tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6633206456051616294..comments2024-03-28T06:08:12.377-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Religious recluse / TUE 11-21-17 / Hook's henchman / Wife in Oaxaca / Rare grandfather clock numeral Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40514264754642881692018-01-02T11:28:52.846-05:002018-01-02T11:28:52.846-05:00Six weeks after the fact (syndication), but I’ll p...Six weeks after the fact (syndication), but I’ll pipe up anyway: EREMITE, which Frost makes reference to, comes from Keats’s sonnet “Bright Star.” In high school my children had a chorus teacher who told the class that eremite was an element that Keats discovered. Sheesh. I wrote up the full story:<br /><br />http://mleddy.blogspot.com/2015/05/word-of-day-eremite.htmlMichael Leddyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05547732736861224886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23223293209260635202017-12-26T15:42:59.173-05:002017-12-26T15:42:59.173-05:00Not a perfectionist like Rex, but had to pause at ...Not a perfectionist like Rex, but had to pause at some of the entries he didn't much like.<br /><br />SCRUNCHIE was the last word in. Don't think I've heard of it before. That one slowed me down further.<br /><br />Almost DNF'd, which would have been tough to take on Tuesday.<br /><br />leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-61930288499443382752017-12-26T14:53:48.747-05:002017-12-26T14:53:48.747-05:00When I'm Moroccan around the clock shop, I oft...When I'm Moroccan around the clock shop, I often spot a number IIII.thefogmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870509029973778266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-58946825782830185602017-12-26T14:05:18.624-05:002017-12-26T14:05:18.624-05:00Mistake! I read @Rex for the first time in a whil...Mistake! I read @Rex for the first time in a while. I see he's still on the sarcastic "Best puzzle in the world" train. Jeez, you'd think he'd find some other way to throw out his garbage.<br /><br />Puzzle was entertaining in a groany pun sort of way, and I liked it.<br /><br />Fact: My Dad bought an ornate pendulum clock to sit on our mantle. Besides its annoying chimes at too many times of the day, its main feature was IIII which I thought was kind of neat. Also the tiny screws holding the numbers on the face were so cute.<br /><br />I dunno, @Spacey, though I usually bow to your perspicacity, I think a par is deserved on this one. <br /><br /><br /><br />rainforestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18403839551292353162017-12-26T12:49:02.742-05:002017-12-26T12:49:02.742-05:00Kudos to Evil Doug! Another great Seinfeld/Kramer...Kudos to Evil Doug! Another great Seinfeld/Kramer exchange! Itmade my day, especially after reading sourpuss Rex. Has anyone ever commented about his attacks on the NY Times puzzle? Was he turned down for a job there?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33303166960669017892017-12-26T12:20:03.762-05:002017-12-26T12:20:03.762-05:00This vaguely reminded me of the Sunday puzzle'...This vaguely reminded me of the Sunday puzzle's punny longer answers. So I'm on a happy roll. One letter dnf - BFD - loved it anyway. (AS a Finn, esp. the FINNISH line.)<br /><br />C'mon, @Rex, I never heard of EREMITE either - we both LEARNED something. Phew! (Sounds like the root of "hermit" is in there.) It's either too easy or too hard in your little universe. (And spelling MONTy gave me my dnf - big bleeping deal. It's a puzzle. I do it for fun.)<br /><br />And I knew as soon as I sussed the first pun that the "self-described" "King of Crosswords" would declare "off with his head." "And the horse what brung ya." (the editor)<br /><br />A puzzle full of IIIIs would be boring, but one? Try to make a puz w/o a bit of fluff or fill. Go ahead, @Rex, I've seen your puzzle alphabet runs. As for the rest of your list of fill, none were "overfamiliar." Wonder how SCRUNCHIE and FLIPFLOPS got a pass - did they pay a bribe? Really - who cares if the "parts of speech" are consistent - 'twould be a nice touch, but that's all. And, BTW, I do puzzles in lesser dailies, and know an easy puzzle when I see one. And I don't dis the constructors - they supply a fun pastime.<br /><br />Finally - yes, it is a STAB wound. Sheesh!<br /><br />Conclusion - puzzle, accepted. Review - rejected for improvement (see above advice re same). <br /><br />Diana, Best Ever Lady-in-Waiting for Crosswords (self described)Diana, LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59819862339503521642017-12-26T12:09:27.672-05:002017-12-26T12:09:27.672-05:00“You can see the cars in the far turn if UKRAINEYO...“You can see the cars in the far turn if UKRAINEYOURNECK.”<br />“There would be more racers if they’d SWEDENTHEPURSE.”