tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post9377577912106473..comments2024-03-28T12:23:36.637-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Screenwriting guru Field / SUN 2-16-14 / TV actress Graff / Roman ruler before Caesar / Hip-hop artist with 2013 #1 album Born SinnerRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90521805520236903302014-02-25T12:36:20.876-05:002014-02-25T12:36:20.876-05:00Theme: Change a single 'F' in a common wo...Theme: Change a single 'F' in a common word/phrase to a 'D' to reveal a funny/clever pun.<br /><br />This puzzle completely met that perfectly valid theme, and is therefore not at all "inelegant." Period.<br /><br />Any opinion otherwise is crybaby whining and, more importantly, dangerously chilling to the creativity of puzzlemakers - we have enough "rules" infiltrating the modern crossword puzzle world without having an artificial one that impinges creativity.<br /><br />Had one or more theme answers flipped multiple 'F's to 'D's, there might have been cause for someone to cavil that they were TICKED ODD, but as it is, the complainers are simply ODD THEIR ROCKERS.Bananafishnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29637627835934342192014-02-23T20:29:44.998-05:002014-02-23T20:29:44.998-05:00I agree completely wiith Will Shortz @ 9:26
Sorry...I agree completely wiith Will Shortz @ 9:26<br /><br />Sorry if it's not "elegant " enough for Matt Gaffney, but so what ? The pun worked and the "f" in "for" was not a confusing element.<br /><br />The "dare increase" was bad. The rest amusing.<br /><br />SharonAKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88519148985654279972014-02-23T15:51:46.557-05:002014-02-23T15:51:46.557-05:00Every time the clue is for JAPES I enter JokeS. Ev...Every time the clue is for JAPES I enter JokeS. Every. Single. Time. You'd think I would learn, but no.<br /><br />SLIER still looks wrong to me, even if it is right.<br /><br />@Roxy - that's a very good question. If he's shrinking at the same rate I am he must be down to around 6'6" by now.<br /><br />Full boat, 8s/4s.Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80244337096351832632014-02-23T14:14:14.295-05:002014-02-23T14:14:14.295-05:00So how tall is elvin Hayes now?!! (5 down clue)So how tall is elvin Hayes now?!! (5 down clue)Roxynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24808978454825394442014-02-23T12:49:27.402-05:002014-02-23T12:49:27.402-05:00IMHO, to pick on an F buried in an ultra-common pr...IMHO, to pick on an F buried in an ultra-common preposition like FOR or OF is really picking at nits. It's not as if "FOR" is the key word in this phrase. You guys need to lighten up. TWODIVESFORATEN is a great theme entry, THO I suppose Tatum O'Neal would've asked for two tens for a...well, you know.<br /><br />I also enjoyed SCIENCEDICTION immensely. I am constantly amazed by what Dr. Hawking has been able to achieve despite the most severely debilitating condition one can have and still live. Dark matter be damned; gray matter will win out in the end.<br /><br />Maybe the theme is a bit thinnish, but at least it yields a cool title: "Passing Grades."<br /><br />As for 15d, compare M*A*S*H's Lt. Dish, played by the dishy JoAnn Pflug. That's enough to wake up anybody's "equipment."<br /><br />Two crappy pair. I think I need to rebuy, dealer.spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67060079143347951332014-02-23T02:22:15.324-05:002014-02-23T02:22:15.324-05:00I wish constructors would stop using "abler&q...I wish constructors would stop using "abler"--the correct grammar is "more able".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-47034718483526530502014-02-21T08:02:54.584-05:002014-02-21T08:02:54.584-05:00@Matt Gaffney: You keep using that word ("obv...@Matt Gaffney: You keep using that word ("obviously"). I do not think it means what you think it means.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07239309835429701328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34101987539702130352014-02-20T01:37:09.458-05:002014-02-20T01:37:09.458-05:00Typos: his screenplay book was the biBleTypos: his screenplay book was the biBleAcmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53164661367207114542014-02-20T01:34:58.394-05:002014-02-20T01:34:58.394-05:00In my years in Hollywood, circa 1986-1993, SYD Fie...In my years in Hollywood, circa 1986-1993, SYD Fields was all the rage, his screenplay books the bivle, and his writing courses were like ESt seminars for the devoted.