tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6693103839544196827..comments2024-03-28T10:07:35.541-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: SATURDAY, Dec. 1, 2007 - Robert H. WolfeRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5301767789855700652010-12-08T03:13:37.636-05:002010-12-08T03:13:37.636-05:00I too am posting on Sunday. The official reason is...I too am posting on Sunday. The official reason is that I did not have net access yesterday. The real reason is that I didn't finish it until about noon today. Problems in SW anyone?? I expanded my "ok to ask my wife rule" to included my sister who is in Palo Alto with me for her daughter's Ph.D defense (it went very well). She gave me KARSTS which really didn't help much. I finally put it all together without resorting to google but man it was rough!!<br /><br />6:52 PMrashid1891http://www.jobz.pknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59444629316273997702010-12-08T01:01:08.508-05:002010-12-08T01:01:08.508-05:00Looks like I was in good (read miserable) company....Looks like I was in good (read miserable) company.rashid1891http://www.jobz.pknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40496737674781816902008-01-12T22:33:00.000-05:002008-01-12T22:33:00.000-05:00I ran into this blog while googling for a dualisti...I ran into this blog while googling for a dualistic deity (Janus did not fit). I had all the same problems with this puzzle that y'all did--the SW corner especially. A medical background gave me pleura, and growing up a Giants fan gave me Cepeda, but otherwise it was cruel and inhuman to me. I was proud to have gotten the amen corners a couple of days ago, but this one taught me some (ie a little) humility.<BR/>stehubstehubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11844839421621594238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41252526840135776852008-01-12T19:28:00.000-05:002008-01-12T19:28:00.000-05:00I usually suck at Saturday puzzles, but this one s...I usually suck at Saturday puzzles, but this one started out great! I got spider and cepeda on the first pass, which allowed me to polish off the NW in about 10 minutes. Then... nothing. I put Kareem down for the "sky-hook" clue and that was it for the SW - had a few dribs and drabs elsewhere and wasn't able to finish it off - even after I went to google. <BR/><BR/> There's always next week :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45024995620047231272008-01-12T17:18:00.000-05:002008-01-12T17:18:00.000-05:00I'm glad to see I'm not the only cheater that reso...I'm glad to see I'm not the only cheater that resorts to looking up clues on the inter-net occasionally. I consider any-thing goes on the Fri or Sat cross-word. (I only work Mon or Tues go-ing in one direction, though.) By the way I'm from Kentucky (I live about 4 miles from Carter Caves) and I have NEVER hear of the word<BR/>"KARST"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9340679723851336312007-12-03T12:52:00.000-05:002007-12-03T12:52:00.000-05:00Didn't get to this puzzle until Sunday night. All ...Didn't get to this puzzle until Sunday night. All I can say is "ditto." It reminded me of Saturdays of yore (pregoogle, preRex) when I would start, get a few words, put it down, pick it up, get a word, put it down... and keep working on it for days until I was victorious or defeated. Now, I am better at the process, but this kicked my butt along with everyone else's. Didn't love it any less, though, since for me the play is the thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33354017051562096312007-12-02T18:52:00.000-05:002007-12-02T18:52:00.000-05:00I too am posting on Sunday. The official reason i...I too am posting on Sunday. The official reason is that I did not have net access yesterday. The real reason is that I didn't finish it until about noon today. Problems in SW anyone?? I expanded my "ok to ask my wife rule" to included my sister who is in Palo Alto with me for her daughter's Ph.D defense (it went very well). She gave me KARSTS which really didn't help much. I finally put it all together without resorting to google but man it was rough!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72178976172297170932007-12-02T17:01:00.000-05:002007-12-02T17:01:00.000-05:00Oops, typing too fast again- ABSCESS.Oops, typing too fast again- ABSCESS.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23797760452350361252007-12-02T16:58:00.000-05:002007-12-02T16:58:00.000-05:00This puzzle was just fine until I got to the SE. ...This puzzle was just fine until I got to the SE. Two medical terms for me today- ABSCESSES and PLEURA. Then- dead stop. What really got me was that each time I would divine an answer, such as ACHIEVE, MOUNTER, or even HUSHES, they didn't help me one effing bit!<BR/><BR/>Finally had to give up- had a T in the place of the C where TOPSCORE would have been so that was tainted in my brain forever.<BR/><BR/>And I agree with Dave, there is only one ACETONE- it's not a class of compounds.<BR/><BR/>A very evil puzzle- perfect for a Saturday (which is while it's Sunday as I'm posting this).