tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post8037719182614453885..comments2024-03-28T18:52:07.432-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Straight-kneed military movement / TUE 3-6-18 / Core-strengthening exercise performed on all fours / Resource in Mesabi range / Relating to element #76Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35953688931727437162018-04-10T16:15:52.209-04:002018-04-10T16:15:52.209-04:00I finished this with OSMIC POISE. CHICKENRUN? If t...I finished this with OSMIC POISE. CHICKENRUN? If they say so. Same with BEARCRAWL. Wrote over Obama with OPRAH. Not exactly an ALLSTAR performance.<br /><br />I woulda gone with musician J.D. SOUTHER as did OFL. Not that often I like his musical picks. I had an old SOUTHER, Hillman, Furay 8-track. Purchased at River Valley Trading Company, BROKERS of fine music, stereo and smoking equipment. Thanks Greg, wherever you are.<br /><br />Killed last month’s Harper’s puz in just over an hour after finally getting to it. The next one is due out soon. @D,LIW, you should have it via email by now.<br /><br />Looks like I’ve got Ms. RICCI circled as yeah baby today.<br /><br />Nice Tues-puz to be ADMIRED.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-58991823275993534072018-04-10T15:42:22.884-04:002018-04-10T15:42:22.884-04:00I thought it was an excellent puzzle, particularly...I thought it was an excellent puzzle, particularly for a debut. Well done.<br /><br />Maybe it's my chemistry background, but BOSONS and OSMIC were gimmes here. On that, Osmium is the most dense element on Earth, and has always fascinated me. As an example, a regulation Olympic steel shotput weighs 16 lb. If it were made of pure Osmium, it would weigh over 44 lb. Are ye not fascinated?<br /><br />So, a nice theme requiring no revealer, and I saw no dreck. Besides the themers there were some other good answers (TOUSLED, LEISURE, DOCENTS and BARRIOS come to mind), and a few cute clues. Again, good job, Mr. Greig.<br />rainforestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44919704720288926772018-04-10T15:01:23.989-04:002018-04-10T15:01:23.989-04:00For me it seemed a tad, merely a tad, tuffer than ...For me it seemed a tad, merely a tad, tuffer than the avg Tues puz. Perhaps that's because Mr. W is on day 4, and counting, of his sad and perilous trek thru the land of "Updating Windows 10 - turn off your computer now and stand on your head in the corner until Bill Gates tells you to do otherwise." We are on technical expert #5. Well, not we - he. His final answer - "GET NEW COMPUTER NOW."<br /><br />Or maybe it was difficult because I could stand to learn what a BEARCRAWL exercise is and toughen up my "core." Can't say that I remember seeing anything resembling a BEARCRAWL at the gym - does one need to growl or paw at the air whilst performing thusly? Twood be entertaining to watch.<br /><br />As for entertainment, the puzzle did so - especially when I made some inroads and resisted the desire to "peek and cheat." A clean solve was the result. <br /><br />Har, @Spacey, zit on one's face. Not as noticeable as egg, but just as annoying. <br /><br />Diana, Lady-in-Waiting for CrosswordsDiana,LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30082094252632709682018-04-10T12:39:16.418-04:002018-04-10T12:39:16.418-04:00Erm (ha)... OSMIC, not OSMIs.Erm (ha)... OSMIC, not OSMIs.leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52195380248081455502018-04-10T12:33:07.131-04:002018-04-10T12:33:07.131-04:00Would say medium-challenging because of BEARCRAWL,...Would say medium-challenging because of BEARCRAWL, OSMIS, and peculiar cluing for LIES and FORTES.<br /><br />Otherwise an average and pretty solid Tuesday.leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39715148629800094452018-04-10T11:05:30.877-04:002018-04-10T11:05:30.877-04:00About medium for a Tuesday, largely due to my neve...About medium for a Tuesday, largely due to my never having heard of the first three themers. FROGMARCH? All I could think of, from the clue, was walk the plank. MARCH came easily enough, but I needed every cross for the rest. Things got better when I replaced zit with EGG.<br /><br />Then: what is your definition of a (movie) "hit?" If CHICKENRUN was a "hit," how come it's brand new to me? And BEARCRAWL? If you say so. Sounds more yoga-ish to me. Do bears crawl? I guess when they're newborns, like humans.<br /><br />Taking on seven-stacks in "all-four[s]" corners is ambitious, but our rookie nearly pulls it off. OSMIC would be rough any day; this early it's pretty brutal. I bet he tried to make OSRIC work but just couldn't. I'm a fan of unforced-looking high-Scrabble crossings, so OOZED/OZONE is a plus. DOD RICCI gets top center billing--as she should. I was going with par, but on reflection those open corners make this a par-5, so: birdie.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31812274311285561332018-04-10T09:44:17.774-04:002018-04-10T09:44:17.774-04:00BALD EAGLET EYE
