tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post8588361712898326434..comments2024-03-28T09:44:06.223-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Conductor Riccardo / THU 5-31-12 / Year Christopher Columbus died / Canada's largest brewery / Record company with a lightning bolt in its logo / "Holiday" actor Ayres / Banking aidRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74988163182945226222012-07-06T00:51:56.707-04:002012-07-06T00:51:56.707-04:00"Well, the Mays question is a gimme: OTT. Wa..."Well, the Mays question is a gimme: OTT. Wait--<i>four</i> letters? must be Jimmy FOXX then. Wait, <i>National</i> League? Are you kidding me? M. OTT? That is just <i>lame</i>."<br /><br />And M.OTT stayed there long after I had discovered the ELO rebus. It wasn't until I came up with OC<b>ELO</b>OT and looked for its symetrical countrtpart in an area of the grid long since completed that I finally realized <i>I</i> had been the lame one all along.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45834070751007288952012-07-05T19:18:43.871-04:002012-07-05T19:18:43.871-04:00@D Grandma - What happened to your "M"? ...@D Grandma - What happened to your "M"? Loved "geriatin" - wasn't there a conversation here about dropping the terminal "g" lately? I think @LMS raised the topic. Anyway, I be geriatin' a lot lately.<br /><br />My captcha photo is totally illegible so I'm just going to ignore it - I don't think they really care if I'm a robot or not.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84455477231788388542012-07-05T19:07:52.762-04:002012-07-05T19:07:52.762-04:00Really late today-spent time with grandson baking ...Really late today-spent time with grandson baking cookies and teaching him to play dominoes-the ones with the colored spots But had to come see what people had to say about this puzzle. My big trip-up was with snack. Tried to put in TRAVelo...., thinking it was another rebus, even though I couldn't match it symmetrically. As for the "container"', I seem to recall the congratulatory phrase, "neat as a bandbox". On the other hand, my hatbox is a hatbox! <br />Captcha: geriatin. What I do as I squint around trying to solve these things.D Grandmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4142193837552978702012-07-05T18:17:32.419-04:002012-07-05T18:17:32.419-04:00Great Fun, even though I DNF. I actually did pret...Great Fun, even though I DNF. I actually did pretty well (for me) but I ran out of patience and came here for my last few blanks. Could not come up with H(ELO)ISE/SHIATSU. Mis-parsed the former, and never heard of the latter. Then ULNAs/mHsa finised me off. Grrr<br /><br />Particularly like the CHEES(ELO)G/F<br />(ELO)NY cross. <br /><br />I also want to mention, commenters here help me to appreciate the construction process. Thank you all, and Thank you LG!Gingernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36774677576839807332012-07-05T17:57:55.985-04:002012-07-05T17:57:55.985-04:00Everything I know about CUBITs I learned from the ...Everything I know about CUBITs I learned from the old Bill Cosby routine from the '60s. Happily that was enough top write the word in with no crosses.<br /><br />If we combine Dorothy Parker, SHARPWIT, Rex Parker and Michael Sharp, how many different people are we talking about?<br /><br />OK, that last comment may not make any sense to you but it's a lot better than the one I just deleted due to a complete lack of good taste so I'll quit now before I do anything rash.<br /><br />Did I mention that I liked the puzzle?Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67599335993226248292012-07-05T16:32:16.537-04:002012-07-05T16:32:16.537-04:00Like @SiS I ass-u-me'd that Molson was the big...Like @SiS I ass-u-me'd that Molson was the biggest (maybe it is, but has lots of little breweries). That cost some serious time.<br /><br />More time was lost with M.OTT. I was all twisted-shorts about the clue being Willie instead of W. But then I couldn't come up with a 4-letter fabric with V_UR. Then the duh! hit, and I was on my way.<br /><br />Also had trouble with 25d, thinking OOPS was fine alone--but what went into those first two squares? Finally I thought of the WH, and the rest of it fell in.<br /><br />When I look at these Gorski puzzles I think: man, some people are SCARY-smart! And among those, I think Liz is still scary!Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3199695053037829872012-07-05T14:12:35.673-04:002012-07-05T14:12:35.673-04:00Grand Gorski Grid!
