tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post9213899145367249270..comments2024-03-29T10:35:45.726-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Singer/songwriter MacColl / FRI 4-22-11 / 1930 tariff act co-sponsor / 1989 one-man show / Blini go-with / Plant once considered source courageRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4757399225218909942011-05-27T15:31:39.634-04:002011-05-27T15:31:39.634-04:00Terrific puzzle, just fun to do. Had the kind of t...Terrific puzzle, just fun to do. Had the kind of trivia I know and not the kind I don't (TV shows, song titles, and especially -- ugh -- brand names). I'd heard of Ewan MacColl, Smoot, and (although it was a pretty dim memory) Sylvia Sims.<br /><br />Don't know why people are complaining about "in real time." It rings perfectly idiomatic to me. Agree that "internee" is questionably clued. I quickly guessed that "do glue" referred to hairdos, but nevertheless that was the last answer I filled in, due to the "recoil/recall" "moshpit/moshing" difficulties.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9353734124841204242011-05-27T13:19:54.795-04:002011-05-27T13:19:54.795-04:00I did not get the second "Jazzy Jones" b...I did not get the second "Jazzy Jones" because "Etta" is the one and only Etta James.Joannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02974339387442422289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57018557526441876982011-05-27T12:54:49.566-04:002011-05-27T12:54:49.566-04:00I must be of a certain age since MOSHING was my fi...I must be of a certain age since MOSHING was my first answer. <br /><br />Todays puzzle was just brilliant. MISTRESS ONTHEWAY STAYCALM has to be the funniest triad in the NYT in ages.<br /><br />Since I am in syndi-land, I am hoping that the pony of @Nanpilla has recovered. <br /><br /><br />difutt - de opposite of dehaidLurking, Just Behind Younoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67990221267957546672011-04-23T02:04:27.980-04:002011-04-23T02:04:27.980-04:00Sylvia Syms performed at the Carlyle with regular ...Sylvia Syms performed at the Carlyle with regular Bobby Short...guess who Bobby Short replaced? <br />George Feyer! ACPT champ Dan Feyer's grandpa! I'll bet he performed with Sylvia Syms too!acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37732324080764633432011-04-23T01:53:57.617-04:002011-04-23T01:53:57.617-04:00I wonder legends of the music still searched by mo...I wonder legends of the music still searched by most people who love music.wfshttp://watchfaveshows.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24133203857973290612011-04-22T23:29:57.118-04:002011-04-22T23:29:57.118-04:00@Jimwalker: when a defect is found in a product, i...@Jimwalker: when a defect is found in a product, it often results in a recall.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41045845939599090382011-04-22T23:27:51.997-04:002011-04-22T23:27:51.997-04:00Liked the puzzle a lot. Don't get "defec...Liked the puzzle a lot. Don't get "defect effect" = recall.<br /><br />Help?Jimwalkernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80314147732257198682011-04-22T22:52:26.117-04:002011-04-22T22:52:26.117-04:00Great Friday puzzle, Rex and Andrea sizzling, and ...Great Friday puzzle, Rex and Andrea sizzling, and the rest of the comments pretty funny too!<br /><br />Am I the only one who wanted "gown" for "gene" at 40D? As in bridal or baptismal??<br /><br />@Evgeni: when the buckwheat blini are home-made, they taste good with anything on them, or nothing at all!<br /><br /><br />@nanpilla and JenCT: so sorry about the animals, can't stop thinking about them. <br /><br />"The first time..." is such a beautiful song. I think I know it best by Roberta Flack.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54411206276373546562011-04-22T21:06:47.088-04:002011-04-22T21:06:47.088-04:00jberg
I thought that too at first about Superman&#...jberg<br />I thought that too at first about Superman's hands stretched out, but when he is standing there with his cape flapping in the wind, they are indeed AKIMBO. He apparently has many iconic arm stances!<br /><br />And yes, it's scary that most people get their info from Wikipedia now...<br />And try arguing with crossword collaborators that number of Google hits doesn't make something more popular/correct/in the language!acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57163356100967854742011-04-22T18:34:21.984-04:002011-04-22T18:34:21.984-04:00Another in a series of awesome Friday puzzles. By ...Another in a series of awesome Friday puzzles. By which I mean I can complete them, which was way beyond me a year ago. <br /><br />When a horse is the first thing that comes to mind w/ "bay" and answers like TAT and I KID YOU NOT and HALL OF FAME emerge in seconds from a skeleton of a couple of letters, you know that you are doing too many crossword puzzles.<br /><br />Lot of mildly interesting new people to add to our general knowledge, like SYMS and EWAN McCOLL.<br /><br />Being a finance guy I was already very familiar w/ SMOOT, so that was the first one in the grid. Many historians point to the Smoot-Hawley Act as one of the key mistakes that U.S. lawmakers made at the start of the Great Depression.<br /><br />Loved the hot dog and Superman's stance and nail-spitting. Nice visuals.<br /><br />A great puzzle for a Good Friday.Octavian Akimbonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32461472331206189022011-04-22T18:01:11.698-04:002011-04-22T18:01:11.698-04:00I am really loving these kinder, gentler Fridays.
