tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6969587999212492529..comments2024-03-29T03:22:09.826-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: English poet/composer Gurney / SAT 1-29-11 / Smallish ballpark in slang / Freshwater plant also called wild celery / Soapmaking compound chemicallyRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60251206151435647392011-03-05T21:22:27.940-05:002011-03-05T21:22:27.940-05:00I'd rate this as easy for a Saturday, and did ...I'd rate this as easy for a Saturday, and did it more quickly than yesterday. However, I was stumped by the cross between KOH and TAOS, and had to google the answer. <br /><br />SCHMIDT was a gimme, so I got off to a fast start in the NW, which fell easily. Spent most of the time in the E and SE --- was working on some variation of GENE for "something handed down". Never heard of PROBST, but managed to put it together from the crosses.<br /><br />A nicely done, accessible puzzle, but not the kind of blood-sweating experience I generally expect from a Saturday.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86651974506728846322011-03-05T17:12:13.784-05:002011-03-05T17:12:13.784-05:00Serendipity strikes - saw Eric SCHMIDT on the tube...Serendipity strikes - saw Eric SCHMIDT on the tube yesterday so 1A was a gimme which made TREBEK, ANSWERS & SWEATSHOPS very easy, uh, ANSWERS too. Only real difficulty was entering INEQUALITY for x=x+1 and refusing to budge for far too long. And, oh yeah, never having heard of this dude PROBST (had PROUST for a while!), SKYBLUE & TEASETS took way too long to tease out. <br /><br />Think this was the easiest Saturday puzzle in a long, long time but certainly enjoyed it. Thanks Mr. White.Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76050082113150257112011-01-30T19:07:06.868-05:002011-01-30T19:07:06.868-05:00I think 60 minuti is 1 ore not 1 ora. So I think t...I think 60 minuti is 1 ore not 1 ora. So I think the creator of the puzzle got that salery cap wrong.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00986311988787254681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12582372315061328982011-01-30T13:39:26.381-05:002011-01-30T13:39:26.381-05:00SW and NE were definitely easy for me, but NW and ...SW and NE were definitely easy for me, but NW and especially the SE were a real struggle.<br /><br />NW: the top half went in fine, but lost a few minutes first because of PAPANOEL in place of PERENOEL, and second because I was hesitant to put in CHAIRCOVER (since, well, it's just not a satisfying answer to the clue).<br /><br />SE: ended up with an error here (PROsST/sANDBOX). I had filled in UNSOLVABLE without any crosses, but when the rest of the SE wasn't filling in, I wondered whether this was a mistake; took it out, and from _AN____ thought "oh, SANDLOT!" but UNSOLVABLE had to go back in, of course, so SANDLOT switched to SANDBOX and the mistake was locked in. <br /><br />Still took me too long to fill in the last letters in NAE/TILT/DELRIO/SCOPEITOUT (never heard of ELROPO, was reluctant to put in NAE with NAYS already in the puzzle, etc.) Basically, looks like I got stuck at all the problem areas!<br /><br />Totally agree with the criticism of ALABAMA as an oddly non-specific answer to 16A. Would THEEARTH have been an acceptable 8-letter answer for that clue?dlsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39287833099366269202011-01-30T09:18:29.517-05:002011-01-30T09:18:29.517-05:00What a contrast. I found Friday's puzzle FAR ...What a contrast. I found Friday's puzzle FAR easier than this puzzle. I managed to finish it before bed on Thursday night without a mistake, I was sure it would be rated easy. I didn't even get close on this one, only managed to get about 8 answers. Came back to it off and on all day Saturday, nothing would come to me, I finally gave up Sunday morning and came here to find it rated easy! Another case of sometimes you are on the same page as a constructor and sometimes you aren't?nebraska dougnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53646546152640173712011-01-29T22:02:44.613-05:002011-01-29T22:02:44.613-05:00VERY pretty grid...
