tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post8834211645908315207..comments2024-03-28T04:40:27.172-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: 1939 Giraudoux play / FRI 8-13-10 / Homo found in 1891 / Chéri novelist 1920 / 1898 Emile Zola letter / Fangorn Forest race / ABC newsman PotterRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79826696178844919642010-09-19T09:39:09.147-04:002010-09-19T09:39:09.147-04:00@Tina:
There are tractors with tires (which have t...@Tina:<br />There are tractors with tires (which have treads) and there are tractors with tracks (Caterpillars, which also have treads). There was a famous mix-up between the two when Fidel Castro demanded 500 "tractors" to ransom Bay of Pigs captives, and the U.S. sent the wrong kind (the ones with tires).Bolivarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57707304727565592902010-09-17T21:32:49.650-04:002010-09-17T21:32:49.650-04:00@anonymous 7:47PM - click on the "Syndicated ...@anonymous 7:47PM - click on the "Syndicated Puzzle" button at the top of the page and I'll bet you get the puzzle in your paper. The syndicated puzzles run 5 weeks after they appear in the NYT.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34231892840838441542010-09-17T21:27:03.586-04:002010-09-17T21:27:03.586-04:00I was encouraged by a quick start in the northeast...I was encouraged by a quick start in the northeast, continued through the mini-puzzle in the center of the grid, and rolled into the southeast with nary a hitch. ALAS, that's where the good times ended - totally crashed and burned in the northeast, despite having ALIBABA (which I loved) in place. I managed to get ABUTTAL (pretty ugly, I think) and NAPE down but all my guesses for the rest of that part of the grid were wrong, wrong, wrong. The debris field from that debacle extended down into the southwest where blank squares and incorrect answers (NITRaTE gave me DEfamE instead of DERIDE) littered the countryside. All in all, pretty ugly SCENERY. This one left me feeling a little MORONIC - tomorrow is a day off (no Saturday puzzle for me) so I'll lick my wounds, regroup and come back Sunday to try to redeem myself.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11331747090069318142010-08-16T19:47:03.165-04:002010-08-16T19:47:03.165-04:00This puzzzle is not the same NYT friday puzzle tha...This puzzzle is not the same NYT friday puzzle that appears in my local newspaper. Go figure that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44271180663627772102010-08-14T21:13:19.009-04:002010-08-14T21:13:19.009-04:00@Glitch - I am truly tired of this topic and hate ...@Glitch - I am truly tired of this topic and hate to address it again. Also, you almost always have the correct technical information. But I must say in response to your 2:49 post:<br /><br />Sanfranman59 has been posting his statistics for more than a year, and for most of that time he has had a hot link included to his original explanation of the meaning of his figures. Then last week his posts started disappearing. I'm sure he didn't do anything different, and he doesn't need a refresher course on posting a link. This is more in line with what Clark says at 4:02 PM: That Blogger has changed the rules.<br /><br />But even more, most recently sanfranman59's link has been allowed to remain and to work, at least when I tried it. But with regard to your statement, "Both Urlich and Rex imbedded (as have others) their links via HTML code, giving the blue, clickable, links," Rex's and Ulrich's links are not the same: Ulrich's works the way embedded links have worked in the past - just click on it and you are instantly taken to the intended site. But Rex's, at 4:44 PM, does not work that way. Click on it, and nothing happens. You must paste it into your address bar to reach the intended site. So has Ulrich done anything different? Has sanfranman59? We await their further input.Late Nightnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77169307820237268502010-08-14T20:18:08.064-04:002010-08-14T20:18:08.064-04:00In my experience, tractors have tires, tanks have ...In my experience, tractors have tires, tanks have treads. I knew treaded was wanted, but wouldn't let myself put it in!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00613816125453172823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86764905640408568062010-08-14T16:02:45.824-04:002010-08-14T16:02:45.824-04:00@Glitch, @LateNight, et al --
I have heard that i...@Glitch, @LateNight, et al --<br /><br />I have heard that in the last few days Google has tweaked Blogger, making changes that are supposed to catch more spam postings. This is being discussed on other blogs. That's all I know, or more than I know, even.Clarknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10812592234258776642010-08-14T14:49:23.242-04:002010-08-14T14:49:23.242-04:00@LateNight et al
