one intriguing = caballerold = o
― zanana rebozo (abanana), Monday, 11 November 2013 20:13 (twelve years ago)
Of course.
― Pazz & Jop 1280 (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 11 November 2013 20:13 (twelve years ago)
OHHHHH
i knew "cabal" but never made the connection, "caballer" is a v odd word
― lex pretend, Monday, 11 November 2013 20:14 (twelve years ago)
Thought so too but, as expected, it is in Chambers.
― Pazz & Jop 1280 (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 11 November 2013 20:21 (twelve years ago)
Who up in this borad is doing LearnedLeague, apart from me and jaymc?
― Skatalite of Dub (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 25 November 2013 18:53 (twelve years ago)
good lord, this last MMMM
― Rothko's Chicken and Waffles (donna rouge), Tuesday, 10 December 2013 17:49 (twelve years ago)
he's wrong in the explanation btw - ESTELLA isn't in "ironic", it's in "all i really want", which was like the sixth single from 'jagged little pill' that probably nobody remembers unless they owned the album
― Rothko's Chicken and Waffles (donna rouge), Tuesday, 10 December 2013 17:50 (twelve years ago)
and no disrespect to the indigo girls but c'mon, RASPUTIN belongs to boney m forever and ever
― Rothko's Chicken and Waffles (donna rouge), Tuesday, 10 December 2013 17:56 (twelve years ago)
I gave up on MMMM on the previous one. At least on the metas.
― The Glam Of That All The Way From Memphis Man! (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 10 December 2013 18:07 (twelve years ago)
There is a thin line between a cool meta that you can sort of figure out and one that will turn you into the guy in Dark City in his room painting spirals on everything in sight if you let it. Or maybe not so thin.
― The Glam Of That All The Way From Memphis Man! (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 10 December 2013 18:10 (twelve years ago)
And it's hard to complain about the thing being too hard, because "Well, these guys got it. It was supposed to be hard"
― The Glam Of That All The Way From Memphis Man! (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 10 December 2013 18:11 (twelve years ago)
Anyone coming to the ACPT in 2014? Not really feeling it this year. I know jaymc's friend and single-time poster Beyond will be attending.
― The Cantor Dust Brothers (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 25 December 2013 20:31 (twelve years ago)
Is anyone working on the MMMM mega-meta, and would you like to trade notes? PM me.
― zanarkand bozo (abanana), Tuesday, 31 December 2013 23:37 (twelve years ago)
Only one person has solved Gaffney's week 5 puzzle so far. The edited clue befuddles me.
― zanarkand bozo (abanana), Sunday, 2 February 2014 23:58 (twelve years ago)
Didn't try it this week. MMMM that just came out is one or yr easier puzzuzzles.
― The Crescent City of Kador (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 February 2014 18:57 (twelve years ago)
i HAW'ed at this: http://the-toast.net/2014/02/12/crossword-fanfic-erotica-say/
― Rothko's Chicken and Waffles (donna rouge), Wednesday, 12 February 2014 18:57 (twelve years ago)
Ha. Working on something like that, although not as ribald, more G-Rated really, as a mnemonic to help me prepare for the contest next month.
― The Crescent City of Kador (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 14 February 2014 01:41 (twelve years ago)
ARRRRGGGHHH DAYLIGHT SAVINGS!!!!
― In Walked Sho-Bud (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 9 March 2014 22:03 (twelve years ago)
End of an era
― In Walked Sho-Bud (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 10 March 2014 16:31 (twelve years ago)
Will Shortz playing ping pong with the cartoon editor of the NYer: http://vimeo.com/93017091
― Call the Doctorb, the B is for Brownstein (Leee), Monday, 5 May 2014 19:47 (twelve years ago)
http://www.fastcompany.com/3031792/most-creative-people/the-23-year-old-wordsmith-behind-the-hip-new-voice-of-the-times-crosswo
― mookieproof, Saturday, 14 June 2014 02:09 (eleven years ago)
Did not attend the ACPT this year, results are just in: http://www.crosswordtournament.com/2015/standings/rank.htm. The champ successfully defended.
― Big Iron Shirt Wearer (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 29 March 2015 18:30 (eleven years ago)
Hm. B and C finalists currently transposed on web page.
― Big Iron Shirt Wearer (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 29 March 2015 21:23 (eleven years ago)
Anyone for Lollapuzzoola 8, aka Lollapuzzocho?
― Archaic Buster Poindexter, Live At The Apollo (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 27 July 2015 23:14 (ten years ago)
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/08/19/the_new_york_times_mini_crossword_replied_to_slate_s_takedown_by_ruth_graham.html
― aaaaablnnn (abanana), Thursday, 20 August 2015 02:23 (ten years ago)
RIP Merl Reagle.
