tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post9026461676987539662..comments2024-03-29T03:22:09.826-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Locale of Tuvalu and Nauru / WED 9-19-18 / Frank Sammy ultimate event 1989 documentary / Naively optimistic muppet Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90823808807972532452020-12-05T10:33:05.217-05:002020-12-05T10:33:05.217-05:00Israir is a well known airline. To people who know...Israir is a well known airline. To people who knows airlines. Why should only people who know Shakespeare know how to solve crosswords?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65581647213519037012018-10-24T17:54:51.968-04:002018-10-24T17:54:51.968-04:00Yiddish words are just plain fun to say. It is a ...Yiddish words are just plain fun to say. It is a playful language, and so this puzzle was a very enjoyable to solve. I knew 5 of the 6 themers, OYGEVALT being a new one for me. I must find an occasion to say that in conversation.<br /><br />VERKLEMPT is such a uniquely descriptive word. The first time I heard it occurred after I had said my farewell to the staff at a Middle School I had helped open as VP. I loved the place; the kids; the staff; the parents. Afterwards the Principal said to me, "you got a little VERKLEMPT there". It just described so accurately how I had felt. Great word, but OY GELVALT, I was somewhat embarrassed.<br /><br />Seems like a theme to me, maybe a bit of a lark, but fun.<br /><br />@Rondo - I once made the mistake of buying Schmidt beer. Never again.<br /><br /><br /><br />rainforestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64318073558995714912018-10-24T13:20:14.889-04:002018-10-24T13:20:14.889-04:00First thought: Oh no, a Jeff Chen, and maybe obscu...First thought: Oh no, a Jeff Chen, and maybe obscure anagrams to boot!<br /><br />Second thought: Oh, not anagrams, but familiar YIDDISH words, thank god.<br /><br />Outcome: Easy, just a scary RUSE providing an instant sense of relief.<br /><br />Anyhoo, thanks Jeff and Scot.<br /><br />leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25737449641211123052018-10-24T11:52:39.311-04:002018-10-24T11:52:39.311-04:00Never thought I'd get through a Chen this fast...Never thought I'd get through a Chen this fast. Enjoyable; boos to OFL for killing the mood. Another day one should SKIP him. Birdie.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82472811328078911612018-10-24T11:48:32.047-04:002018-10-24T11:48:32.047-04:00Rex is being a banana-headed Bert again - or shoul...Rex is being a banana-headed Bert again - or should I say he's being a SCMUCK. What else is new? Anyways, I loved this puzzle. I learned three new Yiddish words/phrases: TCHOTCHKE, OYGEVALT and MEGILLAH. Alas, I had VeCe/TeC instead of VICI/TIC. Oy vey! But Olé to Scot Ober and Jeff Chen for a fun and educational puzzle.thefogmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870509029973778266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51043523539517208442018-10-24T11:36:46.046-04:002018-10-24T11:36:46.046-04:00YIDDISH is another language I don’t speak (or spel...YIDDISH is another language I don’t speak (or spell), so I was glad to get OUTTA here with no write-overs. Give the man a CIGAR. After that NW corner I was wondering if this would be an attempt at the fewest vowels ever in a xword; just look at CTRLZ.<br /><br />Until a college class, Magilla [sic] was a cartoon gorilla to me. I guess the reading of that whole MEGILLAH scroll must take quite some time. OY.<br /><br />Around here, years ago you could get Schmidt beer in the BIGMOUTH bottle, a much larger opening than found on Mickey’s SCHMALTZ liquor.<br /><br />Wasn’t TCHOTCHKE Fonzie’s nephew and Joanie’s YIDDISH boyfriend? Or maybe I was thinking of some Bohemian pastry?<br /><br />LIZA in Cabaret, yeah baby.<br /><br />So it’s a list. Big deal, I’m on BOARD with that.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4632217101489964022018-10-24T11:20:55.342-04:002018-10-24T11:20:55.342-04:00Yeah @PatrickO - (see very first comment - cute)
...Yeah @PatrickO - (see very first comment - cute)<br /><br />Easy Wednesday, except for a few spellings. So many Zs. Who knew? (Oy)<br /><br />Makes me think of bagels, and, you know, lox. OUI?<br /><br />Lady DiDiana, LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18209505132278516862018-10-24T10:08:38.893-04:002018-10-24T10:08:38.893-04:00YIDDISH PITY