Blogger almost never let's y...@LateNight et al<br /><br />Blogger almost never let's you "type in" a link (URL), it has to do with security and the "popularity" algorythm, (details beyond the scope of this comment). This is a feature, not a problem, thus will never be "fixed".<br /><br />You <i>can</i> cut 'n paste on in, but it might be truncated, and will not be "clickable" (the reader will have to cut 'n paste too.)<br /><br />Both Urlich and Rex <b>imbedded</b> (as have others) their links via HTML code, giving the blue, clickable, links, like this:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.echoecho.com/htmllinks01.htm" rel="nofollow"> How to imbed a link </a>.<br /><br />Note the puncuation --- I usually miss the end quote when in a hurry.<br /><br />If you've done it correctly, you will see the blue text in blogger preview, but don't click on it unless you have saved the text!<br /><br />BTW: This will work in any program that accepts HTML code, including most email.<br /><br />You can email me (check my profile) if you have more questions.<br /><br />.../GlitchGlitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14940000404613329056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65280649200799939112010-08-13T22:16:38.049-04:002010-08-13T22:16:38.049-04:00@foodie - You have a hypothesis! I hope you are n...@foodie - You have a hypothesis! I hope you are not correct! I am Nobody; my identity is totally unimportant. (And I really feel inadequate in this intellectual crowd - I had to Google to see who Madame Recamier was.) Woof, woof!<br /><br />@Ulrich - Beautiful building! But since I remain masked and anonymous (but I am not Masked and Anonymous), I feel free to point out that Rex's comment (4:44 PM) does not have a hot link - his post has a copy and paste link.<br /><br />But sanfranman59 (3;49 PM) does have a hot link, and so do you, so, please, please, please, let this problem now be resolved. It is in Blogger's hands.Late Nightnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33239224187659674882010-08-13T22:14:09.481-04:002010-08-13T22:14:09.481-04:00Yes, I put in TEE, albeit very, very lightly. The ...Yes, I put in TEE, albeit very, very lightly. The rest of the puzzle was tough, though. Did the SE first with no issues but the other three all were difficult and I ended up using Google a bit, so a DNF in the end!Drewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4912630404835852762010-08-13T21:30:59.371-04:002010-08-13T21:30:59.371-04:00Blasted thru the first 3/4 of this one in like 8 o...Blasted thru the first 3/4 of this one in like 8 or 10 minutes, but the southwest took me two weeks.<br /><br />Another solid Nosowsky.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04754156636762779545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38211469322699574412010-08-13T21:06:27.706-04:002010-08-13T21:06:27.706-04:00...and @foodie: I'm very touched by your confi......and @foodie: I'm very touched by your confidence, misplaced as it is in my case, and so, I'm not going.<br /><br />My comment is still there, after 10 min. I think we have to look for a new hypothesis. Here is mine: Google likes certain persons more than others and removes certain comments out of sheer spite.Ulrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02086202853174403008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3092046224950484872010-08-13T20:54:47.539-04:002010-08-13T20:54:47.539-04:00Rex's comment also has a hot link and is still...Rex's comment also has a hot link and is still there--so let me do this test: <a href="http://www.iacbuilding.com/interactive/content.html" rel="nofollow">greetings to all</a> who are currently in New York for the big event!Ulrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02086202853174403008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30105452047483357732010-08-13T20:49:53.850-04:002010-08-13T20:49:53.850-04:00@Late Night: Curiouser and Curiouser!!
But I actu...@Late Night: Curiouser and Curiouser!!<br /><br />But I actually now have a hypothesis..<br /><br />@Drew, I agree with Moonchild. That's brilliant! It might even be true (most brilliant things aren't). <br /><br />Good luck to all of you at the tournament! @Mac, make the NC's* proud. You too Ulrich, if you're going. <br /><br />*Naturalized Citizens.foodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052189131129098616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45151114034829378002010-08-13T20:39:53.321-04:002010-08-13T20:39:53.321-04:00@ Drew, Wow. You might have something there. That ...@ Drew, Wow. You might have something there. That just whizzed over my head but in retrospect I see it from a new angle. Did you really put in tee without looking at the clue?? That's pretty intuitive.Moonchildnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49009441950614507602010-08-13T20:15:17.056-04:002010-08-13T20:15:17.056-04:00Geeze, Rex, now you let us know!