<br /><br />Of course that was the real Will writing in.<br />One always debates whether the preposition counts.<br />Ideally you have no other Fs but it's usually only one letter that is changed in a change a letter puzzle.<br />Surface sense is the main criteria.Acmenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62245224997143235552014-02-19T15:02:46.854-05:002014-02-19T15:02:46.854-05:00CENSER, PATEN and LAIC gave this post-reformation ...CENSER, PATEN and LAIC gave this post-reformation puzzle noob a huge headache. nice puzzle overall though.Jasonhttp://music.jasonharrod.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19957180666969850152014-02-17T23:26:58.420-05:002014-02-17T23:26:58.420-05:00Comfortable state - BED OF ROSES? Doesn't seem...Comfortable state - BED OF ROSES? Doesn't seem like the right clue for that answer. It's more a comfortable place than a comfortable state, no?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55912678243070026782014-02-17T14:41:52.271-05:002014-02-17T14:41:52.271-05:00@retired_chemist: My money is on Will Shortz being...@retired_chemist: My money is on Will Shortz being the real deal - when the posts are made using that Google account. He posted a month or two back with details that seemed quite unlikely to be offered without the info coming from the horse's mouth (the key one being mentioning that he was working on increasing pay for puzzles, which to my knowledge was not public news yet and came to be reality a few weeks later). Steve Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185067739452052656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53370594192125733322014-02-17T14:34:13.369-05:002014-02-17T14:34:13.369-05:00Syd Field didn't just write a few books - he w...Syd Field didn't just write a few books - he wrote the definitive guide to writing a screenplay. I got the clue immediately. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22384823138682501642014-02-16T23:23:27.130-05:002014-02-16T23:23:27.130-05:00I liked the theme answers, but also admit to being...I liked the theme answers, but also admit to being easily amused. <br /><br />The clue for SULLA is quite poorly edited, though. An equivalent clue could be: American president before Truman = Taft, or any other pair with a 30+ year gap. Fine, Caesar was the next "dictator" after Sulla, an office only instated irregularly, but "ruler" is definitely misleading. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23430049637534730062014-02-16T21:54:12.278-05:002014-02-16T21:54:12.278-05:00Someone will have to ask him at ACPT and report ba...Someone will have to ask him at ACPT and report back. I nominate Evil. Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37291625379163428852014-02-16T21:16:44.558-05:002014-02-16T21:16:44.558-05:00OK - do we know it is actually Will Shortz writing...OK - do we know it is actually Will Shortz writing, or is someone taking that as a pseudonym?retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7645104556003745582014-02-16T20:48:09.245-05:002014-02-16T20:48:09.245-05:00First of all, at the beginning of the blog we are ...First of all, at the beginning of the blog we are invited to go download and solve Ben Tausig's puzzle; then in the comments people start discussing specific answers in that puzzle. This is really not right -- at least get @Rex to put in the Spoiler Kitty first if you are going to do that; better yet, wait until tomorrow, or next week, or something.<br /><br />Now, as for today's puzzle, it was kind of a slow slog for me, but that's OK - that's Sunday, after all. Some good, answers, some strained clues, at least for those of us who don't think "reference" (26A) is a verb. But OK. <br /><br />As for the F question. I didn't like it personally; but if it's OK for @Rex to be snarky on his blog, if that's what he wants to do (and it is), then maybe it's OK for Will Shortz to announce (as he has, right here), that he doesn't care about such things. It's not so important what his rules are, as long as he makes them clear.<br /><br />Now I guess I'll go get "Outsourcing" before anybody gives more of it away.jberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02169065390875378077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24630592991600027422014-02-16T18:52:54.998-05:002014-02-16T18:52:54.998-05:00Will S.-- I don't care about the F, either. ...Will S.