<br />Places like Bosnia-Herzegovina or Slovakia are tougher to FIT in. Cornball? Yes. Surprising for a Tuesday? No. Take a STAB at the puz, make the blog POST with someone else’s TWEET as validation, move on. Don’t have a FIT. Easy enough for no write-overs here. <br /><br />I was fortunate enough to see yeah baby Lorena OCHOA play golf in person, just as she was about to overtake Annika Sorenstam for #1 in the world. But Annika won that particular tournament. <br /><br />Not a ZANY puz and no big YUKs, just get yourself to the FINNISHLINE.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67326121907233102242017-12-26T10:51:44.470-05:002017-12-26T10:51:44.470-05:00Funny: posters above have seen clocks with IIII--i...Funny: posters above have seen clocks with IIII--including one who's never seen IV! I have never seen anything BUT IV on a clock. In either case, the I lineup is a serious defect--and it's not the only one. Though not as vitriolic as OFL (impossible!), I agree in principle with most of what he said. Others give this debut congrats; I say DQYDJ.* <br /><br />More ATO. @Andy S: you had to be LOOKING for this stuff. Stop it!<br /><br />DOD Lorena OCHOA's golf prowess does not save our debuter. Despite the occasional ZANY YUK, he gets a bogey.<br /><br />*Don't quit your day job spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27081098922520822002017-12-26T10:49:40.324-05:002017-12-26T10:49:40.324-05:00COME ASAP
Don’t go RUSSIANPAST, NOR FLIPFLOP on a...COME ASAP<br /><br />Don’t go RUSSIANPAST, NOR FLIPFLOP on a SENORA SLY and well-versed<br />to LOVE your BONEMASS, who you’re LIKEN to FIT your POLEINTOFIRST.<br /><br />--- HARRIET OCHOA<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15578141538341258712017-12-26T09:15:21.062-05:002017-12-26T09:15:21.062-05:00DNF because of MONTy.
Rex is right. This one'...DNF because of MONTy. <br />Rex is right. This one's not going to make it to the classic puzzles hall of fame. This being Boxing Day, it should be returned to the merchant for a refund.thefogmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870509029973778266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1080894497118569542017-11-23T21:38:29.062-05:002017-11-23T21:38:29.062-05:00Person with dreads : rastafari
Person with a yarmu...Person with dreads : rastafari<br />Person with a yarmulke : Mosessatellite73https://www.blogger.com/profile/14108009852110260763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74674165062966540102017-11-22T11:07:13.317-05:002017-11-22T11:07:13.317-05:00Good Golly, Miss MALI! It would seem that Brian Th...Good Golly, Miss MALI! It would seem that Brian Thomas went to great PAINS to cause Rex to FRET, bordering on an outright FIT!? In fact, ESAU to it, Big Time!Warren Howie Hughesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12432854804963224482017-11-22T10:14:49.881-05:002017-11-22T10:14:49.881-05:00Are there places where pull and pole sound alike (...Are there places where pull and pole sound alike (like "marry merry Mary" do in some parts)?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75378189571334836462017-11-21T21:57:32.900-05:002017-11-21T21:57:32.900-05:00@BarbieBarbie But Haile Selassie was not a 'Pe...@BarbieBarbie But Haile Selassie was not a 'Person with dreads' Paperback Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01842959603424839217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22604576873842807322017-11-21T21:04:07.805-05:002017-11-21T21:04:07.805-05:00HAZY. LADA cars zipping through Eastern Europe. BM...HAZY. LADA cars zipping through Eastern Europe. BMW? Got through another Ruby Tuesday.nick strausshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01613006291726011494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90293933954953304962017-11-21T17:56:12.481-05:002017-11-21T17:56:12.481-05:00@ Carola, Let me second the thanks re: harp. Great...@ Carola, Let me second the thanks re: harp. Great stuff that just makes my day. Then along comes @ GILL I with background on wrong side of the bed and I'm really giddy. Yes, I am a card-carrying word nerd.<br /><br />Rastafari might be technically wrong but I have heard it used plenty of times in the context of today's puzzle.<br /> <br /><br />There must be some way to tie in the Tarzan jokes and @ e.d.'s pet monkey but I'm not clever enough to do it justice. Two Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89773229066614280532017-11-21T17:55:58.330-05:002017-11-21T17:55:58.330-05:00Rather a Tuesday comedown from Monday's sparkl...Rather a Tuesday comedown from Monday's sparkler, I must say. The puns just... don't really work as a coherent set of themers.<br /><br />Nice to have it confirmed by posters here that grandfather clocks mostly do use IIII -- I was kind of remembering that to be the case as I filled the answer in.Joe Dipintohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07922691457886440325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62329429910105448812017-11-21T17:45:33.538-05:002017-11-21T17:45:33.538-05:00Late check-back-in today.