<BR/><BR/>As for Santa's biting something, I was reminded of an old Saturday Night Live skit where the Coneheads are asked to name "something people like to bite" and they answer "the big one"! Which is what I did on this puzzle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46264574960988609772007-12-02T15:22:00.000-05:002007-12-02T15:22:00.000-05:00Looks like I was in good (read miserable) company....Looks like I was in good (read miserable) company. <BR/><BR/>KARSTS was a slam-dunk, recalled from college geology (30 years ago). Then I dabbled with JABBAR for skyhook, before convincing myself CENTER was the better answer. Close, but no cigar. Thanks for putting me out of my SW corner misery with COPTER.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29152736539211361782007-12-02T13:14:00.000-05:002007-12-02T13:14:00.000-05:00Rex, YOU RULE for knowing Lucinda Williams' work!I...Rex, YOU RULE for knowing Lucinda Williams' work!<BR/><BR/>Interesting that the NW, which killed me on Friday, was the first to fall on Saturday.<BR/><BR/>The NE came next. I once wrote a story about a tax shelter involving a movie version of THE SEA WOLF, so I remembered that the protagist's surname is "Larsen," though I couldn't remember if it was -ON or -EN. The NE had some of my favorite clues, too.<BR/><BR/>But the SOUTH! ARGH! Like you, Rex, I had INTERNET instead of ONTHENET. I wnated the producers of wall flowers to be something involving painting or stitchery. And I refused to google the Buddy Ebsen movie, the Nobel shunner, the Eddic poem or the dualistic deity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11654969313675528702007-12-01T23:08:00.000-05:002007-12-01T23:08:00.000-05:00i finally buzzed through His Excellency's comments...i finally buzzed through His Excellency's comments after a day of picking up the puzzle and throwing it down hopelessly.<BR/>I feel better, but no more successful.<BR/>I guess it will always be easy for someone to make a puzzle i can't do!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91922581476170876362007-12-01T22:42:00.000-05:002007-12-01T22:42:00.000-05:00RE: Anon 12:39am (Incept is not a word . . . )I th...RE: Anon 12:39am (Incept is not a word . . . )<BR/><BR/>I think incept is a word. It shares a root with both inception and the more common interception.<BR/><BR/>Your reasoning on why incept cannot be a word is very philosophical. (If a tree falls . . . and no one sees it did it really fall?) Well, even if no one says a word it can still be a word in my view.<BR/><BR/>I love words and people!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59960462629184156902007-12-01T22:35:00.000-05:002007-12-01T22:35:00.000-05:00After my first pass at all of the clues, I had lit...After my first pass at all of the clues, I had little more than CEPEDA and a few esses and ars. I knew it wouldn't be long before I had to look on the web.<BR/><BR/>Like some solvers, I lost the battle with this xword. The SW remained about 7 squares shy even with the help of Google. Even tho I knew KARST (anag of STARK), I had INTERNET (after initially writing ON THE WEB) and never got the acrosses above KARST.<BR/><BR/>Even with the internet, this puzzle was tricky. Type in "martin chuzzlewit" "nurse" and "gamp," and all you get was that her name was apparently "Mrs." Well, eventually I found SARAH, but jeez!<BR/><BR/>You bested me this time, Captain Wolfe!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70516982341153441292007-12-01T22:18:00.000-05:002007-12-01T22:18:00.000-05:00puzzlegirl, I will surely mention it on my blog wh...puzzlegirl, I will surely mention it on my blog when my "MGC" episode is scheduled to air. Should be somewhere in the January/February range.<BR/><BR/>Green Mantis, I like your writing. You are clevererer than many!Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87744195869780049412007-12-01T22:17:00.000-05:002007-12-01T22:17:00.000-05:00Oh,And another great weekend of puzzles!Oh,<BR/><BR/>And another great weekend of puzzles!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67106362023469571642007-12-01T22:07:00.000-05:002007-12-01T22:07:00.000-05:00The different bits we get are so great. If we coul...The different bits we get are so great. If we could all do a puzzle together I think we'd knock down the hardest Saturday in about a minute.<BR/><BR/>I got at least 10 gimmes in this one, a few that were gimmes by others, but others got gimmes that were pure stymies to me.<BR/><BR/>The same thing that gave me CABE, PLEURA, LARSEN, PASSITON, TESLAS, PONES, SARTRE, ARIOSE, CEPEDA, etc. (age) also made me draw a blank on other things I once knew and had a hard time remembering (KARSTS, AMONRA, INCEPT).<BR/><BR/>This is why I think the NYT CW is so great. It rewards age and mental agility (which I have to admit I am losing)<BR/><BR/>Aside: I thought yesterday's Sun was about twice as hard. It took me almost two hours to solve it in a number of sittings. Today's Times took 45 minutes, which for me is double great for a Saturday.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13460379203079469592007-12-01T21:29:00.000-05:002007-12-01T21:29:00.000-05:00Hi everybody! I was out of town with no Internet t...Hi everybody! I was out of town with no Internet to speak of since the day before Thanksgiving until this past Thursday. It's taken me until now to catch up on puzzles, read all the posts, and scream through the comments I missed. I feel totally overdosed on you guys right now but there's no way I would have skipped one word. I missed you!