tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post7436454419984414378..comments2024-03-28T17:05:38.403-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Susan's family on Seinfeld / SAT 9-21-13 / Oo la la jeans informally / Areas next to bull's eyes / Spotted hybrid house pet / They adhere to brains / 1980s Olympic star with autobiography Breaking Surface / Preceder of John Sebastian at WoodstockRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82535914891340961012013-11-02T04:12:43.389-04:002013-11-02T04:12:43.389-04:00I will concede this wasn't zippy, but it was j...I will concede this wasn't zippy, but it was just tough enough to be barely doable for me. Given the choice between snappy and tough I'll take tough.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51064502329941581492013-10-28T17:41:11.195-04:002013-10-28T17:41:11.195-04:00Took me two days to give up and come out here to s...Took me two days to give up and come out here to see how many errors I had. I can't believe undock/sassons/adsorbs/twosteps/splitters/piamaters, tooler/alencon, and samisen/sonde were all correct. This isn't my first Saturday victory, but it might be the toughest I've ever finished 100% correct with no googles. I am positive that not just practice, but reading this blog and comments every Fri-Sat-Sun for the past few years gets a lot of the credit. So, thanks Rexters!RCTIDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13320865075826254722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23416074988082720412013-10-28T13:59:53.588-04:002013-10-28T13:59:53.588-04:00Had to read a long wy through the comments to find...Had to read a long wy through the comments to find some acknowledging what had drawn me into trying to solve a Saturday. The grid looked fabulous.<br /><br />I couldn't do it. Got the center secton on my own but cheated for half the rest. then started trying to guess what Emily Cureton would have drawn if she were still doing drawings of the puzzles. That grid just wanted to be used in a work of art.SharonAKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85771703682273575942013-10-27T12:25:19.927-04:002013-10-27T12:25:19.927-04:00Very tough...toughest time I have faced in a long ...Very tough...toughest time I have faced in a long while. I did ultimately triumph, with an * (I didn't realize 'SASSON' was two S's, one O...I guess I was thinking of Vidal Sassoon...and have never (ever) seen the word 'ROSSES'), but otherwise (somehow) managed to get everything else right. I love a challenging puzzle (even if the cluing/answers are a bit odd here and there), and I thought 'Like wolves vis-a-vis foxes' was absolutely brilliant! I struggled with that forever, wanting some form/derivative of lupine. When 'lustful' finally appeared, I was floored/amused. Actually, now that I think about it, I am maybe a bit miffed about the lack of a standard, winky-winky '?' at the end of that clue...Mark DeGraffenreidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11633507817302847392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67446054124353476932013-10-27T02:47:12.471-04:002013-10-27T02:47:12.471-04:00Busy day so started the puz after dinner guests le...Busy day so started the puz after dinner guests left. Shouldn't have bothered. Got a BCS here, and a LOUGANIS there, and a few others, but even with Google couldn't get to first base. I hate to give up, but no amount of patience and guessing was gonna help me today. My hat's off to all of you who got close to the finish line. And I was feeling so good after yesterday's romp. AARRGHHGingernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86818488260111011622013-10-26T19:19:32.536-04:002013-10-26T19:19:32.536-04:00@SiS wrote, " When I got BENGALCAT on crosses...@SiS wrote, " When I got BENGALCAT on crosses I wondered who has one as a housepet? Oh, yeah, how'd that work out Siegfried?" I nominate this for comment of the month. (And welcome back from your abduction - were there any probes involved in the experience?) <br />Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17398659531553294242013-10-26T18:01:40.485-04:002013-10-26T18:01:40.485-04:00DNF and DNL. Also I am being spammed to death and...DNF and DNL. Also I am being spammed to death and I'll be lucky to get this in. Time for a tune-up for my laptop.