― Eternal Return To Earth (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 22 August 2015 14:31 (ten years ago)
http://wordplay.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/22/merl-reagle-january-5-1950-august-22-2015/?_r=0
― Eternal Return To Earth (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 22 August 2015 17:02 (ten years ago)
http://www.crosswordfiend.com/blog/2015/08/22/merl-reagle-1950-2015/
― Eternal Return To Earth (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 22 August 2015 17:12 (ten years ago)
http://www.tampabay.com/news/obituaries/crossword-creator-merl-reagle-dies-in-tampa-at-age-65/2242415http://wordplay.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/22/will-shortz-on-merl-reagle/
― Is It POLLING, Bob? (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 23 August 2015 15:48 (ten years ago)
So WSJ now has a daily puzzle, with a meta every Friday!
― The Starry-Eyed Messenger Service (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 21 September 2015 00:01 (ten years ago)
RIP Henry Hook.
― You're a Big URL Now (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 28 October 2015 19:17 (ten years ago)
http://wordplay.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/10/28/remembering-henry-hook/
Enjoyed theme of today's times. Any takers for this year's ACPT?
― YOLO Versus Powerball on the Moneygoround, Part One (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 January 2016 15:08 (ten years ago)
http://www.crosswordtournament.com/info/brochure.htm
― YOLO Versus Powerball on the Moneygoround, Part One (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 January 2016 16:04 (ten years ago)
The judges and referees include leading names in crossword puzzling.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/02/07/opinion/what-74-years-of-times-crosswords-say-about-the-words-we-use.html
Had to check before posting that jaymc didn't write this </xls>
― a passing spacecadet, Monday, 8 February 2016 22:34 (ten years ago)
...to be slightly clearer/less creepy, not bcz of the opinions stated, but because, hey, crosswords + ngrams
― a passing spacecadet, Monday, 8 February 2016 22:40 (ten years ago)
Tournament is going on now. Not in attendance.
― Woke Up Scully (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2016 17:22 (ten years ago)
I have never done a tournament because I've never really focused on speed, but it might be fun some time.
BTW the Sunday Washington Post Magazine had a great revolving cast for many years. Not to speak ill of the dead but I was annoyed when it went all-Merl Reagle all the time.
These days, Evan Birnholz is bringing some pretty enjoyable puzzles in that space. Some stretches but not too hard; theme-based but not too cute.
Unfortunately the Post dropped the Post Puzzler, a weekly hard themeless puzzle from Peter Gordon. Fortunately one can still subscribe to Gordon's Fireball Crosswords, which I cannot recommend more highly for those not already aware of them.
― doo-wop unto others (Ye Mad Puffin), Saturday, 2 April 2016 17:41 (ten years ago)
Ah, do you do the Fireball, YMP? Good for you. I was wearing my Fireball cap earlier today.
I spent a lot of time on getting faster, finished about 77th one year and then dropped back a little bit, haven't really been doing puzzles a lot the past few years.
― Woke Up Scully (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2016 17:51 (ten years ago)
Did manage to get to Lollapuzzoola last year, at which I sat next to between Erik A and Evan B, nice guys both.
― Woke Up Scully (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2016 17:56 (ten years ago)
I don't subscribe to the Fireball but I buy the books. I get AVX and MGWCC, and I do the freebies from WSJ online and PMXwords.
― remove butt (abanana), Saturday, 2 April 2016 18:09 (ten years ago)
Cool. Have you been submitting the WSJ meta solutions?
― Woke Up Scully (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2016 20:29 (ten years ago)
Just went over to look at ACPT standings. Must be missing it a little bit.
― Woke Up Scully (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2016 20:32 (ten years ago)
I'm not eligible for the WSJ prizes since I'm in Canada. I enjoy thinking over metas but my success rate isn't very high.
― remove butt (abanana), Sunday, 3 April 2016 07:43 (ten years ago)
after more or less thirteen years of practice I'm finally at a point where I can pretty consistently finish the NYT xword Monday to Friday and (of course) the magazine. Is the Saturday arts section that much of a leap forward? I never quite get around to it.
― ulysses, Monday, 4 April 2016 14:30 (ten years ago)
Saturday similar to Friday.
― Woke Up Scully (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 4 April 2016 16:46 (ten years ago)
I will try this week!
― ulysses, Monday, 4 April 2016 16:57 (ten years ago)
Please let us know how it goes.
― Woke Up Scully (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 4 April 2016 17:00 (ten years ago)
oh in excruciating detail no doubt
― ulysses, Monday, 4 April 2016 17:01 (ten years ago)