Hah, and the 45A cross.
― Human-shaped trash bag (Leee), Thursday, 5 May 2022 20:07 (one year ago) link
Solved it, don’t know how I feel about it. I was on the verge of annoyance at times but overall an enjoyable experience I guess. 32D had me going for a bit, I had something else there for the longest time.
― Johnny Thunderwords (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 7 May 2022 11:03 (one year ago) link
I had two different things in for 28D MARRIAGES and then MATERIALS - not being sure how to spell 34D didn't help
― Andrew Farrell, Saturday, 7 May 2022 12:09 (one year ago) link
struggled a bit with that middle section (never heard of DEJAGER or HUGUENOT, also had INDIA instead of NEPAL for the longest time) but overall I quite liked it. faster fill than usual for a Saturday even with the hiccups.
― Roz, Saturday, 7 May 2022 15:51 (one year ago) link
easiest sunday ever
― mookieproof, Saturday, 7 May 2022 22:49 (one year ago) link
Yeah, another record!
― Andrew Farrell, Sunday, 8 May 2022 00:50 (one year ago) link
can will shortz fit every possible spelling variation of a certain egyptian god into a single week? perhaps
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 10 May 2022 02:36 (one year ago) link
You’re talking about AMONUPDO?
― Don't Renege On (Our Dub) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 10 May 2022 11:05 (one year ago) link
Should have said AMENRA to that.
― Don't Renege On (Our Dub) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 10 May 2022 14:31 (one year ago) link
That's my favorite type of noodles
― may the florist be with you (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 10 May 2022 22:16 (one year ago) link
Lol!
― Don't Renege On (Our Dub) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 10 May 2022 22:26 (one year ago) link
Rejected crosswordese screenname: AMEN UPDO.
― Don't Renege On (Our Dub) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 10 May 2022 22:27 (one year ago) link
So some of the time restrictions for doing a puzzle that counts towards your streak have definitely been relaxed -- I *just* finished Wednesday's and it's showing up as gold.
― Santa Barbarous (Leee), Thursday, 12 May 2022 17:28 (one year ago) link
Were there time restrictions? Didn't know. Oh, day of or something maybe.
― Don't Renege On (Our Dub) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 12 May 2022 17:47 (one year ago) link
I think it matters whether you start the next one.
Like, if it's Thursday morning and I forgot to do Wednesday, I can still do it and get gold... as long as I don't start Thursday until Wednesday is done.
That's how I understand it anyway.
That said, if I ever get too precious about this, please kick me in the groinal region and remind me that it's a voluntary leisure activity that is also basically meaningless. Thxbye
― may the florist be with you (Ye Mad Puffin), Thursday, 12 May 2022 20:23 (one year ago) link
People getting precious about their streak is kind of half the business model for the NYT xword
― Michael F Gill, Thursday, 12 May 2022 21:13 (one year ago) link
Addiction through gamification is real, people!
― Don't Renege On (Our Dub) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 12 May 2022 22:37 (one year ago) link
Or is it?
― Don't Renege On (Our Dub) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 12 May 2022 22:41 (one year ago) link
xxp and wordle too! they're playing on peoples' OCD tendencies
I know a lot of people don't do numbers but it's nice that the sudoku isn't like that
― Dan S, Thursday, 12 May 2022 22:45 (one year ago) link
I’d say the “cracking the cryptic” sudoku fans can get pretty obsessive/dedicated. The speed solvers at Logic puzzle tournament are pretty incredible, although these events also seems to be accompanied with nerdy endless arguments about things like bifurcation, uniqueness, and if the cognitive load of the solving path is too heavy. I do love Nikoli-style logic puzzles in general though.
― Michael F Gill, Thursday, 12 May 2022 22:59 (one year ago) link
Okay, Sunday 5D made me smile.
― Don't Renege On (Our Dub) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 14 May 2022 23:03 (one year ago) link
easiest Wednesday ever
― assert (matttkkkk), Wednesday, 18 May 2022 11:48 (one year ago) link
Streak is now at 365, and I kind of hate myself for caring that much.
― Pteredactle (Leee), Friday, 20 May 2022 18:05 (one year ago) link
Ray Stevens to thread! Or not.
― Groovy Situation Vacant (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 20 May 2022 18:22 (one year ago) link
Leee, I also got to 365 recently and had the same ambivalence - simultaneously "yay me" and "who gives a fuck."