Don’t be MADD, LIZA DEERE, IGIVE you...YIDDISH PITY<br /><br />Don’t be MADD, LIZA DEERE, IGIVE you credit,<br />INURE defense, that BIGMOUTH’s not your fault,<br />but OYGEVALT! So VERKLEMPT and airheaded,<br />you HAD the CHUTZPAH to sing with such SCHMALTZ.<br /><br />--- EMILE SCHNAUZER<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91687596342365842292018-09-25T17:37:01.490-04:002018-09-25T17:37:01.490-04:00One of the easiest Wednesdays ever ... and that...One of the easiest Wednesdays ever ... and that's with me being apparently the only person in the blogosphere not intimately familiar with DR OZ.kitshefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14307917784858319198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81307154706133329792018-09-21T09:24:14.795-04:002018-09-21T09:24:14.795-04:00I realize I am late on this, but Icouldn’t resist ...I realize I am late on this, but Icouldn’t resist a few comments. <br /><br />First, Yom Kippur for observant Jews is a very solemn day of fasting and reflection, spent in synagoggue and self-reflection. While of course beliefs and practices among Jews differ widely (as a look at these comments makes clear), doing a crossword puzzle, or even writing at all, is undoubtedly viewed by traditional Jewish law as forbidden. So I do think it was insensitive of the Times to publish this puzzle on Yom Kippur, when many observant Jews could not do it. <br /><br />Second, linguistics professors who deal with these matters invariably classify Yiddish as a language, not a dialect. To be sure, it had its origins in an older form of German (as did English), but it is no more a pidgin mixture of German and Hebrew than English is a pidgin mixture of German and Latin. Yiddish grammar, though related to German, is quite different in numerous respects, including word order, verb tenses and inflections, case endings of nouns, etc. It. Is spelled and pronounced quite differently from German. And as to vocabulary, while most words probably are of German origin (though they frequently have different meanings in Yiddish), many words are of Hebrew or Slavic origin, and there are a few that are of Romance origin or derive from other languages. Yiddish is written using the Hebrew alphabet, not the Roman alphabet (which is why English spelling of Yiddish words tends not to be standardized). While 5 million of the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust spoke Yiddish, there remain more than a million people around the world (mostly, but not all, Hasidic Jews) who speak Yiddish today. To see what Yiddish looks like go to the website of the Yiddish Forward newspaper at Yiddish.Forward.com.<br /><br />Third, it makes no sense to ask whether words that are common to Yiddish and Hebrew actually belong to one or the other language. Actually “chutzpah,” like “megillah,” is a Yiddish word of Hebrew origin. But both are perfectly good Yiddish words, just like many English words that are derived from French and have French cognates (such as “blouse”).claypoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05243916633297101449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13882220570491513152018-09-20T10:34:15.878-04:002018-09-20T10:34:15.878-04:00Solid enough to enjoy throughout, but I agree that...Solid enough to enjoy throughout, but I agree that it's missing the fun revealer, or clever twist. Was fun that I didn't think I would know most of them, and wound up being familiar with all but two.<br /><br />Isn't 60D ("Uncle!"/IGIVE) missing an UP? What is "IGIVE?" G was my final letter because I thought I must be missing something.