wednesday, january 16, 2008
barry c silk / will shortz
ny times online premium crossword puzzle
















difficulty factor: although i never was "in the zone" with this one, it had more of a tuesday feel about it, for me...


theme: perplexion o' plenty pervades the puzzle...


20A MYSTERY
32A PROBLEM
41A PUZZLE
55A ENIGMA


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in the "notes of record" category
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barry, this one, while entertaining enough, lacked a certain wednesday energy, bite, or zing t' me... oy, maybe i'm being too jaded...


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in the "your mileage may vary" category
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time rushed by me t'day with other endeavors... to my sister patti in sunny florida: happy birthday kiddo!




keep on keepin' on...

dann
all elements of the puzzle (grid layout, clues, and answers), NYT, NY Times, and The New York Times logo are ©2008 The New York Times
1. gets one's feet wet? 6. frizzy do 10. pop group whose music was the basis of a hit 2001 broadway musical 14. hut material 15. a lot of pizzazz? 16. some socials 17. rid of vermin 18. french chalk mineral 19. corporal punishment unit 20. 1999 russell crowe movie 23. something to shoot for 25. n.r.c. forerunner 26. scorecard listing 27. fielder's cry 29. potter's need 31. "the racer's edge" 32. parent's handful 35. _ club (retail chain) 36. cyclotron particle 37. deplaned, e.g. 41. nickname for the national security agency 46. the monkees'"_ believer" 49. scholarship consideration 50. popped up 51. "groovy!" 53. orch. section 54. qb stats 55. w.w. ii encryption device 59. fretted fiddle 60. whittle 61. in a pique 64. last word in an ultimatum 65. getz of jazz 66. dispatch boat 67. black flag alternative 68. manhattan, e.g. 69. reveal one's feelings 1. tobacco buy 2. suffix with cannon 3. campus quarters 4. 24/7 auction site 5. shove off 6. san diego state player 7. goose bumps cause 8. depend (on) 9. last king of the united sweden and norway 10. travel aid 11. coarse sorts 12. two- or three-pointer 13. black key 21. french noodle? 22. lounge 23. domino features 24. red fort city 28. cookbook amt. 29. dress down 30. "die frau _ schatten" (strauss opera) 33. baseball's johnny, known as the big cat 34. mustachioed surrealist 38. end of the road, possibly 39. like some coffee 40. gymnastics coups 42. e pluribus _ 43. fraternity founded in 1847 at new york university 44. walkway 45. stork's bundle 46. assuming, hypothetically 47. 1975 "thrilla" city 48. melodic passages 52. looked libidinously 53. public to-do 56. dojo accessories 57. asia's _ sea 58. campbell of "three to tango" 62. "_ beso" 63. mafia figure

saturday, december 08, 2007
barry c. silk / will shortz
ny times online premium crossword puzzle
















difficulty factor: this one was a bit of a bear!



theme: none

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in the "notes of record" category
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barry, y' broke me down, here...



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in the "most googled" category
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1A second african-american in the baseball hall of fame CAMPANELLA (roy "campy" campanella was widely considered to have been one of the greatest catchers in the history of the game. he played for the brooklyn dodgers during the late 1940's and 1950's, as one of the pioneers in breaking the color barrier in major league baseball. his hall of fame career was cut short in 1958 when he was paralyzed in an automobile accident)

30A fangorn forest dweller ENT (ents are a fictional race from j. r. r. tolkien's fantasy world of middle-earth. the term ent in a fantasy context is very different from the anglo-saxon word ent, as the former refers to a humanoid tree and the latter refers to a "giant" although they both appear to have been inspired by the talking trees of many of the world's folklores)

55A cager kukoc TONI (cager is a term frequently used for a professional basketball player and originated from early 1900's games played in a cage to separate the audience from the playing court and speed up the game by keeping the ball in-bounds. Toni Kukoč is a retired Croatian basketball player and one of the first established european stars to play in the national basketball association. he was renowned for his versatility and passing ability; although his natural position was small forward, he played all five positions on the court with equal prowess and demonstrated court vision that is seldom found in players of his height)

37D early screenwriter bernstein ISADORE (isadore bernstein was an american screenwriter. he wrote for 65 films between 1914 and 1938)


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in the "cool multiple word answer" category
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15A some planets may be seen with it UNAIDED EYE

16A "you can stop trying to wake me now!" I'M UP!

