tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post786152679078486955..comments2024-03-29T03:22:09.826-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Explorer born 6/11/1910 / FRI 6-11-10 / Classic Bob Marley song that was 1973 hit for Johnny Nash / Easu vis-a-vis Jacob / Pharmaceutical liquidsRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9921809814832065472010-06-11T23:40:42.187-04:002010-06-11T23:40:42.187-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=35115061&postID=3588389571383499624&isPopup=true" rel="nofollow">7/30/2009 post</a> 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 7:08, 6:55, 1.03, 69%, Medium-Challenging<br />Tue 8:53, 8:49, 1.01, 59%, Medium<br />Wed 12:25, 11:48, 1.05, 72%, Medium-Challenging<br />Thu 14:17, 19:09, 0.75, 13%, Easy<br />Fri 18:06, 26:19, 0.69, 6%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:49, 3:41, 1.03, 69%, Medium-Challenging<br />Tue 4:39, 4:31, 1.03, 67%, Medium-Challenging<br />Wed 5:35, 5:47, 0.96, 44%, Medium<br />Thu 7:11, 9:10, 0.78, 25%, Easy-Medium<br />Fri 8:54, 12:43, 0.70, 8%, Easysanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52885863279416068672010-06-11T22:02:27.864-04:002010-06-11T22:02:27.864-04:00Oh Shrub, I couldn't disagree with you more ab...Oh Shrub, I couldn't disagree with you more about soccer.... Walked around the West village this afternoon and there were hundreds of excited people watching the game, yelling and screaming and singing. Mostly in French and Spanish this time! It will be English tomorrow, and Dutch on Monday.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56569911690747468072010-06-11T21:51:10.747-04:002010-06-11T21:51:10.747-04:00@mac: it sounds like they are saying "steer i...@mac: it sounds like they are saying "steer it up." I've noticed that before when listening to this song. Don't know if it's the Jamaican influence or regional (USA) pronunciation differences. I also had PANGS before GONGS for dinner signals!<br /><br />Agree with those who thought this was relatively easy for Friday although when I look at my grid, it's pretty messy with write-overs. I had FLAIR before FORTE, NYU before LIU, and, as others have mentioned, BIT to TAD and BIO to ECO...among others. Loved the clues for DIMES, ACUTE and LSD. Most troublesome for me: SLUES, RATITE, ERASABLE.<br /><br />Sports talk around here: soccer is a snooze (a 0-0 tie? OH BOY.) I can't watch it.shrub5https://www.blogger.com/profile/09466867716773759568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36376334529333403512010-06-11T20:32:28.171-04:002010-06-11T20:32:28.171-04:00not for nothin...underarm is a target; body odor d...not for nothin...underarm is a target; body odor does not have to be underarm only.your average blankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06362703669092144957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50211370922805445112010-06-11T19:48:37.299-04:002010-06-11T19:48:37.299-04:00Does anyone think the way the two artists pronounc...Does anyone think the way the two artists pronounce "stir" is unusual?machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51334726007512951382010-06-11T19:09:43.332-04:002010-06-11T19:09:43.332-04:00Not hard, except I had gooey. I knew this was wron...Not hard, except I had gooey. I knew this was wrong, but I think I could have thought all day without coming up with gluey. But I should have gotten acute and scull.michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19965457153000487872010-06-11T18:56:35.012-04:002010-06-11T18:56:35.012-04:00@Rube
Back in the punchcard days we called 'e...@Rube<br /><br />Back in the punchcard days we called 'em PRINTOUTS.<br /><br />OTOH, to me, a READOUT is a display of measured data, today typically in digital form.<br /><br />The readout on my themometer indicates its 73 degrees outside.<br /><br />Therefore, I guess sometimes computer screens <i>can</i> be READOUTS.<br /><br />P>G>been there done thatnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79362670421063367982010-06-11T18:08:38.765-04:002010-06-11T18:08:38.765-04:00Either Fridays have been easy lately, or I'm f...Either Fridays have been easy lately, or I'm finally getting better at working late-week puzzles, as I got pretty far in this before having to resort to Google. <br /><br />Somehow I picked up JACQUESCOUSTEAU straight away with nary a cross, until I put it in and came up a letter short. Frustrating, until I realized that, yes, JACQUES has a C in there. <br /><br />Getting that provided a good foothold for the SW, or so I thought, until I realized that BIT wasn't working for the last three letters of 31A. <br /><br />Loved "Secret target" (I think UNDERARM works, since that's where you aim the can/stick) and the clue for LSD. Would have loved to have seen cluing for 40A reference what was REM's first full-length, and arguably best, album. Regardless, I love that word.Steve Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185067739452052656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78662503050204711982010-06-11T17:10:14.596-04:002010-06-11T17:10:14.596-04:00Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 