<br /><br />UNDOCK, RESEES, TOOLER - ARGH Normally I have a high threshold for these sorts of words, but today, they just annoyed me. <br /><br />I agree with @Spacecraft about the Joplin answer. His songs were rags. No one calls them two-steps.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13686893714556867722013-10-26T16:48:57.854-04:002013-10-26T16:48:57.854-04:00Another member of the DNF club here. Struggled eve...Another member of the DNF club here. Struggled everywhere. Took forever to give up a misspelled "enbark" for UNDOCK. Smiiled when I got FETTER, and again when I figured out SOLeHOMER!!! One smile too many! In the long run the NE was pretty much white squares when I quit. January games- must involve a bowl? Woodstock? Only could think of Gutherie and the girl who later ODed. The one Bette Middler played in the Rose, Janis Joplin???? Wondered if the brain clue had something to do with fans of Mensa types, and can't even parse the movie guy when I see it written out as one word, or is it two? Maybe tomorrow?<br /><br />@Ginger: did catch your last comment yesterday. I always check the comments before starting a new post.DMGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55275529772876439552013-10-26T15:13:33.073-04:002013-10-26T15:13:33.073-04:00From Syndication Land
@ Solving in Seattle
If you ...From Syndication Land<br />@ Solving in Seattle<br />If you have seen a letterman's jacket...the "character" of the school...or the school letter...stands out. That's the way I interpreted it anyway.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10348585709895492982013-10-26T14:58:24.265-04:002013-10-26T14:58:24.265-04:00Syndies, I can't thank you enough for paying t...Syndies, I can't thank you enough for paying the ransom. I was in a casted spell for just a few hours, but it was horrible. And we thought Dr. No was a villian. And regretfully @Diri, I was forced to reveal my capcha-deciphering expertise.<br /><br />As for today's puz, I kinda agree with OFL. Some real groaners and forced clues.<br /><br />I've sailed for years, but have never UNDOCKed a boat. I was also a weatherman in the USAF and had to get 49A on crosses. There was such a thing as a dropsond, which was a package we dropped out of a high altitude plane over North Vietnam to get the weather data. Never heard someone say "lets send a SONDE over the target area. But, I'm not going to get too FEVERISH over it.<br /><br />I also wanted KNEEbraCe. Never heard of TOATURN or ALENCON. When I got BENGALCAT on crosses I wondered who has one as a housepet? Oh, yeah, how'd that work out Siegfried? <br /><br />Can someone explain the clue for LETTERMEN?<br /><br />Agree with @Z that SPLITTERS aren't fastballs.<br /><br />Off to the golf course to celebrate my freedom.<br /><br />Good clue for "Like wolves vis-a-vis foxes."<br /><br /><br />Capcha: liedcat. Either related to a Bengal or a hip German singer.Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43457556538958989242013-10-26T12:06:14.593-04:002013-10-26T12:06:14.593-04:00Challenging to challenging-impossible. This was al...Challenging to challenging-impossible. This was all just plain brutally unfair. I mean, I guess there was a time, maybe the first year, when I Love Lucy was called something else, but really. Come on now. If you want to clue HERES, how about "MCword?"?<br /><br />And the only thing to go in 19a is RAGS, but that's four letters too short. Maybe PIANORAG, but the clue expressly specifies plural. To call these works "TWOSTEPS" is ridiculous at best, and a great insult to Joplin at worst.<br /><br />Couldn't get going in the NW, NE, or SW; most of the entries were either I-have-no-flippin'-ideas or that-could-be-anythings. And guess why I couldn't get anything to work in the SE? There sat ILOVE, absolutely immobile. Of all the possibilities, I KNEW that one was RIGHT.<br /><br />Guess there were no spellcasters to help me today. --NO! NO! Don't bring them back! I was only joshing!<br /><br />On to Sunday. Go Eagles: beat the Giants!spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14248957240216410672013-09-30T08:27:39.139-04:002013-09-30T08:27:39.139-04:00It is SO obnoxious when the cry baby doesn't l...It is SO obnoxious when the cry baby doesn't like a word because he's never heard of it. If sonde is in merriam Webster, it's the most unarguably fair game possible.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-73627322142937318902013-09-22T22:56:43.734-04:002013-09-22T22:56:43.734-04:00Too late, too little time...