32A 1961 top 10 hit for the everly brothers EBONY EYES (listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ1_sOfCHM4 )

34A 1966 album that's #2 on rolling stone's all-time greatest albums list PET SOUNDS (essentially a solo project for brian wilson, after he had quit touring with the beach boys in order to focus his attention on writing and recording, "pet sounds" wove elaborate layers of vocal harmonies, coupled with sound effects and unconventional instruments such as bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, the tannerin, and dog whistles, along with the more usual keyboards and guitars. listen to brian sing 'god knows why' from "pet sounds": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC_UILNwWrc&feature=related)

36A 2001 microsoft debut WINDOWS XP

45A melodramatic cry MY HERO!

56A it appears first in china FAMILY NAME

59A lexicographic enlighteners USAGE NOTES

8D option for dvd viewing LETTERBOX FORMAT

12D either of two father-and-son dodgers owners O'MALLEY

21D when there are lots of errands to run, say BUSY DAY

36D conversation piece? WIRE TAP

41D durable athletes IRON MEN

47D it's worth 8 points in scrabble 'J' TILE


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in the "abbreviations, truncations, etc." category
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18A league heading: abbr. NATL. (national)

19A linemen next to centers: abbr. LGS. (left guards)

22A stat. that's better when lower E.R.A. (earned run average)

28A some home theater systems RCA'S (rca "the most trusted name in electronics" is an acronym for the radio corporation of america, and is a trademark used by two companies, namely sony bmg music entertainment and owner thomson sa, which licences the name to other companies for electronic products)

43A the same beginning? ISO- (greek 'so-', from 'sos' : 'equal' is prefix that means "equal," as in isometric, "having equal measurements)

48A pay stub? -OLA (as in payola, the bribery of an influential person in exchange for the promotion of a product or service, especially that of disc jockeys for the promotion of records)

54A block buster? T.N.T. (tri-nitro-toluene is best known as a useful explosive material with convenient handling properties, and its explosive yield is considered the standard measure of strength of bombs and other explosives)

4D water follower, commercially -PIK

5D wearers of four stars: abbr. ADMS. (admirals)

10D flying start? AER-

11D fan club reading, briefly ZINES (electronic magazines)

26D pacific force, for short L.A.P.D. (los angeles police department)

33D book before job: abbr. ESTH (esther)


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in the "other" category
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17A simon legree TASKMASTER (harriet becher stowe's fictional account of her anti-slavery sentiments "uncle tom's cabin; or, life among the lowly" featured a villainous and cruel slave owner - a northerner by birth - whose name, simon legree, has become synonymous with greed. his goal is to demoralize tom and break him of his religious faith)

20A taj mahal attractions SLOTS (as in trump's 'taj mahal' casino... and slot machines)

21A "my life on trial" autobiographer BELLI (melvin mouron belli was a prominent american lawyer known as 'the king of torts' after winning a court case, he would raise the 'jolly roger' over his office building and fire an antique cannon on the roof to announce the victory and the impending party)

58A _ sea (shrinking body of water) ARAL

60A achiever of many goals PELE (edson "pelé" arantes do nascimento, is a former brazilian football (soccer) player, rated by many as the greatest footballer of all time)

3D remove knots from, maybe MASSAGE

6D comic kevin NEALON

7D 60-across's real first name EDSON (see: 60A)

24D "doctor faustus" novelist MANN

27D spaces between leaf veins AREOLES

49D composer boccherini LUIGI

52D mean BASE

53D northumberland river TYNE

57D annuaire listing NOM


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in the "damn-brand-new-t'-me" category
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44A willingly LIEF
52A spread news of BRUIT


