tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post916594649610172888..comments2024-03-29T10:17:28.532-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Pearl Fishers priestess / WED 5-4-16 / Variety of sherry whose name means little apple / Guitarist Borland / Vocalist known for 1944 song / Muhummad's successor to Shiites / Dante symphony composer / Author of 1841 poem / One-named athlete whose real first name is Edson Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26755548325960547422016-06-08T21:44:38.614-04:002016-06-08T21:44:38.614-04:00Lefty
You are so right. whether you are riding t...Lefty<br /><br />You are so right. whether you are riding the EL, (or the L), minding the gap, on the metro, or chugging along on the irt, we all must mind the time gap. <br /><br />"it was moderation, they say..." (fill in the rest)<br /><br />D,LIWDiana,LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3726757137148183932016-06-08T21:36:58.129-04:002016-06-08T21:36:58.129-04:00Lefty
My only solution (that I can think of, smal...Lefty<br /><br />My only solution (that I can think of, small lot of solutions) is to keep posting in the future, over and over. And over. And over. <br /><br />Or, p'raps, OFL will budge on his stance. <br /><br />Of course, hell could freeze over, you know.<br /><br />D,LIWDiana,LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63669440417983838332016-06-08T20:53:31.449-04:002016-06-08T20:53:31.449-04:00Wondered why the Ink Spots / Ella FITZGERALD 1944 ...Wondered why the Ink Spots / Ella FITZGERALD 1944 ditty was so familiar until recalling it features on one IMHO of the best soundtracks ever - that of The Singing Detective, Dennis Potter's superb 1986 BBC drama. <br /><br />Great Wednesday challenge made even more difficult as I wasn't familiar with ALTAMONTE & MANZANILLA. And how many more times will I enter OSU for a Tulsa Sch. instead of ORU? Also couldn't figure out STIES for the longest time either - thought it was spelled STYES.<br /><br />Dan and SAN, the MARINO ISOMERS?Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83763894493926142052016-06-08T19:33:07.805-04:002016-06-08T19:33:07.805-04:00Sometimes I think it would be nice to catch up wit...Sometimes I think it would be nice to catch up with with the realtimers who post in the present-past as opposed to us syndilanders who post in the past-present.<br /><br />Then I think, no, regardless of that time difference, the bigger problem is that we all have the same gap of disjointed or non-communication because of our moderator's time constraints and schedule.<br /><br />I don't have a solution for this, and many posters have given it a shot. Maybe our moderator will come up with one that works for him and us.<br /> leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47596262205880188462016-06-08T19:31:57.002-04:002016-06-08T19:31:57.002-04:00This was a very nice puzzle about the Seattle CLIM...This was a very nice puzzle about the Seattle CLIME. I filled in the theme phrase thinking it was from Led Zeppelin's "The Rain Song". <br /><br />Traci Lords has an EARTAG hanging on one side and RUMORMILLS hanging on the other. <br /><br />Trump mentioned PPP (people, places and product names) in his news conference last night! He of course meant TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership). Just shows he's no John FITZGERALD Kennedy (maybe a jelly donut tho). <br /><br />That's all I can MUSTER up for now. ZZZ. Wooody2004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88139054406147019072016-06-08T16:11:36.876-04:002016-06-08T16:11:36.876-04:00Looks Like I made it through with just one w/o dea...Looks Like I made it through with just one w/o dead-center. Should have remembered OsU is not in Tulsa like ORU. Cool that the phrase is all 4 letter words, but with no four-letter words. Haven’t read any comments, so here goes:<br /><br />I recently gave a yeah baby to a man’s name (nom de plume), and now MUST MUSTER up the nerve to do so for a former adult film star. TRACI Lords had starred in numerous “films” and also a Penthouse gig well before age 18. I presume if anyone owns any of those items the black suits might come a-knockin’.<br /><br />Track on a Muhammad ALI spoken word recording c. 1963: ”Will the Real Sonny Liston Please Fall Down?” MPR told me that this morning.