tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post7130236896578352601..comments2024-03-28T16:04:43.540-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Girl in Byron's Don Juan / MON 1-6-14 / 1988 Best Play Tony winner inspired by Puccini / 2007 Stephen Colbert satirical bookRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44875601355013255402014-02-11T00:01:03.118-05:002014-02-11T00:01:03.118-05:00@Rainy I'll miss you, and your comments, thou...@Rainy I'll miss you, and your comments, though I do understand. When things get too pedantic I tend to skip down to our own little corner. I'd love to see you pop in now and then.Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07156872089175084024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44275390906967224762014-02-10T16:39:06.951-05:002014-02-10T16:39:06.951-05:00@Rainy, thanks for all your contributions to syndi...@Rainy, thanks for all your contributions to syndiland and, of course, you're welcome back anytime.<br /><br />DEEN/DEAN writeover, else found this very straight-forward, even for a Monday. Liked the theme which can be used again with minor variation for the next few years. Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59661985888853126852014-02-10T16:09:49.514-05:002014-02-10T16:09:49.514-05:00Had I not seen ISAO in the grid enough times for t...Had I not seen ISAO in the grid enough times for the name to be etched in a memory cell somewhere (and thanks for the back story @spacey) the director's name, which went in entirely on crosses, would have been a problem.<br /><br />@Rainy - What @SiS said.<br /><br />@SiS - You carry cash?<br /><br />Whichever game you're playing, it's too rich for me.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43102974307370077342014-02-10T15:52:04.602-05:002014-02-10T15:52:04.602-05:00@Rainy, totally understand, and we'll look for...@Rainy, totally understand, and we'll look forward to your return. Have a nice break.<br /><br />@DMG, in liars poker it's the total of all of a number that's in every players dollar bills. E.g., if you and me and @Spacy are playing liars poker (you can only see your bill) and he calls five 8s and I'm next to play and I believe him (which I wouldn't because five 8s among the three of us would be a lot) and say I had an 8, I would call six 8s. Let's say you call us and @Spacy calls me, then I would win with his five 8's and my one 8, total six eights. I snatch up your dollar bills and I'm two bucks richer. That's liars poker.Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75383936232904253002014-02-10T15:31:02.321-05:002014-02-10T15:31:02.321-05:00Takin' an indefinite break from the blog, guys...Takin' an indefinite break from the blog, guys. I've been Leila'd to death, and am increasingly uninterested in whether certain terms are crosswordese, crap fill, or the glue that holds a theme together.<br /><br />I'll miss @M&A's quirky comments, @ACME's irrepressible contributions, and of course the little village of Syndicity.<br /><br />I guess I won't be able to stay current with the ongoing stream of conscious emanating from @LMS, but I'll get over it.<br /><br />Curmudgeonly, it's au revoir, not adieu.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53350376339645869602014-02-10T15:12:52.610-05:002014-02-10T15:12:52.610-05:00Thought the racer was a GOcART and left it that wa...Thought the racer was a GOcART and left it that way, cause some athletes have strange names, e.g. ISIO Akio.<br />Other than that, a good solve, once I realized from the RRN connection that 17A could actually start MN..., and accepted ANIM as a word.<br /><br />@Sis: I agree that M&A's mind works in mysterious, fun ways. Wish I could be that clever. As for Colbert, those commercials are just part of the laughter he brings to,this house! I particularly like his Spanish/Mexican macho man!<br /><br />How many 8's in this deck? I got 4, to go with the previously reported 5 and 6. If they were 9's, I'd suspect someone picked USA pinochle deck by mistake!DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62695641746605533092014-02-10T14:44:43.038-05:002014-02-10T14:44:43.038-05:0017-A Originally thought 'What kind of name is ...17-A Originally thought 'What kind of name is that?' and 'How on earth do you pronounce it?', Daughter and Grandson say he's well known, and parsed it for me. So, I guess it's fair. <br /><br />This former Dodger (now Mariner)fan Remembers THE KIRK GIBSON home run against the dreaded A's. He was injured, limped to the plate from the tunnel, hit the HR, could barely make it around the bases and won the game! Pure drama!! AAH, the memories.