SEE the CHICKENRUN across the roa...BALD EAGLET EYE<br /><br />SEE the CHICKENRUN across the road,<br />ORE be STOPPED while in the ACT.<br />ORE SEE a FROGMARCH with a toad,<br />A CITE to SEE upon impact.<br /><br />--- HENRY “ALFALFA” OSMIC<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9601810732564833972018-03-07T13:28:40.480-05:002018-03-07T13:28:40.480-05:00“Ello” is wrong. Cockneys say “allo”. Never “ello...“Ello” is wrong. Cockneys say “allo”. Never “ello”.Big Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01921114628460615390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23110935760956338782018-03-07T09:31:16.091-05:002018-03-07T09:31:16.091-05:00Thanks to all who set me straight about ACEY-DEUCE...Thanks to all who set me straight about ACEY-DEUCEY. My gambling days are behind me, so I guess I'm out of touch.jberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02169065390875378077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77156782088242664082018-03-07T03:42:07.339-05:002018-03-07T03:42:07.339-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15919223626350652514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35890284657828413962018-03-07T03:13:03.079-05:002018-03-07T03:13:03.079-05:00Why is it so many people believe if they haven’t h...Why is it so many people believe if they haven’t heard something it must be esoteric or obscure? Has the world really become that egocentric? Kimberlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02269065328203543183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43269346943386586462018-03-07T02:43:16.099-05:002018-03-07T02:43:16.099-05:00Me, too! (join the "thank you moderators"...Me, too! (join the "thank you moderators" group).<br /><br />Thanks also to @pabloinnh for the cool explanation. I was trying to be a bit funny (playful?) in my post, especially my rant about animal balance, but I have been genuinely perplexed by the spelling of alfalfa. I would never have guessed that the term comes from Arabic, though I suppose I could have looked up its etymology. When I was first exposed to Arabic, I found it very harsh sounding. But over the years I've gotten more used to it, and can make out some individual words. So I'm always interested in learning of its words that have made it into English.'merican in Parisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85727653684048075712018-03-07T01:22:55.149-05:002018-03-07T01:22:55.149-05:00I gladly join the “thank you moderators” group.I gladly join the “thank you moderators” group.chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69999233224865637622018-03-07T01:01:36.601-05:002018-03-07T01:01:36.601-05:00Larry Tate - Despite your snarky comment, I think ...Larry Tate - Despite your snarky comment, I think anyone with any sense of decency appreciates the moderators removing the nasty and filthy comments by the cowardly and puerile anons!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76997554456155715232018-03-06T23:43:25.391-05:002018-03-06T23:43:25.391-05:00Aunt Clara loves the moderating.Aunt Clara loves the moderating.Larry Tatenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25474951585573173692018-03-06T23:42:59.698-05:002018-03-06T23:42:59.698-05:00@Nancy - AMEN@Nancy - AMENjaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54977218915283759622018-03-06T22:01:28.135-05:002018-03-06T22:01:28.135-05:00I thiught the cross between BOSONS ans OSMIC was n...I thiught the cross between BOSONS ans OSMIC was not one that any ordinarily literate person could hope to solve without consulting Google ( which I did, and did).Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08316379159031860155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46622232876332504072018-03-06T21:47:24.132-05:002018-03-06T21:47:24.132-05:00@Two Ponies (4:39) -- I find myself absolutely GOB...@Two Ponies (4:39) -- I find myself absolutely GOBSMACKED by your comment because<br /><br />1) There's as much "playfulness" on this blog as ever there was -- lots and lots and lots of playfulness!