...I am really loving these kinder, gentler Fridays.<br /><br />Was a little slow getting out of the gate and had to Google SYMS and EWAN. Had locks before HASPS, ebon before ONYX, FUTONS in and out a couple of times and MOSHpit first. Managed to finish in fine form.<br /><br />Andrea is right @Rex is sizzling.<br /><br />@nanpilla - Hope your pony gets well soon.chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-167002264717550232011-04-22T16:34:34.665-04:002011-04-22T16:34:34.665-04:00@jberg: TAT is, indeed, frequently used as in &quo...@jberg: TAT is, indeed, frequently used as in "Wanna see my new tat?" And no. I have no tats.<br /><br />Can't think of a puzzle in which I agreed more with Rex. Uncanny.<br /><br />I may be too young, but Sylvia Syms isn't doing it for me.Shamikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11635283729322415150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13091701834078007852011-04-22T16:24:09.083-04:002011-04-22T16:24:09.083-04:00Hand up for ebon and Lumet - figured the latter wa...Hand up for ebon and Lumet - figured the latter was a tribute, since he just died, and when I wrote in the former said to myself, "Ha, I'm finally getting the hand of this easy crosswordese."<br /><br />Otherwise, I was really stuck until I got to MOSHING, after which the whole SW fell into place quickly, then worked my way around the puzzle counterclockwise.<br /><br />I knew 23A had to be either ABAB or ABBA, so 2D had to be AKIMBO, but I still don'e like it - arms are akimbo if they are extended to your sides and bent at the elbows, aren't they? Merriam-Webster says it's "having the hand on the hip and the elbow turned outward." Superman extends them over his head, more or less straign, for the streamlining. I didn't like TAT either; never thought of the tattoo connection. Is that actual usage? The little dictionary in my phone only mentions making lace.<br /><br />Last month we were in New Orleans staying in a BANDB (oh wait, that was a few days ago) in the Garden District, and had to drive down Euterpe Street to get there - so I got that one easily; otherwise I would never have thought of it.<br /><br />@nanpilla, I hope your pony gets better!jberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02169065390875378077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89246872407551908992011-04-22T16:13:38.884-04:002011-04-22T16:13:38.884-04:00@quilter1, mmorgan, jae - Bogart as Capt Queeg in ...@quilter1, mmorgan, jae - Bogart as Capt Queeg in The Caine Mutiny said "I kid you not" before Jack Paar made it his.OldMovieBuffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41662689489761846792011-04-22T16:04:31.913-04:002011-04-22T16:04:31.913-04:00@GLR
As you noted, there are often [my take] misl...@GLR<br /><br />As you noted, there are often [my take] misleading or flat out wrong, wiki entries. It's the nature of the beast.<br /><br />I was trying to make that point to those who blindly accept a wiki entry as "authorative", without further corroboration, are being misled.<br /><br />Same with Google. Number of hits, or most popular return should be similarly suspect.<br /><br />Google has been running a series of ads in the dead tree NYT, and I assume elsewhere, showing the number of querries (and technique) for obtaining a credible "answer".<br /><br />As for the "I've never heard it used that way", and those that agree in support --- I've abandonded all hope ;)<br /><br />P>G>Not So Fast ...noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1206031987605874402011-04-22T15:56:59.033-04:002011-04-22T15:56:59.033-04:00Jack Paar it is! I knew it was black and white TV....Jack Paar it is! I knew it was black and white TV. <br />THYME makes me impatient to plant my herbs.quilter1https://www.blogger.com/profile/09569747169212018177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76820836106746020892011-04-22T15:30:13.122-04:002011-04-22T15:30:13.122-04:00Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 7/30/...Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 7/30/2009 post for an explanation of my method):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Fri 23:57, 26:10, 0.92, 33%, Easy-Medium<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Fri 11:13, 12:53, 0.87, 26%, Easy-Mediumsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60700019340558100832011-04-22T15:16:02.882-04:002011-04-22T15:16:02.882-04:00I KID YOU NOT - Catchphrase used by Jack Paar. Paa...I KID YOU NOT - Catchphrase used by Jack Paar. Paar, host of the Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962, "invented the talk-show format as we know it: the ability to sit down and make small talk big," said Merv Griffin. Paar died on January 27, 2004, at age 85. "Even youngsters sent to bed before Mr. Paar came on parroted his jaunty catchphrase, 'I kid you not.'" From "He invented late-night talk, then walked away," and article in the Herald-Leader, Lexington, Ky., January 28, 2004.