7/30/...Midday report of relative difficulty (see my <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=35115061&postID=3588389571383499624&isPopup=true" rel="nofollow">7/30/2009 post</a> for an explanation of my method):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Fri 18:08, 26:19, 0.69, 6%, Easy<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Fri 8:55, 12:43, 0.70, 8%, Easy<br /><br />This one's definitely toward the easy end of the Easy spectrum. Both groups of solvers are handily beating their typical Friday median solve times.sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24581094095058442722010-06-11T16:54:20.084-04:002010-06-11T16:54:20.084-04:00@ Rube, Your comment brought me back to a recent d...@ Rube, Your comment brought me back to a recent discussion here that @Greene somehow started re: <br />The Yearling.<br />Ole Slewfoot (or Sluefoot) was a bear that was killing their stock and hunting him was a side plot of the story.Two Ponieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18488719682130735492010-06-11T16:41:35.869-04:002010-06-11T16:41:35.869-04:00Anyone think the Bob Marley song had something to ...Anyone think the Bob Marley song had something to do with the sex act?A Naif Herenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78929131659410551152010-06-11T16:18:42.038-04:002010-06-11T16:18:42.038-04:00We had SLUES a while back. Made me think of Slue-...We had SLUES a while back. Made me think of Slue-Foot Sue at the time. Did I remember it? Of course not. I was fixated on GooEY.<br /><br />I have to take exception with READOUTS. IMO, readouts are on paper, preferably extra wide and with perforations on the sides. They were printed with "chain" printers in the 60s and early 70s, and showed the results of your "run" that you had submitted on punch cards. You young'uns probably don't know what I'm talking about.Rubehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04773241241484881566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16166617731536710152010-06-11T15:59:41.704-04:002010-06-11T15:59:41.704-04:00I loved this puzzle - first Friday puzzle I nailed...I loved this puzzle - first Friday puzzle I nailed in a long time. My favority clue has to be "Be Transformed?" Followed by "It's never right" Loved the word play.donkosnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14346155093462440232010-06-11T15:25:12.246-04:002010-06-11T15:25:12.246-04:00Fascinated by the body odor thing. That never occu...Fascinated by the body odor thing. That never occurred to me, but then I never "got" it either, even when I had underarm; just thought that there was a secret target with this name in the military or something weird from the Pentagon. Brand names are always hard for me.Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09137198432140767652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36004522684581211162010-06-11T14:39:08.573-04:002010-06-11T14:39:08.573-04:00Very similar solving progression to PuzzleNut, fro...Very similar solving progression to PuzzleNut, from NE clockwise to NW. Neon OMEARA got me started, and THANKYOU and SARASOTA gave me JACQUES off the AU. <br /><br />Cleverness of bodyodor as an answer to 1A ignores one thing, deodorant is used to try and prevent BO. If you are already reeking, a little Secret is not going to help, so it would not satisfy the target of the clue - IMHO.<br /><br />RTAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59009458612170684432010-06-11T14:28:40.169-04:002010-06-11T14:28:40.169-04:00Super easy Friday. Add 1 more to Male + BODYODOR. ...Super easy Friday. Add 1 more to Male + BODYODOR. Had the exact same miss as NED: GITIT etc. Figured it was wrong, but I had to get a move on this morning.<br /><br />Looking forward to the US v England game tomorrow at 2:30 EDT. Hopefully the US keeper has learned a lot about English strikers over the past couple years there!Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10389790318218161090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15123484833349801262010-06-11T14:21:17.511-04:002010-06-11T14:21:17.511-04:00Liked this because I was able to fnish it. Have b...Liked this because I was able to fnish it. Have been unhappy for two weeks in a row when I couldn't even get an eyelash hold. Started with bits here and there: tias, agt, gaul, casks and dropped in esses. Had to leave. Came home and Cousteau leaped off the page. That made chips chits (had antes before that). By the sea for pool area. Anyway, little by little it revealed. Coming to the blog is really helping my solving. I think now, how can you slue this around to get it? Just yesterday I looked up the Volvo commercial song "Oh Boy." Now there's a girl who jumps for joy. Thanks Rex, for the Gluey story. Poor thing, where is Unca Donald when you need him? Have a good weekend punsters.Sparkynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44892090356543791522010-06-11T14:13:58.706-04:002010-06-11T14:13:58.706-04:00@Bob K.: Thanks for the Doodle link!
