tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post7191722636036732464..comments2024-03-28T18:52:07.432-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Fictional character with ring of power / SAT 5-21-16 / Protagonist is Wilde's Canterville ghost / Gotcha in old lingo / Presidential moniker on west wingRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54374383852997207112016-06-25T22:13:59.122-04:002016-06-25T22:13:59.122-04:00@Anon 6:10 - Welcome to posting in Syndieland, our...@Anon 6:10 - Welcome to posting in Syndieland, our little 5-weeks-behind-the-Times puzzleplace.<br /><br />I do believe you are correct - ager is what the office does to the pres. Didn't see any other posts to the contrary.<br /><br />Diana, Lady-in-Waiting (Synder) for CrosswordsDiana,LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23301951579083251102016-06-25T18:10:33.230-04:002016-06-25T18:10:33.230-04:00Pardon the lateness of this question, but the May ...Pardon the lateness of this question, but the May 21 NY Times Crossword puzzle was just printed in today's Seattle Times. I don't understand the answer AGER for THE PRESIDENCY, NOTABLY. Does it mean that it has been known to age the person who holds the office?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42339679433853214222016-06-25T17:37:15.944-04:002016-06-25T17:37:15.944-04:00Realer - it had to be, and yet, I actually wanted ...Realer - it had to be, and yet, I actually wanted to be wrongLongbeachleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10945278798020339134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23552632744904186412016-06-25T17:05:03.221-04:002016-06-25T17:05:03.221-04:00Last Friday, shopping at my favorite Trader Joe...Last Friday, shopping at my favorite Trader Joe's, I was prepared for the question, "Doing anything fun this weekend?" "Not really, but I just came back from a CROSSWORD TOURNEMENT in St. Paul!!"<br /><br />Turns out the cashier does the NYTP during his breaks. Discussion ensued. Told him where he could see an etui in the wild (the dollar store sells them for cellphones). He mentioned that he recently realized he could get a lot of traction by not avoiding the long answers. "Oh, yes, don't be afraid of the long answers - you can open up a lot of the grid that way." Me! Sounding just like Rex. A very slooooow Rex, but privy to the secrets of the solve. <br /><br />So today, when I saw the stacks, I said, "Fear not! You will prevail." And prevail I did in the south, with no help at all. The north did need a couple of hints (aka, cheats) but then I finished up triumphantly. Had PLACE before MEDAL, but MENU changed all that. Got GIVE ME ONE REASON from 3 letters. <br /><br />I did post yesterday, but the gerbils ate my homework. Never got the "your post has been saved" message, so I wasn't surprised. <br /><br />Haven't read all the comments yet, but glancing thru it looks like a lively discussion...'magine that!<br /><br />Hey @Rondo, Northern Ex was one of the few TV shows I watched faithfully in the last 25 years or so. I believe Cle Elem actually has its own moose roaming the streets. <br /><br />It's Hoopfest Weekend in Spokane - over 7,000 3 on 3 teams participating all over downtown. Great people watching.<br /><br />Enjoy the weekend - make up a good story for the store clerks!<br /><br />Diana, Lady-in-Waiting for CrosswordsDiana,LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23385911377916502952016-06-25T15:41:45.097-04:002016-06-25T15:41:45.097-04:00I'm no more fond of quad stacks than Rex is, a...I'm no more fond of quad stacks than Rex is, and for the same reasons. I agree that this was better than most. Like many others, I solved it from the bottom up. <br /><br />On the plus side, IMOK was an improvement over yesterday's IMSAFE, and I was pleased to see the shout-out to William RAND, beloved, back in the pre-GPS age, of road trippers and armchair travelers alike. <br /><br />REALER, however, if it is to be used at all, really needs a clue that acknowledges it is a non-real word. Clued as it is, it's just real ugly.<br /><br />And there's this:<br /><i>In brightest day, in blackest night,<br />No evil shall escape my sight.