Probably best for me not to worry about time for the time being
― The Door into Summerisle (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 10 January 2022 02:06 (two years ago) link
I use all "three" (really, it's just mobile vs. web IMO), though tellingly, the only time I posted a sub-4:00 solve was on web (via laptop).
― Rabbit Pen Warren (Leee), Monday, 10 January 2022 18:07 (two years ago) link
mostly use apps these days. i did just do that super-mega crossword from the NYT puzzlemania insert the other day in pencil, but it’s not like i had any other choice. i do enjoy the physical act of writing in letters but apps are just more convenient for how i solve in everyday life i guess
― donna rouge, Monday, 10 January 2022 18:11 (two years ago) link
I usually do the daily NYTs on the website via laptop. The app is frustrating because it's hard to see the acrosses and downs at the same time. I can do a Monday on the app because it is literally just typing, but past Wednesday I need more information before committing to an answer.
Fireballs I print out and do in ink on paper.
For the Bee I use the app until I get to Genius, then I need a different window for the Forum hints, which are usually required to get to Queendom.
― nonsensei (Ye Mad Puffin), Monday, 10 January 2022 18:54 (two years ago) link
Another nice thing about the web and phone apps is that they are integrated with other things so clicking on a date or link in xwordinfo, say, brings up the puzzle in question.
― The Door into Summerisle (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 10 January 2022 18:58 (two years ago) link
I like printing em out, idk
― symsymsym, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 02:24 (two years ago) link
Probably for the best. B-b-but then you don't get the instant gratification of e-checking! Oh wait.
― The Door into Summerisle (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 11 January 2022 02:42 (two years ago) link
When I'm working on paper and finish a New Yorker or Fireball, I am starting to hear the NYT "finished" noise in my head
― nonsensei (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 11 January 2022 02:53 (two years ago) link
I let my Fireball subscription lapse finally, despite the flood of emails Peter sends to remind me what I am missing
― The Door into Summerisle (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 11 January 2022 02:54 (two years ago) link
yeah I let fireball lapse this year too. still subscribing to avxclub and the great aries themelesses.
― symsymsym, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 03:00 (two years ago) link
Oh yeah, Aries. Does he still do the Rows Garden?
― The Door into Summerisle (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 11 January 2022 03:02 (two years ago) link
yeah I think so. didn't keep up with those, but they're a cool puzzle.
― symsymsym, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 05:14 (two years ago) link
Okay, I like Wednesday’s gimmick.
― Presenting the Fabulous Redettes Featuring James (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 19 January 2022 03:58 (two years ago) link
Okay, so do people generally like the default setting that when you are done with one word you skip to the next, or does anyone switch that off, like me?
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 21 January 2022 21:22 (two years ago) link
Anyway, Stella's Saturday Stumper for Newsday yesterday was reallly good.
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 23 January 2022 17:33 (two years ago) link
under ten minutes for the nyt saturday this week is close to a record for me, think it was an easy one tho
― i cannot help if you made yourself not funny (forksclovetofu), Sunday, 23 January 2022 20:55 (two years ago) link
https://kotaku.com/new-york-times-crossword-puzzle-making-history-will-sho-1848440135
― Gowron Hubbard (Leee), Friday, 28 January 2022 22:05 (two years ago) link
Cool. Wish they hadn’t kept misspelling Tausig though.
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 28 January 2022 22:35 (two years ago) link
The very beginning of timethe Shortz Era has some bizarre puzzles by constructors from the prior epoch who only got one puzzle in with Will and then were gone. Talking to you, Tom Underhill.
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 28 January 2022 22:44 (two years ago) link
The article leaves out a lot of the more damning stuff about the beanball kerfuffle, i.e. Jeff Chen pointing out the offensiveness prior to the puzzle's publication.
― Gowron Hubbard (Leee), Friday, 28 January 2022 22:53 (two years ago) link
Also the recent "clean coal" nonsense: https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2022/01/forlorn-directionless-type-mon-1-10-22_10.html
― Gowron Hubbard (Leee), Friday, 28 January 2022 22:55 (two years ago) link
also 'beaner' isn't really a baseball term ('beanball', sure)
― mookieproof, Friday, 28 January 2022 23:13 (two years ago) link
On March 21, 1943, the New York Times crossword clue was “author of a bestseller.” The answer: five letters long “HITLER.”
I...
Um...
I counted several times and keep getting six letters. What am I missing?
― Bill Kristol Meth (Ye Mad Puffin), Saturday, 29 January 2022 00:26 (two years ago) link
Might have something to do with the extra ‘s’ in *Taussig*
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 29 January 2022 00:53 (two years ago) link
Article about the "Surprisingly Messy Culture Wars Within The New York Times Crossword Puzzle" has surprisingly messy editing
― Michael F Gill, Saturday, 29 January 2022 01:29 (two years ago) link
That whole paragraph about the word "gluttonous" makes no sense
― Josefa, Saturday, 29 January 2022 02:30 (two years ago) link
Enjoyed today’s NYT but then I caught up on one rare (for the puzzle and probably outside, although it makes sense) word that had two crossings I wasn’t sure of. One I could figure out the other I couldn’t.