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in the "your mileage may vary" category:
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favorite clue/answer of the day: 2D cheaters, to teachers ANAGRAM



keep on keepin' on...

dann
all elements of the puzzle (grid layout, clues, and answers), NYT, NY Times, and The New York Times logo are ©2007 The New York Times
1. second african-american in the baseball hall of fame 11. they feature creatures 15. some planets may be seen with it 16. "you can stop trying to wake me now!" 17. simon legree 18. league heading: abbr. 19. linemen next to centers: abbr. 20. taj mahal attractions 21. "my life on trial" autobiographer 22. stat that's better when lower 23. undivided 24. pillowcase material 25. loose overcoat 28. some home theater systems 30. fangorn forest dweller 31. makeup problem 32. 1961 top 10 hit for the everly brothers 34. 1966 album that's #2 on rolling stone's all-time greatest albums list 36. 2001 microsoft debut 39. web developer? 43. the same beginning? 44. willingly 45. melodramatic cry 46. engine using a stream of compressed air 48. pay stub? 50. sequel title starter 51. gets to work on time? 52. spread news of 54. block buster? 55. cager kukoc 56. it appears first in china 58. _ sea (shrinking body of water) 59. lexicographic enlighteners 60. achiever of many goals 61. it's no longer working 1. sharp workers? 2. cheaters, to teachers 3. remove knots from, maybe 4. water follower, commercially 5. wearers of four stars: abbr. 6. comic kevin 7. 60-across's real first name 8. option for dvd viewing 9. products of wood ashes 10. flying start? 11. fan club reading, briefly 12. either of two father-and-son dodgers owners 13. silhouette 14. first-aid equipment 21. when there are lots of errands to run, say 24. "doctor faustus" novelist 26. pacific force, for short 27. spaces between leaf veins 29. great move 32. caesarean being 33. book before job: abbr. 35. dweeb 36. conversation piece? 37. early screenwriter bernstein 38. insignificant 40. how some people die 41. durable athletes 42. match 45. many a circular 47. it's worth 8 points in scrabble 49. composer boccherini 52. mean 53. northumberland river 56. creature feature 57. annuaire listing

friday, november 02, 2007
barry c. silk / will shortz
ny times online premium crossword puzzle

















difficulty factor: four outta five band-aids! this was tough!

theme: none

it's been a few days since i've elaborated upon the puzzle, but i think i'm back... and for a great pangram, no less!

the term 3D TENONER is most often used to describe a woodworker who joins wood whereby the end of one of two pieces (the tenon) is cut to fit a hole (the mortise) made in the other. carpenters, on the other hand, rarely use this more time-consuming, painstaking procedure these days.

i always like it when musicians drop by for a visit. today is no exception! 1A FATS WALLER (born thomas wright waller) was an influential and prolific jazz pianist and writer, who had his heyday in the 1920's and 30's. the 41D MONKEES (davy jones, micky dolenz, peter tork, and michael nesmith) were actors who were hired to play musicians, and eventually became proficient enough to play their instruments for live appearances, but not on any of their early slickly produced albums, and were teen idols of the late 1960's. the beach boys hit the streets runnin' in 1963 with 15A I GET AROUND, and through various incarnations are still around today.

my curiosity with the 69A DESERT ROSE prompted me to call my friend's wife who struggles to "train" one. typically they grow 4 to 6 feet in the wild, but the art of bonsai - the singular and plural spelling - takes the potted plant to an artistic level, carefully attending to every detail of its limited growth and shape through meticulous pruning - and even demanding that branches bend into desired directions. with lotsa sun and little water it will flower in the late spring/early summer even in new york!




my last point of focus today is dick and 28A JANE (and baby sister sally, spot the dog, and mother and father) who came upon the elementary school scene in the1930's, and were all but gone just as i was introduced to them in the early to mid 60's...

