tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post611217121869909056..comments2024-03-19T07:47:07.947-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Farewell Vladimir / MON 12-16-13 / Unmemorable low-budget film / Wrestler's wear / Weapon for reindeer / Chairmaker's strip / Candy heart sentimentRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79310727005911591382014-01-20T19:10:00.386-05:002014-01-20T19:10:00.386-05:00I liked this one. An easy-going theme and a few un...I liked this one. An easy-going theme and a few unfamiliarities in the SE to keep things interesting.<br /><br />Spot on for a Monday.straylinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13536180563789923012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12644195458040865952014-01-20T19:06:05.449-05:002014-01-20T19:06:05.449-05:00@Diri Those two teams do bring..... Yes they '...@Diri Those two teams do bring..... Yes they 'do'...the 'Doobie Bowl' (groan).<br /><br />Sorry about the Pats, maybe next year? <br /><br />full house, 3s and 2s. Still think deuces wild would be nice.Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07156872089175084024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79825564541697577192014-01-20T19:05:41.408-05:002014-01-20T19:05:41.408-05:00*groan* at the pun. I was going to write something...*groan* at the pun. I was going to write something similar but you blunted that notion good and proper.straylinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13536180563789923012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57311798750510373052014-01-20T18:31:13.681-05:002014-01-20T18:31:13.681-05:00@Ginger - Hah! Those two teams do bring a whole n...@Ginger - Hah! Those two teams do bring a whole new meaning to the phrase "Super Bowl", don't they? Thanks for picking up on that theme - I missed it completely (too busy crying in my beer to notice).Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27142519879815509012014-01-20T18:02:20.997-05:002014-01-20T18:02:20.997-05:00This reminds me of the old Paul Simon song, '5...This reminds me of the old Paul Simon song, '50 Ways to Leave Your Lover'? <br /><br />Fun puzzle, which other than the spelling of ARRIVEDERCI and DOSVIDANIYA, I found quite easy. But, I usually have problems with spelling. Seven, count 'em, seven theme answers, that's high theme density on any day. Smooth fill, elegant (if unusual) grid.<br /><br />Hawks and Broncos, from the only 2 states to have legal pot. Theme song of the SB? "Rocky Mountain High". GO HAWKSGingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07156872089175084024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79705047767701567742014-01-20T17:48:07.413-05:002014-01-20T17:48:07.413-05:00The puz - loved your debut, Greg Johnson! Clean as...The puz - loved your debut, Greg Johnson! Clean as they come. Maybe my fav Monpuz. <br /><br />Fav BMOVIE is The Predator. RRRRnold is just great in it.<br /><br />@Waxy & @Rainy, thanks for the Hawks shoutout from my Canadian amigos. I don't have any fingernails left. And I love Richard Sherman. High school salutatorian, Stanford grad, and not afraid to speak his mind.<br /><br />@Diri, also sorry the Pats lost. Woulda been fun in XLVIII.<br /><br />SEEYALATER URSA.<br /><br />Capcha hand - Threes over fours. Diri takes the pot.<br /><br />Go Hawks!Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31499469285553478222014-01-20T16:24:10.305-05:002014-01-20T16:24:10.305-05:00This was decent Monday puzzle, in my opinion. Sur...This was decent Monday puzzle, in my opinion. Sure, the theme is bland, but caused a bit of angst with the spelling of the Russian word, accompanied by the unnecessary demonstration of translation pedagogy. All gettable, of course, along with some extremely nice fill. I guess no one really says "I'm playing TENPINS", but ask me if I care.<br /><br />Way to go 'Hawks. Classic SB coming up.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62144715921326640832014-01-20T15:51:22.129-05:002014-01-20T15:51:22.129-05:00Brian ENO appears in the grid so often that yester...Brian ENO appears in the grid so often that yesterday when he showed up in the Premier Crossword I decided to learn a little about him - let's just say that his musical style is not my cup of tea.<br /><br />@spacey - 'The Blob' is my favorite horror movie ever; well, that and 'Creature from the Black Lagoon'. I saw them both several times in the theater and came away scared s@#&-less every time. Good memories.<br /><br />It appears my four 8s wins the pot?Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41973530992335326932014-01-20T15:18:44.076-05:002014-01-20T15:18:44.076-05:00Had Bruno pegged as a German so originally tried t...Had Bruno pegged as a German so originally tried to shoehorn Auf Wiedersehen into 11D. <br /><br />Syndi-synchronicity again today as Marvin Gaye is in the news, his estate claiming modern day singer Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” infringes on the copyright of Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up”. <br /><br />Congrats to @SiS and the rest of the west coast solvers on the Hawks' thrilling win yesterday. And condolences to @Diri - too bad about the Pats.<br /><br />AU REVOIR.<br />Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72705497097062783232014-01-20T14:35:51.028-05:002014-01-20T14:35:51.028-05:00Enjoyed the puzzle, but had a one square DNF. Coul...Enjoyed the puzzle, but had a one square DNF. Couldn't guess the penultimate Russian letter, not helped by a crossing from Motown. As always, I am impressed by the variety of knowledge found among cruciverbers (cruciverbalists??), tho I doubt the Russian spelling/phonetic discussion will stay with me.<br /><br />Only one pair, 3's. I fold!DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1280852441280023322014-01-20T11:26:05.100-05:002014-01-20T11:26:05.100-05:00With early-week puzzles I start in the NW and try ...With early-week puzzles I start in the NW and try to guess the theme off the first long answer. So when I saw SEEYALATER (10), naturally I thought of ALLIGATOR (9), AFTERWHILE (10) and CROCODILE (9). They'd have been out of order in a symmetrical grid, but could have been augmented by BILLHALEY (9) and THECOMETS (9).<br /><br />And if that starts an earworm, dude, you're OLD. Like me.<br /><br />I agree with OFL that this has pretty clean fill, minus the unfortunate LONGE. Interesting discussion on BMOVIEs. Typically defined as low-budget and devoid of top-tier casting, many still carve out a place in cinematic history. "The Blob," introducing Steve McQueen, comes to mind.<br /><br />Theme cluing did seem, as OFL mentioned, inconsistent,but overall, cleanness of fill tips the thumbs "UP" (not "over").<br /><br />I'm amassing a vitrual armada here: another boat, 5's full of 3's.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10148336699522445702014-01-20T09:44:02.875-05:002014-01-20T09:44:02.875-05:00Where are all the Syndiland solvers?
I completed ...Where are all the Syndiland solvers?<br /><br />I completed the puzzle but it took me a heck of a long time. I would definitely call this one challenging. I don't know how to spell ARRIVEDERCI or DOSVODANIYA. I did get CIAO as that is often in puzzles. And HASTA LUEGO is no problem but is not used in this neck of the woods much. ADIOS is much more common.<br /><br />@r.alph...I use a pencil but now days who sharpens a pencil?NM Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14920756034993068695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50566297143965206022013-12-19T13:56:55.144-05:002013-12-19T13:56:55.144-05:00To me, saying the Lord of the Rings movies were un...To me, saying the Lord of the Rings movies were unmemorable is Elitist.Sethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11705017160747312919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19449162779053098652013-12-16T23:31:30.003-05:002013-12-16T23:31:30.003-05:00I was just not on this puzzle's wavelength. It...I was just not on this puzzle's wavelength. It took me 6:58 to complete, which is more than double my usual Monday time. Thinking 24D was spelled DaS VIDANY()A was the least of my troubles, spawned chiefly of: a) failure to grasp the intended meaning of several clues that just seemed off to me, and; b) dropping "gimmes" in places that turned out not to be gimmes, after all. <br /><br />There is a game known as TEN PIN bowling. TENPINS? No. Like @ Bird, I'm DOUBLED over, not UP. I just don't think of a quiche as a PIE. I get it, but not...getting it...caused me plenty of early stare time. Ditto "Jabbers." I couldn't stop thinking what four letter word might equate to "boxers." Dropped TATA in 6A out of the gate. Infant's wear was confidently deemed a "onesie." They're AirDUCTS, thank you very much. I didn't think of advocate as a verb and, so, took a long time to drop ESPOUSE. Many have commented on the arguably misleading clue for BMOVIE. <br /><br />None of this is a knock on Mr. Johnson's fine debut. My fits and starts were mostly self-induced, although I don't know that a puzzle that opens with LAPIS lazuli is, really, a Monday. August Westhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09919963003128838777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36118134667708712742013-12-16T22:11:26.120-05:002013-12-16T22:11:26.120-05:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation and my 10/15/2012 post for an explanation of a tweak I've made to my method. 