<br /><br />Between this puzzle and Tuesday's, we've reach our quota of Hs this week already!SquarePegnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31730216800206452882018-09-19T23:19:45.250-04:002018-09-19T23:19:45.250-04:00Megillah is a Hebrew word which means “Scroll”. Th...Megillah is a Hebrew word which means “Scroll”. These are sacred texts which are read at specific times during the Jewish Cakendar year. Because they are long, the vernacular translation of a Gantza Megillah is “a long story”. I agree that the theme is peculiar for Yom Kippur ( Day of Atonement) which is a day of serious self reflection done in the midst of one’s community. But the puzzle was fun, which is important, too.Wordsmithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91126126616950714442018-09-19T23:08:20.507-04:002018-09-19T23:08:20.507-04:00Agree that it's poor timing (despite finishing...Agree that it's poor timing (despite finishing in time to maintain my streak (at least until Sukkot next week)) but MEGILLAH ISN'T YIDDISH, it's Hebrew. Also keen to express my annoyance at English transliteration in word puzzles. Anyway, gmar tov. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32163346195299363952018-09-19T21:22:56.289-04:002018-09-19T21:22:56.289-04:00No one's mentioned that it's "Talk Li...No one's mentioned that it's "Talk Like a Pirate Day."JC66https://www.blogger.com/profile/05324615675333287919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77219756821053465842018-09-19T21:02:28.284-04:002018-09-19T21:02:28.284-04:00Exactly what @Zenmonkey said. I am writing now, b...Exactly what @Zenmonkey said. I am writing now, because I don't write on Yom Kippur. The puzzle was cute, and I'm not "offended" that I had to wait until after 8 PM to do it, but out of all the days of the year, why today? Anonymous 11:49 doesn't "like" my excessively strict religion. However, observant Jews are allowed to read, stroll, enjoy nature - although even an only semi-observant guy like me spends most of the day in synagogue. OISKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16808675378318214461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90097371538118431102018-09-19T20:48:50.000-04:002018-09-19T20:48:50.000-04:00@zen monkey, Because of the reaction to the timing...@zen monkey, Because of the reaction to the timing, I raised my 1:39 post, which was not set in a 'birthday party' atmosphere per @Z, but a very serious and solemn gathering of women - so much suffering, so much inequality, so much to do to hope to be taken seriously - I tried to create a similar situation albeit secular but just as deeply personal to my kind, so we could draw comparisons. I would appreciate a women's themed puzzle on such a serious and important day, the acknowledgement, the nod, the chance to expose our kind to others, too, as long as it wasn't demeaning.<br /><br />You said that maybe this is such a Jewish thing that Gentiles felt comfortable laughing. I was not laughing. Catherinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54370994279408834312018-09-19T20:33:53.899-04:002018-09-19T20:33:53.899-04:00In these pahts, a 2x4 is a 2x4. A 2x6 is a 2X6. A...In these pahts, a 2x4 is a 2x4. A 2x6 is a 2X6. Anything 2" thick and widah than 6" is a damn plank.pabloinnhnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78010340611987028752018-09-19T20:06:56.310-04:002018-09-19T20:06:56.310-04:00@Z...Good post. I actually agree on EVERYTHING yo...@Z...Good post. I actually agree on EVERYTHING you said. <br />As for the mini bar. They kill me every time and they know it. Most have those damn sensors and if you happen to open the mini bar just looking to see what they have, they charge you.<br />My Mini Bar story:<br />Several years ago, my husband and I had received a comp for two nights at the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco. They charge the equivalent of a months mortgage on a million dollar home.....PER NIGHT. <br />I had attended a Sales Convention for the airline/hotel industry and won the grand prize giveaway. What a treat...<br />As we entered our incredible suite, there was a complimentary bottle of some very nice white wine. I know it must have been expensive because that's what The Four Seasons did. I opened the mini bar and moved some stuff around in order to put the wine in a cold fridge. We didn't check-out since nothing had been charged to the room, however....a week later, we got a notice that my credit card had been charge $100 for "Use Of The Mini Bar." We didn't even drink the wine! GILL I.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05605766053820226324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64505144427547150482018-09-19T18:43:21.266-04:002018-09-19T18:43:21.266-04:00@z,
"Sure, a 2 x4 is atype of board..."