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in the "not necessarily explained just by the answer" category
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• 20A requests for developers: abbr. ENLS (photographic developers might provide ENLargementS upon request)
• 22A some cabbage FINS ('cabbage' is slang for american money in general; 'fins', five dollar bills)
• 31A materials used as inert paint fillers SILEXES (a rare term - even in the industry - used to describe finely ground silicates used as pigments, not fillers)
• 43A premium chargers, briefly HMOS (health maintenance organizations; a managed care groug of doctors, hospitals, labs, etc. that contract together to cut costs... for them?!)
• 47A what "y" might become IES (english grammar 'rule')
• 53A 19th-century territorial capital SITKA (in alaska)
• 54A organs are located in it: abbr. ANAT (anatomy)
• 55A block head? AUCTIONEER (from the term 'on the auction block')
• 59A due and sei OTTO (italian: two + six = eight)
• 4D they're located on organs STOPS (a 'stop' is the controlling part of a big, [think church] pipe organ which allows for the movement - or more specifically the lack thereof - of pressurized air to a set - or section - of its pipes. as it's default position is 'stop' it should be called a 'go'!)
• 6D it may come after you ARE (c'mon... THAT's reachin' a whole bunch! lotsa things can come after 'you')
• 8D african city of 2.5+ million founded by the portuguese LUANDA (in angola)
• 10D food figs. RDAS (from the u.s. fda recommended daily allowances)
• 14D wilde things? SATIRES (irish satirist oscar wilde [born oscar fingal o'flahertie wills wilde] wrote many scathing plays, novels, short stories, and poems in the late 1800's.)
• 49D challenge for a shortstop LINER (slang for 'line drive' a sharply hit ball in the infield.)
• 51D target of heavy w.w. II bombing, 1944 ST. LO (the town name 'Saint-Lô' comes from Saint Lauda, a 6th century religious figure. it was almost totally destroyed in world war II. today it is reknowned for the award winning chopped liver produced there.)
• 56D discount designation: abbr. IRR (irregular)

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in the "your mileage may vary" category:
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best clue of the day: "not do the rite thing?"... cute

best answer of the day: 37D LOST ART... so very true...

worst clue of the day: 40D "like some surgery"... 'some' alludes to something fairly common... fetal operations are still comparatively quite rare, right?

worst answer of the day: 20A ENLS... what???



keep on keepin' on...

dann
all elements of the puzzle (grid layout, clues, and answers), NYT, NY Times, and The New York Times logo are ©2007 The New York Times
1. he had a hit with "the joint is jumpin'!" FATS WALLER (born thomas wright waller) 11. signs of neglect WEBS 15. first #1 hit by the beach boys I GET AROUND 16. like the sea AQUA 17. city on the transcontinental railroad RENO NEVADA 18. some people have it for life LUST 19. not do the rite thing? ELOPE 20. requests for developers: abbr. ENLS (???)21. taylor of "mystic pizza" LILI 22. some cabbage FINS (slang for american five dollar bills)23. dwell BIDE 24. much FAR25. with 52- and 39-across, gradually ONE... 26. potentate DYNAST 28. one of a primer pair JANE (dick and jane... elementary readers) 29. they're not originals XEROXES 31. materials used as inert paint fillers SILEXES (a rarely used term used to describe finely ground silicates used as pigments)33. best people WIN 34. el relative LOS 35. whole slew of ZILLION39. see 25-across ...AT A TIME 43. premium chargers, briefly HMOS (health maintenance organizations) 44. like a well-maintained lawn WEEDED 46. discriminatory leader? NON 47. what "y" might become IES 48. driver on a ranch PROD 49. it's found in a chest LUNG 50. fermentation locations VATS 52. see 25-across ...STEP... 53. 19th-century territorial capital SITKA (in alaska)54. organs are located in it: abbr. ANAT (anatomy) 55. block head? AUCTIONEER 57. delivery possibility GIRL 58. committed a sports no-no INTERFERED 59. due and sei OTTO (italian: two + six = eight) 60. succulent african shrub popular as a bonsai DESERT ROSE 1. internet explorer alternative FIREFOX 2. facial feature, later in life AGE LINE 3. carpenter, at times TENONER (more likely used by woodworkers as a way to join wood whereby the end of one of two pieces is cut to fit the hole made in the other) 4. they're located on organs STOPS (???) 5. draw to a close WANE 6. it may come after you ARE (c'mon... THAT's reachin' a whole bunch!) 7. hippie happenings LOVE-INS 8. african city of 2.5+ million founded by the portuguese LUANDA (in angola) 9. infinite ENDLESS 10. food figs. RDAS (recommended daily allowances) 11. hanging setting WALL 12. big name in credit reports EQUIFAX 13. greyhounds may run in it BUS LANE 14. wilde things? SATIRES 23. "see ya!" BYE NOW 26. year of st. genevieve's death DXII (512 AD)27. pitching TILTED 28. fun JEST 30. they're known for head-turning OWLS 32. basketful LOAD 35. fictional doctor ZHIVAGO 36. "this is no joke!" I MEAN IT 37. letter writing, some say LOST ART 38. it was first observed in 1846 NEPTUNE 39. one taken in ADOPTEE 40. like some surgery IN UTERO 41. group that starred in the 1968 film "head," with "the" MONKEES 42. match-starting cry EN GARDE 45. establishes ERECTS 49. challenge for a shortstop LINER (line drive) 51. target of heavy w.w. II bombing, 1944 ST. LO 52. "that _____ ..." SAID 53. comfortable SOFT 56. discount designation: abbr. IRR (irregular)