@tony macaroni
Yes, TEASES an...VERY pretty grid...<br /><br />@tony macaroni<br />Yes, TEASES and TEASEtS looks disconcerting. Maybe TEASEtS are little flirts.<br /><br />Never gave up ELPASO, never got ELROPO after the other 9/10th went so quickly. So, again DNF :( <br />(Or should I say, for me, UNSOLVABLE? FMU)<br /><br />Sitting with non-puzzler Brother-in-Law, who was doing my Monday while I was tackling Saturday...<br />we were trading clues back and forth.<br />I asked what a small baseball field was and without looking up, he said "Is it 7 letters starting with B?" and I said, "Yes! how did you know that?!" and he smiled and went back to his puzzle.<br /><br />(On the other hand, he insisted on Stogie)<br /><br />HATE that UTWO thing...it gives me the UTmost WOe. UTWO, Brute? <br /><br />Enjoyed seeing both TREBEK and PROBST, set up opposite each other.<br /><br />Learned the word "Mononymous" today...and in blogworld, Anonymous is mononymous, right? Would Pixie and Dixie be considered mononymice?andrea koh-la michaelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28127158963458971732011-01-29T20:31:13.112-05:002011-01-29T20:31:13.112-05:00It's never a Sad Day when SADE, steps up to th...It's never a Sad Day when SADE, steps up to the mike and warbles a tune in her singularly sensuous style.<br />The lady is OSO fine!CaseAcenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78126096726380578132011-01-29T19:54:20.663-05:002011-01-29T19:54:20.663-05:00@dk: you driving a deux chevaux? Or a deux poneys?...@dk: you driving a deux chevaux? Or a deux poneys?machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52291589577672491672011-01-29T19:44:05.294-05:002011-01-29T19:44:05.294-05:00Agree that Saturdays have been easier than Fridays...Agree that Saturdays have been easier than Fridays lately - have been wondering about that. But, not this week. DNFBeadolanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5082235376342582252011-01-29T18:32:24.165-05:002011-01-29T18:32:24.165-05:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 7/30/2009 post 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 6:03, 6:55, 0.87, 7%, Easy<br />Tue 11:40, 8:58, 1.30, 99%, Challenging<br />Wed 11:45, 11:44, 1.00, 57%, Medium<br />Thu 17:57, 18:59, 0.95, 45%, Medium<br />Fri 29:19, 26:16, 1.12, 74%, Medium-Challenging<br />Sat 30:59, 30:30, 1.02, 56%, Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:15, 3:41, 0.88, 4%, Easy<br />Tue 5:35, 4:36, 1.22, 96%, Challenging<br />Wed 5:57, 5:46, 1.03, 65%, Medium-Challenging<br />Thu 8:13, 9:08, 0.90, 36%, Easy-Medium<br />Fri 15:03, 12:54, 1.17, 82%, Challenging<br />Sat 17:09, 17:22, 0.99, 49%, Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33577471866064976602011-01-29T18:15:45.810-05:002011-01-29T18:15:45.810-05:00Agree that this was much easier than Fridays. Sti...Agree that this was much easier than Fridays. Still had one error, sANDBOX/PROsST. Never watched Survivor, so PROsST looks just as good to me as PROBST.<br />Had the O in DELRIO and was waiting to see if it was El Paso or Laredo. I kind of like A IS and liked its cross, HORSE OPERA. Actually, the whole NW was pretty good, although it was my last corner.<br />Had bTWO before UTWO and agree with the rant about that. Really looks ugly.PuzzleNutnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4313925426074967302011-01-29T18:10:52.390-05:002011-01-29T18:10:52.390-05:00This one was OK. SCHMIDT, RAMADAN, TREBEK (and AN...This one was OK. SCHMIDT, RAMADAN, TREBEK (and ANSWERS) were gimmes--rabid Jeopardy fan. As was LIEV and EELGRASS. Got really stuck with 45 across. Had STOGIE for the longest. Also on 1 down. Kept SEVENTH AVE forever until I finally saw the light. All in all, fairly-well constructed.<br /><br />By the way, Rex, that's a photo of Sade, not Enya.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48580477281031458632011-01-29T18:04:42.424-05:002011-01-29T18:04:42.424-05:00or perhaps i am ridding with deux chevalor perhaps i am ridding with deux chevaldkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17317008233459295376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16084677153669998592011-01-29T18:01:36.057-05:002011-01-29T18:01:36.057-05:00I am ridden with @two ponies on this one, and what...I am ridden with @two ponies on this one, and what CaseAce quoted.<br /><br />Wanted some kind of fountain for 2D and when I got CHAIRCOVER my reaction was -- HUH. A further problem for the NW was paper instead of DEBIT.<br /><br />*** (3 Stars)dkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17317008233459295376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-92053887364541907712011-01-29T17:47:54.427-05:002011-01-29T17:47:54.427-05:00Rex, old stick, you rate this Saturday offering as...Rex, old stick, you rate this Saturday offering as "Easy?"<br />As Senor Wences's little puppet use to say, back in the day on the Ed Sullivan Show, "Easy for you...deefeecult for me!"CaseAcenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35474727453245146642011-01-29T17:07:54.862-05:002011-01-29T17:07:54.862-05:00I remember as a kid doing crossword puzzles whose ...I remember as a kid doing crossword puzzles whose words twisted and turned. 8A and 16A made me think of it. Clue: Month of fasting in Talladega. Answer: RALAMABADAMANAaleph1=c?https://www.blogger.com/profile/12422129158978411656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53974149997177574792011-01-29T16:55:11.301-05:002011-01-29T16:55:11.301-05:00SethG:
