tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post7565644986536361498..comments2024-03-29T06:31:32.994-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Alpine wind / SUN 12-16-12 / Python in Jungle Book / Psychology pioneer Alfred / Drama set at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce ad agency / Funny Fields / Inspector in Elizabeth George mysteries / Antigonae composer Carl / Bygone bookstore chain / Steve 1980 Olympic track champion / Sacha Baron Cohen persona / Feminist Germaine / Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87491498082652903352022-01-29T17:19:40.457-05:002022-01-29T17:19:40.457-05:00I thoroughly enjoyed the puzzle, in part because o...I thoroughly enjoyed the puzzle, in part <i>because</i> of the overwrites. I had to guess at the OLAND/ALIATO cross. I completed the puzzle when I finally erased PANELS at 33D. That gave me ASKERS, and I finally submitted to the idea that someone pronounces "Knuth / Knute" as a single syllable (the alternate spelling used by many is "Canute").<br /><br />That said, the clue for AFOOT is simply wrong. The word means "in progress", with no connotation of how long before it may have started.Prunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00224476641730508311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75227144818428577942012-12-24T07:49:27.245-05:002012-12-24T07:49:27.245-05:00@ Ellen S 2:16 PM - LOL at "drink a gallon of...@ Ellen S 2:16 PM - LOL at "drink a gallon of this here antifreeze." Best description of it I've ever heard.<br />I usually really really hate Matt's puzzles - he's one of my least favorite constructors, but this one wasn't bad. I liked most of the theme answers, and for a change, most of the trivia was gettable from the crosses. Only really tough spot was the ULNAS/ULNAe choice crossing NODOSE, which seemed slightly less nonsensical than NODOeE, so I guessed right.<br />For all you whining "easterners," ALIOTO:S.F. :: Daley:Chicago or Koch:New York. Try to keep that in mind the next time you mock us out West for not knowing the "gimme" name of the Assistant Dog Catcher in Chicago in 1947.Anonyratnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68061920228488995182012-12-23T18:30:18.157-05:002012-12-23T18:30:18.157-05:00@ Bob Kerfuffle - Thanks for giving me an excuse t...@ Bob Kerfuffle - Thanks for giving me an excuse to come back and wish you and everyone a happy Festivus! As to the direction from KC to Chicago, you found it on the internet so it must be true - damn my lying eyes! (But really, thanks for coming back to Syndiland to visit and Merry Christmas.)Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84951859641508465892012-12-23T18:09:51.324-05:002012-12-23T18:09:51.324-05:00@Spacecraft and @Dirigonzo - You really should dir...@Spacecraft and @Dirigonzo - You really should direct your compass problems to <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/distances.html?n=405" rel="nofollow">this site.</a> (Spoiler alert: It supports the puzzle.)Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1000139494019569632012-12-23T15:22:46.126-05:002012-12-23T15:22:46.126-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20592173531266303872012-12-23T11:58:58.798-05:002012-12-23T11:58:58.798-05:00People LIKED this?? I found so much wrong with it-...People LIKED this?? I found so much wrong with it--just in the NW alone--that I just refused to go any farther.<br /><br />Rotten partials: CAMEA, SOREAT, ONS<br />Yet another spelled-out letter (ENS)<br />Out-and-out mistakes:<br />"What m(sic)ayo is part of." 'Scuse me, but aren't the names of months capitalized?<br />ENE. There's no way Chicago is ENE of KC. NNE--I'll even give you NE--but definitely NOT ENE.<br />"Bones next to humeri." In clue fairness that has existed forever, the deliberate Latinization of the plural in the clue signals the same in the answer. This shouldn't even be the clue for ULNAe, however: they're next to the radii!<br />MANSE. In days long gone, this word might have had a broader use; now it refers specifically to a clergyman's residence, NOT a "Stately home."<br />ASKERS, ASOAK. Who says this stuff? Ever hear anybody say, "I think I'll go have a soak."? Me either.<br /><br />The section itself is walled in with only the leaks at 10d (ADDN, as I see now: that's another awfulness) and 64a to link it to the rest of the grid. This is all not just bad--it's a handbook on how NOT to construct a crossword puzzle.<br /><br />And people LIKED it?!?Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86635546691313047902012-12-17T22:09:02.979-05:002012-12-17T22:09:02.979-05:00This 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 6:06, 6:14, 0.98, 37%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:37, 3:39, 0.99, 39%, Easy-Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-112899908967959562012-12-17T14:27:12.559-05:002012-12-17T14:27:12.559-05:00Curses! keyboard was balking when I type in the C...Curses! keyboard was balking when I type in the Comment box (sign I shouldn't be commenting at all?), so I copied my comment into Quickoffice, made the edits I needed, Copied and Pasted back into the comment box, and what pasted was an amazing hash like the scrambled DNA in The Fly. Here's what the last paragraph was supposed to say:<br />Speaking of language, can someone explain why "Bones next to humeri" is ULNAS? Shouldn't it be Ulnae? M-W allows "Ulnas" as the second acceptable plural, but shouldn't the forms have been consistent, Latin plural for Latin plural? I didn't mind BYRD OF PRAY, though. My first parakeet was named Admiral Byrd, so the name was a gimme, and I don't mind extending grammatical license in the interest of pun construction. Life is hard, don't SWEAT the small stuff? (If I can't have "eke out" meaning "supplement", I don't care what happens.) <br /><br />Another sign of the Apocalypse, in case we needed it: I went to M-W to check what the heck is ASPIC anyway and there's an ad for a knife holder. It's a figure of a person, with slots in the legs, abdomen, chest and forehead, that you stick the knives through, so it looks like, just what you imagine it would look like. Same day as the Connecticut massacre, a man in China apparently attacked a bunch of small children coming out of school, stabbed about 20 of them multiple times. They were wounded, according to the story, not killed, at least outright, but it's not the sort of thing you recover from easily. Even sick and twisted as I am, the knifeholder wasn't funny. Ellen Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00473445503706985149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3360028635519158152012-12-17T14:16:02.248-05:002012-12-17T14:16:02.248-05:00@jackj - is there a new colonoscopy prep? Mine wa...@jackj - is there a new colonoscopy prep? Mine was "drink a gallon of this here antifreeze." Nothing that ensued was as solid as jello. Or ASPIC. (Isn't aspic just generic jello?)<br />@David L -- thanks for looking up MANSE. I, too, questioned the definition of "stately home", so thanks for looking it up. I guess as with "eke out", the people have spoken. (Without a trace of embarrassment, I proclaim my belief in democracy, but want to be the Commissar of Language.) <br /><br />Speaking of language, can someone explain why "Bones next to humeri" is ULNAS? Shouldn't it be Ulnae? M-W allows "Ulnas" as the second acceptable plural, but outside of being an affront to the Plural Police, shouldn't the forms have been consistent? Latin plural for Latin plural? I didn't mind BYRD OF PRAY, though. My first parakeet was named Admiral Byrd, so the name was a gimme, and I don't mind extending grammatical license in the interest of pun construction. Life is hard, don't SWEAT the small stuff. (Another sign ofthe Apocalypse, in case we needed it: I went to check what the heck is ASPIC anyway and there's an ad for a knife holder. It's a figure of a person, with slots in the legs, abdomen, chest and forehead, that you stick the knives through. Same day as the Connecticut massacre, a nutcase in China apparently attacked a bunch of small children coming out of school, stabbed about 20 of them multiple times. They were wounded, not killd, at least outright, it's not the sort of thing you recover from easily. Somehow, even for me, the Ellen Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00473445503706985149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32445118499669623592012-12-17T00:01:23.891-05:002012-12-17T00:01:23.891-05:00@Janet: Hail is rain that's hard. Because it&#...@Janet: Hail is rain that's hard. Because it's frozen. (Loved that clue.)Jennynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30184892151255430152012-12-16T23:04:12.481-05:002012-12-16T23:04:12.481-05:00I don't know the "rules" for constru...I don't know the "rules" for constructing, but isn't "ASWEAT" (ie, adding the article) frowned upon?paulsfohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07721639286466422944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-42704852576373696762012-12-16T22:42:42.217-05:002012-12-16T22:42:42.217-05:00Loved this puzzle! The theme answers just sparkled...Loved this puzzle! The theme answers just sparkled and were surprising and fun to find all throughout. I give small congrats to myself - I thought Jell-o was a misdirect, went straight for aspic, and we were off and running - and I give huge congrats, and big thanks, to Matt Ginsberg for a very fun solve. And thanks to my fellow solvers - didn't realize that SOON YI crossed WOOD Y until I came here.LoriSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36154231489198106982012-12-16T21:26:41.087-05:002012-12-16T21:26:41.087-05:00Agree with Milford and Davis on plural of ULNA whe...Agree with Milford and Davis on plural of ULNA when paired w/ humeri.<br /><br />Kenai Peninsula is a popular and worthwhile destination in Alaska.<br /><br />Hailing is NOT raining hard; that is teeming. Hail is precipitation. Could have used Calling a cab.<br /><br />The NE was tough. Rosette is associated with stained glass windows in churches, not leopards.<br /><br />Liked the theme, overall.Janetnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68914908013243068022012-12-16T20:53:32.613-05:002012-12-16T20:53:32.613-05:00Got but one theme.