saturday, october 13, 2007
barry c. silk / will shortz
















difficulty factor: not without it's moments; tough, but fair.


theme: none

my very first thought was: "danger, will robinson! danger, danger!"

unlike my typical solving pattern, i rambled all over the puzzle many, many, many times. when the smoke cleared a wee bit less than an hour later... i was exhausted. it's been a long and emotional day for me.

after i 39A SCANNED the whole puzzle i decided to start with 28A BUTTE (montana) - and i have no idea how i knew this! that got me 28D BRR, and i was off to the races. of course, i was lugging around an enormous shell, so to speak, against world class rabbits, but i persevered.

okay... raise your hands... how many of you overly avid sports freaks got 1A T-FORMATION with less than two letters?! how about three letters? four? five? six? seven? who needed eight? me! and i wanna clear this up once and for all. i really like most sports - except basketball - but i only like them for, at most, a few weeks at a time... at the end of the season. (however, i do tend to watch a lot of golf in the winter just to see things all sunny and green!) i don't know many 11A PROS names, arenas, statistics, or anything else it takes repeated watching to know. and i won't read a single thing in the whole sports section, even if i "missed" a game i might otherwise have watched, because the point is, i didn't miss it at all - i was doing something else... i was livng! and i'm not even a little bit ashamed to admit that. i think my wife, nancy, watches more baseball than i do, and i know she at least looks through the sports section every day! can a brother get an 17A AMEN TO THAT?! what? 37D NO TAKERS? i can live with that.

oh, and i've heard 9D O CANADA prior to hundreds of hockey games... at least i would 38A GUESS SO.

my 15A REPUGNANCE for 52A UNHAT deserves no further explanation.

conductor, composer, and pianist andré 34A PREVIN (born andreas ludwig priwin), model, actress, and spooky vocalist 42A NICO (born christa päffgen) lloyd price's definitive version of 26D STAGGER LEE, and marvin 49A GAYE bemused the musician in me.

the reference to the impetus for the boston tea party 32A TEA ACT made me chuckle. i really liked 36D ICED OVER, and for reasons i'm not exactly sure 61A ODOR EATERS hit my funny bone as well.

here's hopin' your 20A STINT with the puzzle is/was a good time, and 40D SAY HI TO someone you haven't in a while... today... right now... it'll do ya both a lotta good!


keep on keepin' on...

dann