...@z,<br />"Sure, a 2 x4 is atype of board..."<br />That's an error in logic. It even has a name: petitio principii.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57252595647403008522018-09-19T18:03:49.848-04:002018-09-19T18:03:49.848-04:00I dropped in BOARD right away off the "2X4&qu...I dropped in BOARD right away off the "2X4" clue. Sounded fine to me. My grandfather was a carpenter and I can remember as a child going with him to the sawmills and watching logs getting sawn up into BOARDs. They would then be milled or planed flat on all four sides so that the dimensions of rough-cut BOARD would be different from the finished version. Here's a guide to differences between the nominal and actual BOARD sizes.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.magers.org/handy/nom_vs_act_board.html" rel="nofollow">Nominal vs Actual BOARD Sizes</a> Anoa Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16185183023273883700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36798356109780226472018-09-19T17:37:20.677-04:002018-09-19T17:37:20.677-04:00@S.Green - At what point does a dialect become its...@S.Green - At what point does a dialect become its own language? A couple of weeks ago a British commentator doing a match on NBCSN came on and apologized for referring to a cigarette as a “fag.” Are we speaking English or something else? YIDDISH evolved from German and Hebrew, so what, exactly makes it a “language” rather than just a “dialect?” I don’t know what differentiates the two, so just accept what I find on the internet. Nevertheless, I think it is a fair question. <br /><br />@Catherine - Your comparison is akin to comparing a birthday to a funeral. That is, you reflect on a person’s life on both days, but one would not reflect in the same way. As @ZenMonkey said, not really appropriate for the holiest (most sacred) day of the year. I have other issues with the puzzle, but I certainly understand this complaint. <br /><br />I’m really not understanding the BOARD nit. Sure, a 2x4 is a type of BOARD that you might use for a stud. That doesn’t make it not a BOARD. Is there something else about a 2x4 that makes it not a BOARD?<br /><br />As for the ethics question - of course that’s unethical. Two things. If I borrow my neighbor’s car without telling them and return it with a full tank of gas and and oil change would that be okay? Second, as a guest in a hotel you’re not just paying for the item, you’re also paying for the convenience of having that item in the room, of not having to venture out to the local store for the TCHOTCHKE. Even if you return an identical item you’ve still stolen the labor involved in stocking the MINIBAR for you. <br /><br />Finally, I read Chen’s comments over at xword.com. Wow. This is the improved fill? Wow. Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62277647400554029112018-09-19T17:36:31.297-04:002018-09-19T17:36:31.297-04:00Stop the world for Yom Kippur!Stop the world for Yom Kippur!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78447216135832603122018-09-19T17:11:11.850-04:002018-09-19T17:11:11.850-04:00On a recent trip to a resort in Ojai, CA I rearran...On a recent trip to a resort in Ojai, CA I rearranged bottles in the mini-bar to try to fit in some water bottles we’d brought with us. I couldn’t create enough room so I had a mini-refrigerator sent to the room (no charge). When I went to check out I found I’d been charged to the bottles I’d moved. They deleted the charges, but I suspect that the newest generation of mini-bars are (@David Schinnerer) smart. jaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385568014046336373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72720302274814332472018-09-19T17:10:21.924-04:002018-09-19T17:10:21.924-04:00@Catherine
"It is the scheduling of a Jewish...@Catherine<br /><br />"It is the scheduling of a Jewish-related puzzle on the holiest day of the year that rankles."<br /><br />That IS the explanation you so politely demanded. I never said "you don't get it" and please don't reduce what I said to that kind of dismissive garbage. As far as I know there isn't a good analogue for Yom Kippur in Christianity, at least in this country, being a day when It would be questionable to feature Christianity or Latin. <br /><br />And no, this has nothing to do with cultural appropriation. Just a lack of awareness or a misguided sense of timing. In fact I'd argue that this being the NYT, the theme taken out of the Yom Kippur context is very culturally...well, appropriate! (But I also don't know that cultural appropriation is a concept that can even be applied to crossword puzzles, unless anyone thinks doing cryptics is an appropriation of British culture.)ZenMonkeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01351161309102608706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89110121489369679852018-09-19T16:38:42.551-04:002018-09-19T16:38:42.551-04:00Re: Loren Muse Smith 3:47 a.m., on the Yiddish pre...Re: Loren Muse Smith 3:47 a.m., on the Yiddish prefix sch- implying dismissal.<br /> <br />I wonder if many languages have a s-sound implying negativity or hatred. I recall in one of my failed attempts to learn classical Greek, I was reading Euripides' *Medea*, and Medea turns in scorn toward Jason, saying something that I can't remember but went phonetically something like "esso-asso-issasin". My Greek teacher pointed out that she was hissing at him, like a snake. This made me realize that I would never appreciate Greek tragedy properly if I did not learn Greek. I'm retired now and have no excuse--but I still can't read it properly.<br /><br />I remember from Italian lessons that the *s* at the beginning of words implied negativity. Is the *s* owed to the hissing sound of snakes or perhaps cats? Is this universal? The *s* prefix in Italian is owed usually to a translation into Italian of Latin, where the *s* is *dis*, meaning *anti* or something like that.<br /><br />Anon. i.e. Poggius, now back in the USAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com