<br /><br />Another old song, but not clued, as is the theme: Pack up your troubles in your old KITBAG and smile, smile, smile. Apparently not fresh enough.<br /><br />Left it _AN Marino before looking at crosses just in case it might have been Dan.<br /><br />The MN Xword Tourney was given a big plug on the front page of the Life section of the St. Paul Pioneer Press today. NYT puz is inside that section.<br /><br />Nice confluence of theme material. Back to using the INTERNET for work purposes. <br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78937225867225596962016-06-08T15:17:29.877-04:002016-06-08T15:17:29.877-04:00Easy-medium, something like yesterday's, with ...Easy-medium, something like yesterday's, with an easy theme and a couple of tougher pieces of fill.<br /><br />Didn't realize that Ella FITZGERALD was making her amazing music as early as 1944. ITSON is a new one for me, and the ALTAMONTE/MANZANILLA cross looked tougher than it really was. <br /><br />I doubt that members of the Professional Bowlers Association would appreciate the "pinheads" tag.<br /><br />PELE did a nice job of re-naming himself.<br /><br />Felt ONEUPON today's smooth solve. <br /><br />leftcoastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49494141051272854592016-06-08T14:50:01.939-04:002016-06-08T14:50:01.939-04:00Here we have a fine example of a puzzle that was i...Here we have a fine example of a puzzle that was inexplicably easy for me. Just kept filling in letter after letter. Knew immediately what LIFER was getting at. Got the saying early, and thought "Oh man, this is really easy."<br /><br />That said, after yesterday's eruption I was certain Rex would crumple up the puzzle and kick it around the yard saying, "Bad puzzle. Bad, bad boy!" because of its easiness factor. <br /><br />But instead he kinda sorta in a way liked it a little teeny bit. Maybe. Hard to tell. <br /><br />Loved where legends were born and later appear. Yes to Maria first, but that was quickly fixed. Gotta love that eraser!<br /><br />I knew Rex would mention ALTAMONTE as being little known. I wonder if he took a Florida/Disney/Salvadore Dali Museum vacation - would he then have a better knowledge of all things Floridial? And then, like ancient Peruvian goddesses and the back streets of Florence, they would become "easy?" Orange you curious? (Floridial reference, there.) <br /><br />Diana, Lady-in-Waiting for CrosswordsDiana,LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69456689842664471902016-06-08T14:44:57.773-04:002016-06-08T14:44:57.773-04:00I completely agree with @rini6, with this added pr...I completely agree with @rini6, with this added proviso: when properly constructed, smores are chewy on the <i>outside</i>, not the inside. You need Graham crackers that have been sitting, package open since at least yesterday, in your tent or cabin, so as to absorb enough atmospheric moisture to take most of the “snap” out of them. Those were the days. Today, the thought of ingesting all that sugary goo makes me just a little queasy.<br /><br />Another terrific puzzle – the second one this week, IMO. Enjoyable theme, and very low dreck quotient.Sailorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05185068601066087185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55449488031081094132016-06-08T14:02:47.667-04:002016-06-08T14:02:47.667-04:00When I first looked at the grid with those wide op...When I first looked at the grid with those wide open areas, I thought this was going to be challenging, but it turned out kind of medium+. It was also fun+.<br /><br />I'm not really up on American poets, and didn't know the theme phrase exactly.Thus, LIFE wasn't obvious, and somewhere in my head I thought I knew EACH as "every", and SOME as "a little". Not a big deal. <br /><br />This was a beautifully constructed gem with all sorts of great clues that had me working hard in spots, and like all really good puzzles, always seemed to be helping via crosses to get it done.<br /><br />@LMS and @evil doug, let's keep working on getting moderation axed. Maybe @Rex could let us know how many objectionable comments are being removed. That would be nice to know.rain forestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7812083685463947912016-06-08T10:55:29.905-04:002016-06-08T10:55:29.905-04:00@Burma, you are too much! Keep 'em comin'....