<BR/><BR/>Also watched a bunch of TiVo'd "Merv Griffin's Crosswords" and was excited to see a contestant named Amy. But, alas, it wasn't our Orange. When is that show going to air??<BR/><BR/>I didn't do well at all on the Thursday-Friday-Saturday puzzles this week or last because I was rushing through them. Yeah, that's it. That's why I didn't do well.<BR/><BR/>Only one comment on today's puzzle. I know there are other Sports Night fans here. ALL I could think of for 18A was Orlando Rojas. One of my favorite SN bits:<BR/><BR/>Dan: Elliott, did Orlando Rojas pitch this afternoon?<BR/><BR/>Elliott: He’s pitching tomorrow.<BR/><BR/>Dan: Did he pitch in the bullpen yesterday?<BR/><BR/>Elliott: Yeah, Kelly was there. She saw him throw.<BR/><BR/>Dan: How’d his fastball look?<BR/><BR/>Elliott: Should be crossing the plate any minute now.<BR/><BR/>Glad to be back and looking forward to the Sunday puzzle, which I expect to FINISH, dammit!PuzzleGirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09017772879976436923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12779289027254901232007-12-01T21:12:00.000-05:002007-12-01T21:12:00.000-05:00tWas so difficult - but I seemed to have problems ...tWas so difficult - but I seemed to have problems with different clues. Couldn't believe the spelling of abscess, never noticed it; got spider right away without crosses, very odd. You're all right, too many -er's. Thought Santa biting anything but a cookie unsettling. <BR/>I'm off to London tomorrow a.m.; I'll get the xwp in the Herald Tribune, and will be back for the Saturday one in the US! What happens to that one in Europe? Let's just skip the Sunday puzzle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13781981539208161862007-12-01T20:02:00.000-05:002007-12-01T20:02:00.000-05:00NW and SE fell quickly. SW took a while in spite o...NW and SE fell quickly. SW took a while in spite of knowing AMONRA...that ONTHENET thing really ripped me up. But, were I to spend the rest of my life, armed with a computerized random letter generator, the NE would never fall for me. Not happening. Pass it on.<BR/><BR/>Speaking of 15d (Gauge), the December issue of Model Railoader (!!!) features a story on Rod Stewart's HO gauge model railroad...pretty interesting (for me at least), incredible scale models, and a wild story about how he manages to build them in a Chicago hotel room while on tour in the US.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7206598545759060952007-12-01T19:24:00.000-05:002007-12-01T19:24:00.000-05:00[wimpers] [slumps in seat][wimpers] [slumps in seat]Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36494054220358272702007-12-01T18:48:00.000-05:002007-12-01T18:48:00.000-05:00I've never been more prouderer to kick a puzzle's ...I've never been more prouderer to kick a puzzle's ass. So hard, but such winnerer's pride in finishing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29203129207805118942007-12-01T16:18:00.000-05:002007-12-01T16:18:00.000-05:00I go for the RIBS one-handedly so I don't have to ...I go for the RIBS one-handedly so I don't have to dig at the nails of both hands, but that wasn't a problem in the SPARE RIB corner. Its ANTIPODE wasn't much problem either, with the Lively CEPEDA at bat and the SPIDER Stagnate in her web. And Rex, you must have been thinking of BRUIT'D on 12A.<BR/><BR/>The AMEN corner was difficult but I concur with Wendy that the Grapvine exhortation ANSWER is kind of missing the essence of a Grapevine. Started with DON'T TELL and went further to LET'S KNOW and then SPILL 4 ME, and growled at the "correct" answer. The POP ART connection with everyday objects was a bit tenuous as well, which is not to say that there aren't those objects in such a work, it's just that they aren't very defining. Well, tough luck for me, eh? On the salacious side, I had for 14A PER_N_UM going as a Phrase? of interest. Phase? Or what's left after the ALTERER was a RUINER of the STAG, costing him some PRESTIGE? Had to reEVALUATE ... .<BR/><BR/>So, what more can one say about the lower left infernal corner? I was stuck inside, so never even thought of a CREEPER on an outside wall. Liked OLDSTER for a while for One who's getting on. That SLAVERER Uriah Heep must have been refered to as such, or at least Slavering, multiple times in "David Copperfield." And I confess, I couldn't think of anything but INTERNET despite a fierce Satruday taboo against something so obvious. But hey, TOCK and BEEPS were there, too.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54885673520629051182007-12-01T16:03:00.000-05:002007-12-01T16:03:00.000-05:00Maybe a nit, but Acetone is specific compound, not...Maybe a nit, but Acetone is specific compound, not a family, like Acid, Ketones, Alcohols, and others. There is Acetone, but there are not ACETONES. And what is with INCEPT ???Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16665270532050035752007-12-01T15:39:00.000-05:002007-12-01T15:39:00.000-05:00Ariose, ruiners and mental were my banes.Liked tha...Ariose, ruiners and mental were my banes.<BR/>Liked that 12 and 14 together read across BILLED PER ANNUM.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com