<br />Let those who worship evil's might,<br />Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!!!</i><br /><br />No "the."Sailorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05185068601066087185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49851822177574677042016-06-25T14:51:41.590-04:002016-06-25T14:51:41.590-04:00What happened to Cameron Collins and his high loWhat happened to Cameron Collins and his high loDaveR8Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01753947008714140222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81307664780075892862016-06-25T14:49:51.562-04:002016-06-25T14:49:51.562-04:00What happened to Cameron Collins and his high lowWhat happened to Cameron Collins and his high lowDaveR8Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01753947008714140222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60072405749492769922016-06-25T14:11:47.699-04:002016-06-25T14:11:47.699-04:00Excellent puzzle. There's really nothing here...Excellent puzzle. There's really nothing here to complain about, unless of course your goal is to find SOMETHING to be negative about. And of course, there are those who invariably do. Even if MTGES isn't the "correct" abbreviation for mortgages, what else was going in there? Besides, it looked fine to me.<br /><br />I can't see the rationale for changing the puzzle to get rid of SLAVER, since there were such ships used by despicable people to subjugate others. Sometimes I think there are still some who long for those days. Anyway, as someone else said up there, we need to always be reminded of how the the racism and bigotry of the USA had its origins. Or else you can stick your head in the sand.<br /><br />The Sexton poem seems contrived, based as it is on a made-up palindrome. She has a turn of phrase, though. <br /><br />I think the first sentence of the blog was a dead give-away. "Well, that could have been a lot worse", revealing that even before he started, @Rex was expecting something bad. In a crossword puzzle?!<br /><br />Well, there was nothing bad here, unless one wants to perseverate on REALER. My enjoyment while solving this puzzle was real. Couldn't have been realer.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34721562541850652002016-06-25T13:22:39.350-04:002016-06-25T13:22:39.350-04:00From Syndication Land:
Which of the following are...From Syndication Land:<br /><br />Which of the following are "realer"?<br /><br />mtges, ihate, onno, inhis, sen, cle, tmi, imhip, odson, cia, las, ile, lai, anit, asou, gmac, ident<br /><br />Compared to yesterday's beautifully filled puzzle, this was full of junk. On the other hand, quad stacks are fun to solve in a "Wheel of Fortune" kind of way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25204894155327316872016-06-25T13:16:23.185-04:002016-06-25T13:16:23.185-04:00Very slow getting into this one, with mostly rando...Very slow getting into this one, with mostly random entries to start. <br /><br />Finally got enough crosses to see most of the bottom stack. Then moved to the top stack and again crosses made it possible to see those as well.<br /><br />In between, dawdled over ROLF and SLAVER, but was totally flummoxed by IMDB, which is were I DID. NOT. FINISH.<br /><br />IHATE doing that, especially on an otherwise finish-able Saturday.leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31051661140291166612016-06-25T12:01:00.015-04:002016-06-25T12:01:00.015-04:00This one was going nowhere fast with SabbaTHDAY st...This one was going nowhere fast with SabbaTHDAY stuck in there in the NW, and yeah baby UMA having given me TUSCALOOSA only from the U was the only thing making headway in the SE. Took a break. Came back to finally change to SEVENTHDAY and then it about filled itself in. Would never work at a xword tourney, but I’m glad I GAVEITANOTHERGO.<br /><br />There’s a small town named CLE Elum near Roslyn, WA where Northern Exposure was filmed. Discovered it on a pilgrimage to the home of the best TV series ever. Do stop at The Brick if you go to Roslyn, it’s just like you saw it in the show.<br /><br />Glad to see RAND not clued with Paul. <br /><br />Garr or Hatcher, either way TERI has gotta be a yeah baby. Dated a TERI not long outta H.S. who was probably even more a yeah baby, if that’s possible, and oh so much REALER, and spectacular. Still have a letter she wrote to me +/-40 years ago. Dated another TERI about 15 years ago, Hall & Oates concert, she was concerned what we were doing might not have been legal. So every puz with TERI in it is a winner for me. Glad it happens often.<br /><br />I wasn’t feeling like the ETERNALOPTIMIST when I saw the quad stacks, but GIVEMEONEREASON not to like this puz. Maybe MTGES.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90064797626967231322016-06-25T11:08:44.950-04:002016-06-25T11:08:44.950-04:00SANS ROCKS