This was fun on several levels...Grand Gorski Grid!<br /><br />This was fun on several levels, all of which have been commented on. This was an elegant, tongue-in-cheek, tribute to XW cliches.<br /><br />My one write over was molson before LABATT.<br /><br />My favorite Dorthy Parker quote was a comment she made about Katharine Hepburn, "She runs the gamut of emotions from A to B." Parker was kind of the female Oscar Levant. (Well, maybe not.)<br /><br />SKORTS. Maybe the worst fashion invention since panyhose. They should be banned from golf courses. If a women is afraid of flashing some leg while reading her putt, then she should wear shorts. Check out the LPGA or the Big Break - nary a SKORT in sight. Ratings are up, too. (Male rant, sorry.)<br /><br />Capcha: cessinca. A succinct way of saying "stop being succinct?"Solving in Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04249420848844874936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88461952685872743722012-07-05T13:21:55.162-04:002012-07-05T13:21:55.162-04:00@Danny B. 5:25 I'm with you 100%. Yours was p...@Danny B. 5:25 I'm with you 100%. Yours was probably the best comment of the day. I try to skip past the nitpickers and psuedo-intellectuals. Today's was one fine puzzle, in my opinion, and thanks Mz Gorski. Amen. Ron, from San Diego.Ron Diegonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36903978779594662572012-07-05T12:18:44.455-04:002012-07-05T12:18:44.455-04:00Please do, ANON BPlease do, ANON BWillie Tnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38171447035842476042012-06-01T17:19:02.579-04:002012-06-01T17:19:02.579-04:00What's going on here?
The other day it was &qu...What's going on here?<br />The other day it was "FY"<br /> Now it's "ass hole".<br />And the usual commenters trying to show us how cute and smart they are.<br /><br />And, please, don't tell me I don't<br />have to read this blog. I am<br />considering that. I mostly read<br />it just to get Rex's solution<br />the same day. If worse comes<br />to worst, I can always wait for<br />tomorrow's Times like I did before<br />I had a computerANON Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91659251314761547722012-06-01T10:04:37.071-04:002012-06-01T10:04:37.071-04:00friday here, had to put it down yesterday and fini...friday here, had to put it down yesterday and finish solve today as it seems to jar memory. i wanted mellowrolls somehow, if you remember the luscious creamy ice cream in the cylindrical cone...dating myself.<br /><br />enjoyed the ride.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50091855350948908872012-06-01T09:02:44.721-04:002012-06-01T09:02:44.721-04:00When I first got the ELO rebus through Mel Ott I w...When I first got the ELO rebus through Mel Ott I was so excited about this puzzle. They used the most crosswordy band of all time as a rebus in the most crosswordy baseball player. I then got stuck on Labatt since I was thinking Latrobe and could not figure out what band's initials fit there. I then went scouring the puzzle for an REM, NWA, PiL rebus and then that is when I got ocELOt and was so sad.<br /><br />I mean, ELO is all well and good, but making a whole puzzle dedicated to some second rate progrock band that doesn't even get played on the classic rock stations anymore. Come on.hlinaknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33686453932480910662012-05-31T23:02:32.333-04:002012-05-31T23:02:32.333-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 8/1/2009 post 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 6:25, 6:50, 0.96, 31%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 10:27, 8:54, 1.17, 89%, Challenging<br />Wed 10:09, 11:48, 0.86, 20%, Easy<br />Thu 18:20, 18:57, 0.97, 48%, Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:50, 3:40, 1.02, 63%, Medium-Challenging<br />Tue 5:44, 4:36, 1.25, 99%, Challenging (3rd highest median solve time of 154 Tuesdays)<br />Wed 5:29, 5:53, 0.93, 34%, Easy-Medium<br />Thu 10:03, 9:21, 1.07, 69%, Medium-Challenging<br /><br />This is one of those rebus days when I think the All Solvers data are probably misleading. The number of solvers today is well below the Thursday average (450 today vs. 523 Thursday avg.), which probably means that people who would ordinarily post a relatively high solve time were DNFs today. Generally speaking, I think that the All Solvers data are better indicators of the relative difficulty of early week puzzles, while the Top 100 data are better for late week puzzles.sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22663443965785670652012-05-31T22:44:49.906-04:002012-05-31T22:44:49.906-04:00clearly, i need a new agent. trhx, foodie.clearly, i need a new agent. trhx, foodie.treedwellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16342530371183121220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45628680585765710482012-05-31T22:41:53.267-04:002012-05-31T22:41:53.267-04:00@treedweller, I'm doing this for you not for m...@treedweller, I'm doing this for you not for me, as I'm an old married lady who looks like a strawberry. But don't you have a picture of yourself climbing a big oak, muscles bulging? Instead of the shadowy figure that's your avatar?<br /><br />I'm just sayin.foodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052189131129098616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88452251606587810322012-05-31T22:40:15.840-04:002012-05-31T22:40:15.840-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.foodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052189131129098616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84173494340040437582012-05-31T22:10:37.146-04:002012-05-31T22:10:37.146-04:00hey, i'm single, too. i'm just sayin.hey, i'm single, too. i'm just sayin.treedwellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16342530371183121220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77162982485907174582012-05-31T22:00:29.608-04:002012-05-31T22:00:29.608-04:00Acme @3:03:
"Cute too...and I think single. L...Acme @3:03:<br />"Cute too...and I think single. Ladies?!"<br /><br />What about us guys?You never know, you never donoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3724357179731400822012-05-31T21:58:46.410-04:002012-05-31T21:58:46.410-04:00Don't blame Ms. Gorski.
