tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post8691093221758612363..comments2024-03-29T09:37:45.612-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: 1950s TV star Duncan / SUN 2-10-13 / Nickname of jazz's Earl Hines / Funeral blues writer / Old World deer / Ancient Roman author Quintus / Percussive dance troupe / World capital situated in what was once ancient Thrace / Skull session result / Tangy salad leavesRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36016192175402710142013-02-17T18:57:25.564-05:002013-02-17T18:57:25.564-05:00Favorite answer: Renaldo! My older brother got to ...Favorite answer: Renaldo! My older brother got to meet The Cisco Kid and got an autographed picture of him when he won a contest on water safety in the late fifties. Good times, good times.<br /><br />I liked the puzzle overall, not too easy, not too hard, just right.Christinicanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55390734549965606172013-02-17T17:45:31.532-05:002013-02-17T17:45:31.532-05:00Challenges this puzzle provided:
1. How mamy ans...Challenges this puzzle provided:<br /><br />1. How mamy answers can I fill in without looking at the clues?<br /><br />2. How fast can I finish?<br /><br />3. Will I guess the correct letter to complete the AUDE_/E_NUIS cross?<br /> <br />answers: (1) too many (2) too fast (3) No, but I had it narrowed down to N and two other letters, so even that wasn't much of a challenge.<br /><br />But check this out: if you circle the first and last letters of the first theme answer, the center letter of the center theme answer, and the first and last letters of the final theme answer, you get G, E, W, I, D. Mix 'em up and you get WE DIG. Where do we dig? <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-xgGX_vt2I" rel="nofollow">Connect the circles</a>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80354680274365173822013-02-17T17:17:59.764-05:002013-02-17T17:17:59.764-05:00The Cisco Kid was the first tv show filmed in colo...The Cisco Kid was the first tv show filmed in color anticipating the coming of color tv several years in the future. They figured that reruns would be worth more if they were the only show in color. gkeyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72617161869887907172013-02-17T16:47:38.883-05:002013-02-17T16:47:38.883-05:00PP and I made some missteps along the way but had ...PP and I made some missteps along the way but had an all-around good time coming up with the redundancies to complete the grid. We couldn't agree on the E_NIUS/AUDE_ cross so we left it blank.<br /><br />Today's Premier Crossword by Frank Longo was about dog breeds - my Cocker Spaniel made the grid but my LABS didn't, so it was nice to see them at 46d in the NYT grid.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24609092548555892962013-02-17T13:49:21.704-05:002013-02-17T13:49:21.704-05:00Easy. Some of the cluing put an edge on it here an...Easy. Some of the cluing put an edge on it here and there, but--as has been said--this type of theme provides an overabundance of letters from which to work the downs.<br /><br />But it IS a Berry. How can you keep a 21x21 Sunday grid free of junk fill? You can't. So, III. Um, that's about it. Well, personally I've never liked GENX/Xers, but I begrudgingly admit it's fair fill. And the rest is inarguably clean! An obscurity or two, perhaps, but gettable on crosses. This, folks, is how we tell the top tier of constructors from the rest. Clean fill. As Judge Reinhold once said: "Know it, live it, love it."Spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85674460129807755732013-02-16T14:53:28.342-05:002013-02-16T14:53:28.342-05:00@Anonymous 11:09 AM - Because any "John"...@Anonymous 11:09 AM - Because any "John" (first word of the clue, hence automatically capitalized) means "toilet", and in Salisbury, England, that would be the LOO.Sir Thomas Crappernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32679702634934170042013-02-15T11:20:42.672-05:002013-02-15T11:20:42.672-05:00Don't feel bad about 5D ENNIUS, Rex. I teach u...Don't feel bad about 5D ENNIUS, Rex. I teach university-level classical studies, and in my training, I didn't encounter Ennius until my junior undergrad year, in a graduate Latin course. Of course he's all over the place in grad school.