The ETERNALOPTIMIST HADAHEARTOFGOLD,
b...SANS ROCKS<br /><br />The ETERNALOPTIMIST HADAHEARTOFGOLD,<br />but on the SEVENTHDAY INHIS own way said, ”NO!”<br />“GIVEMEONEREASON’, TERI said, “IMOK, be bold.”<br />So on PRINCIPLE he GAVEITANOTHERGO.<br /><br />--- ROLF RAND DESERET<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74639184939154471432016-05-23T08:22:37.003-04:002016-05-23T08:22:37.003-04:00@Mariela, I am also stymied by AGER. Is that reall...@Mariela, I am also stymied by AGER. Is that really the explanation? Anyone? Thanks... Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31716065509060494772016-05-22T10:28:43.793-04:002016-05-22T10:28:43.793-04:00@Unk01:36 --
TSA agents require IDENTification be...@Unk01:36 --<br /><br />TSA agents require IDENTification before letting you go to the airport gate.<br />Wm. C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71190818969499741652016-05-22T01:37:19.909-04:002016-05-22T01:37:19.909-04:00Could someone please explain IDENT?Could someone please explain IDENT?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09227625176335894285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26483453889317850962016-05-21T23:00:30.073-04:002016-05-21T23:00:30.073-04:00Busy day so a very late comment. I actually did th... Busy day so a very late comment. I actually did this on the Kindle last night so the solve time was thrown off. Like most people I solved the bottom stack first. The stacks are always a little intimidating until they start falling. The ring clue had me looking for Tolkien characters too. Gandalf the White does have 15 letters. Luckily we just had ATEMPO in that Saturday "face plant" puzzle.puzzle hoardernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82799593660994404862016-05-21T22:20:51.233-04:002016-05-21T22:20:51.233-04:00Bah. Realer? Come on. Have you ever heard anyone ...Bah. Realer? Come on. Have you ever heard anyone say it, and if you did, did you not immediately taunt them? nemo paradisenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55308379494794616782016-05-21T21:14:55.152-04:002016-05-21T21:14:55.152-04:00AGER? Because serving as president - presumably US...AGER? Because serving as president - presumably US president - ages a person? I found that entry weird.<br />Marielahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10128770651515554779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49013775639596176372016-05-21T21:03:58.216-04:002016-05-21T21:03:58.216-04:00Tough (average Saturday) but fair. South fell pret...Tough (average Saturday) but fair. South fell pretty quickly, but North was a bear. SevenTHDAY and pedalO (for ATEMPO) sure didn't help, nor did somehow thinking anagram rather than homophone for 13D and going with lonI (anagram of loin). Also thinking cloture vote rather than voter. Also RAja.<br /><br />Surprised not to see outrage over IDENT, which is REALERs ugly stepbrother. If you are going to shorten identification, you say ID. Why would you go with something 150% longer, when you are trying to abbreviate?<br /><br />GREENLANTERN was my first thought at 18A, then I even counted to see if it worked with 'the', but with ERGS being the only crossing that worked, I gave it up and figured it would be some unknown Lord of the Rings thing. Although I am EXACTLY the kind of person everyone expects to be a LOTR lover, I've never read the books and could only stomach the first movie.kitshefnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59585210309038164472016-05-21T19:05:42.644-04:002016-05-21T19:05:42.644-04:00@evildoug, context is everything.