@Burma, you are too much! Keep 'em comin'. Once again the NW turned me aside, momentarily at least. Didn't know that symphony or the novelist, and now that I see it the phrase TO SCALE makes perfect sense for proportional--but to get it from scratch, not so easy. Had no idea what all those 4-letter (!) words were from LONGFELLOW until deep in. That was an aha moment, for sure. Nor did I know that that line appeared in any song, despite being old enough. Well, sort of. I was four. My mom played music for me in my infancy, but it was less Ella and more Ludwig and Wolfgang. Bless her for that.<br /><br />The DOD is TRACI...you DO know how she started out, don't you? We would have the complete name of another, LEILA ALI--except her name is spelled LAILA. The fill is dented by theme constraints: awkward partials INTOO and OFALL were kinda necessary. OTOH, hiding SOME in ISOMER for the centerpiece is a stroke of genius. I liked it. Birdie.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48989811435383020832016-06-08T10:05:18.489-04:002016-06-08T10:05:18.489-04:00S’MORE INFO
MANZANILLA wine does NOTREALLY TAME o...S’MORE INFO<br /><br />MANZANILLA wine does NOTREALLY TAME or make me mellow,<br />ONEUPON another ONLY means I MUST DRAIN the LONGFELLOW.<br /><br />--- ESAU ALTAMONTE<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39556757498937094032016-05-05T04:29:49.217-04:002016-05-05T04:29:49.217-04:00S'mores are not chewy. They are gooey. This is...S'mores are not chewy. They are gooey. This is all. rini6https://www.blogger.com/profile/12707191635749352946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38250056221184672922016-05-05T00:10:43.583-04:002016-05-05T00:10:43.583-04:00I have little Latin (these days) and less Greek, b...I have little Latin (these days) and less Greek, but I would like to believe that the plural of "metropolis" is <br />"metropolides". If only because I've always loved that plural form.old timernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5369970568630290082016-05-04T23:46:05.412-04:002016-05-04T23:46:05.412-04:00@Gill I, loved the "Sherry Story", thank...@Gill I, loved the "Sherry Story", thanks for sharing.Teedmnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12832353448839187816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71354004279067490042016-05-04T22:56:12.817-04:002016-05-04T22:56:12.817-04:00"I t'ought I taw a puddy tat" was li..."I t'ought I taw a puddy tat" was lisped by Tweety Bird. Don't remember Sylvester the Cat having a lisp. Shouldn't the clue be Imitates Tweety Bird"?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80944695907109120152016-05-04T18:03:18.093-04:002016-05-04T18:03:18.093-04:00MANZANILLA is also the type of olive we often see ...MANZANILLA is also the type of olive we often see as the Spanish olive, which is how I know the word - I'm guessing it's the same for some others here.<br /><br />To LEILA's aria I'd like to add the duet sung by the two men who love her. The piece and this recording of it is the only piece of music I ever recall my mother rhapsodizing about.<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsQJ6_XEJNc<br /><br /><br /><br />beatricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16162755764092888665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76289718493595743882016-05-04T16:59:20.809-04:002016-05-04T16:59:20.809-04:00Carmen promises to drink MANZANILLA with Don Jose ...Carmen promises to drink MANZANILLA with Don Jose if he helps her escape from prison at the end of Act I. (Bizet's opera.) Handily, MANZANILLA rhymes with Seville in French.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78572380904584964262016-05-04T15:50:28.369-04:002016-05-04T15:50:28.369-04:00More like a Friday than a Wednesday. Didn't li...More like a Friday than a Wednesday. Didn't like rumor mill. Also polio was a woe. Filled in virus at first. Not sure about French months. Oh well. Chronic dnferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05129538196003383400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13850843265215322782016-05-04T15:28:47.237-04:002016-05-04T15:28:47.237-04:00@GeorgeB, I didn't think the clue referred to ...@GeorgeB, I didn't think the clue referred to synthesizing synthetic peptides. As I saw it, the steroid hormones (cortico- and sex) are lipids, and generated largely from cholesterol, so the building blocks are fatty acids. The nonsteroid hormones, like insulin, are proteins, so are synthesized from amino acids.