@Nancy and @Dian Fossey...Late check-back-in today. <br />@Nancy and @Dian Fossey posts made my evening.<br />kitshefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10014225555838850414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84724264884763863192017-11-21T17:21:05.355-05:002017-11-21T17:21:05.355-05:00@Gill I: #$@%!@Gill I: #$@%!Mohair Samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16502840715719161565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28700554984430762942017-11-21T16:52:57.481-05:002017-11-21T16:52:57.481-05:00@Loren...Do I have to pay before existing?
@Carola...@Loren...Do I have to pay before existing?<br />@Carola...I just LOVE, LOVE, finding out about word origins. The HARPS origination makes some sense to me. I remember looking up terms like "got up on the wrong side of the bed" and its meaning for being irritable. It seems that the left was considered sinister in the middle ages since most people were "right" handed. Innkeepers would push the bed up against the wall so that you HAD to get out on the right side to prevent the demons from entering your dreams. You got up on the left and you were in for a HEAP of trouble.<br />@Anony 4:18...Thanks...I need to drink. GILL I.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05605766053820226324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23859980302114743722017-11-21T16:45:59.332-05:002017-11-21T16:45:59.332-05:00sb “pull into 1st”sb “pull into 1st”JohnA401006https://www.blogger.com/profile/16236247123206524800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81376099686336478462017-11-21T16:18:03.717-05:002017-11-21T16:18:03.717-05:00Here's the three-part Tarzan joke I learned:
...Here's the three-part Tarzan joke I learned:<br /><br />What's the difference between a bunch of grapes and a herd of elephants?<br />Grapes are purple.<br /><br />What did Jane say when she saw a herd of elephants coming over the hill?<br />Look, a herd of elephants!<br /><br />What did Tarzan say when he saw a herd of elephants coming over the hill?<br />Hey! A bunch of grapes! (Tarzan was color blind).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47908114215892807202017-11-21T16:17:22.566-05:002017-11-21T16:17:22.566-05:00That clue for RASTAFARI is flat out wrong. Yes, I...That clue for RASTAFARI is flat out wrong. Yes, I know Haile Selassie was also titled Ras Tafari. But Selassie did not wear dreads. Not even close. The guy in dreads is (or, rather, may be) a RASTAFARI*AN* as Rex noted.<br /><br />I still don't understand the answer POLEINTOFIRST. I mean, I don't understand what it's supposed to be punning. Is it "Pull into first"? There's a significant vowel sound change there if it is, which would be a major fail, which makes me think it might be something else, but I'll be damned if I can figure it out.<br /><br />Otherwise, I did enjoy the theme. I think I have a higher tolerance for goofy puns than Rex does. TomAznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50348521350695548202017-11-21T16:01:24.292-05:002017-11-21T16:01:24.292-05:00@Carola, thank you for the information. I imagine ...@Carola, thank you for the information. I imagine plucking one note over and over would become rather jarring to the listeners. Teedmnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12832353448839187816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82249778349749909712017-11-21T15:47:42.674-05:002017-11-21T15:47:42.674-05:00@Teedmn, @Gill I. - Your comments made me curious ...@Teedmn, @Gill I. - Your comments made me curious about HARPing, so I went (electronically) to the library. The OED has: "to harp upon, on a, one, the same (etc.) string: to repeat a statement or dwell on a subject to a wearisome or tedious length" and offers these citations:<br />?1531 J. Frith Disput. Purgatorye i. sig. c5 Se how he harpeth all of one stringe.<br />1535 T. More Hist. Richard III in Wks. (1557) 49/2 The Cardinall made a countinance to the tother Lord, that he should harpe no more vpon that string.<br />1568 V. Skinner tr. R. González de Montes Discouery Inquisition of Spayne f. 7 They are sure still harping on their old string.<br />1685 Refl. Baxter 25 He harps much upon that jarring String.<br />1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. II. v. vi. 323 Harping mainly on the religious string.<br />In later years the "one string" part got dropped.Carolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15971759975067250908noreply@blogger.com