<br /><br />Puzzle seemed tough while I was doing it, yet I had no write overs. BTW, ECG (or EKG) is Electro-cardio-gram. <br /><br />Little house; 4s over 3s<br /><br />Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07156872089175084024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12044053515534724542014-02-10T14:08:30.867-05:002014-02-10T14:08:30.867-05:00The SiS lol award of the day goes to @M&A for ...The SiS lol award of the day goes to @M&A for his Weeject explanation. How does a mind work like that?<br /><br />Zhouqin, what a fun monpuz! Thanks, and if you ask nicely maybe @M&A will part with a "u" for you. And thank you again for reminding me of Lucy Lawless, my fav warrior princess.<br /><br />Liked TNUT crossing MBUTT.<br /><br />Stephen Colbert's recent pistachio ads crack me up.<br /><br />@Spacy, I call six eights.Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66484336323962718322014-02-10T11:15:11.993-05:002014-02-10T11:15:11.993-05:00I agree with @MaharajaMack about all the crossword...I agree with @MaharajaMack about all the crossword cliches, and with @lms about AVER/AVOW (also AVOID/EVADE/ELUDE and SCAB/SCAR).<br /><br />My poor remembery butchered M.NIGHT's name, so I had to w/o a few squares. I also put in dATE for information on a ticket before reading the down clue there.<br /><br />Interesting that the long downs (both boffo, BTW!) begin with K, the Greek thousand. Kind of balances with the ROMAN M's.<br /><br />I mostly liked it. Two theme entries are a little weak, neither the X nor the I being actual initials. XACTO is just Exacto with the E lopped off. But most of the rest is Burni-cool.<br /><br />One of the cliches, ISAO Aoki, is a strange story. An obscure journeyman most of his career, he got on the map with a single shot, a hole-out eagle from 100 yards. The fact that it happened at the 72nd hole of Pebble Beach (still Bing's "clambake" in those days) to win the tournament by one stroke made him the constructor's friend forever. Weird. That ball lands an inch away in any direction, we are denied that cruciverbial crutch.<br /><br />Oh baby, could I play liar's poker with this one: five 8's!spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52711383079994704342014-01-08T12:27:41.828-05:002014-01-08T12:27:41.828-05:00I'm late to this party, but I'll comment a...I'm late to this party, but I'll comment anyway. It felt like it should have been published 10 years ago.<br /><br />MNIGHTSHYAMALAN<br />IAMAMERICA<br />KIRKGIBSON<br />VISFORVENGEANCE<br />VCRS<br /><br />Plus it seemed heavy on the more obvious crosswordese.<br /><br />EMIR<br />MESA<br />SELA<br />LEI<br />ELOI<br />AIRS<br />BANE<br />ERA<br />ISAO<br />XENA<br />AVER<br />EER<br />ANIM<br /><br />An the clues for these seemed to come out of the stock clue for overused words list. If the answer is going to be junk, at least have some fun with the clue!<br />MaharajaMackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17586547065009442807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46945189205487784182014-01-06T22:50:20.160-05:002014-01-06T22:50:20.160-05:00@tita
I remember that! We had just met. It was s...@tita<br />I remember that! We had just met. It was super warm...<br />At midnight it was still going on... I'd never seen so many drunk people in my life. St Patrick's Day in SF pales.Acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49802994666545686042014-01-06T22:19:21.341-05:002014-01-06T22:19:21.341-05:00Did not notice the date part of the theme - simply...Did not notice the date part of the theme - simply thought how lame that there are 2 Ms and no D's, C's, L's...<br /><br />Lots of X-ACTO knives of every shape and configuration in this house.<br /><br />My grammar school uniform was forest green. 8 years of wearing a forest green a-line skirt and matching bolero, white blouse with Peter Pan collar, made me allergice to green - to this day I own about 2 pieces of green clothing.<br />Those 2 were acquired after marrying my Irish husband - I didn't realize that in the fine print of the marriage contract was the St. Patrick's Day clause - I am required to march in the NYC parade every year!!