<br /><br />"Mr. Paar took over the flagging NBC slot some months after Steve Allen left with his variety show... Despite his continued popularity, Mr. Paar grew tired of the grind and quit his late-night show in March 1962. That October, after a succession of interim hosts, Johnny Carson began his 30-year run as host." From Obituary: Original King of Late NightLook Up Guynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64230315049197731512011-04-22T14:18:28.556-04:002011-04-22T14:18:28.556-04:00Wonderful cluing, easy-ish puzzle, very visual (AK...Wonderful cluing, easy-ish puzzle, very visual (AKIMBO, LATERAL, OYEZ, nail-spitting)<br /><br />@Rex on fire today!!!<br /><br />I would like to add that beautiful Rashida Jones is also the daughter of Peggy Lipton from "Mod Squad" and actually looks exactly like her in a less-blonde way.<br /><br />It's odd to see her on "Parks and Recreation" so thinking of her as Karen from the "Office"...it throws me off the same way as having to deal with a second Darrin!<br />(Even tho this is same actress different role and the other was different actor same role, but it still feels altered-universish.)<br /><br />I can only remember Michael STEELE's name bec I was once an almost-MISTRESS to a man by that same name who was also in politics (but on the English/Welsh Labour party side). I was 21 and he must have been about 25 yrs older, so I shied away... I tried to find him 25 years later to no avail. <br />He was an Aussie journalist who ran for MP in Wales (I wonder if I'm making this up, I'm so confused these days...)<br /><br />Did the MOSHING clue strike anyone as a bit school-marmish tut-tutting?<br /><br />Since I always rail about boy fill (HALLOFFAME to start the puzzle, anybody?) I would like to applaud the HASPS clue, as it's so young-girl-diary!!!<br /><br /><br />@nanpilla<br />My heartbleeds for you and your pony...best case scenario that she'll be fine! <br />We are mind-melded today, as we have shared a cross-country malapop, as I wanted "Days of Yore" for STONEAGE instead of your HALLOFFAME!<br /><br />I don't know if it's just me but hearing STAYCALM or "Calm down" always has the exact opposite effect.<br /><br />Didn't know from SMOOT, but had that been MY name, I would have changed it as soon as I came of age.<br /><br />In other unfortunate naming choices, OPENSOURCE continues to look/sound like OPEN SORES to me.<br />Could have been in our little homophone puzzle yesterday!anemic caviar mistressnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89416482836370995122011-04-22T14:15:21.533-04:002011-04-22T14:15:21.533-04:00Ewan MacColl is a hero to us folkies. He wrote &qu...Ewan MacColl is a hero to us folkies. He wrote "The First Time..." for his true love, Peggy Seeger.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12245006269785776683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16153252742935324122011-04-22T14:05:47.379-04:002011-04-22T14:05:47.379-04:00I agree with @Anonymous at 9:52 that last night...I agree with @Anonymous at 9:52 that last night's Parks & Recreation lacked verve, but I thought The Office bounced back big time in Will's second episode (excepting the line about 9/11. I don't think we'll ever be ready to hear it mentioned in a comedic setting.).<br /><br />Fun puzzle. Last letter was a decision between Interned and INTERNEE, since I'm light on my muses. Happily, I chose correctly.<br /><br />I imagine Ms. Syms left the world just as she would have wished.Chip Hiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944056030047563287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-92170821003766773712011-04-22T14:04:09.260-04:002011-04-22T14:04:09.260-04:00@Not so fast...
Looks like you found an errant en...@Not so fast...<br /><br />Looks like you found an errant entry in Wikipedia (it happens). There are others, like the "Frances Bavier" entry and the "Aunt Bee" entry that have the correct spelling.<br /><br />@lit.doc:<br /><br />I understood the cluing for VEE - for some reason, I just really don't like that kind of clue/answer. But now I have a name for what I don't like - "letterals." Thanks!GLRnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49403591703182305452011-04-22T13:42:18.392-04:002011-04-22T13:42:18.392-04:00Tough puzzle but finally finished with a bit of go...Tough puzzle but finally finished with a bit of googling. Love Blini with sour cream and cavier. The fruit dip with sour cream, sugar and lemon sounds yummy.<br /><br />@Quilter1 It is Jack Paar - met him once at a grocery store in Greenwich Ct.<br /><br />What is moshing - never heard of it<br /><br />Guess you could call me Aunt Bea - I have lots of nieces and nephewschefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83951822917979956902011-04-22T13:37:13.724-04:002011-04-22T13:37:13.724-04:00@lit.doc re: "digitally chiasmic" . . . ...@lit.doc re: "digitally chiasmic" . . . Nice<br /><br />@I skip M-W re: "as in tattoo?" . . . Yep. But M-W are mighty fun to speed solve!<br /><br />Everyone's about covered the rest.Masked and Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46633943501746971712011-04-22T13:33:32.380-04:002011-04-22T13:33:32.380-04:00@GLR, 61A is a "letteral" clue. VEE is ...@GLR, 61A is a "letteral" clue. VEE is the letter at the center/heart of the word "Elvis".lit.dochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06729199575329286046noreply@blogger.com