Also, I know nothing about hockey, but I've been doing crosswords long enough that CESTA seems an old friend.<BR/><BR/>TALCED doesn't look right. Don't we add a "K" in words like "picnicked"? Or is that old-fashioned?<BR/><BR/>I did finally complete everything correctly with no outside references, at the cost of some time.<BR/><BR/>Two write-overs: GRANDTHEFT has the same number of letters and some in common with GUITARHERO. And 40A went from EVADE to AVOID to AVERT.Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88914105875550285482008-12-19T13:46:00.000-05:002008-12-19T13:46:00.000-05:00Obviously, Orange and I are on the same WAVE lengt...Obviously, Orange and I are on the same WAVE length. You may groan now.<BR/><BR/>3 and out.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08727682398955175642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52091423474150867762008-12-19T13:45:00.000-05:002008-12-19T13:45:00.000-05:00@ Shamik and RT, thanks for the clarification on C...@ Shamik and RT, thanks for the clarification on CESTA. Maybe I'll remember it next time it comes up.<BR/><BR/>I just realized the clever lexical relationship of having ONDES cross INUNDATION. "Undulate" is a first cousin.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08727682398955175642noreply@blogger.com