I love the New York Times, but I wouldn...SethG:<br /><br />I love the New York Times, but I wouldn't consider myself a Red Sox 'fan' (as I am) if I only read what an out-of-town paper had to say about my team. <br /><br />BANDBOX, esp. in the last 10 years, it seems to me, has been used by TV announcers and ESPN-types, to the point of cliche-dom.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18391847471384798773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6936745717339342432011-01-29T16:06:05.638-05:002011-01-29T16:06:05.638-05:00@masked and anonymous - tea sets aid in preparing ...@masked and anonymous - tea sets aid in preparing a "spot" of teaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5969796890025352062011-01-29T15:29:54.831-05:002011-01-29T15:29:54.831-05:00First answer in was RAMADAN and ALABAMA slid right...First answer in was RAMADAN and ALABAMA slid right in underneath. Last letter in was the r in ELROPO/DELRIO cross. I was surprised at how easily this fell.<br />My first thought was CHAIRCOVER but rejected it as not an amenity. I had the CH and waited for champagne to appear. Loved the clues for PERENOEL and TEASETS.<br />Dad played alto SAX.quilter1https://www.blogger.com/profile/09569747169212018177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50644066381031158452011-01-29T15:25:30.324-05:002011-01-29T15:25:30.324-05:00Like David L, the x = x + 1 clue threw me off beca...Like David L, the x = x + 1 clue threw me off because I was thinking about computer programming. It's such a common occurrence that in C, x++ is shorthand for x = x + 1. I was thinking more along the lines of iterative or incremental than unsolvable.<br /><br />I didn't like seeing NAYS/NAE and TEASES/TEASEtS in the puzzle. Too repetitive.tony macaroninoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82117093166092793802011-01-29T15:25:27.079-05:002011-01-29T15:25:27.079-05:00An attached ear lobe is one that is attached to th...An attached ear lobe is one that is attached to the neck all the way to its tip. A free ear lobe dangles free from the neck. Ear lobe structure (unattached/attached) is a dominate/recessive genetic trait like brown/blue eye color. You should have seen it in high school biology class.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10172407891419806052011-01-29T15:16:34.420-05:002011-01-29T15:16:34.420-05:00If one were to read, say, the sports pages of the ...If one were to read, say, the sports pages of the NY Times, for, say, the last 30 years, one would have encountered Fenway being described as "a lyric little bandbox of a ballpark" once. It may well be a perfectly common term, or phrase, but it's pretty easy to see how one can be a baseball fan and yet remain unfamiliar.<br /><br />Now, they ship coupons to Del Rio, TX. Anyone who gets a local Sunday paper should know that.SethGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13753036404140901368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45841106155433330152011-01-29T14:58:24.443-05:002011-01-29T14:58:24.443-05:00Oops, I left in SANDBOX. And I'm a baseball f...Oops, I left in SANDBOX. And I'm a baseball fan. LAREDO and EL PASO sure made a mess of Texas. CATER-something caused some delay before sitting on the uncomfortable CHAIRCOVER.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5033402443897234292011-01-29T14:46:04.242-05:002011-01-29T14:46:04.242-05:00@ani (xwordese from earlier this week!):
http://e...@ani (xwordese from earlier this week!):<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Earlobes_free_attached.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Earlobes_free_attached.jpg</a>Second try at thisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88375258499118381482011-01-29T14:41:51.307-05:002011-01-29T14:41:51.307-05:00Rex is right. Easy...also random, though.
SCOPEI...Rex is right. Easy...also random, though. <br /><br />SCOPEITOUT, CHAIRCOVER, and TENORSAXES, all either ugly answers or poorly clued. Not to mention my favorite random answer of the day: HORSEOPERA. Is that as ridiculous as it sounds? Even SWEATSHOPS is not quite an appropriate answer to that particular clue. <br /><br />On the other hand, I loved POPULARVOTE and EARLOBE. <br /><br />BANDBOX is perfectly common, non-baseball fans. And Rex, since I'm pretty sure you're a Sox fan, I'm particularly surprised you maintain its uncommon usage, given that Fenway, more frequently than other parks, is characterized as such. <br /><br />Thanks to Mr White for such an easy Saturday puzzle, especially since it made me appear more brilliant than I am in the eyes of the date in whose presence I burned through this one.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18391847471384798773noreply@blogger.com