― Doris Day and the Time (Ye Mad Puffin), Saturday, 21 May 2022 03:30 (one year ago) link
Anyway, today’s puzzle…took me a while but I enjoyed, I think.
― Apollo and the Aqueducts (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 21 May 2022 12:51 (one year ago) link
same, was a fun one! really liked the clue-ing on this
― Roz, Saturday, 21 May 2022 13:26 (one year ago) link
Sunday was a bit of a headfuck, I only figured out the gimmick after I’d ground through the whole thing using crosses.
― assert (matttkkkk), Sunday, 22 May 2022 10:33 (one year ago) link
I saw the gimmick early on but didn’t have much of a reaction to this puzzle pro or con. I started it last night, didn’t feel like bothering and picked up again this morning.
― Apollo and the Aqueducts (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 22 May 2022 12:53 (one year ago) link
Today's is chewy -- tough but fair, if that's something you enjoy.
― Averaged Sevenfold (Leee), Friday, 27 May 2022 18:20 (one year ago) link
And again today. YMMV but I really enjoyed it despite nearly not finishing. Clues were difficult but not arbitrary, and some nice fill too. (It does have glue but I'm more tolerant of it especially if it's balanced it by good fill.)
― Averaged Sevenfold (Leee), Saturday, 28 May 2022 17:44 (one year ago) link
And if I scared you off, Rex calls both days exceptionally easy, so maybe I'm just obtuse.
― Averaged Sevenfold (Leee), Saturday, 28 May 2022 17:47 (one year ago) link
I did both. They weren’t particularly hard or easy. More of the medium challenge I am willing to accept these days.
― 20 Preflyte Rock (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 28 May 2022 17:54 (one year ago) link
the port authority/fields medal winner cross was rough
― mookieproof, Saturday, 28 May 2022 21:14 (one year ago) link
Was wondering why I never saw you on the math threads.
― 20 Preflyte Rock (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 28 May 2022 21:31 (one year ago) link
Tomorrow’s puzzle seems really boring.
― 20 Preflyte Rock (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 29 May 2022 00:33 (one year ago) link
Sez I as I peer into my 🔮
― 20 Preflyte Rock (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 29 May 2022 00:34 (one year ago) link
Natick today in the NW. :(
― Gianni Fursace (Leee), Thursday, 2 June 2022 17:31 (one year ago) link
Keith Hernandez just noted on tonight’s Mets broadcast there will a nyt xword themed around him this summer, right around the time his number is retired
― Michael F Gill, Tuesday, 7 June 2022 02:41 (one year ago) link
MEX
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 7 June 2022 02:49 (one year ago) link
Today (Tuesday) is scarily good. Not too difficult, but with a clever theme, good cluing, and some unusual words with crunchy consonant clusters. I particularly liked CMON, RXS, MRT, CBER, and ONSAFARI.
― Nutellanor Roosevelt (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 7 June 2022 11:39 (one year ago) link
Didn't like it as much as you did, but yeah, pretty substantial for a Tuesday.
― Double Elvis on the Dime (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 7 June 2022 16:13 (one year ago) link
Thurs 9D!
― Double Elvis on the Dime (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 9 June 2022 02:07 (one year ago) link
They must have seen my screenname.
― Double Elvis on the Dime (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 9 June 2022 12:07 (one year ago) link
I passed Ben ταυσίγ this morning and mentioned that but he hadn’t done it yet.
― Double Elvis on the Dime (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 9 June 2022 15:35 (one year ago) link
feel like several of today’s clues were slightly off
― mookieproof, Saturday, 11 June 2022 18:13 (one year ago) link
Yeah
― The Crazy World of Encyclopedia Brown (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 11 June 2022 19:40 (one year ago) link
It feels as if there are more factually or grammatically incorrect clues in the NYT nowadays than ever before, perhaps a side effect of the obsessive pursuit of counterintuitiveness and misdirection.
― Josefa, Saturday, 11 June 2022 19:53 (one year ago) link
Yes. This kind of thing in general is why I have mostly preferred cryptics for a long while.
― The Crazy World of Encyclopedia Brown (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 11 June 2022 20:09 (one year ago) link
23D where I had PINE instead of PITY nearly had me with a DNF.
― Antifa Lockhart (Leee), Saturday, 11 June 2022 20:14 (one year ago) link