I've been ...@evildoug, context is everything. <br /><br />I've been in enough malnutrition wards during famine conditions to know that appetite can be suppressed and you really do need to FORCE FEED small amounts to starving babies at frequent intervals until they can regain their appetite and do the job on their own, So iin my mind, judicious FORcan be life saving. I once got into a huge fight with a group of anthropologists who thought I should have let an abused baby that I found starve instead of bringing him to the clinic. Since I was working for a public health organization my mandate clearly differed from theirs. The poor babe was 12 months old and weighed only 9 pounds. <br /><br />My initial reaction to your first phrase, however, was "Try telling that to some of the parents I work with." Some parents have so little experience with babies before they have one that have no concept of what a newborns stomach will hold and some of the baby books push the notion that stuffing babies before bed helps them sleep. Then parents call me because they can't understand why their babies are up all night with indigestion. Having been of the generation that had the clean our plates, I still have memories of trying to figure out how to sneak the food I didn't want to eat into the bathroom to flush it down the toilet, <br /><br />As for the MIA. They definitely should never be forgotten. I have never been in an active war zone, but have been in some sketchy places and lost a few friends and colleagues who were murdered while carrying out their work in public health. As the sister of a firefighter I will never forget for a moment the first responders on 9-11 either. So I keep a list of names in my head like Arya Stark. Unlike Arya Starkmy list of names consists of the lost (but not always missing) who I will always remember for the light they brought into the world, <br /><br />I don't think there is anything wrong in discussing the many varied emotional reactions words can trigger, which is not at all the same thing as being in favor of censorship. <br /><br />Aketihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07059835429995060000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40991339699724513132016-05-21T18:18:48.785-04:002016-05-21T18:18:48.785-04:00Pinch me. OFL spake well of a quadstack! We love...Pinch me. OFL spake well of a quadstack! We loved it of course because we always love stacked puzzles, and now that Will offers fewer and fewer we love them more and more.<br /><br />Only complaints - MTGE and NOD. Started my career programming Balance Sheet and Income Statement info for banks. If I ever used that abbreviation I'd have been job hunting (its MTG). Agree with the other complainers on NOD as well, I zone out when I'm awake - Lady M tells me I'm usually zoned out when I'm awake - no NODding involved.<br /><br />But all in all a terrific Saturday. Keep Stackin' 'em Mr. Flinn.Mohair Samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16502840715719161565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9980023276045375972016-05-21T18:06:16.639-04:002016-05-21T18:06:16.639-04:00@OISK -- Haven't seen you here for a while, it...@OISK -- Haven't seen you here for a while, it seems, so welcome back. I had the exact same single square DNF that you had: JEb/NOb. I, like so many others here, didn't get NOD at all, and since I don't watch "The West Wing" either, JEb/NOb made just as much sense to me as JED/NOD would have. I didn't mention all this because, frankly, it didn't seem all that important to me. I thought of my effort as a "finish" when I did it; and even after seeing the correct solution, REALER though it might be, I shall continue to think I truly solved this -- in spirit, if not in fact.Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16737377749030219974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85136508628501215212016-05-21T17:52:25.381-04:002016-05-21T17:52:25.381-04:00Saying the word "SLAVER" should be avoid...Saying the word "SLAVER" should be avoided because it gives you unpleasant associations is the most ridiculous uber P.C. misguided white guilt nonsense you have ever spewed. Let's take ROOTS off the library shelves too - that whole part where the Africans are not treated nicely makes it hard for me to sip my brandy at night. Are you serious? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56146611646984767802016-05-21T16:40:23.319-04:002016-05-21T16:40:23.319-04:00Let 'em die of self-starvation and you'd b...Let 'em die of self-starvation and you'd be whining even louder. And MIAs *need* to be remembered. evil doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17593231055589228837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16870852217919962072016-05-21T16:14:33.353-04:002016-05-21T16:14:33.353-04:00@Anonymous
MTGES = Mortgages which home buyers ha...@Anonymous<br /><br />MTGES = Mortgages which home buyers have on a house until paid off.<br /><br />ODSON = Over doses on which is a hyperbolic way of describing overeatingfmi<br /><br />@Dolgo, I had the same feeling about MISAPPROPRIATES. Embezzling feels like the better word for pocketing funds where as misappropriates better describes redirecting monies for unintended purposes.<br /><br />While I knew the ring of power clue on 16A was going to be something other than The Lord of the Rings, I still had a hard time shifting my brain away wanting Frodo Baggins or Sauron which clearly wouldn't fit. Took a lot of crosses to bring me around to the DC Comics character.<br /><br />Whenever I print out a puzzle and see long stacks, it's impossible not hear Rex's disapproving voice in the back of my head, but this was fun. Marty Van Bnoreply@blogger.com