<br />Some of you may have met puz-spouse at the 2012 ACPT that took place on St. Patrick's Day - worked out great - he marched, I got special dispensation not to.<br /><br />I'm getting kind of tired of hearing about the old ""Maleska-era mustiness". 15 years AWS (after Will Shortz), posters here will compain about his mustiness.<br />Where is that moving window pane of mustiness - somewhere between "classical" and "fresh" - with the added dimension of "just-past-fresh = dated".<br /><br />I retain little pop, but maybe it is hte oddness of his name, bit MKNIGHTSHYAMALAN was a gimmme. (Well, wasn't entirely sure of the spelling, but crosses helped.)<br />BTW, The Sixth Sense was on TCM yesterday.<br /><br />Thank you Mr, Burnikel.Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73054818290877712462014-01-06T22:02:19.745-05:002014-01-06T22:02:19.745-05:00This 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 6:54, 6:22, 1.08, 81%, Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 4:02, 3:58, 1.02, 55%, Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91768160568124482612014-01-06T21:24:55.316-05:002014-01-06T21:24:55.316-05:00DNF. On a Monday. First time I can recall, EVER,...DNF. On a Monday. First time I can recall, EVER, but if you've never heard of Mnightshyamalan, and you don't remember how to spell Isao (is it Iseo) , and don't know what letter goes before the nut…<br /><br />OISKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16808675378318214461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20928587490712232422014-01-06T20:12:07.469-05:002014-01-06T20:12:07.469-05:00@ acme - vandalism, yes, but not as a murder myste...@ acme - vandalism, yes, but not as a murder mystery title. But better than viscosity. :-)<br /><br />Pod and gam seem about the same, cetaceously. I think pods are smaller.<br /><br />I like pooch-ini.retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27873761257551956322014-01-06T20:03:14.021-05:002014-01-06T20:03:14.021-05:00@Carola~ Succinct and perfect thank-you. Now I&#...@Carola~ Succinct and perfect thank-you. Now I'll be better able to understand @ jae ;)Questiniahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06225633428852696530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25117336082437087962014-01-06T18:54:52.181-05:002014-01-06T18:54:52.181-05:00@Ret_chem
VANDALISM?
;)
Like the synchronicity of...@Ret_chem<br />VANDALISM?<br />;)<br /><br />Like the synchronicity of Puccini!<br />Pooch-ini? From the Italian for little dog...<br /><br />And I agree with you on GAM is from jambe/gamba.<br />I thought groupls of whales, etc. were pods.<br /><br />I saw M. Butterfly starring John Lithgow about 30 years ago and I'd like credit for not using it as an excuse to tell my John Lithgow cheating at Scattergories story!!! ;)<br /><br />@LaneB<br />I know we are not supposed to ask "How could you have never heard of..."<br />but MILEY Cyrus, really???? I stick my tongue out at you!acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32521070037399140002014-01-06T17:20:43.913-05:002014-01-06T17:20:43.913-05:00OK, medium Monday. No particular problems.
We ju...<br />OK, medium Monday. No particular problems. <br /><br />We just got the registration papers back on a puppy we named "Bookmark's Madame Butterfly." Then 23A today appeared - timely, even if not identical. We are calling her Puccini.<br /><br />GAM surely derives from the French <i>jambe</i> or the Italian <i>gamba</i>, each meaning leg in English. I think GAM is WWII slang. Why it also means a collection of whales, dolphins, or porpoises, none of which have legs, is one of the great mysteries of life.<br /><br />Wanted roncO for 39A for a while. Thought better of it when XACTO crossed my mind. <br /><br />58A was a gift based on ""22nd in a series," From her titling algorithm. you knew it started as "V IS FOR V...." even if you didn't actually know what V was for. V, 9 letters, murder mystery: what else could it be?<br /><br />Good puzzle, Ms. Burnikel. Thanks.retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85422013019959897552014-01-06T16:46:53.023-05:002014-01-06T16:46:53.023-05:00Transgression is going across it.Transgression is going across it.AliasZhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477396362209386037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44338070912520016842014-01-06T16:17:32.253-05:002014-01-06T16:17:32.253-05:00@chefbea:
Aggression is going at it.