<br /><br />2) I, for one, have not changed a single comma of what I've written -- nor even once <i>thought</i> of changing a single comma -- since blog moderation began. I write what I write and I never self-censor. And because my great joy in life doesn't consist of attacking other people and because I try to treat others the way I would like to be treated myself, I would be extremely surprised if I'm <i>ever</i> zapped by the moderators.<br /><br />What's gone missing on the blog since moderation began is neither "playfulness" nor "life". <br />It's snark, viciousness, bile and gratuitous cruelty. Thank God it's gone. I join @GILL in thanking the moderators for wading through a lot of disgusting muck so that the rest of us don't have to.Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16737377749030219974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25042714675269326902018-03-06T21:40:21.522-05:002018-03-06T21:40:21.522-05:00OMG! Two crossing science clues! Why on earth wasn...OMG! Two crossing science clues! Why on earth wasn't the devisor forced to redo that corner with a bunch of names from the entertainment industry or sports, which everyone is expected to know. The editor should be shot! Hung drawn and quartered and then goosestepped on!David in CAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60194354980764324652018-03-06T21:32:43.407-05:002018-03-06T21:32:43.407-05:00I was so proud of myself for remembering SIROCCO.....I was so proud of myself for remembering SIROCCO...Andrew Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05527908167522557690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63068675234230941672018-03-06T21:24:28.216-05:002018-03-06T21:24:28.216-05:00Yes....Words hurt. Look at a pups face when you y...Yes....Words hurt. Look at a pups face when you yell at it.GILL I.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05605766053820226324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65720720552007817792018-03-06T20:39:34.553-05:002018-03-06T20:39:34.553-05:00I think the moderating of comments sucks.I think the moderating of comments sucks.Oboe Ollienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89974528047266256612018-03-06T20:22:09.609-05:002018-03-06T20:22:09.609-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69014380087555355522018-03-06T19:36:30.938-05:002018-03-06T19:36:30.938-05:00@mericans in Paris-
Sorry to be so late to the pa...@mericans in Paris-<br /><br />Sorry to be so late to the party, spent the whole day skiing and am just catching up. "Alfalfa" is so spelled because it came to us from Arabic, where "al" is he definite article and the rest of the word is represented in a logical and phonetic way.<br /><br />So, "alfalfa" is, of course, a fine way of expressing the English term, "the falfa".pabloinnhnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38872021049969335952018-03-06T19:16:34.782-05:002018-03-06T19:16:34.782-05:00One of the most claustrophobic grids I have ever h...One of the most claustrophobic grids I have ever had to deal with. It felt like I was solving <i>nine</i> mini puzzles, and the middle one was just too much for me. I've been grading puzzles every day for months now, and I think this is the first time I'll take away points from one for making me feel trapped in a narrow passage. Weird.<br /><br />A fair theme. It is funny how CHICKENRUN was the constructor's least favorite entry, for me it was the strongest because it was the only one I was actually familiar with. FROGMARCH? Not a clue. BEARCRAWL what? TURKEYTROT? I had only known Foxtrot. I guess GOOSESTEP is the term for the Nazi-style military marching. Cool, but not cool. To be fair, the theme was very consistent and the answers were gettable from the clues. So good. <br /><br />The fill is also fair when you look at the words individually, but the fill was so constraining it created some unfortunate ditches. Almost every corner had one word that made you go "WTF?" ELLO, DOCENTS, ROONE, ABBES, ACEY... And since these parts were so disconnected it became a hassle over and over again.<br /><br />Good debut, very good clues for a Tuesday but this puzzle could have been a much better one if the constructor weren't so ambitious.<br /><br /><b>GRADE:</b> B-, 3.1 stars.semioticus (shelbyl)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16204028248874222567noreply@blogger.com