I had a nice drin...Geeze, Rex, now you let us know!<br />I had a nice drinks and dinner meeting with Greene and imsdave+wife, who are now watching <br />"Promises, Promises". I, of course, am going to bed early to be prepared for the competition (not).<br /><br />See you all in the morning!machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76695048798456305052010-08-13T20:12:56.565-04:002010-08-13T20:12:56.565-04:00No theme? I saw the four black TEEs and immediatel...No theme? I saw the four black TEEs and immediately wrote in TEE in the center. The theme is asthetic. I love perfectly constructed designs like this.Drewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87444716547789031642010-08-13T19:26:28.189-04:002010-08-13T19:26:28.189-04:00Wasn't on the constructor's wavelength tod...Wasn't on the constructor's wavelength today, and would rate the four mini-crosswords clockwise from the NE as hard, harder, impossible, impossibler. Took me about 2 hours with no resources other than Webster. Nosowsky is one of my favorite constructors but while I enjoy puzzles that test the limits of my intelligence/solving ability, this one didn't give me much pleasure, MORONIC and the NW the only exceptions. Most of the clues were a bit too blah, even the "?" ones, like 8-Across.Karlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22531685493119179842010-08-13T18:25:10.041-04:002010-08-13T18:25:10.041-04:00Another RECUSES entry (one of my favorite words, t...Another RECUSES entry (one of my favorite words, too bad it was wrong). And maybe if the clue for 45A was "gray, then red, then gray again, maybe" I would have gotten the answer.redhednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59965251645864118472010-08-13T17:20:37.170-04:002010-08-13T17:20:37.170-04:00Did anyone else find the crossing of TONSURE with ...Did anyone else find the crossing of TONSURE with INSURE with ENDURE with SMEARER with REAPER in the NW rather ugly??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24063507976791256142010-08-13T16:44:52.713-04:002010-08-13T16:44:52.713-04:00Sitting in a Starbucks on 5th betw 28th and 29th w...Sitting in a Starbucks on 5th betw 28th and 29th waiting for BEQ to drag his sorry ass into town so we can drink and then eat. If you're in the neighborhood in the next little bit, feel free to come say hi. Oh, and also if you're in the general NYC neighborhood, remember that the Lollapuzzoola tournament in Queens is tomorrow. <br /><br /><a rel="nofollow">http://bemoresmarter.squarespace.com/lollapuzzoola-3/</a><br /><br />rpRex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68646285929345080852010-08-13T16:28:41.237-04:002010-08-13T16:28:41.237-04:00@foodie - What a strange question! (@Late Night -...@foodie - What a strange question! (@Late Night - Who are you?)<br /><br />Why of course, this is the internet, and I am a dog! I have short brown hair fading to gray, my paws hurt if I walk too far, I still watch squirrels but no longer chase them.<br /><br />No, that’s not true. I am a regular follower of Rex’s blog, of indeterminate gender and indeterminate age and indeterminate residency. I know very little about a lot of things, and even less about many more things. When I comment on straightforward crossword matters, I do so under my regular nom de blog.<br /><br />But when I wish to be a trifle snarky (not very often) without soiling my public image, I sink to using a false identity. (Thereby destroying the immortal soul I am dubious about possessing.)<br /><br />Or, as in the present case, when I comment on technical matters about which I know nothing, like the disappearance of sanfranman59’s posts, and other posts which contained hot links, I likewise use a pseudonym to avoid damage to my regular image. For instance, earlier today, @retired_chemist used a hot link in his post and it was removed by Blogger in a minute. So r_c has resorted to posting a web address to copy and paste, which seemed a necessary thing to me. And yet, just above, sanfranman59 has posted his statistics with a hot link, and it has not disappeared. So I am apparently an idiot, talking about things I know nothing about.<br /><br />So, who am I? Just another mutt. <br />: >))Late Nightnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-58276885002079117192010-08-13T16:20:16.918-04:002010-08-13T16:20:16.918-04:00@ Leslie - re creatine, see
http://en.wikipedia.o...@ Leslie - re creatine, see<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine<br /><br />gotta cut and paste apparently,retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75024968697313158502010-08-13T15:56:36.024-04:002010-08-13T15:56:36.024-04:00Amazed I finished after yesterday's disaster. ...Amazed I finished after yesterday's disaster. Took all day. Three pick up and drops. First in JACCUSE, which Gave me JAVAMAN. Then NAPE. NW went fairly quickly. Tried Lilliom for 10D; also thought about Mother Teresa. Managed to do SW. Then complete halt. Went on my daily rounds, library, market. Thought of LINEONE which suggested ONDINE. Some how,it all worked out. I, too, guessing better since the blog. And amazed at how the mind works with all those little dib and dabs stoed up there ready to be teased out. SF sounds great, have fun.Sparkynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9052225070167860732010-08-13T15:49:43.197-04:002010-08-13T15:49:43.197-04:00Midday 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 26:31, 26:32, 1.00, 53%, Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Fri 14:04, 12:55, 1.09, 72%, Medium-Challenging<br /><br />As a long-suffering Indians fan (redundant, I know), it's always good to see Flip Rosen's name pop up in a crossword. He was my mother's favorite player. And today I'm treated to his full name.sanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.com