Not good in CT. Hearing the c...Got but one theme. <br /><br />Not good in CT. Hearing the children's name in prayer at Eucharist this morning was devastating. This madness must end. JohnVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11980547982003669152012-12-16T20:43:52.241-05:002012-12-16T20:43:52.241-05:00@Q-v-a-r-t :
Oh, man! I hope I can do better the r...@Q-v-a-r-t :<br />Oh, man! I hope I can do better the rest of the week! Carolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15971759975067250908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90825146406237826172012-12-16T20:06:09.231-05:002012-12-16T20:06:09.231-05:00Enjoyed the puzzle, surprised by Rex's comment...Enjoyed the puzzle, surprised by Rex's comment about Eddy because I immediately thought of Nelson and Mary Baker. Knew Ovett, which helped. Don't know French so didn't understand the pronunciation of c'est.<br />Totally puzzled by lotr (which I parsed as lot r) until I came here.Michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71032668000267335452012-12-16T19:58:10.044-05:002012-12-16T19:58:10.044-05:00Rats! I though I had this one, but there were a co...Rats! I though I had this one, but there were a couple of errors - NODiSh instead of NODOSE (better clued as when you run out of pills) - I got COMMUNE later, but didnt notice that I had to fix NODiSe. Also, my franglish was a little too fractured - I had CES a GOOD KNIGHT crossing the meaningless MASa. Sunday puzzles are just so big I forget to check everything.<br /><br /><br />On to Monday!jberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02169065390875378077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53745473455664490312012-12-16T19:56:38.949-05:002012-12-16T19:56:38.949-05:00Found it tough for a Sunday with alioto, olmos, an...Found it tough for a Sunday with alioto, olmos, and Oland all in the same part of the grid, but that is a minor quibble for someone who loves puns as much as I do! Enjoyed this one very much, although I left Ulnae instead of Ulnas, not noticing that it gave me "Nodoee" as an across answer. <br />OISKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16808675378318214461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65154763729102106282012-12-16T19:12:14.129-05:002012-12-16T19:12:14.129-05:00@Carola said...
"@Qvaart - Apologies for...@Carola said...<br /><br /> "@Qvaart - Apologies for misspelling your name, above!"<br /><br /><br />Hehe.........you did it again. ;-)Qvartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32957321779649633932012-12-16T18:49:23.561-05:002012-12-16T18:49:23.561-05:00@Qvaart - Apologies for misspelling your name, abo...@Qvaart - Apologies for misspelling your name, above!Carolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15971759975067250908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47644726562094809182012-12-16T17:34:31.327-05:002012-12-16T17:34:31.327-05:00Fantastic puzzle -- possibly the Sunday puzzle of ...Fantastic puzzle -- possibly the Sunday puzzle of the year. <br /><br />Great theme, extremely well executed. All very weird and fun puns that seemed right on to me. ... Unlike some others I love the oddball words like "nodose" as they are opportunities to learn something new.<br /><br />Thanks Matt -- incredible effort and well done.<br /><br />Octaviannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72202027590930666172012-12-16T17:27:51.867-05:002012-12-16T17:27:51.867-05:00@syndy- My question is different. My captcha wasn&...@syndy- My question is different. My captcha wasn't on a building, it was on a curb. How did the program know to make that image of a curb a captcha? Painted curb numbers aren't very common, nor are curbs in many communities these days. So that seems like a pretty complex piece of programming had to happen to crowd source optical character recognition to a person.Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40968205134557782442012-12-16T17:20:14.222-05:002012-12-16T17:20:14.222-05:00@Davis - correct, months and days of the week are ...@Davis - correct, months and days of the week are not capitalized in Spanish, so mayo is correct. And devilish as the clue!Milfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04923019988243284636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35012942668313262652012-12-16T16:50:43.959-05:002012-12-16T16:50:43.959-05:00Loved the theme.
I thought this was pretty challe...Loved the theme.<br /><br />I thought this was pretty challenging for a Sunday, but the sheer quantity of good stuff in the grid justified the challenge.<br /><br />I made similar initial errors to Rex: Jello for ASPIC, and Numnut for DIMWIT.<br /><br />NODOSE/ALIOTO/OLAND/ANO screwed me up in the NW; I had to Google-check that area, since I didn't catch the relevance of ANO. Are month names not capitalized in Spanish?<br /><br />ORFF, LYNLEY, KENAI, and FOEHN were new to me, but I got them on crosses.<br /><br />I liked CORONAL, though I think "mass ejection" when I see that word. ROSETTE gave me more trouble than it should have, but that's a pretty nice entry as well. And IDOLATRY is a lovely word to get in this theme-dense grid.<br /><br />One small gripe: At 24-down, why does "humeri" get the Latinate pluralization in the clue, while the answer has the English pluralization ULNAS rather than the Latinate ULNAe?Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15336260911834780345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76203752357396394222012-12-16T16:24:31.531-05:002012-12-16T16:24:31.531-05:00@JFC - Do I smell popcorn popping?@JFC - Do I smell popcorn popping?chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.com