This was probably acce...Don't blame Ms. Gorski.<br />This was probably accepted 20 years ago when ELO was a hot band.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46738319098173568472012-05-31T21:55:12.785-04:002012-05-31T21:55:12.785-04:00Very late to the puzzle - just wanted to chime in ...Very late to the puzzle - just wanted to chime in to say that I liked it a lot - except for that middle section (EVIE/CUBIT/MDVI/MUTI)- brutal!<br /><br />Loved FEEL OK?<br /><br />Hubby always pronounces HELOISE as Helloyse (rhyming with noise)...JenCThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18290169184354765840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21135402244181132332012-05-31T21:15:57.409-04:002012-05-31T21:15:57.409-04:00Liked it a lot. Had MDXI and was prepared to give ...Liked it a lot. Had MDXI and was prepared to give on the X or the I for 35A. The X was the obvious square to change when AL didn't congratulate me. <br /><br />A couple of overwrites: ROLFING @ 1A, LYNX @ 39A before I saw the theme. <br /><br />Ah, the theme. Super. Got it at ANG(ELO)U/COUNS(ELO)R and found that ELO in the symmetrical squares fixed a LOT of my problems. Wanted an ELO in the middle square before I saw the revealer.Finally got CUBIT and saw that was not to be. Wonder if today had some significance to ELO as a band. Don't care enough to look it up.<br /><br />Thanks, Ms. Gorski. Good job.retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87037244348280432732012-05-31T20:13:17.736-04:002012-05-31T20:13:17.736-04:00@Tita like@Tita likechefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74573319368142305122012-05-31T19:55:32.746-04:002012-05-31T19:55:32.746-04:00Those of us who put far too many quarters (no stat...Those of us who put far too many quarters (no state quarters back then) in video games back in the eighties will appreciate this <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/brevity/2012/05/27" rel="nofollow">cubit</a> comic.<br /><br />@LMS - loved your "alliteration."<br /><br />Plant me firmly in the loved it camp. Ms. Gorski clearly had tongue planted firmly in cheek with this puzzle. Putting the quintessential rock band crosswordese in a BAND BOX is a stroke of genius. Including the quintessential baseball player crosswordese with a rebus square. Beautiful.<br /><br />I had everything but the NW done before work. Nothing but MELONBALL/LSAT/SMALL/INLAW up there. ULNAE finally cracked open RHEA then SLOSHY. My last letter was the T in TAR.<br /><br />Since Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492, 35A had to be MD-- with only I, V, or X as options. Person's name? EVIE must be it. Having O-OE, OTOE seemed obvious for a place name in Nebraska. Didn't know any of those three answers, but all perfectly inferable in my opinion, so not a Natick.Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70983449977685983722012-05-31T19:48:26.184-04:002012-05-31T19:48:26.184-04:00@chefbea - I know, I know - ABBA?
@RT - no offens...@chefbea - I know, I know - ABBA?<br /><br />@RT - no offense taken. Guess I was just filling in with a little bit of snarkiness to fill the void we're all feeling... ;)Titahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368251255494687496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29511245940079703522012-05-31T19:43:57.121-04:002012-05-31T19:43:57.121-04:00@dannyburk Point fairly taken.@dannyburk Point fairly taken.John Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557037910799243636noreply@blogger.com