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 7:08, 6:13, 1.15, 93%, Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 4:30, 3:49, 1.18, 95%, Challenging (11th highest ratio of 208 Mondays)sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87248972081825065032013-12-16T17:27:42.918-05:002013-12-16T17:27:42.918-05:00@Benko-- U rule, dude. Also have good taste in mo...@Benko-- U rule, dude. Also have good taste in movietime well wasted, btw.<br /><br />p.s. Another memorable flick, supposedly made on a budget of $7 grand: "Primer". A time travel movie so brain-bendin, you'll need to watch it about 100 times, to convince yerself that you understood what just happened.<br /><br />Makin a Merry Christmas puz. There may be a quiz in it, on some of these here B-movies...<br /><br />M&AM and Alsonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37510624985688700662013-12-16T17:04:18.630-05:002013-12-16T17:04:18.630-05:00Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 8/1/2...Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 8/1/2009 post for an explanation of my method and my 10/15/2012 post for an explanation of a tweak to my method):<br /><br />All solvers (this week's median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Mon 7:10, 6:13, 1.15, 93%, Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 4:34, 3:49, 1.20, 97%, Challenging (8th highest ratio of 208 Mondays)sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57182829754068611542013-12-16T16:13:09.496-05:002013-12-16T16:13:09.496-05:00FarvelFarvelIn Denmark we saynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86239060721252854532013-12-16T15:34:39.641-05:002013-12-16T15:34:39.641-05:00Also, since we're doing foreign goodbyes, let ...Also, since we're doing foreign goodbyes, let me include my relatives' native Polish, which is similar to DOSVIDANIYA:<br /><br />Do Widzenia!<br /><br />Benkonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24650058919213772462013-12-16T15:31:16.651-05:002013-12-16T15:31:16.651-05:00@M&A--
Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2, of course!
I...@M&A--<br />Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2, of course!<br />I've seen those movies maybe 100 times. Read Bruce Campbell's memoirs about making them, too.<br />My favorite of the 3 is Evil Dead 2, although Army Of Darkness is hilarious.<br />Benkonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16277745404963995202013-12-16T14:45:06.228-05:002013-12-16T14:45:06.228-05:00Ps
GOODBYE, Mr Chips :(Ps<br />GOODBYE, Mr Chips :(Acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2148747802896877892013-12-16T14:44:06.701-05:002013-12-16T14:44:06.701-05:00@ahimsa
I'm YOURS, YOU LOSE ... Sounds like so...@ahimsa<br />I'm YOURS, YOU LOSE ... Sounds like someone with low self-esteem issues!<br /><br />@lms<br />That wm Frawley detail is hilarious and you can't make that up and you should definitely consider writing some childhood memoir short stories Southern Erma <br />bombeck-style. You have a unique and hilarious voice.<br /><br />Since AUREVOIR/SAYONARA are both 8, that would've been interesting to have all the goodbyes not in English. I feel like I've either tried to make that before or have solved it. But I'd never have been brave enough to include Russian.<br /><br />L'hitraotAcmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1343338550193455192013-12-16T14:17:59.778-05:002013-12-16T14:17:59.778-05:00Were Rex within arms reach and were I to be holdin...Were Rex within arms reach and were I to be holding Glamdring, he would be begging this white wizard for mercy for that B-Movie comment.MaharajaMackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17586547065009442807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30052444358198942262013-12-16T13:46:13.183-05:002013-12-16T13:46:13.183-05:00Item #27 of things my worthless father never taugh...Item #27 of things my worthless father never taught me, or maybe he did but I always thought he was worthless so never paid attention:<br /><br />Never, ever, cut short an outdoor task to come inside to "warm up". You never actually warm up, all that happens is that your muscles cramp up and you greatly dread going back out to finish the job. <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74624827401785303072013-12-16T13:32:51.117-05:002013-12-16T13:32:51.117-05:00Meh. Even for a Monday. Theme application was inco...Meh. Even for a Monday. Theme application was inconsistent. Why isn’t 6A clued in Italian when 50A is clued in Spanish? Plus there’s no zip or spice - the revealer has gotta be better.<br /><br />Other nits . . .<br />I thought 22A are called AIR DUCTS<br />I don’t know about you, but if I’m DOUBLED anything in pain it’s OVER and not UP<br />LONG E<br /><br />I do like the long downs, though.Birdnoreply@blogger.com