<br /><br />Maybe I just don't have a clue about the problem you are seeing?Leapfingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14243620614139990887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60546182403962908222016-05-04T15:09:59.335-04:002016-05-04T15:09:59.335-04:00Thanks for the Ink Spots number, Rex. Fun to liste...Thanks for the Ink Spots number, Rex. Fun to listen to talent like that. Got the shaded words in the first 30 seconds and thought it was going to be a new record for Wednesday, but last entry was ALTAMONTE, which I've never, ever heard of. A little heavy on people's names, nine plus the two theme names, but overall a quick solve save the rather nondescript inclusion of a nondescript suburb of the Orlando metroplex.Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02157062187130604062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15908346585509297532016-05-04T14:16:12.936-04:002016-05-04T14:16:12.936-04:00Think bowling pins.Think bowling pins.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03495953572325988541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17071755480179545622016-05-04T14:13:27.498-04:002016-05-04T14:13:27.498-04:00With apologies for multiple posts, but something I...With apologies for multiple posts, but something I composed during the wee hours seems to be crossing up the software in @Rex's blogging platform. So I'll paste it back in, in parts, and we'll see what "sticks." This is part two prime (with some hyperlinks removed; assuming that part two doesn't work but this does, please contact me off-Rex for the missing lynx).<br /><br />This (part one) allows me to segue to my adopted hometown, which represented the stomping grounds of LONGFELLOW, FITZGERALD, and the late protagonist of <a href="http://www.chem.umn.edu/groups/baranygp/puzzles/purple%20reign/" rel="nofollow">Purple Reign</a>. George Baranyhttp://www.chem.umn.edu/groups/baranygp/puzzles/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81191104864222767392016-05-04T14:11:22.296-04:002016-05-04T14:11:22.296-04:00With apologies for multiple posts, but something I...With apologies for multiple posts, but something I composed during the wee hours seems to be crossing up the software in @Rex's blogging platform. So I'll paste it back in, in parts, and we'll see what "sticks." This is part two.<br /><br />This (part one) allows me to segue to my adopted hometown, which represented the stomping grounds of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longfellow_House" rel="nofollow">LONGFELLOW</a> (sic), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitzgerald_Theater" rel="nofollow">FITZGERALD</a> (sic), and the late protagonist of <a href="http://www.chem.umn.edu/groups/baranygp/puzzles/purple%20reign/" rel="nofollow">Purple Reign</a>.George Baranyhttp://www.chem.umn.edu/groups/baranygp/puzzles/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80560389275317296002016-05-04T14:08:40.964-04:002016-05-04T14:08:40.964-04:00With apologies for multiple posts, but something I...With apologies for multiple posts, but something I composed during the wee hours seems to be crossing up the software in @Rex's blogging platform. So I'll paste it back in, in parts, and we'll see what "sticks." This is part one.<br /><br />With no disrespect intended to our constructors earlier this week, today's effort by @Jacob Stulberg reminds us what can make the <i>New York Times</i> puzzle so special: an original (and multilayered) theme, some unique aspects to the grid design and fill, interesting vocabulary, and clever cluing. Hats off to @Rex for a superb and enlightening review, right down to the selections of the embedded videos.<br /><br />Old joke: Denizens of three midsize American metropoli (is that a legit plural?) compare notes on the weather. Tucson is always too hot, but in its defense, the humidity is low, so it's a dry heat and hence tolerable. On the other hand, Minneapolis-Saint Paul is often very cold, but again we can live here because it's a dry cold. Last, it is pointed out that it always rains in Seattle. Aha, but it's a dry RAIN!George Baranyhttp://www.chem.umn.edu/groups/baranygp/puzzles/noreply@blogger.com