<br />But I wonder about the logic of including him. He's important, but for meter and language and syntax. Not something the educated "general reader" would know about, or should. I don't think he's ever been translated in format which that general reader would ever encounter.<br />THAT said, I got him after a couple of the across clues. And couldn't believe it. Still can't.<br /><br />kind regards,<br /><br />%%robertroberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11470321889118142870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56747065887865917942013-02-12T11:09:43.364-05:002013-02-12T11:09:43.364-05:00Why John of Salisbury when the Loo was invented by...Why John of Salisbury when the Loo was invented by John Harington?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53811434600049482352013-02-11T17:14:08.721-05:002013-02-11T17:14:08.721-05:00For those of you who have never had Mallomars: yo...For those of you who have never had Mallomars: you have been severely deprived. (And they're only available "sometimes" - i.e. not late spring thru early fall - because Nabisco doesn't want the chocolate to melt.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6336601654363043902013-02-11T15:57:24.511-05:002013-02-11T15:57:24.511-05:00Guess is that you must be at least 73 (as I am) to...Guess is that you must be at least 73 (as I am) to waltz through Duncan Renaldo. Really could care less if you found it easy or not. I don't do these for anything other than to fill time in a most pleasant way. Cheers.Alanhttp://comcast.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43996483544572659032013-02-11T14:09:00.248-05:002013-02-11T14:09:00.248-05:00Once I had the theme and was 3/4 done I yawned and...Once I had the theme and was 3/4 done I yawned and quit. ADHD ....xyzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08287781952915413013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90322046222713353532013-02-11T01:58:14.413-05:002013-02-11T01:58:14.413-05:00@LaneB: I'm not an expert; I usually finish th...@LaneB: I'm not an expert; I usually finish the Sunday puzzle sometimes with no errors. But I don't *want* a puzzle that's easy for me; it's boring, like tic-tac-toe. I want to struggle and then (usually) get the answer to some clever clue. If I finish error-free, I'm glad, but my primary goal is to enjoy working on it.<br /><br />Given that, I really disliked the there; all were very easy and, with no twists (eg, subtle changes to a familiar phrase), were just boring. It might have been a challenge to create it but I frankly don't care; I want the fun/challenge to be in *solving* it.<br /><br />However, I did like several clues; "plastic shields and such" (I had RainGEAR, at first), "Kneeler's offering," "Bedtime preyer" (I had the L and kept trying to figure out how "eel" could be the answer), "John of Salisbury," and "Buff."paulsfohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07721639286466422944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17342587328842600092013-02-10T23:11:11.373-05:002013-02-10T23:11:11.373-05:00@Anon B - And yet another day goes by that you don...@Anon B - And yet another day goes by that you don't get to correct (correctly, that is) an English professor.<br /><br />In Rex's sentence, are/is follows the form of the noun. Here the noun is plural, hence 'are'. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36285269426403871542013-02-10T22:25:48.891-05:002013-02-10T22:25:48.891-05:00Rex:
Not often that I get to correct an English...Rex:<br /> Not often that I get to correct an English professor but-<br />"are a preponderance" should be<br />"is a preponderance"ANON Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86612577903982105282013-02-10T21:20:39.556-05:002013-02-10T21:20:39.556-05:00i see you got the error fixed (at lest three ppl p...i see you got the error fixed (at lest three ppl pointed it out) usu you have to wait 24hr to get the official answer grid. (Don't those red thingies mean you asked it to solve for you? the 'cheat squares' lol) <br /><br />mY favorite clus was "John of Salisbury" for LOO.....kristin Ruhlenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44513339259908945602013-02-10T20:43:47.567-05:002013-02-10T20:43:47.567-05:00I was somewhat expecting the "Late Late Show&...I was somewhat expecting the "Late Late Show" with Craig Ferguson to pop up at some point, but I suppose it was not big enough.