--Benko@chefbea:<br />Aggression is going at it.<br />--BenkoOne More Gressionnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67427593891600603412014-01-06T16:10:19.944-05:002014-01-06T16:10:19.944-05:00What the hula troop came to So. Cal. to do?
LEILA...What the hula troop came to So. Cal. to do?<br /><br />LEILA<br /><br />What a horrendous pile-up of proper nouns masquerading as a crossword puzzle. Sigh.David IN CAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43619614196250675472014-01-06T15:30:51.617-05:002014-01-06T15:30:51.617-05:00Evan@2:17
Thanks. I went back to the picture and ...Evan@2:17<br /><br />Thanks. I went back to the picture and Rex's comment.<br />I wouldn't have figured it out in a million years. Rex does that a lot. I guess I'm not as smart<br />and knowledgeable as he and the<br />commenters are.<br />ANON Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52705275082859280732014-01-06T15:18:48.181-05:002014-01-06T15:18:48.181-05:00p.p.s.s.
@OMG--Primo example of the UFO weeject. t...p.p.s.s.<br />@OMG--Primo example of the UFO weeject. thanx U.<br />@Z--har. And, Congrats on gettin home safe. Shoot, at -28 F-in degrees, my whole right leg would refuse to start up. And thanx for the IFUF awards feedback respect.<br />@Ellen S.--Make it "Hairy mammoth weeject", on Class 5. See? Ever expandin.<br />@Z--U-less puz? (shiver). Let's all make a New Years Times resolution right now, outlawin that. I'm talkin to U, @Sir Shortzmeister. (har. Sure not hard, pleazin everybody, huh?)<br /><br />@acme--Like how U likes the puzs. I'm with U -- haven't met too many puzs I don't admire, one way or another. Could say the same, to @muse, btw. U gals surely brighten up the place. Like a breath of fresh AIRS.<br /><br />@4-Oh. LEILA's pretty much beaten into submission, dude. U can call off the pitbulls, now. Great ode to @Benko's wife, tho... Well, anyhoo, I'm suitably inspired; yer blog is like a breath of fresh wreckin ball ... a sizeable check, signed "M&A", is in the mail!<br /><br />M&A and a few bucks poorer.Last Silver Mileynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52136965154393415012014-01-06T15:17:15.869-05:002014-01-06T15:17:15.869-05:00@Z...I hope this helps
your weather forecast@Z...I hope this helps<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8hGIF9FljM" rel="nofollow">your weather forecast</a>GILL I.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05605766053820226324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18517642620012741592014-01-06T14:29:27.778-05:002014-01-06T14:29:27.778-05:00OMG - A RRN Themed Monday - Just what I needed aft...OMG - A RRN Themed Monday - Just what I needed after my 28 hour sojourn home from Mont Tremblant (where it was -28° F on Thursday morning) back to metro Detroit (where it is currently a balmy 1° F). Since RRNs are, IMHO, somewhere below where EELs rank for @EllenS and even below a Uless puzzle for M&A, I will waste no more breath on this one.<br /><br />I do have two questions for our Canadian friends here: WTF were all those people doing on the 417 at 10 a.m. on a Sunday? and WTF were all those people doing on the 401 at 4:00 p.m. on a Sunday? That extra three hours getting through Ottawa and then through Toronto (on a Sunday - did I mention that?) was the difference between hitting the border around 6 and calling it a night in Woodstock. The OPP dispatcher was very nice when we called in the car in the ditch that we passed. She didn't actually call us stupid for still being on the road, she only gently implied it.<br /><br />Signed - Magnificent Beast ZZhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.com