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 3 February 2022 13:20 (two years ago) link
Kind of kicking myself because I have seen and maybe even used this word but in context couldn’t see it.
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 3 February 2022 13:22 (two years ago) link
Friday was a really smooth solve with albeit with some traps to be dug out of.
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 4 February 2022 04:26 (two years ago) link
yep
― i cannot help if you made yourself not funny (forksclovetofu), Sunday, 6 February 2022 03:17 (two years ago) link
liked saturday's a lot, kameron austin collins makes great crosswords
― symsymsym, Sunday, 6 February 2022 03:26 (two years ago) link
Doing cryptics on my lunch break and then finishing them right before heading home has helped make it so I now average doing one a day. It helps that there are 5 (soon to be 6) weekly US/Canadian publications releasing cryptics now.
― Michael F Gill, Sunday, 6 February 2022 04:21 (two years ago) link
what are they? I do the weekly ones in the globe and mail and the new yorker
― symsymsym, Sunday, 6 February 2022 06:46 (two years ago) link
KAC is one of my favorites, he consistently makes hard and chewy but fair puzzles, wish he showed up more in NYT though.
― Jadzia Dachshund (Leee), Sunday, 6 February 2022 09:01 (two years ago) link
in general i liked it but i was not happy about the non-proliferation answer
― Tracer Hand, Sunday, 6 February 2022 15:41 (two years ago) link
symsymsym, besides G&M and NY-er:
Saturday National Post by Cox & Rathvon (available free here: https://natpostcryptic.blogspot.com/)The Browser (UK-based, but all the setters are American: thebrowser.com, need to subscribe for access)Out Of Left Field (the guys who used to do The Nation cryptic, $4/month, https://www.patreon.com/leftfieldcryptics)
AVCX is starting a weekly cryptic later this month or so too
― Michael F Gill, Sunday, 6 February 2022 16:40 (two years ago) link
thank you so much! I'm looking forward to the AVCX cryptic starting. My perception is that G&M on NY-er are on the easier side (because I can usually get close to finishing them). do you think the other ones are more challenging?
― symsymsym, Sunday, 6 February 2022 17:19 (two years ago) link
AVCX Cryptic? Tausig keeps his cards pretty close to his chest!
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 6 February 2022 17:59 (two years ago) link
It was announced in their recent successful kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/avcx/avcxpansion-embiggening-an-indie-puzzle-outlet
National Post cryptic is usually at the same level as The Globe & Mail. The Browser is a step up but is a bit more modern, and Left field is a further step up from that.
― Michael F Gill, Sunday, 6 February 2022 19:32 (two years ago) link
Cool. Just noticed the name of an ex-ILX0r on there. Maybe had some dim awareness he was doing that. Are they doing variety cryptics or just regular? Was making a bad joke about Tausig since he literally lives a block away from me. I sometimes have a very brief chat with him when we cross paths but I don’t really know him.
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 6 February 2022 20:00 (two years ago) link
NYT with an unusually clever themed Monday today. Not difficult, just unexpectedly charming.
― Bill Kristol Meth (Ye Mad Puffin), Monday, 7 February 2022 14:05 (two years ago) link
OTM. Had almost forgotten about Hägar the Horrible's wife, maybe that's for the other thread. Assuming this is not the Rebecca Goldstein that wrote The Mind-Body Problem and married Steven Pinker.
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 7 February 2022 15:34 (two years ago) link
this is very cool
Fun little trick in the Sunday New York Times crossword yesterday: the central theme clue was "The better of two sci-fi franchises", and regardless of whether you put Star Wars or Star Trek, the crossing clues worked pic.twitter.com/NS4LDxwxxl— ℳatt (@matttomic) February 7, 2022
― frogbs, Monday, 7 February 2022 20:43 (two years ago) link
Great stuffthink they did something similar in the 90s for the presidential election winner
― nxd, Monday, 7 February 2022 20:55 (two years ago) link
Yes, Tuesday, November 5, 1996. There was one before that, earlier that year, and so far there have been 17 of these Schrödinger, or quantum, crosswords, as they are known, including this latest.
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 7 February 2022 20:59 (two years ago) link
for the diverse among us: Apply to The New York Times Diverse Crossword Constructor Fellowship
― mookieproof, Monday, 7 February 2022 23:07 (two years ago) link
Erik A. also has a Friendbook group you can join.
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 7 February 2022 23:14 (two years ago) link
I hate how much the NYT crossword leans on Star Wars shit
― west elm girls (Whiney G. Weingarten), Tuesday, 8 February 2022 01:28 (two years ago) link
I feel like I was born on some kind of cusp where everyone (or so it seems) born younger than me is obsessed with Star Wars and the entire Star Trek franchise, whereas I only ever really cared about TOS.
― Tapioca Tumbril (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 8 February 2022 01:39 (two years ago) link
I don't remember it being a factor other than being the theme of one recent puzzle
― Dan S, Tuesday, 8 February 2022 01:41 (two years ago) link