-- I don't care about the F, either. Some people just like to carp. A cute puzzle. But the diagramless was more challenging and involving, It's gotten to be my favorite Variety puzzle, but only when I can solve it. A big "if". But this one I could.Nancynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49599763451007089212014-02-16T18:29:57.130-05:002014-02-16T18:29:57.130-05:00@BenTausig, now that I've had the chance to lo...@BenTausig, now that I've had the chance to look up OMARR in the database I see that it's been used lots of times, and for some reason I never absorbed that bit of knowledge. Ah well. I assume the alternate fill that you rejected was changing 13A to ADARN (not give ___) and changing 20A to SOME. Your audience probably wouldn't have liked EDA, though. Well, as I said, I did enjoy the puzzle and my target was Rex, who snipes at the NYT for every little detail.<br /><br />Speaking of which, the theme never claimed to be "every single F in a theme entry is changed to D", the theme is "exactly one critical F in the entry is changed to D." So I'm not sure how that one unchanged F ruins the theme or is inconsistent. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40687467998408891412014-02-16T17:49:49.702-05:002014-02-16T17:49:49.702-05:00Didn't notice the offending "F" and ...Didn't notice the offending "F" and wouldn't have cared if I did. Generally liked the puns, and generally disliked the Cuthbart, Jcole, and Graff and Syd Field clues. It might also have been better not to have placed the two "Church" clues, Censer and Paten, (I've never heard of the latter) crossing each other. Rex seems to think we will get stuck with "JCole" again. I hope that any constructor forced to stoop to hip-hop will remember to make the "J" very evident, as it was here.<br />Still, a pretty solid Sunday puzzle, as far as I am concerned. OISKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16808675378318214461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-83576095103421146412014-02-16T17:26:09.638-05:002014-02-16T17:26:09.638-05:00@Z, well stated@Z, well statedRnRGhost57https://www.blogger.com/profile/05350085528594221641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-79850074598700083942014-02-16T15:27:06.381-05:002014-02-16T15:27:06.381-05:00@wreck - OFL indicated some time ago that he was n...@wreck - OFL indicated some time ago that he was no longer submitting puzzles to the NYT. I don't recall that he gave a reason, but it can't be sour grapes about not getting published if he's not submitting puzzles.<br /><br />As to the F'ing debate... I like Two-Hearted Ale far more than I like Oberon. I still love Oberon, especially on a warm summer evening. Likewise,@Matt Gaffney's comparisons are essentially moot in my opinion. Would no F have made the puzzle better? Maybe. Does it presence ruin this puzzle? No.Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16181544219511150272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7698781555771443102014-02-16T14:57:38.090-05:002014-02-16T14:57:38.090-05:00@Evan
Fair enough, but you are not the one callin...@Evan<br /><br />Fair enough, but you are not the one calling out the NYT puzzle editor specifically. The criticism here goes beyond displeasure of clue. Anyway, that's my own opinion and I don't expect everyone/anyone to agree with me. wreckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08797908615185213756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28016529785032800602014-02-16T14:31:35.584-05:002014-02-16T14:31:35.584-05:00@Evan enjoying your Take it off puzzle. Where can ...@Evan enjoying your Take it off puzzle. Where can I find the completed puzzle?chefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86448017904174651932014-02-16T14:28:45.152-05:002014-02-16T14:28:45.152-05:00@wreck:
Seeing as how Matt Gaffney publishes puzz...@wreck:<br /><br />Seeing as how Matt Gaffney publishes puzzles regularly at his own website and edits others, you can't hang that charge on him. And he is every bit a pro as advertised, so no scare quotes are necessary.<br /><br />And while I'm not as much of a pro as he is, I do have a few puzzles coming up soon, so you can't hang that charge on me either.<br /><br />I'll just never understand the idea that expressing criticism of a puzzle's merits -- its theme entries, its consistency, its clues, whatever -- somehow reflects poorly on the people who do it. It shows that they take the craft of constructing crosswords seriously.Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15440942981870183719noreply@blogger.com