Major dnf...ne was mo...Too late, too little time...<br />Major dnf...ne was mostly blank.<br /><br />@lms...I thought I was clever by adding that t when all I had was CO...<br />There's triCOt, piCOt... <br /><br />Hand up for liking SOLOHOMER.Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47699094068078556562013-09-22T19:34:31.753-04:002013-09-22T19:34:31.753-04:00I quit last night with the grid about half empty a...I quit last night with the grid about half empty and when I got up this morning the puzzle fairy (aka WPP) had corrected a couple of mistakes and filled in a few squares. I picked it up throughout the day (Sunday) and plugged away, finally reducing the grid to a couple of empty squares and a couple of wrong ones. Now that I've read everyone else's comments, I don't feel too bad about that.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14741810460440063262013-09-21T23:50:21.528-04:002013-09-21T23:50:21.528-04:00@Craig Richard Nelson
Yes , I agree with you. &quo...@Craig Richard Nelson<br />Yes , I agree with you. "Having a brain cramp trying to remember the term frequent solvers use to for a clue/answer that's basically impossible or too difficult."stonehttp://bestrecumbentexercisebikes.us/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91456923826736604342013-09-21T20:31:09.483-04:002013-09-21T20:31:09.483-04:00Yeah, I know the clue was legit. The split-finger ...Yeah, I know the clue was legit. The split-finger fastball was once called a forkball, but part of Jack Morris' Schtick was to intimidate, and "split-fingered fastball" sounds harder to hit. But it still ain't a fastball. Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4287379379247083322013-09-21T20:05:07.606-04:002013-09-21T20:05:07.606-04:00Hey @Anonymous 6:20. What am I, chopped PIAMATER?...Hey @Anonymous 6:20. What am I, chopped PIAMATER?GILL I.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05605766053820226324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68487483418042861062013-09-21T19:34:44.997-04:002013-09-21T19:34:44.997-04:00p.s.
Hey, @Ray J ... No problemo.
yep. RESEES is ...p.s.<br />Hey, @Ray J ... No problemo.<br /><br />yep. RESEES is the clear daily double winner, today. Really needs somethin exta, to get the coveted trifecta award tho.<br />Maybe RESEERS. Or UNRESEEN. I'm kinda partial to goin all out, with, oh, say... REPEWITED, or somesuch.<br /><br />M&ALast Silver Bulletnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-58555940961159987412013-09-21T18:43:27.198-04:002013-09-21T18:43:27.198-04:00Full disclosure dept.
PuzEatinSpouse did 50% or s...Full disclosure dept.<br /><br />PuzEatinSpouse did 50% or so of today's puz. But she did seek M&A's help, from time to time. Asked m&e for suggestions on the 9-Down "Chews in the end" clue, or instance. My answers convinced her that I was on a different wave length.<br /><br />On a different wave length dept.<br /><br />So,... hey maybe that would make a cool puz theme. Clues use homonyms of what they should, to get their grid answers to come out right. Example...<br /><br />Clue="Pears and such". Answer=POKERHANDS.<br /><br />har. Far out. Probably need a revealer, to get away with this kind of theme. The million dollar ideas just keep gushin in, folks. Like a sewer pipe without a check valve...<br /><br />M and A alsonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51493992260852342482013-09-21T18:20:21.860-04:002013-09-21T18:20:21.860-04:00@Sir Hillary
Don't know if u got an answer bu...@Sir Hillary<br /><br />Don't know if u got an answer but <br />LDS= Latter Day Saints<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34195229753077058472013-09-21T18:13:10.259-04:002013-09-21T18:13:10.259-04:00Skunked two days in a row. Nice way to start fall....Skunked two days in a row. Nice way to start fall. Grrrrr John Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557037910799243636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64294925797126177972013-09-21T17:42:00.757-04:002013-09-21T17:42:00.757-04:00Well, I started out with a field of esses. Then I ...Well, I started out with a field of esses. Then I worked from the bottom up. Oddly enough sonde and Alencon were gimmes, the latter was also mentioned by a friend who's going there soon.<br /><br />The NE didn't happen without my peeking at Blast It! This was a tough one. Did it late after my first-ever Bar Mitzvah of a friend's son. And after a big lunch. Did not help at all.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81370147028666046782013-09-21T17:08:30.556-04:002013-09-21T17:08:30.556-04:00Never heard of pia maters. I had piam...and still ...Never heard of pia maters. I had piam...and still had to google before finishing the puzzle. Never heard of samisen either but got it from crosses.Michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89988570740705332352013-09-21T16:29:16.980-04:002013-09-21T16:29:16.980-04:00@ jae: thank you thank you! Natick did the trick!@ jae: thank you thank you! Natick did the trick!Craig Richard Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01794203185775511249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66031025206827383252013-09-21T16:24:28.031-04:002013-09-21T16:24:28.031-04:00Getting here late so sort of skimmed the comments ...Getting here late so sort of skimmed the comments but was glad to see so many found this to be hard. I found it to be impossible!<br /><br />@Acme, SEAOTTERS! Funny!<br /><br />Amazingly I got ALENCON and BENGALCAT (at first I wanted Dalmation) I wonder what happens when you cross a BALINESE with a BENGALCAT? <br /><br />This one was just too much for my brain and its PIAMATERS. <br /><br />I am so looking forward to tomorrow because Will said there is a contest to be entered!johohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12708487230515532492noreply@blogger.com