<br />I have Tears for Fears' "Mad World" on repeat in my brain.<br />Ellsworth is a good clue - I think I came across it in one of the Jack Reacher novels I've read recently (61 Hours?)Krytennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10301347346402047572013-02-10T20:28:46.280-05:002013-02-10T20:28:46.280-05:00@Tita - Just went back to read yesterdays late com...@Tita - Just went back to read yesterdays late comments, thanks for the great pics from the tournament. Reread the "wrong answer" list, still laughing! chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9122409518753503182013-02-10T20:21:46.717-05:002013-02-10T20:21:46.717-05:00Managed to get the puzzle and the acrostic with mo...Managed to get the puzzle and the acrostic with modest googling. So it must have been a fairly easy puzzle and, thus, enjoyable. Sorry the ease of it all disappointed some of the expert [and somewhat irritating] commentators. Let the rest of us have some fun!LaneBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-416049383417775432013-02-10T20:20:01.991-05:002013-02-10T20:20:01.991-05:00Easy Medium seems JUST. I was finished by 6:36 AM...Easy Medium seems JUST. I was finished by 6:36 AM. Had HEe before HEH so not troubled by RENALDO. Got him in crosses. <br /><br />I am content.<br /><br />Glad North East contingent is all safe and sound.Sparkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11149915526159432838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57348935982354499002013-02-10T19:47:53.065-05:002013-02-10T19:47:53.065-05:00An unrelated question -- is there a way to access ...An unrelated question -- is there a way to access the puzzle on the NYTimes Ipad?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75738067526576540712013-02-10T18:59:07.444-05:002013-02-10T18:59:07.444-05:00Merle Haggard also did Green Green Grass of Home. ...Merle Haggard also did Green Green Grass of Home. That's the version I know.Lindsaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4315234929281237382013-02-10T18:30:28.646-05:002013-02-10T18:30:28.646-05:00This 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 5:58, 6:08, 0.97, 36%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 8:03, 8:30, 0.95, 31%, Easy-Medium<br />Wed 8:23, 11:33, 0.73, 2%, Easy (4th lowest ratio of 163 Wednesdays)<br />Thu 16:41, 17:05, 0.98, 42%, Medium<br />Fri 23:18, 21:07, 1.10, 75%, Medium-Challenging<br />Sat 26:25, 24:55, 1.06, 73%, Medium-Challenging<br />Sun 21:14, 29:32, 0.72, 4%, Easy (3rd lowest ratio of 73 Sundays)<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:34, 3:39, 0.98, 32%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 4:48, 4:57, 0.97, 36%, Easy-Medium<br />Wed 5:11, 6:29, 0.80, 6%, Easy (9th lowest ratio of 163 Wednesdays)<br />Thu 9:43, 9:43, 1.00, 48%, Medium<br />Fri 13:44, 12:14, 1.12, 72%, Medium-Challenging<br />Sat 13:51, 14:36, 0.95, 39%, Easy-Medium<br />Sun 14:07, 19:31, 0.72, 3%, Easy (2nd lowest ratio of 73 Sundays)sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65647058694595297882013-02-10T16:48:51.601-05:002013-02-10T16:48:51.601-05:00We'd like to do for you now a tune entitled &q...We'd like to do for you now a tune entitled "Shama Lama Ding Dong" so hit it...OtisDaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86182634275051929162013-02-10T16:37:49.803-05:002013-02-10T16:37:49.803-05:00And another song featured in "Animal House&qu...And another song featured in "Animal House"? Well, "Louie, Louie" of course!<br />Fitzynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47956681186752082652013-02-10T16:30:05.565-05:002013-02-10T16:30:05.565-05:00If one is a musician, as I was in an earlier life,...If one is a musician, as I was in an earlier life, Musicians Rate is SCALE. That is, the union pay rate for a particular job. TEMPO is indeed a rate in the metronomic sense, but I've never heard that term in this context. Maybe a musicians rhythm? Nahhh, that ain't right either. And it's the reason I'm not a constructor.<br /><br />Berry is the berries,no doubt though.Melodious funknoreply@blogger.com