NDE@Bob K.: Thanks for the Doodle link!<br /><br />NDENoam D. Elkiesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25650141850692958602010-06-11T13:48:57.866-04:002010-06-11T13:48:57.866-04:00Playoffs? PLAYOFFS???Playoffs? PLAYOFFS???Jim Moranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43308869515189554222010-06-11T13:48:23.413-04:002010-06-11T13:48:23.413-04:00Thinking politically on 29 across I had ACORN at o...Thinking politically on 29 across I had ACORN at one point, though it seemed unlikely.<br />- AaronUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08685999989095206039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81092030632825056642010-06-11T13:24:22.940-04:002010-06-11T13:24:22.940-04:00Hand up for a very fast (for me) Friday. Interesti...Hand up for a very fast (for me) Friday. Interesting that others felt the same but still others had a rough time. <br /><br />Had 27A as ROLLS (among pitch, roll, and yaw, it's the only word of proper length). SLUES (<=> YAWS) is fine but it took me a while to give up on ROLLS, which twists about a different axis. Oh well.<br /><br />JUST A BIT was easily fixed, as was REMS (5D).<br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rad_(unit)" rel="nofollow">The rad</a> is a largely obsolete unit of absorbed radiation dose, equal to 1 centigray. Tried <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rem_(unit)" rel="nofollow">REMS</a> first, another obsolete unit but less so.retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17276907215460041592010-06-11T13:20:07.269-04:002010-06-11T13:20:07.269-04:00@NDE - Damn, you're right, the Cousteau is gon...@NDE - Damn, you're right, the Cousteau is gone, soccer has taken over. But here is a link to what it looked like (I hope):<br /><br />http://socialmediaseo.net/2010/06/11/jacques-cousteau-google-logo/Bob Kerfufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02615811802419025933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43070688688747899292010-06-11T13:19:01.622-04:002010-06-11T13:19:01.622-04:00Easy Friday for me, too, even though I got tripped...Easy Friday for me, too, even though I got tripped up in the GLUEY (gooey) area for a while.<br />Sorry Rex, I had UNDERARM right off the bat!Doc Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12540112168511893896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1236655222874148852010-06-11T13:13:20.822-04:002010-06-11T13:13:20.822-04:0016A:HURRAH for a theme Friday — even if the theme ...16A:HURRAH for a theme Friday — even if the theme is only two crossing grid-spanners, unlike last Saturday's (of which 16A and 28A:OHBOY seem like leftover theme answers).<br /><br />Finished without much difficulty but wit one error: didn't think of 47D:METRE, so had LITRE making 44D:GITIT (seemed like reasonable slang) and 47D:LORA (random b*seball player = W/E).<br /><br />Thanks to Rex for the enlightenment concerning 24D:GLUEY :-)<br /><br />Never mind Saratoga vs. 13:SARASOTA — when will we see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarasate" rel="nofollow">Sarasate</a> in the grid?<br /><br />I did guess 34D:1/10 correctly from just the final H. Indeed 20A:DIMES comes from a root meaning 34D:ONETENTH (as in the <i>decem</i> of December, decimal, and decimate); the cognate French word <i>dîme</i> means "tithe" for the same reason (and "tithe" originally meant 1/10 too).<br /><br />@Bob Kerf: Where's that tribute logo for Cousteau? Thanks for mentioning it, but all I see now is a Doodle celebrating the World Cup.<br /><br />NDE<br /><br />[captcha = grecol = unfinished Olympic wrestling match?]Noam D. Elkiesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29374650144389929952010-06-11T12:56:28.832-04:002010-06-11T12:56:28.832-04:00Actually, I had a good time with this puzzle. I a...Actually, I had a good time with this puzzle. I always start both the Friday and Saturday puzzle with great trepidation and my complete blank experience in the NW seemed to prove the point. But because I am methodical (plodding?) I kept moving right and got into the NE - and suddenly it all opened up to me. I did finish the NW last - and I too entered the "I" in Isles as my last letter, but all in all I had a nice Friday time and a great Friday solve. Nice puzzle Mr. Dunn. Happy Birthday Mm. Jacques. I, for one, miss you a lot. You left a great void in the ecological universe.JayWalkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03831689781994792218noreply@blogger.com